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Last reviewed: Mina the Hollower · 6 days ago
Luna Abyss is a AA shooter that holds its own against some of the elite of the genre. Its enticing and ominous sci-fi world is a delight to look at artistically, even if its muddy graphics let it down on closer inspection. Its story is fine, but a slick sense of progression keeps its action and platforming interesting from start to finish.
Planet Zoo is, ironically, a relatively toothless park building game. It doesn't have the delicious chaos of the Jurassic World Evolution games or the thrills of building your own rollercoaster and then hoping it'll stay on the tracks in Planet Coaster. But it's a pleasant and charming game. There's an airy joy in creating a peaceful home for animals to live in, and the earnest conservationist slant of Planet Zoo is hard to fault.
Siegecraft Commander is a good idea which very nearly works. There is a lot of game packed in, and if a decent multiplayer community can be formed then it could be a fun one to be part of. The problem is the wonky control system which never quite feels right and undermines much of the good stuff on display.
While Spheroids is relatively fun in its early stages and does the basics well, it ruins itself by adding in too much complexity too quickly without thought. The levels are formulaic, frustrating, and suffer from quite a few glitches and bugs, while the story is almost non-existent, the cutscenes awkward, and the ending abrupt.
Even though the core of Gravity Rush 2 remains largely unchanged, you'll be hard pushed to find a fresher open world title in a sea of Grand Theft Auto and Assassin's Creed clones. Kat's traversal mechanic is still among the most satisfying that the sandbox genre has to offer, and an endearing cast of characters means that you'll actively want to spend time in their world. The combat and mission structure may still be this series' biggest shortcoming, but colourful scenarios mean that you'll stick around long enough to see the sizeable story and its many side-quests through. So, while not everyone will be dazed by what this release has to offer, the sequel should at the very least ensure that existing fans continue singing Kat's chorus.
The core Hatsune Miku gameplay has barely changed, so if you liked it before, you'll like it now. The most compelling case for picking up Project DIVA Future Tone lies in the options you're given as to how much of the game you want to buy. While the free, base package won't give you much to sink your teeth into, either of the reasonably priced add-on packs offer an awful lot of bang for your buck, and combined they make up the most robust and complete version of Hatsune Miku ever released.
Momonga Pinball Adventures is a very simplistic pinball game with a very short story, pick-up and play controls, and ball physics that require a bit of tweaking. There's nothing here that stands out, but it'll still be good for keeping the children quiet for an hour or so, with it's not too taxing difficulty.
M2 are the undisputed masters of updating past classics, but the studio has perhaps outdone itself with this amazing package. Not only does Battle Garegga Rev.2016 present every previously available version of one of the 2D shooting genre's best efforts – as well as an all-new edition to mark the 20th anniversary – it throws in so many options and additional features that it's genuinely hard to think of what else a fan of the game could possibly demand. It may be an acquired taste these days – to be fair, the same could be said of the original back in 1996 – but Battle Garegga remains a defining release in the shmup canon, and this is without a shadow of a doubt the best way to experience it. You don't have to feel bad about cashing in your valuable SEGA Saturn version anymore.Thanks to Play-Asia for providing the copy of Battle Garegga Rev.2016 used in this review.
All told, Shantae: Half-Genie Hero is a very solid Metroidvania-esque platformer that caters to fans old and new. Everything that is loved about this series remains, while a brand new art style and a simple story put the barrier to entry very low. There's a lot of backtracking, and we found the combat to be a bit shallow, but the gameplay is largely very good, and you'll constantly be switching forms as you explore and hunt down everything the game has to offer. It's wonderfully light-hearted and doesn't take itself seriously, which is sadly quite rare these days. If you're after a tightly designed platformer with memorable characters and varied gameplay, Half-Genie Hero is here to grant that wish.