Tom Massey

Nintendo Life

Tom Massey·Aug 30, 2022

Critic60/100

Agreement—

If you liked the previous Atari Recharged titles, Yars: Recharged presents another enjoyable diversion and interesting take on the theme. While not always as thrilling as it could be, the design overhaul still works well. That said, those who aren’t entirely intrigued by the formula may find it repetitive and ultimately tiresome. This reimagined Atari catalogue would probably be better off as a compilation title rather than a segmented anthology. And who knows, that may still eventually come to pass.

Nintendo Life

Tom Massey·Aug 29, 2022

Critic90/100

Agreement—

TMNT: The Cowabunga Collection is indisputably the best thing Konami has released in a long while, meeting all expectations and then some. Bar absent difficulty settings for the arcade games, it's an anthology that finally gets it totally right. Digital Eclipse and Konami have done the fans justice, offering a comprehensive library that doesn't hide content behind a paywall, while going above and beyond in terms of features and bonuses. With online functionality and rollback netcode being the icing on the cake, this is now the gold standard for retro collections. Capcom, pay close attention.

Nintendo Life

Tom Massey·Jul 6, 2022

Critic50/100

Agreement—

Once a technical marvel, Zero Tolerance Collection is now severely dated. Fans who live to relive days gone by might get a kick from diving back into the Planet Defense Corps facility, and the new Underground set of levels is a nice, if limited, bonus extra. But tweaks to provide an updated graphics option, improved frame rates, audio tracks, and true button remapping would have been greatly encouraging for existing fans and newcomers alike. As it is, this collection is largely just a ROM set thrown into a lacklustre zip file, with a frustrating level of non-effort.

Nintendo Life

Tom Massey·Jun 21, 2022

Critic80/100

Agreement—

Capcom Fighting Collection does exactly what it sets out to do, and bar a few very minor presentational oversights, is a product with years of longevity. It's a shame to lose those bonus characters present in previous console releases, and you do need to consider what appeals to you when considering a purchase. If you want the best Darkstalkers collection, look no further. If you want to experience Red Earth and take it online, the time has finally arrived. Or, for Street Fighter II diehards, Anniversary Edition's modernised netcode really lets you be a world warrior.Bar Red Earth, however, this isn't the first time these games have been released, and it surely won't be the last. A purchasing decision comes down to how many times you have bought these titles before, how much time you spend on MAME (which has been a viable, albeit illegal, option for years) or whether or not you just want the most polished, accurate, easy-access fighting game experience to date, either at home on your TV or portably on the go. If you fall into the latter category, it's a no-brainer.

Nintendo Life

Tom Massey·Jun 17, 2022

Critic70/100

Agreement—

Final Vendetta does an able job of using and enhancing tried and tested formulas of the past, and is great fun for either one or two players. Its brevity is ameliorated by its single-credit format; a bold but welcome move that makes learning to clear it rewarding for all the right reasons – but it's a setup some may struggle with. There's still room for experimentation in this genre with regard to original systems, and sadly Final Vendetta doesn't really attempt any of that, instead opting for more traditional '90s arcade fare – albeit with lots of variation in how you smack people around. If that's enough to tickle your fancy, you'll feel well-served by Bitmap Bureau's stab, but others might feel like they've walked this street before.

Nintendo Life

Tom Massey·Jun 15, 2022

Critic90/100

Agreement—

Two years in the making, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Shredder's Revenge is the best Turtles beat 'em up ever made, and a faster, better-looking, and more entertaining affair than even Streets of Rage 4. It looks delicious, sounds superb, and rekindles childhood memories beyond all expectation, time-warping you back to 1987. Its combat system is so much fun to mine that you feel compelled to keep coming back to try new strategies, and with its awesome multiplayer the experience evolves again and again. Like any beat 'em up, it does get repetitive as you enter the last third, but that's more a fault of the concept than the game. Our only regret is that we didn't use anywhere near enough puns in this review, so let's close by saying Shredder's Revenge is an unprecedented shell-ebration.

Nintendo Life

Tom Massey·May 30, 2022

Critic80/100

Agreement—

For fans of Pac-Man and his historical pedigree, this is the best round-up yet, spanning decades and featuring his most notable titles. It's the kind of collection the current Wonder Boy release should have been. The arcade overworld is a nice touch, although the frame rate is a big letdown and really should have been ironed out. And, while you might spend a while tinkering and designing your arcade space, the attraction of the gimmick is ultimately short-lived. Presentation deficiencies aside, though, one can't really fault the comprehensiveness of the collection, nor the quality of the titles themselves (well, except Pac in Time). It's a Pac-festival, and while it certainly has limited appeal, it offers countless hours of gaming fun and an interesting historical insight into the yellow orb's evolution.

Nintendo Life

Tom Massey·May 30, 2022

Critic70/100

Agreement—

Scoring the Wonder Boy Collection is only partly related to the quality of the games on offer. They're all excellent for what they are, and were they appraised independently, would do very well. But this is more about the package as a whole. Yes, there's plenty here to keep you occupied, but at the same time, what could have been is a sticking point. Wonder Boy is a great little series, with games spanning everything from the Master System to the PC Engine, in various guises. It's not difficult to offer a more extensive library for the broader gaming populace, rather than restrict certain titles to a group profiled for their magpie eyes.

Nintendo Life

Tom Massey·Apr 25, 2022

Critic90/100

Agreement—

Despite us making numerous comparisons to the Super Nintendo game, Pocky & Rocky: Reshrined is, for the vast majority, a completely new entry in the series. And that's worth celebrating for several reasons. Tengo Project, well aware of the original's pedigree, was smart enough to only use it as inspiration, rather than attempt to follow its lead beat-for-beat. Within this modern framework, the developer has constructed a thrilling tapestry of light, colour, and action-packed junctures for hardcore gamers to get their teeth into. Is it better than Natsume's venerable 1992 outing? No, but it's about on par, albeit for slightly different reasons. Pocky & Rocky: Reshrined is a blessing, a gorgeous-looking, delightfully artful new interpretation of a much-loved classic, and a noteworthy example of what can be achieved, creatively, with the 2D medium. If you're even mildly into the application of old-school gaming disciplines, it should be snapped up without a second thought.

Nintendo Life

Tom Massey·Mar 28, 2022

Critic60/100

Agreement—

Dragon Maid is a middling shoot-em-up affair: not bad, not exceptional. Its tag team concept is a sound one: it's fun to juggle characters in an attempt to keep all your horses in the race, grabbing health items from mid-bosses and seeking out paths through the maelstrom. At the same time, its nuance and novel ideas are hamstrung by unremarkable stage action, and a few niggling missteps, which is a shame. There's definitely enjoyment to be reaped from committing to a one-credit clear, learning bullet patterns, and eking out scoring routines. But when there are so many games in the field featuring greater urgency, flow, and an all-important sense of personality, this one is more for people with cash to spare, fans of ecchi paraphernalia, or a burning desire to consume everything bullet hell.

Nintendo Life

Tom Massey·Mar 17, 2022

Critic60/100

Agreement—

Gal Gun: Double Peace knows its audience, almost too well. Its entertainment factor is centred around crass perversion dressed up like a Saturday morning kid's cartoon; and, if anyone attempts to tell you it's a play on satire addressing the difficulties Japanese women face in a largely sexist society, feel free to laugh loudly in their face. That said, this is admittedly more of a game - and an altogether better game - than most that fall into the ecchi category. While simplistic, there's nothing particularly broken about it, and its Expert Mode does offer a playable enough game to be mildly involving. But, if you don't have a particular affection for its window-dressing, there's not a great deal here to keep rail-shooting fans engaged.

Nintendo Life

Tom Massey·Feb 20, 2022

Critic80/100

Agreement—

It’s a rare day that an indie shmup, so well-buried that most have never heard of it, manages to be this good at what it does. It hasn’t got vast worlds to soar over, nor does it try to break new ground. Instead, it delivers an old-school shmup experience in a fresh new way, fired up on influence and ambition, and the love of a genre. Fans would be raging mad not to pick it up.

Nintendo Life

Tom Massey·Feb 17, 2022

Critic70/100

Agreement—

You're being treated here, not to a replica of 16-bit graphics, but the genuine article, and that in itself carries a wonderful charm. With varied locales and great music, River City Girls Zero cleverly all takes place in pseudo real-time, the sun setting into night and eventually dawning again as you near end of your journey. It's an endearing romp across a quaintly rendered Japanese urban landscape that continually offers new places to scrap - from fairground rides and collapsing buildings to nightclubs and sun-drenched bays - all becoming especially colourful in the last hour. While it's very much a game of its era, River City Girls Zero is still rewarding for those interested in experiencing one of the saga's more creative entries.

Nintendo Life

Tom Massey·Feb 15, 2022

Critic70/100

Agreement—

If you're a fan of this now very old series, you might find Sol Cresta's mould appealing. It's certainly fun to improve, win shields, and prolong your survival by grabbing back lost ships; and to be able to whip your craft into formation and quickly destroy bosses with a countdown of powerful ordnance - and the audio is sublime. At the same time, with all of its interesting ideas, one can't help but feel that there are elements here that need more polish and careful implementation. There are very few memorable boss attacks, and while some stage junctures are somewhat shrewd, others come off as ill-conceived or uninspired. By no means is that to say it's unenjoyable - there is a definite groove within its visual mess that becomes clearer over time as you chip away at the interesting core gameplay - but the fact of the matter is that Sol Cresta is up against a wealth of extremely steep competition, and to stand out it needs to be hitting the all-important notes with greater finesse.

Nintendo Life

Tom Massey·Feb 7, 2022

Critic70/100

Agreement—

Swords & Bones needs to be approached and scored based around several key details, including whether you enjoy Ghosts'n Goblins or Castlevania-style platforming, as well as indie takes on the theme. If the answer is 'yes' to these metrics, then Swords & Bones comfortably earns its modest price tag. It has near zero replay value once completed and tied in a bow, and it's neither deep or surprising; but it is, undoubtedly, a fun way to kill three hours with a talented gang of bedroom coders. If that sounds appealing, the negligible investment will be money well spent.