You could be forgiven for looking at screenshots from Train Valley and expecting a railway management sim a la Railroad Tycoon; it certainly looks the part in screenshots. And while it does have some light simulation elements, in truth, it’s more of a puzzle game—and a rather unique one at …
A decent soundtrack and precise input recognition are all you really need to make a good rhythm game. The musical style, presentation, narrative framing, and method of interaction are all important details, too, but it’s those first two that will make or break any music game. It’s easy to get …
Red Earth. Released in arcades in 1996 as the showcase for Capcom’s new CPS3 arcade platform, this somewhat eccentric fighting game soon slipped into relative obscurity. A quirky little fighting RPG with just four unfamiliar characters was always going to struggle to step out of Street Fighter II‘s shadow, and …
Remote Life is nothing if not ambitious. The work of solo developer NAME, it’s a side-scrolling shoot-’em-up with clear R-Type inspiration, an expansive campaign by arcade shmup standards, lots of variety, and impressive visual design that carries its alien horror vibes well. But for all its ambition, it’s a game …
One of the best things about the wide net Koei Tecmo casts with licensed Warriors games is seeing the clever ways the Musou formula can be twisted. From Zelda-style items and puzzle bosses in Hyrule Warriors, to Dragon Quest Heroes and Persona 5 Strikers being a full-fledged JRPGs, the influence …
The mix of empire-building strategy and tactical RPG in Brigandine: The Legend of Runersia makes for a compelling hook. Like many a strategy game, the ultimate goal is to conquer the entire land—in this case, a fantasy continent called Runersia that’s home to six different kingdoms—one stronghold at a time, …
The “Simple Story” subtitle for Arise is fitting: there’s a beautiful simplicity to Piccolo Studio’s heartfelt adventure. Through the eyes of elderly man moving on from this world to the next, reflecting on most important moments in his life—from the most joyous to the most heartbreaking—it weaves a tale of …
Hyperdimension Neptunia and Senran Kagura seem like a natural fit for a crossover. They’re both series driven by irreverent senses of humour and fanservice, underpinned by much richer characterisation that you might expect from a quick glance. They approach from very different angles—Neptunia is an RPG series built on game …
WWE 2K22’s greatest strength is its authenticity. While previous iterations have struggled to recreate the feeling of watching WWE television, this year’s release does it effortlessly, from the realistic visuals to the heightened impact when connecting with strikes and slams, it’s a clear improvement on its predecessors in almost every …
When you think of “Taito milestones”, what comes to mind? Space Invaders, surely, as one of the most influential videogames of all time? The inimitable charm of Bubble Bobble? The unique style and innovation of Darius? You’ll find none of these in Taito Milestones. This new 10-game compilation is touted …
