March2017
Review Atelier Firis: The Alchemist and the Mysterious Journey (PS4)
The Fast and the Firis
The Atelier series is one of the longest running and most prolific Japanese role-playing game franchises, with Atelier Firis: The Alchemist and the Mysterious Journey being the 18th instalment in the series' 20 year history. Atelier Firis is also, in many ways, the biggest leap forward the series has ever taken, implementing a...
February2017
Review Atelier Shallie Plus: Alchemists of the Dusk Sea (PS Vita)
A crafty plus size treat
Just as Nintendo look to Switch up the handheld market, Sony give gamers a reason to dig out the trusty old PlayStation Vita in the shape of another fun and accessible Japanese role-playing game. Atelier Shallie Plus: Alchemists of the Dusk Sea is an enhanced port of the PlayStation 3 game packing all the downloadable...
Review Berserk and the Band of the Hawk (PS4)
No Guts, no glory
Berserk and the Band of the Hawk is easily the bloodiest action game that Omega Force has ever squeezed out. True to the often gruesome source material, the game doesn't skimp on the red stuff, soaking the screen as you forcefully cleave your way through hundreds of enemies. Indeed, if there's one thing that Band of the Hawk gets...
January2017
Review Dynasty Warriors: Godseekers (PS4)
The search continues
The Dynasty Warriors series is no stranger to spin-offs, what with its library of Empires titles and its catalogue of somewhat lacking offshoots like Dynasty Warriors: Strikeforce. The property has a spotty record when it comes to swapping out its tried and tested hack and slash formula for something different, so it's safe to...
August2016
Review Attack on Titan: Wings of Freedom (PS4)
Maybe necks time
While it's a common story, Attack on Titan managed to pull this particular scribe into the anime world a couple years ago. How could it not? It has a striking art style with bold lining and subdued colour, a European setting with an intricate culture and inventions, and an irresistible world that draws you in with its mysteries and...
July2016
Review Romance of the Three Kingdoms XIII (PS4)
Romance is not dead
Strategy used to have a comfortable home on PlayStation: ports of Westwood's Command & Conquer series, Bullfrog's Theme games and the likes of Populous and The Bitmap Brothers' excellent Z, can often evoke fond memories in many a 'Station stalwart. But the genre fell by the wayside in later generations, with a slim selection...
June2016
Review Atelier Sophie: Alchemist of the Mysterious Book (PS4)
Cooking up a disappointment
The premise of Gust's Atelier Sophie: Alchemist of the Mysterious Book is simple. You play as Sophie, who wants to become the best alchemist that she can following the passing of her grandmother, who was also a creator of magical bits and pieces. After discovering that her predecessor's reference book, Plachta, can speak,...
March2016
Take back the night
Nights of Azure is a Japanese role-playing game set in a world where demons are taking over the night. As with any JRPG, there's a lot of lore to get your head around – so buckle in. The game is set after the defeat of the Ruler of the Night, who, once beaten, showered the world in his blue blood. Those who came into contact...
Review Samurai Warriors 4: Empires (PS4)
For clan and country
In recent years, Warriors games have been criticised for being a little too prolific. To those who don't care for musou titles, it must seem like there's a new Warriors release every other month, but fans have always stuck by Omega Force and its seemingly timeless hack and slash formula. However, even for the Omega Force...
February2016
Review Arslan: The Warriors of Legend (PS4)
Legends in the making
Hiromu Arakawa's re-imagining of Japanese novel series The Heroic Legend of Arslan is a great fit for a Warriors title: it's packed full of huge battles between warring nations and peppered with memorable characters. We've got a promising base for an Omega Force developed hack and slasher, then, but does Arslan: The Warriors of...
January2016
Review Atelier Escha & Logy Plus (PS Vita)
Too much like hard work
After a successful release on the PlayStation 3 back in 2013, Atelier Escha & Logy Plus is the latest in the hit Atelier series to be ported to the Vita, and features all of the downloadable content from the original version. Speaking of which, be sure to read our PS3 review if you're looking for more a detailed take on...
November2015
Review Dynasty Warriors 8: Empires (PS Vita)
A real strata-gem
Dynasty Warriors 8: Empires is the first Empires spin-off game to make it West on the Vita, and it's actually a bit of a revelation. The Empires formula fits so well on Sony's handheld that we'd go as far as to recommend this version over its home console counterpart – even if the graphics have been toned down considerably in...
October2015
Review Samurai Warriors 4-II (PS4)
Blade running
Stuck in a strange realm somewhere between a sequel and an expansion, Samurai Warriors 4-II is, in many ways, a follow up to last year's superb Samurai Warriors 4 – but it's certainly not the inevitable Samurai Warriors 5. It borrows characters, stages, music, mechanics, voice acting, and even artwork from 2015's historical hack and...
August2015
Review Nobunaga's Ambition: Sphere of Influence (PS4)
Fit for a demon king
Sometimes it feels like there are two types of video game enthusiasts: those who adore strategy titles and those who can't stand them. It's a divisive genre that often demands patience, planning, and a lot of practice, but all of the best strategy games reward you appropriately for the amount of time and effort that you sink...
July2015
Review Deception IV: The Nightmare Princess (PS4)
Dreaming of you
So, it turns out that the Devil has another daughter. Shocker, but it seems he has a penchant for sleeping around. The second girl, Velgyrie, haunts our nightmares with traps and death – but who can blame her with a name like Velgyrie? Thankfully, a handy robotic companion is on hand to teach her how to most efficiently murder...
Review Ar nosurge Plus (PS Vita)
Passionate beats
The PlayStation Vita has a formidable catalogue of Japanese role-playing games that always seems to be expanding, but it's fairly easy to make the argument that Ar nosurge Plus is one of the better additions. An enhanced port of the PlayStation 3 title which released last year, it's an enjoyably unique adventure that boasts an...
June2015
Review Samurai Warriors Chronicles 3 (PS Vita)
This time it's personal
You couldn't possibly be blamed for being unable to keep up with each new Warriors release at this point. The Dynasty Warriors and Samurai Warriors franchises have enjoyed a steady stream of new titles for about as long as anyone can remember, but thankfully, both series have maintained a good, consistent quality over the...
March2015
Review Toukiden: Kiwami (PlayStation Vita)
Demonic addiction
Toukiden: The Age of Demons attempted to fill a Monster Hunter-shaped hole on the PlayStation Vita, and it succeeded to quite an impressive degree. Accessible combat and relatively simple crafting systems made it a decent alternative to Capcom's popular action role-playing game romp, but Toukiden: Kiwami's gone one better,...
Review Toukiden: Kiwami (PlayStation 4)
It oni gets better
Toukiden: The Age of Demons was and still is a great adventure on the PlayStation Vita, but it's been made a bit obsolete by its follow-up, Toukiden: Kiwami. Not quite a sequel, Kiwami includes the entirety of the original game, plus a slew of new chapters which continue the story after the events of The Age of Demons. As such,...
Review Bladestorm: Nightmare (PlayStation 4)
Over the hills and far away
Originally released during the PlayStation 3's earlier years, Bladestorm remains a bit of an outlier as far as Koei games are concerned. Unlike Dynasty Warriors, the series that the publisher is perhaps best known for, Bladestorm is about conquering historical battlefields with brains rather than brawn. Taking on the...
Review Atelier Ayesha Plus: The Alchemist of Dusk (PlayStation Vita)
Flower maiden
There lies a world shrouded in mysterious ruins from a forgotten civilization, and just what power it harbours, no one knows. It's this settlement of uncertainty that is the home to Atelier Ayesha: The Alchemist of Dusk, and the beginning of the Twilight trilogy. Fortunately, there are no sparkly vampires hidden here. You'll play as...
February2015
Review Dynasty Warriors 8: Empires (PlayStation 4)
Empires of the Sun
Trying to describe Dynasty Warriors' spin-off Empires series is a difficult proposition, even to someone who's familiar with the franchise's main instalments. At their core, the games are the same, in that gameplay still involves hacking and slashing your way through entire armies in a bid to conquer China, but it's everything...
Review Dead or Alive 5: Last Round (PlayStation 4)
Last but not least
Dead or Alive's first foray onto the PlayStation 4 is everything that you'd expect, and not much else. Buxom women, chiselled men, and angry cyborg demons make up a decent sized character roster, while the modes on offer are standard fighting game fare. Dead or Alive 5: Last Round is the most complete edition of Koei Tecmo's...
October2014
Review Samurai Warriors 4 (PlayStation 4)
Ronin around at the speed of sound
The Samurai Warriors franchise has always played second fiddle to sister series Dynasty Warriors, especially over here in the West. Where the latter is now up to its eighth main instalment, without counting any spin-offs, Samurai Warriors has only just reached its fourth incarnation. To the inexperienced, there...
Review Ar Nosurge: Ode to an Unborn Star (PlayStation 3)
Lost in Space
In a world where songs can kill and chatting with semi-naked girls in bathtubs is part of a sacred ceremony, a religious war has split two factions in half. Propaganda and aggression have kept these two groups separate for long enough that neither realises one simple truth: that there are real people on both sides. Ar Nosurge: Ode to...
