I just watched the Fire Emblem Engage trailer and it has me pretty excited. I haven’t played any of the previous games in the series, but it seems to exist as its own independent story based on the trailers. The art looks great, the animation is cool, the voice acting is fantastic, and the story seems interesting. I am not sure how I feel about the gameplay, but I have been slowly coming around to the RTS-style gameplay since I started reviewing games. I could always use another JRPG to fill my time.
The game comes out for the Nintendo Switch later this month on January 20. You can preorder your copy today. I am not sure if I will preorder, but I will be playing this game. Stay tunned for the full review.
Game Review: The Legends of Heroes: Trails from Zero
I played The Legend of Heroes: Trails from Zero on Luna for a bit when it was free, but the game quickly become unplayable. When Amazon finally came around to fixing their copy, I had already purchased it on the Nintendo Switch. This review will be based on the Switch version.
Trials from Zero is a 2D turn-based strategy game. You play as a team of misfit detectives brought together to form the SSS. The SSS is a special unit of the police force created to try to repair the relationship between the police and the citizens of Cabell. The game has you fighting monsters as you run errands and solve mysteries.
I thought this game was cute. I loved the art, the voice acting is fantastic, and the story is fine. This game certainly has its niche. Unfortunately, I am not part of this niche. While I did enjoy sitting through the dialogue, I just couldn’t get into the combat.
Combat in this game is like most turn-based strategy games. The gimmick in this game is that you have to collect gems that give your character stat boosts and magical abilities. The grind involves finding the perfect combination of gems to optimize your team. The problem I had with the combat is that I found it boring. Most of the time I found it easier to keep bashing my way through combat rather than attempting to think tactically. I admit I am terrible at these games, but I can usually force myself through the grind to enjoy the story.
In the end, the grind proved too much for me. I am sure someone smarter who enjoys the genre will have a greater appreciation for this game’s mechanics, but I just couldn’t. A neat feature about this game is that it does have 2x speed mode. I recommend keeping this on because it makes movement through the overworld and combat that much quicker. This setting helps make the grind feel a little better so that you can enjoy the story, but I still found it too dull.
This game isn’t terrible, the bits of the story I got through were fine, but I just couldn’t justify grinding through combat just to get the next bit of story. This is a niche game. If you are looking for a turn-based strategy game and don’t mind the anime tropes it exists within, give it a try. For the rest of you, I would hold off.
You can play this game on Amazon Luna, Steam, Playstation, and the Nintendo Switch.
Image By Nihon Falcom / NIS America – https://image.api.playstation.com/vulcan/ap/rnd/202208/1119/mf0k9jlnC3mMwggEjz3sfkGp.jpg, Fair use, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?curid=72088799
Lost Ark – Impressions
I have been on a search for the next MMO that will fill the void Phantasy Star Online 2 has left behind. I need a laid-back experience that I can pick up on the little spare time I have left that doesn’t feel like it is another job. As part of this search, I decided to give Lost Ark another chance.
I tried Lost Ark when it first came out and quickly gave up on it. At the time, I thought the grind was too slow and boring. I tried different classes but couldn’t find a combination that stuck. It’s been a while since I last played the game, and I believed that enough time had passed where the experience would be different this time around. I was surprised by how different the experience was, but I’ve also learned this game isn’t from me.
For those who don’t know, Lost Ark is an MMO action RPG that is similar to Diablo, but different enough to not be considered a clone. It promises an engaging story, an open world, and fun combat. Unfortunately, I kept skipping the story, so I can’t speak on that part of the game. I didn’t like that it was only partially voice-acted, and none of what I read hooked me enough to keep reading.
But story aside, this game is beautiful. The settings, the special effects, and the aesthetic are breathtaking. Lost Ark has an impressive character creation that should satisfy anyone ready to dive into this game. I lack creativity and usually just played around with whatever templates were available.
Combat was a lot of fun when I finally found the class that worked for me. I loved tinkering with the abilities and trying to find a build that worked best for me. I love it even more that there are build guides baked into the game. You no longer need to worry about going to third-party sites when all the builds are just a press of a button away. The grind was still slow, but boss fights and dungeons bring a much-needed disruption to the monotony.
My biggest issue with the game is that the grind is too much for my schedule. It is still slow, and it can grow stale. I won’t ever be able to get to the point where the game gets fun, and I’ve made peace with that. The grind may not be as bad as other MMOs I’ve played in the past, but it is bad enough for a warning. Sure I could pay money to boost my character to the end game, but that would defeat the purpose. My favorite part of any MMO is building a character from scratch and finally getting to an endgame.
I liked this game and would play it if I had more time. I understand that my expectations for an MMO are unrealistic, but I can still cling to my hope. If you are curious about this game and like the genre, there is no harm in trying it. It looks great, it is easy to pick up, and it’s free. You can download and play Lost Ark on steam!
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Series Review: Kaleidoscope (2023)
The new year isn’t off to the best start. I just watched Kaleidoscope and I feel cheated of the thrilling heist experience I was promised. This series has been stretched out so much that it has lost all of its meaningful substance. This series was a waste of time, do not watch it.
The series starts with a man in prison who spends his day growing increasingly bitter about life and plotting his escape. A terrible diagnosis turns his plans into reality. As a free man, he gathers the sloppiest crew to pull off a heist from one of the most secure banks in New York City. Can they come together in time and make off with $7 billion? Or will this be the end of this generic showrunner?
It makes me sad to see such an excellent cast wasted on such a boring series. I came into Kaleidoscope expecting interesting characters and adrenaline-pumping heists, but instead, all I got was pointless drama. The heists are fine at best, but they are overshadowed by how boring everything else is. They could have cut this into a two-hour movie, and life would have been better.
My biggest complaint with this series is that it tries to do too much. There is too much backstory for characters no one will care about, and there are too many uninteresting plot threads to unravel. The series has an interesting gimmick where it plays with the timeline, but it doesn’t work here. The series will jump around between different characters and times, building up to its disappointing heist. Instead of experiencing the heist as it happens, you get to watch the excitement of planning, relationship problems, and its uninspired aftermath. It was a mistake to have the heist come at the end because I had already checked out long before then. Sometimes starting at the end makes a narrative interesting because you need to know what happened. Here, it made me care even less about this series.
If you like heist movies, watch one of the better ones. This series is a waste of your time. You can watch it on Netflix, but I wouldn’t.
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Movie Review: Strange World (2022)
I finished off my year by watching Strange World on Disney+. There was a lot of negative press surrounding this movie when it was in theaters. The general consensus was this movie was bad, and no one should watch it. Well, I watch everything, and I needed to see how badly Disney dropped the ball with this movie. My consensus is that it is not as bad as people made it out to be.
Strange World is a movie about a society made utopia by a mysterious bean. The power cultivated from this bean gives this society the ability to power their homes and vehicles. The people in this society lived in this perfect utopia of unlimited energy until sickness began destroying their crops. With the foundation of their society quickly crumbling, a new team of explorers must venture into the unknown and find a cure. Will they be able to conquer the unknown and bring back a solution, or is a society doomed to fall back into the dark ages?
Strange World is fine for what it is, a generic adventure movie made for kids. The voice acting is great and the art is beautiful. I loved the colors and creatures that make up the new world. It may be a concept that has been done before, but at least it is nice to look at. This is a decent movie to watch with your kids. As an added bonus, you might even be able to convince them to watch the films this one draws inspiration from.
In recent years, Disney has made an effort to diversify its casting. Sure there are times when the attempt is a shameless money grab, but I can’t deny that I appreciate how colorful the stories have been recently. Strange World has a diverse cast with a gay lead, and although it isn’t a great story, it is nice to see the representation in the stories we show our kids. As someone who grew up watching Disney where no one looked like me, it makes me happy that Ethan looks like someone out there now.
This movie may not have been worth watching in theaters, but it is fine to stream at home. This movie wasn’t made for me, so I won’t be as harsh as I usually am. If you are looking for a decent movie to throw on during family night, Strange World is a solid option. Check it out on Disney+.
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Best of 2022
In no particular order, I have decided to compile a list of the best movies and tv shows I watched last year. The links will take you to the respective reviews and I have separated them by streaming service.
Amazon
Netflix
Hulu
Apple TV
Shudder
Paramount+
On Demand
If You Can Find It
Game Review: Maskmaker
I was sent this game as a review code. While I am very grateful for the opportunity, I will not let it sway my opinions. This will be an honest review of the game.
Maskmaker is a VR puzzle game where you explore strange worlds looking for materials and blueprints to make new masks. I played it on the Meta Quest 2, but you can find it on sale on Steam at the moment of writing this.
You find yourself in an old maskmaker’s workshop where you have the tools to make the magical masks that will let you travel to strange new worlds. As you explore new worlds, you uncover the mystery of the old mask maker’s death. It is a pretty solid story with some fantastic voice acting. I recommend this game for the voice acting alone.
This game is a giant scavenger hunt as you search for the materials you need to get to the next leg of the story. The game runs smoothly, and the worlds you get to explore are beautiful. The developers do a fantastic job at making this an immersive experience. The distances, the sounds, and the tactile feedback you get when you pick up items make it easy to get lost in the world of Maskmaker.
Be aware that this game might give you motion sickness if you aren’t used to playing VR games. By default, the game will do some vignetting around the edges as you move through the world. I turned it off instantly because it took away from the immersion, but it might help if the motion sickness gets too bad. I could only stomach this game for small bursts before I got too sick to keep going. I eventually got my VR legs, and I recommend you work up to this point because it makes the experience more meaningful.
There are two parts to this game, mask-making, and exploration. Mask making is simple, you follow the directions on the blueprints you find, and the mask will light up when it’s ready. I found mask-making very relaxing. I loved the haptic feedback that exists when you are handling objects in the game. It makes it feel like you are actually holding items.
You explore the world by putting on different masks. Exploring the world is a leisurely trot through the strange new worlds you get whisked to. I recommend you explore everything so that you don’t miss out on items that are important to your progress.
Maskmaker runs great! Movement is fluid and everything looks beautiful. If you plan to play this game seated or with the joystick, I recommend you tweak the turning radius. I found that turning with the joystick would make me overshoot my target. I preferred playing this game standing. It didn’t require much room, and I preferred the immersion of physically turning. I also found physical turning to be more accurate anyways.
The only issue with the gameplay that I found was with the spyglass mechanic. The spyglass was annoying to focus with. I also found that I would often get stuck in spyglass mode, unable to move away. Physically moving my head back seemed to solve the issue, but it wouldn’t always work. Other than that, the game works great.
So is this game worth it? The game is on sale on Steam for $4.99 until 1/5/23. This game is a steal for $5. If you want a chill relaxing VR game that you can easily get lost in, this is a great place to start are someone who likes puzzles and scavenger hunts; this game is worth even for the $19.99 it is originally. For everyone else, I would wait for the sale. This game is an immersive, chill game that looks great and runs well. I recommend you check it out if you are in the market for a new VR experience.
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Gravity Circuit
If you are a fan of the old-school Megaman games, Gravity Circuit should already be on your radar. The game promises an intense 2D platformer experience where you take control of Kai as he makes his way through a post-apocalyptic world full of bloodthirsty robots.
For those curious, you can download a demo on the steam store. I played a bit of the demo, and although I am terrible at platformers, I enjoyed the experience. It reminded me of the frustration I felt when trying to beat the original Megaman games. This game will carry a level of difficulty that will frustrate most players, but the feeling of achievement at the end will be all the sweater. If you are a fan of these types of games, this game is probably already on your wishlist. For those who aren’t familiar with the genre, I recommend you try the demo before making your decision. I had a hard time with this game on normal. I can only imagine the challenge involved in higher difficulties. If you have never played these games before, prepare to die a lot.
Gravity Circuit has great art with fun gameplay. It has been announced to release on the Nintendo Switch, PS4, PS5, and PC. Check it out today!
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Trailer
Gameplay
Images and gifs taken from the steam store. I don’t own these pictures
Happy New Year
Dear reader,
Happy New Year! I hope this post finds you well. I hope you and your family are healthy and safe.
I can’t believe 2022 is already over. 2022 is the year I started to take my blogging more seriously. I grew my following, came into my voice and even started getting sent games to review. When I started this journey, I expected to speak into the void with only the WordPress Bots blessing me with their validation. I would have never imagined that real people would value my opinions, but I am very grateful that they do.
I am writing this post to thank you for your support. Thank you for giving me a confidence I didn’t have before to get out of my comfort zone and do something I enjoy doing. I will spend 2023 continuing to grow as a writer and blogger, and I hope that you continue to give me your support. I wish you all a better year than last. I love you all!
Thanks again!
Jose
Blue Protocol
Amazon’s newest MMO has certainly piqued my interest. With every new bit of news that comes across my desk, I continue to grow more excited. I love MMOs and am always looking for a new one to sink some time into. Blue Protocol seems like a promising title that might fill a void in my life.
Blue Protocol is a sci-fi open-world MMO that was announced sometime in 2023. A trailer was released during this year’s Game Awards, and I have to say, it looks pretty cool. I am a huge fan of the art, but then again I love anime. The world looks beautiful, with huge maps and a very open-world experience. I have a terrible sense of direction, so I will most likely be spending most of my game time trying to figure out where I need to go.
What excites me most about Blue Protocol is the combat. From what I have seen, it is a very active experience. A problem I have with some MMOs is that I don’t have the patience to wait around for cooldowns. If I am not actively moving, dodging, or attacking, I get easily distracted. It is why games like Guild Wars and PSO2 rank among my favorites. Blue Protocol seems to have a similar combat system to PSO2, I just hope it has more content. There also seems to be an elemental system, I hope it allows you to switch between different elements. Blue Protocol features all the traditional classes, although I didn’t see a healing class. I am very excited to try the mage class, but as an alt-aholic, I will be trying them all.
I’ll admit, the fact that Amazon is tied to this has me a little worried. I am scared the monetization will be too predatory and the gameplay will be too grindy. The few Amazon Titles have left me with mixed feelings, but I am willing to give them another chance. I did sign up for the Beta and will be reporting on my experience as soon as I can. Until then, I will be monitoring the official site closely. In the meantime, I guess I’ll try giving Lost Ark one more go.
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