James

Legend of Heroes: Trails to Azure review

Trails to Azure has arrived half a year after the long-awaited English release of Trails from Zero, heralding the completion of the missing Crossbell arc from developer Falcom’s Trails series of role playing games. One question remains: Has the thirteen year wait been worth it? Trails to Azure...
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8

Samurai Maiden review

This is D3 Publisher’s latest attempt at the over-the-top action game series, following cult classics such as Earth Defense Force and Oneechanbara. On the surface it shares far more similarities with that latter series, though, sporting a combination of hack-and-slash gameplay and a purposefully out-of-place high school protagonist....
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7

Kamiwaza: Way of the Thief review

As we enter October we’re reminded that we’re swiftly approaching what is typically the most crowded period of the year for major new video game releases. It’s no coincidence that some publishers are eager to see their games released during this calm before the storm. Kamiwaza: Way of...
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8

The Legend of Heroes: Trails from Zero review

Nihon Falcom Corporation celebrated its 40th anniversary last year, making the Japanese developer one of the longest-running in the business to date. Unlike its peers, Falcom has avoided many recent industry trends: It has retained its independence from mergers and acquisitions, it has staunchly decided to develop its...
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8

Gal*Gun: Double Peace (Switch)

Despite originally releasing just six years ago, Gal*Gun: Double Peace carries with it a strange aura of a long-lost Japanese retro game. There’s a very good reason for this – it came from a completely different era, back when a shrinking domestic console market led to publishers doubling...
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7

Panorama Cotton [Updated]

This year’s Cotton series revival shows few signs of slowing, with the SEGA Mega Drive shooter Panorama Cotton re-emerging for release on modern systems. This month also marks the first time the game has been reissued since its original Japan-only appearance over 25 years ago. Boxed copies of...
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8

Cotton 100%

In our Panorama Cotton review we mentioned that the Cotton series was, historically, rarely afraid of reinvention. Cue an emphasis on the word “rarely” because there was one exception: Cotton 100% on Super Famicom, which has recently been re-released on PS4 and Nintendo Switch.кредитная карта без кредитной истории...
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6

The Caligula Effect 2

The Caligula Effect 2 is the latest RPG from Japan to see an overseas release from publisher NIS America, but its original release actually came courtesy of FuRyu. This is important, because FuRyu is one of the last publishers left still making RPGs for a shrinking Japanese market...
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7

Tetris Effect: Connected (Switch)

Tetris is eternal. Throughout the past three decades, the falling block puzzle game has evolved across a plethora of appearances, many of which have earned their status as all-time classics. From the simple appeal of marathon mode in Tetris DX, to the puzzle trappings of Tetris Plus and...
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10

Actraiser Renaissance

Arriving on the just-released Super Famicom during the tail-end of 1990, Actraiser’s juxtaposition of side-scrolling action with god simulation put Quintet – a then-new developer formed primarily of Falcom alumni – on the map as a developer unafraid to innovate. This thirty-year-old game saw you in charge of...
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7

Super Monkey Ball: Banana Mania

SEGA’s original early 2000s arcade game Monkey Ball, along with its home console remake, Super Monkey Ball, are both what we like to call “forever games”. Two decades after release and they’ve still yet to outstay their welcome. In true classic SEGA arcade fashion, the games were graced...
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8