When I was 17, I got my first car, a Nissan Juke. It was navy blue, had a custom sound system (from the previous owner), and blacked-out windows at the back (also the previous owner’s). I must have driven well over the 100,000 miles most cars reach before they start to cost more to maintain than they would to turn into a cube, but that car and I lived through so much in the years I ran it into the ground. From driving the length of the UK and driving across Cotswolds farms to ramming a lorry and coming out with only a minor bump and squeezing in my entire life for two house moves, I experienced so much within its cramped confines.

That’s what Pacific Drive feels like.

When players first launch Pacific Drive, they’ll find themselves driving gently down a tarmac road without a care in the world. This is what I thought the game was about. Exploring and collecting items to upgrade the car being driven, but I was so wrong.

After a short introduction that sees players getting sucked into bright lights and almost scorched to death by the air itself, the true gameplay loop reveals itself. Players have become trapped in the Olympic Exclusion Zone with only a car, and voices on the radio keep calling it a Remnant for company.

From here, players need to explore various junctions around the Olympic Exclusion Zone so they can upgrade a mad scientist’s garage in the hope of finding a way out. They’ll come for the driving, but get lost in the thick atmosphere and the way the game makes them feel.

Learn Your Routes

Exploration in Pacific Drive revolves around two things. Car maintenance and discovering new routes. Players must head out from the garage to visit junctions, sandbox locations they can explore, collect unstable energy, and then trigger an exit portal that simultaneously summons a horrific energy storm that will melt them if they don’t rush to the portal in time.

While in a junction, players can find loot in the furniture left in houses or cars scattered around the small open worlds. Players will unlock a new junction once they’ve successfully escaped the previous one, slowly building out their map until they can see and travel vast routes with multiple junctions to explore along the way.

The beauty of this system is explained through the Olympic Exclusion Zone itself. The anomalous energy that makes it so dangerous changes matter, so each junction changes every time the player revisits it. This also justifies the existence of random furniture and the oddly horrifying Anomalies within each one. Anomalies are what could be called the inhabitants or creatures that live within this world, but they’re just as much a part of it with a symbiotic relationship.

I’m a sucker for a good survival game with decent loot mechanics, and Pacific Drive has everything a fan could possibly need. The one thing that lets it down is the grind to unlock crafting recipes and better parts for the car. This takes up a big part of the early game and is only highlighted because traveling through junctions and grabbing loot from one location before emptying it into the car and driving to the next is so efficient and easy. It’s hardly a complaint because looting should be easy and fun, but it’s something that wore me down a bit in my first ten hours.

That one downside melted away once I got close to the mid-point of the game’s story. Things pick up fast with more interesting locations, longer journeys, and new resources to gather. This is where the game became, for me at least, an excuse to block out the world and just drive.

Watch, Listen, Drive

The story of Pacific Drive is a fantastic reason to keep playing. It got me through the necessary grind of discovering specific paths and needing to go on loot runs to repair and upgrade my car, and it’s incredibly well done. The voice acting is top notch and brings the characters to life in a way few games manage, giving me a reason to return.

The game goes way harder on the world building than it needs to, though, and that’s the part of its story that I adore. There are notes to find in every junction and hundreds of logbook entries to pour over by scanning every machine, building, Anomaly, and blade of grass.

One journal entry that completely changed Pacific Drive for me described the Olympic Exclusion Zone as a siphonophore. Those are the massive long tubes divers find out at sea. They’re made up of billions of tiny creatures all working towards a common goal. It made me look at the game in a completely new way, as if I were an alien in this organism, uncovering the secrets of its inner workings while it’s simply trying to exist, and would continue to exist without me.

The writers didn’t need to put that earth-shattering tidbit in the game. They could have left it up to the player’s imagination, but they consistently give us just enough to make sound assumptions that ascend the game to a level it may never have achieved without them. This includes item descriptions, which someone clearly had a lot of fun with.

When something as mundane as duct tape can be transformed into a revered and somewhat deadly resource by nothing but words, it’s clear love and care were put into every facet of the media, making you feel that way.

I’d go as far as saying Pacific Drive can be seen as a tool for creating personal stories. For me, I had a moment of profound silence that made me feel so small in our massive universe after walking out of a building, having looted everything not nailed down, only to be met with thick fog. I stopped, stunned by the overwhelming sense of absolutely nothing. It was eerie and beautiful all at once.

Another fantastic moment came just after I’d reached the game’s second main area. I parked my car on the edge of a road and stood on top of it, watching the sunrise. It felt like I’d conquered some sort of monster, even though all I’d done was drive further than ever before.

Somehow, all Pacific Drive’s elements, from gameplay and the systems within to the lighting, environmental design, music, and ambient sound to create something so surprisingly special that it makes you want to shout for joy and cry all at once.

It’s Not About the Destination

As players progress in Pacific Drive, they need to maintain their car and upgrade its various existing parts, while adding a few new ones, so they can cope with the increasingly dangerous environment in the Olympic Exclusion Zone.

The great gameplay loop makes this endlessly enjoyable. I regularly spent hours exploring several junctions until I’d picked them clean and completely filled my car and backpack with resources before heading back to the garage. Then, I’d research upgrades, craft as many as I could, and head out to see how the car handled with them. Even at midnight, I was amped to get out and see what my turbine battery charger, side-mounted lights, and additional armor would do to make my journey easier and help me avoid the Anomalies that wanted to rip it apart.

The car, a Remnant Anomaly, and therefore part of this strange world, is linked to the player, and I couldn’t help but make a real life connection with it. On one unfortunate journey, my character died, but the car dragged me back to the garage so we could push on. After that, I swore I’d never let anything destroy it.

A meter on the dashboard, which can be customized with all kinds of car that like bobbleheads, steering wheels, and necklaces hanging from the rearview mirror, displays the car’s overall health. It’s easy to se which parts need repairing, so I’d stop when things got too bad and fix it up. But the game world doesn’t make it easy, and that’s where the crazy adventures occur.

At one point, I was on the final junction of an eight-junction drive, and my car was on its last legs. I was chasing an objective and so hadn’t gathered any resources to make the repair putty needed to fix up the various parts, and my battery was on its last cell. I thought it was fine, I’d hit the objective and repair the car then after exploring on foot.

Little did I know that the objective activated an exit portal, and I had to drive like my heavily pregnant wife was having contractions in the back seat, and the bright portal to the sky was the hospital where my unborn child would be brought into the world. I threw the car over hills and skimmed past trees at the last second, going way too fast. But I made it, and it was awesome. As my car barely made it through the garage doors without falling to pieces, it shuddered and felt as if it collapsed when I turned off the engine. I collapsed emotionally alongside it and had to remind myself that it’s just a car, when really, I knew that feeling all too well.

Pacific Drive is the epitome of a roadtrip simulator. The sci-fi story is the journey. It’s all mapped out in front of players, they just have to follow it. The survival crafting elements are the quirks of the car that rear their heads at various points, carving memorable moments, sometimes literally, into the paintwork. The destination is a full stop that everyone’s desperate to reach before they set out, and dreads when they set out on the final leg of the trip because they know it’s all about to come to an end.

There’s no combat in the game, so to speak, but there is conflict. Players work to make their way through a world that’s desperate to stop them. Every Anomaly is an enemy to the car, not the player. Spiked puddles try to burst tires, strange UFOs throw it into trees, some even steal doors, and colossal barnacles spew acid at it, all trying to put an end to the greatest drive in the player character’s lifetime.

By the end of Pacific Drive, players will have an unbelievable and slightly unenviable tale to tell their friends that no one will be able to replicate. Everyone’s journey is different, unique to them, and so incredibly special.

The Verdict

Once players grasp the gameplay loop in Pacific Drive, they won’t want to put it down. The game is packed with action, pocketed with thoughtful silence, and, most important of all, gives players space to breathe while always driving them forward to an objective. Momentum is literally the name of the game, and solid mechanics that are the only way for players to interact with it make for one of the most engaging experiences I’ve ever had.

My wife and I once took two weeks out of our lives to drive up to and around Scotland. We stayed at a small farm and said hello to Highland Cows before heading to Loch Ness and Glencoe. We explored Edinburgh with family friends and waited an hour for a tiny ferry to carry us 50 yards to a road because there was no other route. At one point, we spent a night in an old shepherd’s hut in the middle of a field with a wood-fired hot tub, and I watched the sunset set the world on golden fire as I felt the fresh wheat sheafs blowing in the wind’s waves. I made my dad drive to a place called The Pineapple so we could meet him, and I’ve never seen a more bizarre building in my life.

We did the whole thing in a Mini Cooper that we’d just bought and had the roof down most of the journey. Just us, two holdall bags, and the winding roads of the highlands. I remember every single part of that journey, driving along Loch Ness for hours, watching a world of green pass by through the windows, and fearing I’d broken the car as I drove up to the shepherd’s hut on a dirt track in the middle of nowhere with no phone signal and the thought that the only thing that could help me get the car out was the nearby flock of sheep.

I had to get rid of that car as soon as we got back because we discovered during that trip that my wife was pregnant with our daughter, and a soft top isn’t super practical, especially with no boot space. I miss that car to this day, five years later, because it gave me one of the best experiences I’ve ever had.

That’s what playing Pacific Drive feels like.

You should never judge a book by its cover, but when it comes to video games, it’s so easy to do. The slew of RPGs releasing every month with a new set of characters beautifully displayed on the box with gorgeous anime art is enough to create a sense of fatigue even in those like me who rarely play the games. I have to say, though, every time I play one of these games with artwork on their covers that goes harder than it has any right to, they outshine every expectation I had for them and provide me with a memorable experience I take with me and tell my friends about. Granblue Fantasy: Relink more than fits this bill, it transcends what an action RPG should be and offers players reason after reason to spend one hundred hours with it and then some.

A Grand Start and a Globe-Spanning Adventure

The introduction to Granblue Fantasy: Relink sets the bar for epic tutorials that throw players into the heart of the action. Not 30 seconds in are players already holding their own against continent-sized dragons while floating on a ship that’s transporting them precariously through the sky and dodging bright beams of energy from the aforementioned flying lizard.

Following that epic beginning, I could not put this game down. The controls are simple to learn and take very little time to master. That’s not what most players will care about right away, though, because the story keeps the intrigue going for every hour it can.

After falling from the skyfaring ship in the introduction, players make their way to a town and embark on a fantastic adventure in every sense of the word. The world of Granblue is made up of floating islands where various factions and societies have carved out an existence. It’s a wonderful concept and one that I immediately found myself lost in.

Of course, a world is nothing if it’s empty, but the game pours on flavoring in the form of fleshed-out characters and sandbox locations that are fully realized. Even the main hubs, major locations within the world, are packed with citizens going about their business chatting about other locals, having a coffee, or staring off into the distance at an impossible castle that’s somehow held up against the strong winds each sky island must be battered by.

As the story progresses, players will explore every corner of the world and encounter many of its inhabitants, all of whom vary wildly depending on their loyalties and origins. Considering this is the first major action RPG in the series, with the previous games having been a premium mobile RPG with gacha mechanics and a fighter title, Granblue Fantasy: Relink shows an unprecedented level of polish, world-building, and immersion that the likes of Final Fantasy XVI or Elden Ring can only compete with.

Growing From its Roots

As I’ve mentioned, the Granblue series began with a gacha title similar to Genshin Impact. The initial draw of the massive world filled with a great story and various side activities is only heightened by the chance to purchase new characters to explore and fight with.

Granblue Fantasy: Relink takes what matters from that concept, the characters, and makes them available for players to earn as they play. There are only a couple of characters, the player’s own and one other within the party, who are absolutely essential to the story. The rest are interchangeable, and all have their own backstories that can be steadily explored as players level up and complete certain chapters.

We thought this was a nice nod to the series’ origins, and can’t help but love the idea that the being that invented Granblue’s version of magic is currently in our party and presenting as a young girl who wields a book that generates massive ring weapons to slice foes with. They’re not even the largest of larger than life characters it’s possible to earn, and more will be added over time.

Each character, including the player’s, must be leveled up if they’re going to be able to compete with late game enemies, and this title doesn’t hold back when it comes to difficulty. It’s essential to upgrade every character to unlock small buffs to health, mana, and damage, whilst also unlocking new skills for them to use.

As players get deeper into the story, it’ll become necessary to analyze the party between missions and boss battles to figure out what the best setup and loadout is to take advantage of the upcoming fights. One skill, weapon, or character swap could be all that’s standing between a victory or crushing defeat after an hour-long fight.

I really enjoyed this level of depth to the game. At first, it doesn’t seem like it’s needed, but once the party begins dealing almost no damage to a boss, it becomes pretty obvious that something’s got to change. I made it a habit to complete side missions between every major one to ensure I could easily grind out as many levels as possible and give myself a better chance moving forward, but even then, the challenge didn’t truly let up.

This is the action part of the action RPG that Granblue Fantasy: Relink is. It pushes players just far enough that they could fail if they aren’t paying attention. It requires a certain amount of skill to conquer, but it’s not reactionary, it’s analytical. Knowing when the best time to use healing or attacks is or which skills a certain character must have in their arsenal to ensure everyone stays alive and fighting is far more important than hits landed. Plus, it’s all done in a beautiful art style that I wish I had more excuses to come back and play around in.

Never a Dull Moment

To a degree, Granblue Fantasy: Relink reminds me a lot of a Monster Hunter game. Gear can be upgraded to a point, but resources are required at various level checkpoints to take it further. With 150 levels per weapon, it’s no easy feat getting one fully upgraded, but the benefits are instantly noticeable with each milestone.

To get these resources, players can replay main missions or tackle the dozens of side quests out there. These range a little in objectives but mostly consist of killing lots of enemies and bosses. The boss fights are a great distraction and offer a nice way to toy around with party setups between story beats.

The islands players explore also have a lot more to offer than mere objectives. Challenges lie hidden in Omen Stones, some of which are way above the payer’s expected level and throttle them mercilessly until they relent and head off to level up some more.

There’s always a new path to take and somewhere else to explore. The level design in Granblue Fantasy: Relink is amazing, allowing for almost endless exploration because so much is hidden by perspective. It’s intentional but not forced, meaning careful players will find everything in a single playthrough, while others will be pleasantly surprised in repeat visits to locations.

Locating the right enemies to get the resources needed so that weapons and characters can finally move forward in the story is a greatly gratifying experience. This grind isn’t for everyone, and whole it’s not as bad as the grind a free-to-play game would shove down the player’s throat, it is present and not something everyone will be into.

A Reason for Everything

Everything that’s in Granblue Fantasy: Relink is just the beginning. While I couldn’t play any of it for this review, more endgame content in the form of bosses and characters are on the way. The game already has way more than required to necessitate one hundred plus hours in a single save file, and soon there will be so much more to get stuck into.

The toughest content the game throws at players sees bosses take hits for a good five minutes from a fully leveled-up party using maxxed out weapons without taking a single point of damage. It’s these sorts of seemingly insurmountable fights that could drive someone mad, but here they’re just epic.

When I played Final Fantasy games as a child, the graphics were terrible, but my mind filled in the images and acrobatics that the characters were clearly pulling off in the turn-based combat. Granblue Fantasy: Relink is that mental projection of those fights, and it’s unrivaled in how it transforms the hardcore JRPG experience into something a little more approachable but way more challenging simultaneously.

There are so many things about this game that I’d usually avoid, be it being inspired by a gacha title, the anime art style that I don’t always gel with, the rich yet hefty amount of lore understanding it looks like it takes to get to grips with the world, and the astoundingly large bosses that move like lightning. Yet still, somehow, I’m gripped by it and can’t wait to get even more out of the Granblue universe.

All of this makes for a fabulous package, but Granblue Fantasy: Relink throws in one more bonus in the form of multiplayer. Each party must contain four characters, and players can team up online to play together with their own characters from their own save files. So if each player has a fully-leveled character with top level weapons, they stand a much better chance of taking down a colossal boss than any of them do alone.

Verdict

I am nothing short of blown away by Granblue Fantasy: Relink. It blends the action RPG elements of soulsborne titles with exactly what’s desired from JRPGs and throws in a dash of gacha fun to create a game that’s filling and always flavorful. Just when I think it’s going to get tired and boring, it surprises me and holds my gaze all the more fiercely. Best of all, the game can be played entirely offline, meaning long-time fans of the series who have suffered through server outages no longer need to worry with this well-rounded Granblue-shaped package that can be played anywhere with a terrible internet connection.

When it comes to finding the right fit for a keyboard, the battle isn’t easy. With plenty of brands at widely different price ranges, getting the best bang for your buck can be a tricky task. For those looking for a high-quality magnetic keyboard, the Arbiter Studio Polar 65 could be the perfect fit.

Magnetic keyboards take mechanical typing to a new level, with magnetic switches that provide an even more accurate typing experience. These extremely sensitive keys will ensure each button pressed responds, though it can take a bit to get used to. This can make investing in a magnetic keyboard a nerve-wracking leap. The Polar 65 is a great option for those new to mechanical keyboards, wanting a jump up from a standard mechanical keyboard to magnetic, or a seasoned fan of magnetic keys.

Key Details

• USB-C: Yes
• Brand: Arbiter Studio
• Price: 150 USD
• Customizable: Yes
• Repairable: Yes

The Arbiter Polar 65 Magnetic Keys Are The Best

When it comes to the best typing experience, the Polar 65 has the most options beat. The satisfying snap of the keys, when they are pressed, is exactly what to look for in a good mechanical keyboard. Additionally, I found the keys didn’t struggle to pick up strokes, even when hit on the edges.

In fact, the keys are so sensitive it took some time to get used to typing on them. If the user bumps a key beside the one they mean to hit, it’s easy to end up with a typo. While there is a slight learning curve, it only took me a few hours to adjust my typing style to gently land on the keys. Very little force was needed, and I was able to fly over the board as I worked on articles or played video games.

The Polar 65 Shines At Work Or When Playing Games

I was able to test the Polar 65 both at work and while gaming. As a keyboard for office work, it does lack some versatility. The missing 10-key option and the lack of F1 keys can make basic keyboard functions a bit difficult. That being said, when used specifically for typing, the keyboard’s responsiveness makes writing a joy. I particularly like using it for long-form article writing, as I can fly across the keys knowing there will be minimal typos or errors.

Where the Polar 65 shines is gaming. The compact keyboard is perfect for any desk setup, and it can be used on a lap desk alongside a desktop/TV rig with pleasant comfort. I have used the Polar 65 primarily while playing in the living room, with my mouse and the keyboard set up on my lap as I farm in Stardew Valley or battle monsters in BG3.

The Polar 65 Has RGB Software, But It Doesn’t Need It

Arbiter recently put out software for the Polar 65. When connected, the keyboard can be set up and toggled via the application, but personally, I find setting things up on the keyboard itself to be the most intuitive option.

Using preset keys, the user can toggle the RGB modes, with exciting options like key response flashing and rotating colors. The sensitivity of the keyboard can also be controlled this way. I loved this feature. I loved that I didn’t need to download anything to set the keyboard up, that I don’t have anything launching on startup causing slowness with the start of my day. I can just plug in, change and set things however I want, and then get right to business. I can’t stress enough how much I love this functionality, and wish more keyboards had it.

The Polar 65 Begs To Go On The Road

One surprising benefit of the Polar 65 is how portable it is. My Midnight Lilac keyboard has been to New York, LA, and Salt Lake City. I’ve found that I won’t travel without it. The ability to set my laptop up on a small hotel desk with the perfect, sensitive keyboard helps soften the blow of operating without my full desk setup at home.

For professional gamers who travel frequently, the Polar 65 isn’t just a good idea – it’s a requirement. I don’t think I will ever go anywhere again without this sweet little Magnetic keyboard tucked into my laptop bag. Even though it’s a bit heavy, it is completely worth the additional item on the packing list.

Verdict

The Arbiter Studio Polar 65 Magnetic keyboard is a fantastic option for gamers, professional travelers, and those looking for a compact and sensitive typing option. While I do miss the 10-key frequently, the pleasant, high-quality feel of the Polar 65 helps soften the blow.

The Polar 65 is worth the investment, and at $150 for any of the current color options in stock, those who pick one up will find it worth every penny. Compared to expensive options like Hi-Ground, it is definitely a keyboard worth trying, and one that will likely change the way you interact with you desk setup when sitting down to work or game.

Mario and Donkey Kong’s timeless feud is reignited once again in the latest Nintendo Switch remake, aptly named Mario vs. Donkey Kong. Whether you played the original release in the GBA or not, you’re in for a delightful puzzle-based platformer packed with acrobatics, jumps, and adorable tiny robots sporting mustaches. 

Instead of linear progression, you’ll navigate through phases using your jumping skills, bouncing off obstacles, and employing clever tactics to solve puzzles. It’s a game where simplicity shines, and the best ideas are always front and center. Mario vs. Donkey Kong beautifully balances its classic soul with modern appeal, never relying solely on nostalgia but embracing it in a way that feels just right.

Donkey Kong Needs to Stop it and Get Some Help

In Mario vs. Donkey Kong, the chaos kicks off when Donkey Kong snatches the adorable Minimarios from Mario’s factory after spotting them in TV ads. Turns out our mischievous ape has lost all interest in collecting bananas since he’s already got a house overflowing with them.

You are but a mere observer as DK fills a paper bag with all these tiny mini-Mario toys before making a swift escape. But of course, it’s not long before our valiant Italian plumber goes “mamma mia” and springs right into action on a whirlwind chase through lush jungles, bustling cities, fiery volcanoes, and eerie haunted houses. 

Related: Super Mario Bros. Wonder Fans Are Debating The Quality Of Mario’s New Voice Actor

Donkey Kong’s sudden obsession with nabbing a bunch of Mini-Mario toys from the factory might seem puzzling, but hey, it sets the stage for some seriously fun gameplay.

You can count on Mario to keep the story simple enough for anyone to follow. props to Nintendo for keeping the storytelling minimalist – who needs words when the visuals speak volumes? They just let these short cutscenes do the job and it works magnificently.

More of A New Game than a Remake

As soon as you boot up Mario vs. Donkey Kong on your Nintendo Switch, you won’t take long to notice this isn’t just a fresh coat of pain. With snazzy visuals, a toe-tapping soundtrack, and a barrel-load of new features, this remake takes the classic gameplay to warp pipe levels of excitement. 

The most noticeable change is the inclusion of two brand-spanking-new worlds, the frosty caverns of Slippery Summit and clown around in the colorful chaos of Merry Mini-Land as part of this mini-Mario chasing adventure.

But you can also challenge yourself in Time Attack mode to beat your own records and unlock the ultimate bragging rights. If you’re thinking “brag to whom”, then allow me to break down the best piece of news for you: you can play Mario vs. Donkey Kong in co-op mode. This is a game I expect to see in lots of best co-op games lists in the future because Mario and Toad make a killer team in this rescue mission.

The fact is that the original GBA game came out in 2004, so it’s quite hard to feel like you’re playing a remake of that game. Instead, its new cinematics, modernized visuals, and updated soundtrack often make you feel like you’re playing a new game altogether. It just happens to also have DK and Mario in it.

Bite-Sized Gameplay

With fresh levels, a super fun local co-op mode, and snazzy updated graphics and tunes, this remake is a total game-changer. 

It’s got that classic episodic vibe, boasting eight worlds to conquer, each packed with challenges aplenty. It’s a repetitive formula: you snag keys, you open a door, and then rescue your mini-Marios – all the while catching a few collectible gifts on the way. 

What you’ll encounter at each level varies from world to world. Mario vs. Donkey Kong never fails to disappoint in introducing new mechanics each time. Just by sitting on the level-picking menu, you get a huge sense of wonder. How is this hippo going to come into play at the actual level? Are they friend or foes? Surprisingly, the answer tends to be both.

When you’ve rescued all your toy children, you’ll unlock a special level in which you lead them all to safety, border collie style. They’re yours to herd and keep alive, and this heavyweight led me to restart this level every time one of my Mario children would accidentally step on a spike and die. 

 After overcoming it, a battle against Donkey Kong awaits us in the purest retro style. When all is said and done, it’s time for a showdown against Mr. DK himself, in which you’ll be throwing boxes to deplete his health. 

The fun doesn’t end when you’ve tackled all the main levels. There are bonus worlds and expert tests for you pros.

I’m not going to sit here and tell you Mario vs. Donkey Kong is reinventing the wheel here. But everything they do is executed brilliantly and without faults. Each puzzle is satisfactory to crack and perform.

It’s also a completionist delight. The game won’t let you go to sleep unless you’ve achieved a golden star in every level, because god-forbid I leave that silver pentagon sitting there on this silly game of plumber vs. ape.

It’s an extremely replayable experience that encourages you to 100% it but I also feel that it’s best enjoyed in small sips. You may not finish this game in one sitting, but you’ll also feel your fingertips starting to itch for more handstand Mario acrobatics whenever you have some spare time.

We’ve Been Lied to; Mario’s Actually an Acrobat

We’ve seen Mario fist-bump brick platforms and slide down pipes. Heck, he’s even turned into an elephant. But he’s never been as much of an acrobat as in Mario vs. Donkey Kong. From daring flips to gravity-defying handstands, Mario’s stunt skills are legendary.

Mario vs. Donkey Kong requires a lot of thinking and stopping to think before taking a step. For Mario, though, this just means he’ll be hopping all over the map, doing backflips, handstands, and double jumps to rescue his toy children.

While the game relies heavily on puzzle-solving, something that brainiacs will gladly welcome, the platformer aspect of this game is exceedingly satisfying.

Mario’s stunt set is the one that every fan knows, but each of the actions has its use within exquisitely designed levels. Truly, each and every one of them is a marvel thanks to their particularities.

Whether you’re dodging fiery lava by backflipping, outsmarting pesky egg-dispatching birds by hand standing, or double jumping to reach the end of a puzzle, Mario’s ready to leap into action with calculated jumps and flawless moves.

And hey, if you need a breather from the nail-biting action, why not give the optional relaxed mode a whirl? While Mario vs. Donkey Kong can be a very challenging game to tackle in bite-sized chunks, this remake also aims to be more accessible with the addition of an optional Casual Mode where the countdown timer disappears and we become invulnerable thanks to the protection of bubbles. I actually comfortably played the first few levels in Casual Mode until I hoarded 30-odd 1UP shrooms and decided I was ready to graduate to Classic.

The Audiovisual Department

While the core gameplay remains faithful to the original from two decades ago, Mario vs. Donkey Kong‘s remake kicks things up a notch with a fresh coat of paint and a brand-new soundtrack. Feast your eyes on the stunning 3D visuals, a major upgrade from the old GBA sprites. With meticulously crafted models, smooth animations, and vibrant environments, the game is a treat for the senses whether you’re playing on the go or at home. 

Mario vs. Donkey Kong‘s soundtrack is not something I can forget about. This is evidenced by the many times I’ve caught myself humming its groovy and jazzy tunes. Each level and world has its own different vibe to set the mood It keeps you focused and immersed in the action. From start to finish, the audiovisual experience in this remake is nothing short of stellar, proving that Nintendo’s classics can shine brighter on the Switch.

The Verdict: An All-in-One Toy

Mario vs. Donkey Kong is a timeless classic that appeals to players both old and new. With its simple yet engaging puzzles and beloved characters, it offers an adventure suitable for all skill levels. Whether you’re flying solo or teaming up for some two-player fun, looking for a quick game to hop on to pass the time, or delving into a complex challenge, Mario vs. Donkey Kong delivers a delightful experience that caters to everyone. 

Solium Infernum is unlike any strategy game I have ever played. 

This reimagining of a cult classic strategy game is something truly unique in the genre, with its focus on deceitful political games, outwitting and out-maneuvering opponents, and the backdrop of hell without a king, it offers up a truly unique experience no other strategy game has done for me in a long time. It’s got choice, consequence, and a lot of demons, and it’s a blast to play.

Key Details

• Developer: League of Geeks
• Platforms: PC (Steam)
• Release Date: February 22, 2024
• Price: $39.99

Fiendish Fun and a Little Backstabbing

League of Geeks’ previous game, Armello, saw a developer create a new, fresh board game-style RPG with tactics, careful planning, and some moments of wickedness thrown in to mess with other players. For Solium Infernum, these ideas and design choices have been turned up to 11, especially that wickedness part, and it makes for a strategic and unique board game style game unlike any I’ve played before.

The premise for this hellishly good experience is simple: the Prince of Darkness has vanished from hell and left the Infernal Throne vacant and up for the taking. Now, it’s up to you to outwit and outplay your opponents, take the throne for yourself, and claim dominion over hell as its new ruler. To claim the throne, you’ll first need to take on the form of one of the game’s eight Archfiends, powerful beings who each possess different powers and lean towards various styles of gameplay including sorcery, conflict, and the art of diplomacy, all of which offer some distinct gameplay advantages and nuances. 

Along with their abilities, you command legions of troops, use magic, and talk your way through situations in this ash-covered version of hell in synchronous turns, with the order determined by a Regent that changes with each turn. As you do so, you’ll grow in power, unlock new powers, and earn the ever-important Prestige, the primary resource and method by which you claim victory.

The simplest and often most used way of accumulating Prestige is through conquest, capturing the Places of Power, the rather intricate art of diplomacy, and wagers to gain as much as possible before the turn limit is reached. In truth, nearly every action has some way to earn, wager, or lose Prestige, and it’s often the crux of every weighty decision you’ll need to make during a match, and there are a lot of choices to make in this game.

Outside of that, you can crush the other Archfiends in battle or claim Pandemonium, the capital of hell. However, these are more laborious tasks, making pursuing them difficult since they often are far less effective options. If you decide to try that, have a go at it. The game invites a challenge, whether to your friendships or strategic mind.

This will take place in games that can be instant, intense matches that last for a few hours or across days and weeks, thanks to asynchronous multiplayer. Should you choose to play this way, games can be played for a few minutes a day, while the rest of your time can be spent scheming or pondering how your plans will play out or what your opponents are doing. Besides being an interesting way to play the game, it is also an excellent addition for players with less time to play. It invites a different kind of experience than your typical strategy or board game, be that physical or digital.

Add to this a single-player mode, Chronicles, which offers up narrative-driven challenges to complete, and you have quite the foundation for a great entry into the genre.

All of this combines into a good base that shows Leagues of Geeks’ pension for board game design and is only built upon and made all the better by the numerous other mechanics at work, and they are equally well implemented and much more sadistic.

A Game With A Hell-thy Amount of Choice

Beyond its core gameplay and ideas, Solium Infernum is filled with nuanced and layered mechanics and ideas that serve a simple goal: To make decisions that matter, are weighty, and sometimes a little stressful. 

That starts with how you plan each of your turns. Each player begins a match with two order slots, which allow you to take your actions each turn, with the chance to earn more during the game. The order your actions take is also important, as they play out one by one in the order you choose, and depending on how you use them, can make a big difference to how your strategy plays out, like the amount of Tribute you earn, how you deal with combat, or any other aspect of the game. It’s an important factor in your tactics and the first of many.

Archfiends are another of these important choices. Aside from being aesthetically pleasing, Archfiends all feature a unique ability called a Dark Art, a special move that can be used to disrupt, summon, hinder, or buff legions, as well as a unique starting legion and different starting stats in the five powers: Wrath, Deceit, Prophecy, Destruction, and Charisma. Each of these opens up different gameplay options and can be leveled up during a match to help refine your style as you play. Depending on your Archfiend, you lean towards specific play styles, like sorcerers such as Murmur and Lilith, who start with penance for spells, or Astaroth, who is more about aggressive, combat-centric tactics. Archfiends also come equipped with your selection and combination of rings, amulets, and crowns, all of which grant additional buffs or effects to further tailor your playstyle, with each type taking up one or more of your three slots, making what you choose just as important as who.

From there, it’s into the thick of the game where you begin to make the real tough choices.

These decisions and mechanics are best summarised by separating them into two areas: Diplomacy and Conflict. These connect, intertwine, and play off each other beautifully during sessions but are equally their own beast to contend with and use how you choose.

For starters, let’s dip into the hellish bureaucracy that is rife in hell. Diplomacy has been rightly touted as one of the game’s key features, and it’s evident once you get into the game and see it play out for yourself. Much like politics in the real world, most of the options you have when it comes to diplomacy involve belittling and manipulating your opponents with several options. These are to demand, insult, declare, and propose other Archfiends into submitting to you, handing over resources, or getting into a fight, and all have their uses and benefits. Prestige is often your bargaining chip, and whether you aim to discredit, insult, or extort your opponent, you’ll often need to front some of your prestige in the process.

Once you have declared your action, it’s up to the recipient to decide how to react, and from there, several scenarios can play out. Should they accept and take the deformation and demand, they will hand over their resources, your wagered Prestige is returned, and you’ll have to wait three turns before making another diplomatic action against that player. If they don’t, they take your wagered Prestige but now open themselves up to repercussions.

But that’s the more violent side of the diplomatic discussions. It is also possible to propose temporary alliances and more permanent shows of solidarity thanks to emissaries and truces, which can help buy you time, win favor, and eventually persuade others to become your lieutenants and you, their Blood Lord. This sees your new lieutenant hand over all their Prestige at the end of a game, hoping their contributions will help you secure the win and claim some of the glory alongside you.

Then you get Edicts, moments where you’ll need to vote for outcomes that can benefit or annoy you and other players, giving you another opportunity to mess with the game and shift the balance. Lastly, you have Plots, which are randomly generated objectives that provide additional ways to earn Prestige, with the option to do public or private ones, with different consequences and the potential to sow doubt, frustration, and conflict further.

That’s the talking, manipulative side of the coin. The other is much more violent and focused on conquest and conflict, which can be just as rewarding and stressful at times.

When Words Fail

When your words fail, it often comes down to violence to resolve your issues with your other players, and this often takes on the form of Vendettas.

Vendettas are your method of going to battle with other Archfiends and once again involve wagering Prestige against a set of conditions that you set against the affected player. This can be to capture their territories, called Cantons, take their Places of Power, or defeat a number of their legions in a set amount of turns. It’s then down to you to complete that task, win the Vendetta, get your Prestige reward, and revert to being unable to attack and claim enemy Cantons until another Vendetta. Eventually, this can escalate into a Blood Feud, a constant war between the two Archfiends, and ultimately result in one’s destruction.

Here is where Tributes, Legions, and a host more fiendish features come into play. 

Tributes are second to your Prestige when it comes to currencies, as these will be spent and used just as much, only for more violent means. Four Tribute types can be earned through a select action on your turn or through negotiation, extortion, and some more magical means. You’ll be using them to purchase nearly every army and item in the game.

As for what you can purchase, that is a rather robust offering, much like the game’s political system. For starters, you have Legions, your armies that march across hell and capture land and Places of Power. They also slaughter your enemies through combat, which plays out through a ranged, melee, and infernal stage. If you have more damage in these stats and reduce an enemy Legion to zero, you defeat the Legion, gain experience, and promote them to unlock more power and damage. They also come with perks and abilities that further add to their strategic offerings and potential, only amplified by the other elements of conflict.

Beyond their inherent abilities, Legions can be empowered in multiple ways, adding to the depth and decisions the game is already overflowing with. You have Praetors, a powerful leader-like unit you attach to your Legions to provide new perks or make stronger or to use in Praetor Duels, should prefer to refrain from indulging in a full-blown Vendetta with a foe. Artifacts are your items, which, when equipped to Legions, add more to their damage, give new abilities, or provide additional perks to make them better killing machines. Then you have Manuscripts, which improve Legions with more movement and other bonuses and provide other benefits like improving some Archfiend-centric mechanics.

But that’s not all; we also have more layers to this intricate web of systems, including Rituals, which allows you to cast spells to weaken enemies, buff Legions, steal, mess with, and generally affect that game in some way.

Now, it does have the sometimes unpleasant effect of feeling more like work or tipping a little too much into the stressful territory. I had a few moments during my time with the game where I felt lost or suffered from choice paralysis, and the game does give you so much to work with, so it can be daunting. That’s not to say it is bad; the idea of more options in gameplay is undoubtedly more appealing than less, but it is on a razor’s edge at times between being a bit too stressful that might be off-putting for some.

The game is designed for your to screw over your opponents, form bonds, break them, and let your sadistic side out. Everything the game offers you in terms of choice is geared towards those ideals and does so to great effect, even if, on occasion, it dips into being a little too open. Its choices are meaningful and impactful, and with all the layers to how you can play a match, it makes for a great mix of social deduction, manipulation, and witty strategies that I see being fun for a long time.

An Infernal Feast For Your Eyes

For all the great gameplay I’ve been harping on about, I want to say how much I love the game’s style and aesthetic. Inspired by the epic poem Paradise Lost, this version of hell is muted and greyscale in appearance, yet it still splashes in pieces of color and detail, making it somewhat minimal but with impactful accents. 

Character design is equally stellar, sporting that slight cartoon-ish style seen from Armello, only here with the hellish twist of these Archfiends, all distinct and brought to life with great detail and feel and look the part in this version of hell. Legions fare less well in that sense and are rather basic in appearance, though this was my only real gripe with the game’s visuals. As for UI, it sports a dark, stone-like texture, plenty of detail, and hues of red and gold, and for lack of a better term, it looks really moody and cool.

What steals the show is the artwork that you’ll see on all the game screens and throughout the game. Nearly every item in the game, from Ritual Card, Manuscripts, to Legion portraits, is accompanied by stunning artwork that’s equal parts dark and grotesquely beautiful. These include the hellish creatures and soldiers of hell, the Praetors, Artifacts, and items, all of which sport amazingly detailed illustrations full of color and style that are truly a feast for the eyes. I’d often take a moment just to admire them, and they are, without a doubt, some of the best visuals and artwork I’ve seen in a game for a long time. So, aside from the game playing well, it looks pretty great too.

Verdict

I’ll end this review by reinforcing what I said from the start: Solium Infernum is unlike any strategy game I have ever played. At times, it felt brutal, and at others, delightful and wicked, but it always felt like what I was doing was important and impacted the game. Its choices are weighty, your actions have consequences, and the way it makes you tip into your dark side for fun is something I truly enjoyed. Every game and action I knew would be intense and exciting, and all its layers came together nicely to deliver a truly unique experience.

Yes, sometimes it gets a little stressful and can be a bit tedious at times, but that stress was worth the throne.

Remaking a beloved game is a daunting project, and few franchises come with as much loyalty, dedication, and nostalgia as Final Fantasy VII. The second installation of the Remake trilogy for VII takes this challenge and soars, with Final Fantasy VII: Rebirth delivering fantastic plot, iconic characters, and a reworked world that inspires exploration and curiosity.

While the game’s combat system isn’t without its hurdles, fans are in for a treat as they follow Cloud, Tifa, Aerith, and Barret into the next edition of the reworked story. The open-world maps offer dynamic level-grinding opportunities, while secrets tucked within the world’s lore blend iconic moments with discoveries.

Related: FFVII Fans Speculate PS6 Part 3 Release With PS5 ‘Entering the Latter Stage of its Life Cycle’

FFVII: Rebirth Made Me Fall In Love With Characters All Over Again

JRPGs are only as strong as their characters, and Final Fantasy VII: Rebirth has taken beloved personalities from the original story and made them stronger – fleshing out backstories, relationships, and motivations with a combination of cinema-style cutscenes and detailed writing. I have always loved the quirky cast from Midgar, but FFVII: Rebirth makes every story feel brand new, even with the overlap from the original narrative.

I thoroughly enjoyed the way Tifa and Aerith’s friendship blossoms throughout Rebirth. The pair come to rely on each other, despite the insinuated love triangle centered around Cloud. I love seeing the pair work together, instead of shredding each other down in pursuit of a male character’s attention.

Excellent writing and seamless cutscene transitions make the game as much a movie as an RPG adventure and showcase each character in a way that wasn’t possible when the original FFVII released. It’s delightful and propels players through the open world areas to the next plot point.

My only frustration with the writing comes down to the romance. At times, the implied love triangle with Cloud, Tifa, and Aerith feels heavy-handed and unnatural. As someone who never saw any of these characters getting together, I found it obstructive to my enjoyment of the story. In the original FFVII, the implied romance is light and doesn’t create cringey, anime-like moments. It also allowed fans to draw their own conclusions about character relationships without distraction from the plot.

I am all for a little romance, but the cheesy, forced relationship drama seems to cater specifically to a traditionally male audience, with Cloud left to fumble through conversations sporting the “too oblivious to get it” trope that doesn’t resonate with modern relationship portrayals. This romance subplot may not connect with female and LGBTQA+ players, and for me, it didn’t feel needed whenever it came up.

Final Fantasy VII: Rebirth Uses An Open World To Deliver Lore

Final Fantasy VII: Rebirth has reimagined the world outside Midgar in a series of open-world locations. From the start of the game, players will have the opportunity to explore vast maps filled with challenging battles, hidden secrets, and special crafting items.

These open-world locations are a blast to investigate, and I particularly loved finding the Materia Springs located around each area. When scanned, players can learn about the location’s history, how Shinra impacted culture, and how it coped following the takeover.

Chocobo stops were my favorite part of Rebirth’s open-world locations, and I took care to stop and fix every broken signpost for the baby Chocobos whenever I found them.

These large maps add content to the game, especially for the collectors and completionists diving into Rebirth. However, after several maps, I did find myself ignoring these large areas to hurry on to the next plot point. Additionally, later areas are tough to navigate, with the overworld map doing a poor job of showing players where to cross or pass through to plot-necessary areas.

I am excited to go back to each map after finishing the story to complete every location and discover all the secrets tucked into cliffsides and groves of trees.

The ATB Gauge Is A Big Struggle For FFVII: Rebirth Combat

Combat in Final Fantasy VII: Rebirth is not as simple as hitting an enemy or casting a spell. Instead, special abilities, magic, and items are locked behind charges on the ATB gauge. Players must hit the opponent to charge the meter, with two to three charges available at any given time. This feature was present in Remake, but feels a lot less forgiving in Rebirth.

While the boss fights present a solid challenge, and regular enemies are tough enough to provide satisfying combat, I found myself resenting the limitations of the ATB gauge. I wanted to try items like the grenade, but doing so could spell disaster if an overpowered enemy attack crushed the HP of the party. There were times I would neglect Abilities to ensure that I had enough ATB to heal, especially in later chapters when bosses took on a Soulslike quality.

I sincerely wished that items were not tied to the ATB gauge. It would have offered more freedom with strategy and created a space where all the abilities available could have been more useful. It would also have been nice to have more ATB gauge slots right from the start, to encourage dynamic ability combos as FFVII: Rebirth progressed.

Synergy Moves Are A Highlight of Combat, But Only When Available

Synergy attacks in Final Fantasy VII: Rebirth are amazing, and worth the effort of setting up. These special combos charge up as players battle opponents, allowing two characters to team up and deliver a themed attack. When timed with a Staggered opponent, they are the perfect way to end a battle. However, players will find these moves limited by a predetermined party set-up that shuffles throughout the game.

Unlike the original FFVII, Rebirth players won’t have as much control over the make-up of their active party. At many points of the game, characters become separated, limiting player access to abilities and attacks.

While this was likely done to ensure that characters were correctly lined up for cutscenes, increasing story immersion, it also made my personal playthrough miserable at points. A Combination of Cloud, Barret, and Red XIII left my party without a healer, while a combination of Tifa, Aerith, and Yuffie strangled battles that needed a heavy hitter. Additionally, Synergy moves unlocked for certain character combinations were unavailable, making strategy when unlocking new abilities a puzzle.

Despite my frustrations, I enjoyed how placing characters in specific slots created a seamless storytelling experience, even if it meant retrying battles multiple times due to a rough party make-up.

Mini-Games Are Hidden All Over FFVII: Rebirth

Fans of mini-games will find no shortage of them in Final Fantasy VII: Rebirth. From riding a Dolphin to Taming a Chocobo, there are plenty of challenging, tutorial-inducing activities. Chocobo racing was one of my favorites, and one I spent a bit too much time practicing in order to nail the drift for going around corners.

Players will have the chance to Play Queen’s Blood, Jump into a Rock-’em Sock-’em fist fight, tame a Chocobo, Ride a fake Motorcycle, and more as they work their way through each location. However, this means that at no point in the game will fans be finished with tutorials.

This onslaught of extra content is great for extending gameplay hours. However, there were times when the steady addition of new elements felt overwhelming, and I found myself wondering if I would ever have a grasp on every new mechanic being thrown my way. There were times where I hit mini-game fatigue, wishing to simply progress through the story without the need to plug cables into generators or win a match of Queen’s Blood.

Despite this, the shining star of the mini-game roster is Tifa’s piano rhythm game. I wish it would be released as its own title, because I would play every song for hours. The controls take a bit to get used to, but once I figured it out, I sat and replayed each song just to get better and enjoy the music. I honestly wish it had come into play much earlier in the story, as it was a delight to discover.

Verdict

Final Fantasy VII: Rebirth is superior to Remake in every way, with a story that gripped my heart and a perfectly reworked version of a world that has filled my imagination since I was a kid. Square Enix succeeded in a feat that is very hard to achieve with a remake – it felt as if I was playing the story for the first time.

While there are some technical elements that were frustrating from a gameplay perspective, I found myself hungry to get at the controller every day after work and was delighted by every secret and new mechanic I uncovered. It was a joy-ride of a game, even when boss battles were beating me into the ground. I can’t wait for the world to get ahold of this title, as Final Fantasy VII: Rebirth is sure to impact fans in the same devastating, amazing, emotionally debilitating way the original game did so many decades ago. It’s a thrill ride, a treat, and a gameplay experience I won’t ever forget.

I remember the day when my childhood friend handed me her very used Persona 4 guidebook, filled with sticky notes containing handwritten tips by her and her sister, after I had gotten a copy of Persona 4 at her behest. She gave me a knowing smirk and a good luck before leaving me to completely fall for this series while spending hours switching between the game and that very helpful guide.

While I’ve been playing the Persona games since the PlayStation 2 days, Persona 3 was the one that got away. I was never able to get a copy and I continued to think back to it whenever the franchise came to mind. Then I learned of Persona 3 Reload and happily realized that it would no longer be lost to time. I had high expectations after so many years – and this remake did not disappoint.

Key Details

• Developer: Atlus
• Publisher: SEGA
• Release Date: February 2, 2024
• Price: $69.99

Related: Persona 5 Tactica Review – Viva La Revolution

An Ode To An Era Gone By

The amount of joy and giddiness I felt when starting up Persona 3 Reload for the first time can not be described. The music started to play and within those first few notes, I just knew this was going to be a labor of love. The opening video began to play and I found myself dancing in my seat.

Out of curiosity, I went on a search to see some of the original Persona 3‘s gameplay so I would know what the differences between the old and new were going to be. Persona 3 Reload has managed to give the entire game a modern glow while keeping all the charm of the original game intact. The situations, dialogue, and storyline are one-for-one, which should delight all veteran players who fell in love with it back in the 2000’s.

There is a huge nostalgia factor that will appeal to the Millennial fans. The flip phones still reign supreme and the online lingo is going strong. Should younger players want to work on a certain social link, they may need a dictionary to translate what she’s saying.

It Has That Persona 5 Polish

Persona 3 Reload has stunning, updated visuals. The game utilizes the style that made Persona 5 shine. The visual upgrade connects the nostalgic story to the newer players who discovered the franchise in recent years. Seeing the old and new art side by side offers the same feeling as seeing your favorite artist redraw an old piece after years of honing their craft.

Much of the music from the original game has been remixed to add that jazzy feel from Persona 5 and it translates well. There is new music added to the game as well, with the new opening song being a prime example.

The world is no longer the 45-degree angle top-down view of earlier Persona games, but is now a more world-immersing 3rd person point of view. Honestly, it is a welcome change and one aspect of the older games that I’m glad didn’t make a comeback.

The interface of the game has been completely overhauled, making it match the new games of the franchise. Everything is easy to navigate and has a crisp look that gives it a modern finish.

The Story Is In The Details

The Persona franchise has always been top-notch when it comes to its storytelling. There is a reason the original Persona 3 shaped the rest of the franchise. Like many Persona games, the beginning gives you a hint of what’s to come before having a generally slow start with a sprinkle of the overarching plot mixed in. However, once the story gets going, it quickly speeds up.

The main character is a transfer student who somehow gets swept up in the problems of this town. With his persona abilities, he must solve the Apathy Syndrome that is plaguing the area while battling the shadows found in the hidden 25th hour of the day called the “Dark Hour” with a rag-tag group of friends. Everyone can summon a persona by shooting themselves in the head with a special gun.

As someone who loves looking at the details in a story, searching for the foreshadowing to craft theories as everything unfolds, I appreciate the themes that are placed within the game. All personas of the main cast are important figures from Greek mythology. The main building that seems the be the source of the shadows is a giant tower called Tartarus, which is the deepest part of the underworld where only the worst of the worst go in Greek mythology. All of the nods to these ancient stories draw the player in and keep the curious.

The Mechanics Are Great But The Controls are Ok

There are new mechanics added to Persona 3 Reload that elevate the over all gameplay. There were three new changes to the battle mechanics. Players are now able to control all characters, something that was not available in the original game. Having control over the entire party is beneficial when playing turn base games, so I’m glad they decided to add it in.

Another new mechanic to the game is the “Shift” feature that mimics the Baton Pass of Persona 5. When a character knocks down a shadow, they can shift over to another member of the party to deal optimal damage.

The last battle mechanic introduced is the “Theurgy”, a powerful one-shot attack that will fill up over time based on attacking and specific actions taken in battle. It becomes a final strike against enemies and comes in handy during boss fights.

Persona 3 Reload introduces the ability to “Rewind.” Players can go to the main menu to select Rewind which takes players back to one of the main sections of the day, either after school or in the evening. This is a useful mechanic for those who forget to save often and need to go back just a little bit to fix anything they missed.

The actual controls of the game were not very intuitive when playing on my full-size keyboard. To move the character around, players will use the WASD keys. The problem lies with the camera control. I was expecting to use the arrow keys or my mouse but the game wants players to use IJKL for camera control with the arrow keys being used for selecting options in menus only. The mouse can be used to control the camera but because of other controls, it just isn’t beneficial to use it.

Oftentimes, the number of buttons I have to push to trigger different commands, like hitting a shadow to initiate a battle with the right control key, made me wish I had piano hands to quickly reach all of them at once. I’m sure someone with bigger and faster hands would not have the same troubles.

Verdict

I am very pleased with Persona 3 Reload after almost twenty years of wondering and reading about the hype that surrounded the game. My childhood friend and I still gush over the series when we get the chance and that original guidebook sits in a place of honor on my shelf. I can’t wait to once again feel like a teenager as we talk about Persona 3 Reload – because I will be telling her to go get a copy as soon as she can. This time around I’ll be able to hand her the guide and one that I’ve written with care.

Despite a couple of nit-picking critiques, the game has completely ensnared me with its charm. I’m excited that the game which revolutionized the series gets to have the spotlight once again and gets the TLC it deserves. The developers have done a great job breathing new life into Persona 3. The mechanics are fun and the story is well preserved, making the game feel new and exciting while also like coming home after a very long time. I think it will delight any player, regardless of your history with the series.

I’m a latecomer in the Yakuza and Like a Dragon series. I never understood them too well, but there was a moment several years ago when everything clicked for me, and I couldn’t get enough of these games.

The Like a Dragon series was a huge shift in the series for Ryu Ga Gotoku (RGG) Studio. Like a Dragon moved away from being a fighting, brawler game to a turn-based RPG with unique Jobs, tactics, and grinding to tackle some of the most challenging boss battles.

For RGG to recognize the success of the first Like a Dragon, jumping into Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth felt like a natural step forward, and the series feels even stronger. There were no moments where I felt the team had shied away from anything they wanted to implement. Around every corner, I discovered more enjoyable gameplay systems and activities. Along with the side content, I couldn’t pull away from the main story, discovering life in Hawaii for Ichiban Kasuga and Kazuma Kiryu, wanting to progress further into this dramatic adventure.

Kasuga Says Aloha to Hawaii!

The beginning of Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth begins in Japan, immediately after the events of Yakuza: Like a Dragon. The game reviews everything that’s happened to Kasuga and briefly covers his hectic adventure dealing with the powerful Yakuza families in Yokohama. Everything goes sideways for Kasuga almost immediately, even if he’s reached a point where he’s earned a well-deserved rest. Shortly after this unfortunate series of events, he finds himself seeking out his mother, hiding in Honolulu, Hawaii, and wanting to keep her presence there a secret.

No sooner does Kasuga arrive in Hawaii, he finds himself facing multiple underground elements who are also seeking his mother for unknown reasons. Early on, Kasuga encounters the previous main character, Kiryu, who pledges to assist on this adventure. His intentions of doing so are heavily influenced by significant plot points for Infinite Wealth, and I don’t want to delve too much into these details, but Kiryu’s presence is a welcome addition to the team as a significant character to Kasuga.

Like every RGG Studios game, the writers went all out with the main story, creating an emotional rollercoaster with dramatic revelations throughout each chapter. They did a great job of bringing several side activities between these big moments to help alleviate heavier moments, and I ultimately felt split on what to focus on next. The devs never skimp on any side details, which have always been the most fun element of every Yakuza entry.

Not everything hits exactly the way you want, though. The story takes some time to get through the larger plot, and the overall tale swerves occasionally. There were enough things to do on the side to help this process along, but I felt that there were small details in the overall narrative that undersold the story RGG was trying to share, and it could have benefitted from removing smaller pieces.

For fans of the Yakuza series, the prior Like a Dragon provided a good amount of storytelling that connected the previous entries without requiring someone to know every little detail. With Kiryu returning to the spotlight in Infinite Wealth, especially as an older gentleman looking out on his final days, it’s a rewarding experience for those who have played the titles that featured this tremendous character.

Big & Bold in Honolulu

Infinite Wealth’s version of Honolulu feels alive and vibrant, much like my experience with Yokohama in the previous Yakuza games. The RGG team went above and beyond to fill this massive map with content. The sheer size of it can be overwhelming when you first look at the map. Thankfully, these areas are slowly made safe to explore, and the team does a great job of jumping the plot around to each area, making it easier to explore.

RGG’s take on Honolulu is gorgeous! The set pieces are wonderful, the locations are exactly what you’d imagine at a beach resort, and the graphics are top-notch at every turn, making it the best-looking Like a Dragon entry yet.

Although the map changed, the same quality side stories are littered throughout the entire island. These are the lifeblood of any Yakuza game, where the more comedic scenes and outlandish tales take place. They allow the characters of Infinite Wealth to shine, providing a relaxing backdrop to the high-stakes main storyline.

What makes them enjoyable is their ability to weave into the larger narrative. They never feel like a complete grind and are enjoyable breaks from the heavier storylines.

Take Sujimon, for example. RGG’s tongue-in-cheek take on Pokemon is briefly introduced at the beginning of the story, but the idea takes off shortly after you reach Honolulu. You can battle in Sujimon raids or against other Sujimon trainers and take on the Sujimon League. Even though it was a simplified experience of what the team had been parodying, it was thrown in with an already delightful formula that made it difficult to put down.

The Sujimon encounters, and battles were not the only pieces of side content I threw myself at in Infinite Wealth. There’s the Animal Crossing-like Dondoko Island, the dating application, taking pictures of men in tights causing chaos in Honolulu, the dozens of substories, and getting to know your party members through memorable talks or karaoke songs. If you’re not playing through the main story, there’s always something to do in Infinite Wealth, and what RGG did exceptionally well was build upon an already great turn-based combat formula by giving the player much more agency in their tactic choices and strategies.

Infinite Wealth Brings the Heat With Intense, Satisfying Combat

A standout difference between Infinite Wealth and the first Like a Dragon was RGG’s elevated approach to the turn-based combat system. They wove more of their previous brawler combat into it, while also giving the player additional movement and capability of timing their attacks to deal the most damage. Now, a player can move around in a small area, potentially closing the distance with a target to deal additional damage, or they might even be able to grab a nearby object to unleash even more attacks against multiple targets rather than just one.

These might seem like simple additions, but they stack up as you take on Infinite Wealth’s more complicated encounters. You begin to feel this as you take on the outrageous Jobs – a character’s classes in Infinite Wealth – and use those in sync with each other. There’s a deeper level of understanding that you have to go through for them all to fit together, and it never takes away from the experience of fighting a bunch of thugs on the street as they become wacky iterations of enemies you might encounter in a traditional open-world RPG. However, these small battles can become tedious due to how frequently they occur when you’re running between main and side stories.

Infinite Wealth does a much better job preparing you for tougher fights than Yakuza: Like a Dragon. There were portions of the game where a notification appeared on the screen, double-checking to ensure my team was ready for the next challenge. There were times that I had to go out and purchase more gear or gain a level or two, but nothing substantial to the point where I was spending hours grinding away on enemies or random activities to raise my party’s level.

The verdict

Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth warmed my heart with its enriching adventure and wonderful side content that had me feeling a range of emotions, from delighted to somber to hearty laughter. Although the main plot had a few bumps in the road for Kasuga and Kiryu, RGG adds another successful adventure to their lovely series, and it was great to spend time with this rambunctious crew once again.

With the phenomenal improvements to Infinite Wealth’s combat, I look forward to seeing what RGG Studio does with the next title and what they take from this rewarding experience. The team experimented with ridiculous stories and content while in Honolulu, making me even more excited for where Kasuga will go next.

When it comes to simulation games, they can blend together after trying a few titles. The process of farming, dating, adventuring, and raising animals is simultaneously comforting and repetitive. For those starting to balk under the weight of Ground Hog Day playthroughs, Immortal Life is a fresh take on the genre, reminding players why this type of game is such a delight to sink into.

Immortal Life is so packed with content that players will never feel at a loss for something to do. The story, rich in Chinese lore and imagery, takes players far away from the “Wild West” setting that has become the staple of so many farming titles. Add in a sprinkle of magic, a dash of mystery, and some very cute locals, and simulation fans will find no shortage of exciting elements to engage in.

Key Details

• Developer: YiFang Studio
• Publisher: 2P Games
• Platforms: PC via Steam
• Price: $16.99 USD (Early Access)
• Release Date: January 18th, 2024

Related: House Flipper 2 Review – Lost In An Addictive Customization Sea

Unraveling a Mystery While Farming Crops

The plot of Immortal Life wastes no time taking off. After arriving at Guiyun Sect, where the player joins the ranks of hopeful Spiritual Cultivators, a tragic incident levels the town, destroying the Sect and damaging the Misty Valley below.

With no other choice, the main character and a cast of other hopeful initiates band together to restore the Sect, working to rebuild the city in the process. To do this, the main character must learn to harness their spiritual powers and channel them into the tools used around the farm and town. This includes summoning rainclouds to water crops and flinging projectiles through the air to take down enemies in the caves surrounding the area.

Immortal Life‘s quick immersion into the plot is different from the plodding pace of games like Story of Season: A Wonderful Life and this urgency helps motivate players to engage in the surprising number of tasks readily available right from the start of the game. Because of this, it is easy to find a groove in the gameplay loop, encouraged by the intriguing storyline that is unraveled as new events are unlocked.

One of the Best Cooking Minigames Of All Time

Cooking is one of the most rewarding aspects of farming sims. The ability to take farmed and foraged goods and turn them into tasty snacks is far more rewarding than just throwing them into a merchant bin for profit. Immortal Life has taken this mechanic to new heights, including a full minigame that is addictive to play.

After unlocking access to the first kitchen in the game, which is located at the Inn, players can pop in to prepare a meal or offer their services in exchange for money. The minigame consists of multiple stations, where players must grab ingredients and follow recipes to cook delicious meals. Depending on the accuracy and speed, the meals are ranked, giving players a goal as they slice and boil their way through the kitchen.

As a farming sim enthusiast, I think this is one of the most enjoyable cooking minigames currently available to play. The combination of tasks and the complexity of the recipes makes the process a challenge and sparks the aggressively competitive part of my brain to keep practicing until I get top marks. I was also pleased to see that the recipes aren’t easy. One wrong step and the food being made turns to slop, with little time to start over. In casual games, the stakes can be almost too low on certain mechanics, and I was glad Immortal Life kicked my culinary skills into full gear.

Immortal Life Is A Folktale Come To Life

The early access reviews for Immortal Life say it all. This game is packed with content, is fantastic to play, and is beautiful to look at. With much of my farming simulation experience rooted in Western or Japanese settings, I was shocked at how much the Chinese inspiration brought the world of the game to life. Every location is richly colored, reminiscent of a watercolor painting. The clothing styles, character names, and social behaviors are different from anything I’ve played through before, and it made me appreciate the culture in new ways.

I especially appreciated the inclusivity of this game. As mentioned in the reviews on Steam, which are overwhelmingly positive for a game in Early Access, LGBTQA+ inclusion makes this game stand out. It also allows players to romance any character they like – and this will likely appeal to Danmei fans out there who have enjoyed adaptions like Heaven’s Official Blessing.

While I loved that I could rotate between working on quests, farming outside my home, and progressing the main storyline, walking through each map in Immortal Life and taking in the beautiful artwork and thoughtful location designs was a special experience.

A Lack Of Character Creation

One area that Immortal Life unfortunately lacks is character creation. While players can find or craft hairstyles and outfits, the default characters for the story don’t offer anything in the way of personal customization.

While this isn’t such an issue, as both the female and male options are very pretty, it will make replaying the game difficult, as the character will largely feel the same even sporting a different name. Additionally, a lack of different body types, or non-binary pronoun options, may be a struggle for those who have enjoyed diversity in Story of Seasons and My Time At Sandrock.

It would be amazing to see a character customization tool added in a post-launch update, offering players more ways to create immersive and relatable protagonists.

Movement in The Caves Is Not Organic

My biggest frustration with Immortal Life comes with combat. While moving around the Sect and the Misty Valley is smooth and ergonomic, this is not the case at all when it comes to exploring the caves around the map.

Once players enter a cave system, the game switches to top-down visuals, with the main character shrunk down into a sprite. Using the WASD keys, they must move around the caves, fight enemies, and mine the rock and gemstone nodes for ores and other important items.

Moving in these caves is awful. The character slips and slides as if they aren’t connected with the ground, and it can be hard to aim and hit enemies due to a lack of true positioning. This led me to mash the fire key to throw as many attacks as I could at things trying to attack me, rather than using any strategy.

Immortal Life would benefit greatly from an overhaul to the physics of combat in these cave systems. Even giving a proper walk cycle and some weight to the character so they don’t feel as slippery would make the process of spelunking more enjoyable.

Verdict

Immortal Life is a wonderful, colorful, content-packed game that is a must-play for all farming sim enthusiasts. The unique elements of the game, and the sheer size of it, make the title one of a kind in a genre lacking variation.

With a few tweaks to some of the current mechanics and a bit more personalization, this title will easily challenge, if not surpass, the top favorites currently available to play.

I look forward to seeing what other additions Immortal Life receives after its 1.0 release and will be happily playing it for years to come. It is a welcome, permanent member of my farming sim favorites, and will never be uninstalled from my Steam Library.

When it comes to games that scratch the satisfaction itch, many players think of titles like Powerwash Simulator. The desire to scrub a structure clean is irresistible, and the perfect companion to a favorite movie or podcast. However, for those wanting to go a step further, House Flipper 2 has arrived, and it leaves our favorite scrubbing sim in the dust.

House Flipper 2 is a delightful blend of addictive gameplay, stunning graphics, and satisfying mechanics. While it had my computer begging for mercy at points, I would have happily let the whole PC go up in smoke to keep playing, because it is just that good.

Key Details

• Developer – Frozen District/ Empyrean
• Publisher – Frozen District/PlayWay/Merge Games
• Platforms – PC via Steam at launch, PS5/Xbox X|S coming in March
• Price: N/A
• Release Date: December 14, 2023

Related: Pixel Cafe Review – A Comforting, But Lukewarm, Brew

Clean, Scrub, Paint, Decorate, Repeat

The premise of House Flipper 2 wastes no time getting to the point. You are a young, enterprising house flipper, living in your family home as you build a name for yourself with the help of a local friend. The first handful of jobs players tackle introduce the variety of mechanics at their disposal, including cleaning, painting, decorating, building, and selling to create the perfect home for each client.

After a few test runs, players will have the opportunity to buy disgusting properties and spruce them up into expensive retreats for the first buyer with a reasonable bid. This was easily my favorite part of the game once the world opened up. I purposefully picked the most horrific options, eager to go scrub garbage juice off the floor to see what might be underneath.

Mechanics in House Flipper 2 are more intuitive than the first iteration of the series, with players using a tool wheel controlled by their mouse to flip between options. This makes the process of repairing homes seamless and enjoyable. The decorating can be a bit more complicated, but once players know where to go in the “Buy” menu for customizations, the sky becomes the limit.

House Flipper 2 Holds Hidden Depths

I was surprised to find that House Flipper 2 has a complex web of narrative threads for players to follow. The first is the main character’s relationship with their wanderlust-advised parents. Through a series of emails sent to the player, they learn that their want-to-be house flipper can’t rely on their parents and that they seem inclined to make irresponsible, knee-jerk decisions that have an impact on their child – like the run-down heap the main character has found themself living in.

Additionally, I was shocked at how humbling some of the quest stories were. As you clean up the houses of various clients, you learn that one struggles with depression, while another has been abused by a roommate. In these homes, destroyed rooms, tipped desk contents, and pizza boxes hold painfully real glimpses into the lives of characters fractured by real human failings. I found myself lost in each job, going out of my way to repair places for these faceless people in a way that might make their lives better, or their struggles less daunting.

I didn’t expect to become emotionally tied to this world, but there is something about House Flipper 2 that makes you fall in love with the towns, their inhabitants, and the lives you are touching with your work.

House Flipper 2 Runs Hotter Than Baldur’s Gate 3

While playing House Flipper 2 has been an addictive and wonderful time, it is no small challenge for my PC to run – which is saying something when my computer effortlessly handles BG3. One of the biggest hurdles for PC gamers will be the system demands, and many may find the game stutters, lags, or overheats. I have found myself wishing I was playing on a console more than once and was surprised that the demands on my computer were so intense for a creative simulation game.

I hope that House Flipper 2 receives a few optimization tweaks for PC players, to ensure that fans can enjoy the game without accidentally burning their computer up. While the homes in this game are a hot mess, I’d rather my PC not be. Especially as I could see myself easily throwing dozens of hours into the quest lines if I didn’t need to take cool-down breaks between home repairs.

Verdict

House Flipper 2 is the addictive train wreck I’ve wanted all year long. I have never vacuumed crumbs with such glee or tossed trash around with such enthusiasm. This is the perfect game for fans of titles like Powerwash Simulator, but will also appeal to The Sims players looking for a title more focused on the creative elements. House Flipper 2 will delight players with its interesting stories, and provide endless ways to satisfy the cleaning itch without having to get your hands dirty.

However, if players looking to play House Flipper 2 don’t have a powerful gaming PC, it may be better to wait until the game becomes available on PlayStation and Xbox consoles in March, as the current requirements could be hindering for those without gaming machines. Despite this, it is a must-have for simulation fans, and one I plan to dedicate unfathomable hours to in the coming months.