Reno Gazette-Journal

“Hot Wheels: Rift Rally is a fun take on augmented reality gaming that turns your own house into an exciting race course. The price for entry is admittedly high and you’ll need a large space with hard floors to truly enjoy what it has to offer. If the idea of controlling a car in your house and having that translate into a virtual game with all sorts of bells and whistles sounds like fun to you, however, then Hot Wheels: Rift Rally will provide some nice, clean family-friendly fun.”

“GrimGrimoire OnceMore is a great example of a remake done right. Instead of doing the bare minimum with a simple upscale and calling it a day, the game throws in several new mechanics such as Great Magic spells and a skill tree plus several quality of life additions. The RTS gameplay might be a bit too simple for hardcore fans of the genre. Its solid mechanics combined with an excellent story and beautiful hand-drawn visuals, however, make it a unique experience that’s certainly worth checking out.”

“The Legend of Heroes: Trails to Azure is like a time capsule for fans of classic JRPGs. From its retro aesthetic to its turn-based combat, it harkens to a time that some might consider the golden age of the genre. Granted, some might consider it dated. That would be a mistake, however, as The Legend of Heroes: Trails to Azure is one of the best renditions of old-school JRPGs at their finest. If you like classic JRPGs, you certainly can’t miss this one.”

“Atelier Ryza 3: Alchemist of the End & the Secret Key marks the end of the wonderful journey of Reisalin Stout and friends, and what a fitting send-off it is. From its larger maps to its new key-based mechanics, Atelier Ryza 3 certainly goes big for its last hurrah. Combat, while fun, can use a bit of balancing and ally AI could be more consistent. Overall, though, Atelier Ryza 3 neatly ties up the series’ narrative into a nice bow and will especially make longtime fans look back fondly on their adventures.”

“Idea Factory and Compile Heart serve up another dose of Nep-Nep in Neptunia: Sisters VS Sisters, complete with the kooky and offbeat storytelling that Neptunia fans know and love. The use of a new action-based combat system can be potentially polarizing, especially since it feels uneven and could use more polish. If you love the narrative of Neptunia games and its characters, however, the story alone makes this worth playing.”

“Labyrinth of Galleria is an excellent take on classic, first-person dungeon crawlers of old, boasting a fun class-based combat system and solid floor design. The game can suffer from some pacing issues and could do a better job in making your objectives more clear. But its great dungeon-crawling mechanics combined with one of the better told and voiced stories in the genre make this worthy to dive into.”

“Raiden IV x MIKADO Remix is a great example of the classic shmup. From its solid shooting mechanics to the extra bells and whistles from the MIKADO Remix, the game hits almost all the checkboxes for what a great shmup should be. It doesn’t quite have the pulse-pounding action or unique mechanics of the upper echelon of classic shooters. It’s also missing a key feature from the Switch version. For folks looking for an old-school shooter, however, Raiden IV x MIKADO Remix remains a worthy representation of the genre.”

“The Gungrave series harkens back to the heyday of Red Company when the developer was churning out excellent games such as the Sakura Wars and Tengai Makyo series. Nearly two decades later, Gungrave G.O.R.E. returns to a much changed world with different tastes. For its part, Gungrave G.O.R.E. faithfully sticks to the trademark mechanics of the past games. It’s definitely a risky decision as classic Gungrave is an acquired taste that isn’t for everybody. If you loved the old games and protagonist Beyond the Grave’s top-notch drip, however, Gungrave G.O.R.E. is essentially the Gungrave that you know and love.”

“Kukoos lost pets harkens back to a time when 3D mascot platformers were the bees knees. While it has some rough spots and doesn’t reinvent or revolutionize the genre, the game boasts some solid and, at times, challenging platforming. Add some fun boss fights, four-player multiplayer and an affordable price and you have a game that lovers of old-school platforming just might go cuckoo for.”

“Star Ocean: The Divine Force is the latest entry in the long-running JRPG series, which has hit some stumbling blocks with its last release. The decision to have dual protagonists is a nice touch, especially given how likable they both are. Combat is also good for folks who prefer a more action-oriented system, with the DUMA mechanics adding even more options for players. The storytelling’s pacing can be uneven and its vast areas can also feel empty at times. Overall, though, it’s a solid addition to the Star Ocean franchise and a step back in the right direction.”

“Twelve years after it first released, Trails From Zero finally makes it to western shores. Admittedly, the visual inconsistencies between the PS4 version and the graphically superior Switch and PC versions is a bit of a bummer. Despite being more than a decade old, however, Trails From Zero has aged quite well and remains one of the best JRPGs out there. Gamers who especially like classic JRPGs should definitely pick it up.”

“Yomawari: Lost in the Dark features the franchise’s trademark dichotomy that combines a disarmingly cute art style with disturbing suspense-horror sensibilities. Admittedly, the gameplay can feel a bit repetitive and drawn out as you find yourself constantly running away from things instead of truly confronting your fears. The story, however, is a high point that manages to keep you on your toes while also touching your heart at the same time. Give it a look if you like the Yomawari series or a survival game that’s different from the norm.”

“Don-chan and the gang are back with another thumping exercise in musicology with Taiko no Tatsujin: Rhythm Festival. The versus toy mode and the co-op DON-Chan band mode are nice additions to the standard arcade experience that taiko fans know and love. Admittedly, the subscription model that provides access to 583 songs at launch can be polarizing for fans. A diverse set of 76 base songs combined with fun modes, unlockables and tight taiko drumming mechanics, however, make Taiko no Tatsujin: Rhythm Festival one of the best rhythm games out there right now.”

“Kunio and the gang stake a claim on hot-blooded martial brawling since ancient times with River City Saga: Three Kingdoms. Combat is decidedly old school with pixellated characters to boot. The gameplay can feel a bit repetitive after extended play, which is par for the course for the beat-em-up genre, and can also be a bit of a grind at times. Replay value is solid, however, and fans of classic side-scrolling games will love its old-school fighting roots.”

“Touken Ranbu Warriors mixes the classic one vs. 1,000 hack-and-slash Warriors gameplay with the beautiful boys of the Touken Ranbu franchise. The use of investigations helps break the monotony of the Warriors-style gameplay a bit and the time-traveling element adds a twist to the history-based narrative often used in games set in Japan’s warring states period. Although it doesn’t exactly introduce groundbreaking changes to the formula, it’s a solid take on Warriors gameplay for fans of the classic hack-and-slash games and the Touken Ranbu franchise.”

“Crystar gets a Switch port following its earlier release on the PS4 and PC, giving you one more avenue to cry on the go. Crystar is actually one of those cases where a game boasts a strong and compelling story that’s unfortunately saddled with action gameplay that’s OK at best. Folks who prioritize top-notch combat mechanics and don’t particularly care for storytelling might want to look elsewhere. If you love games with a strong narrative and interesting characters, however, Crystar is definitely worth a trip to Purgatory despite its faults.”

“Atelier Sophie 2 continues to build on the Atelier franchise’s solid foundation and the result is another excellent game in the series. Granted the game can admittedly be grindy and repetitive at times. With its likable cast, addicting gameplay loop, touching narrative and feel-good charm, however, Atelier Sophie 2 is another welcome addition to the franchise, whether you’re a newcomer or a veteran who waited seven years for this surprise sequel.”

“If your main focus is a highly polished, big-budget arrangement with lots of action — and there’s nothing wrong with that — this game will likely be underwhelming for you. But if your priorities lie in story, a more nuanced perspective and an experience beyond just the game within a game, then The Cruel King and the Great Hero is worth picking up.”

“Monark is a game that boasts a solid foundation with some really good ideas and fun combat. It’s lack of polish, however, means this game is likely destined to be more of a cult favorite as opposed to a big hit. It’s a shame as the story alone is worth the journey. If you like an old-school 3D JRPG with interesting gameplay and don’t mind budget visuals, Monark is one ego trip worth indulging in.”

“Playing Steel Assault is like being teleported back to a time when Sega was doing what Nintendon’t and blast processing was at its heyday. From its pixel-perfect visuals to its retro 2D action mechanics, Steel Assault is akin to video game comfort food for anyone weaned on the golden age of 8-bit and 16-bit gaming. The game is on the short side and the lack of co-op and post-game unlockables hurt replay value. If you’re itching for some classic twitch gaming, though, Steel Assault is like a blast from the past.”