Recent reviews by The Spectator

Fixing balances by making everything imbalanced is a power play and a smart move. This seemingly contradictory statement perfectly captures the dynamic gameplay of Marvel Rivals. It's a game that embraces asymmetry, creating exciting and unpredictable matches.


Marvel Rivals features a roster of iconic (and some more obscure) Marvel characters. You'll team up with other players, utilizing unique abilities and strategies to achieve victory across various game modes.


* Diverse Roster: Play as a wide range of Marvel heroes and villains, each with their own distinct playstyles. From web-slinging Spider-Man to the powerful Hulk, there's a character for everyone.
* Asymmetrical Balance: This is where Marvel Rivals truly shines. Instead of striving for perfect character balance, the game embraces imbalances, creating exciting matchups and strategic depth. This "power play" leads to dynamic gameplay where mastering character strengths and exploiting weaknesses is key.
* Easy to Pick Up, Rewarding to Master: The core gameplay is intuitive and easy to grasp, making it accessible to newcomers. However, the strategic depth and intricacies of each character's abilities provide a high skill ceiling for those looking to master the game.
* Fast-Paced 6v6 Action: Engage in thrilling team-based battles, utilizing teamwork and coordination to outmaneuver your opponents.


I found the game consistently fun and engaging. The variety of characters, the fast-paced action, and the unique approach to balance kept me coming back for more.


* Fun and engaging gameplay
* Diverse and recognizable cast of characters
* Unique approach to balance creates strategic depth
* Easy to learn, hard to master


* Balancing may be an issue down the line.
* Everyone wants to play Duelist, so role queue may be something the devs want to look into.


Marvel Rivals is promising and offers a fresh take on the genre. Its focus on asymmetrical balance and diverse character abilities creates a dynamic and exciting gameplay experience. If you're a fan of the genre or Marvel comics, this is definitely a game to keep an eye on.


One hundred percent if you're into the genre. It's refreshing and although not quite original, IS original in its own way.

Ever Crisis was a fun way for Square Enix to preserve the FF7 universe without releasing 2000 books that somehow keep changing minute details.

The game is a gacha game. They didn't try to hide it and they will not try to hide it. In fact they like to throw "NEW CAMPAIGN" in your face with a bunch of microtransaction packs available to buy. HOWEVER, I don't believe games like these should be judged because of the business direction of the company but rather on the quality of the game itself. If it's a free game, how do you expect the company to gain revenue? That being said, FF7EC is really fun if you want to relive FF7.

The main hub is entirely menu based, where you select what you want to do. Story missions, solo content which is unrelated to the story, multiplayer content, and event content.

All characters are given. Gacha pulls are for weapons.

Story content will allow you, depending on the mission selected, to roam around the given map at that story point. It's like playing the OG FF7! There are chests scattered around, some hidden, that you can collect while you tap or drag your way through the map. Some of these chests are crystals you can use for your pulls!
There are 3 stories you can play: The ORIGINAL Final Fantasy 7, Crisis Core, and a brand-new prequel story "The First Soldier."

Solo content allows you to farm for materials for your characters, this might be a little overwhelming because a lot of them are redundant.

Multiplayer content let's you and 2 other people fight against a selected boss for materials. You also gain some crystals for fighting alongside strangers for the first time.

What's a gacha game without events? They add in non-canon content here, whether it's a beach episode, collaboration content, or something original to the FF7 universe. It's a neat twist with some fun rewards. There are free things that you can grind for and also things you can pull for a limited time.

The battle system heavily reminds me of what would be a watered down version of FF13's battle system. Normal attacks are auto attacks, but the ATB system is still real time and lets you pick which skills and abilities you want to use. These skills/abilities are set in your party screen, where you can fine-tune your character to your liking. Red XIII support? That exists. Offensive Aerith? That ironically also exists.

I was playing EC on my mobile phone since launch, but it EATS my battery so having it on PC with a higher resolution is.. well it's what was asked for.

Thanks Square Enix!

Most of the negative reviews stem from the nature of "It's not Dofus" or "It's not Wakfu"

Although in the same universe, Waven is not meant to be another Dofus. Waven is not meant to be another Wakfu. Just as Wakfu was not meant to be another Dofus.

Waven is a card-based (yes, that's what they are) tRPG that borrows the same classes and subclasses from Ankama's infamous universe.

Each class has its own role, but the build is entirely up to the player. Subclasses share the same card pool as its parent class, with its passive as the main change.
Companions add to the dynamic battling as you need to build up elemental gauges (just use that element type) to summon them, and each has their own perks to add to the table.

For a free-to-play tRPG (thanks again, Ankama!) in EARLY ACCESS, Waven is incredibly fun and the joy only goes upward if you group up with other players.

This game was made with the spirit of Mega Man X, and I really hope there will be a spirit of Mega Man X2.

Bytten Studio has innovated the monster-taming/catching genre. Is it comparable to Pokemon? Digimon? SMT? FF? JOJO? The answer is yes.

For the sole purpose of saving a long read and pointing out the best part of this game - something that many thought couldn't be changed - the COMBAT will be the only thing that will be reviewed here.

Cassette Beasts uses a traditional turn-based battle system with a similar stat grid akin to the Pokemon games. Each monster's weakness and type advantage is also based on a Rock-Paper-Scissors system; Fire beats Grass, Grass beats Water, Water beats Fire, etc.

They took that battle system even further. Attack an ice-type with a fire attack and they melt into a water-type. Although the type changes are temporary (considered a status ailment), the monster will act as if they are that type. Attack a plastic-type with a fire attack and it'll turn into a poison type - because burning plastic is toxic! Freeze a water-type with an ice attack and it'll flinch and freeze! The thought of actual chemistry being part of a video game is incredible!

I've never felt so satisfied from a turn-based RPG as much as I do from Cassette Beasts. The game has many excellent high points, a few low points, but the combat is what really stands out the most.

Big devs take notes!

THE DAY HAS ARRIVED.



It's pretty. At times you can see that it looks like minimum unreal assets for NPCs, but that's not much of an issue because of the nature of the game.


The music is phenomenal. Each piece masterfully rearranged with the motif of another Final Fantasy game. It's a treat to the longtime FF fans, and definitely can be appealing to any newcomers.

Even better? Every boss has their own battle theme.


The combat is the most satisfying part of this game. From animations to thocky hits, it feels satisfying to hit pretty much anything.

As you unlock more job classes and level up, you will eventually be able to craft your own job class using the abilities gained from other jobs. The cross-class combinations are robust!
Abilities are scaled based on stats. Some abilities may be stronger with Strength, while others may scale off of the Agility stat. A single job will not have abilities that use ONE stat.

If you are dissatisfied with your gear stats and abilities, you can swap them or enhance them through the Smithy. Sometimes you just don't wanna grind for that specific piece of gear with everything you're looking for on it.

Creating your own unique builds has never been easier.

There is no exploration, everything is menu-based until you select a mission.


The story in the beginning is a huge jab at how the original FF's story and dialogue was, as there wasn't really much to it. All you know is that there's a bad thing and you need to kill it. It DOES get better, I promise!

There are Fools Missives (Lore) that you can across all missions that expand on the FFO lore.

Story elements unravel as you progress, and you will understand more of why the writers purposely wrote what they wrote.



Originally played the actual hell out of this on PS5, Stranger of Paradise Final Fantasy Origin is a MUST PLAY. Don't sleep on this one! If you're a long-time FF vet, the nostalgia will hit with every mission. If you're not, the game is FANTASTIC as a standalone title!

Not sure how to explain that. But that's exactly what this is.

Performance is a huge issue right now (02/16/23).
Random frame drops because of a CPU bottleneck. Audio de-sync that ruins the sound queues and immersion.
The audio desync also for some reason skips cutscene dialogue.

Once the performance is fixed, the game is actually really brilliant.


The gameplay loop is fun. The progression is rewarding. The combat is satisfying.

Gameplay Loop
• Hunt monsters. Build structures. Grab materials. Craft. Repeat.

Progression
• Sidequests give items and materials you can use toward crafting and upgrading your gear.
  
• Karakuri tree unlocks passives that make hunting monsters a bit easier/more enjoyable. You also unlock more structures to build via this tree.
  
• Weapon upgrades are incredibly customizable with the ability to inherit the abilities from the previous weapon upgrade. It's takes a bit of thinking to try and utilize the order of how you want to upgrade the weapons - but that adds to the charm of it.
  
• The combat is fun. Countering feels incredibly satisfying along with the sound effects. You can experiment with button prompts to get the best combo chain.

The performance issue is huge. I understand. But the game itself is really fun and it would be a shame if it falls off because of something that can/will be fixed.

every fight feels like a dark souls boss

I have literally zero gripes with this game. But I'm gonna make this a short review.

The last Sonic game that I played AND invested time in was Sonic Adventure 2 BATTLE for the GameCube. I loved every bit of that one, and this one takes the cake.

Let's talk:


It's a Sonic game.


Jesus LORD ALMIGHTY THERE IS NOT ONE TRACK ON THIS OST THAT IS NOT A BOP.

Hands down one of the greatest OSTs I've heard of all time. Everything meshes well together with the scene that accompanies each track and what it represents. Not once did I dread any location in this VIDEO GAME because of the amazing soundtrack. It carried the mood whenever I felt like I was running in an empty, lonely void.


There are only two moments where I felt like things were being recycled, and it was negligible: Enemy types and overall theme of the cyberspace choices.

Past those two, EVERYTHING ELSE felt like a breath of the wild fresh air. Each boss, minigame, zone, track, loops, felt new and innovative to the game.

There are two modes you are able to choose from at the beginning of the game (and edit through the options later on if you change your mind): Action and High Speed. The Sonic Team recommends the latter for veteran Sonic players and the former for newcomers.

Everything feels incredibly satisfying as you progress through the game - powering up your stats of Power, Defense, Speed, and Ring Capacity.

By default, the tutorial is your loading screen so you're never staring at nothing; there's always something to do.

There's fishing that DOESN'T feel tedious, isn't that great?

Sonic Frontiers has everything - and more - that you thought you needed in a Sonic game.


The fact that they tie the continuity of the stories of the PAST GAMES into Frontiers will make all Sonic fans want to be even more involved. Frontiers really brings everything together and even provides some comedic quips regarding characters and events that are not featured in the game.

It's pretty mysterious, and you will have questions

..

and you will buy Sonic Frontiers to answer those questions.


If you love the aesthetic/feel of TLoZ: Breath of The Wild (all emptiness included), the intense music of DMC, and the action and speed of Sonic, then Sonic Frontiers is a fantastic pick.

It's more than a "Sonic game."

It's a labor of love.

Gundam Evolution is very close to Overwatch.

The developers of Gundam Evolution are incredibly involved with their project. They are longtime Gundam lovers and I have 100% trust in them. My issue, as with most devs, is management from the higher-ups.

Initially, was excited to see another hero shooter hit the market and it was - well, Gundam.
After playing in the Network Test, I have been anticipating news for this game EVERY. SINGLE. DAY. until it's launch.

Now I am both a veteran Overwatch player and now a Gundam Evolution player, and I honestly have to say that what makes Gundam mechanically superior to OW is the boost feature.

EVERY MOBILE SUIT CAN USE BOOSTS! Whether it's to dash, "sprint," float; the mobility in this game is insane and it provides for an even higher octane combat than what already is high octane gameplay.

If you love hero shooters, play Gundam Evolution. It's a fantastic game.