Recent reviews by KingSideCastle13

Higurashi: When They Cry - Chapter 1: Onikakushi-Hen
Oh boy, am I gonna love reviewing these. Let me first preface this review with two things:
1: I've never played a true Visual Novel before this
2: I will gladly be quoted when I say that the Higurashi no Naku Koro Ni series is my favorite set of anime of all time.
With that said, let's get right underway with the review.
Higurashi: When They Cry, is a series made by 07th Expansion and translated to English by MangaGamer. As I understand it, the Visual Novel was the first iteration of this tale, with every other iteration coming afterwards (though I'm not sure if the Drama CD was actually first or not. Can someone please correct me if I'm wrong?). The story follows a laid-back teen named Keiichi Maebara in a small village known as Hinamizawa (based on real-life village Shirakawa-go Village), all set in June of 1983. It starts off laid back and all happy, but eventually starts taking dark turns when some truths start trying to surface. Narrative wise, this is ABSOLUTELY the best way I've received the story. Unfortunately, I'm still not sure I'd wanna call this a game, as there is no player interaction whatsoever. It's more of a glorified book with music and a few sound effects here and there. Oh, and SLIGHTLY interactive visuals, but these are extremely minimalistic. But the lack of gameplay is definitely made up for by this gripping story. The story is told from a first-person perspective of Keiichi, which unfortunately DOES mean we don't get to actually SEE our protagonist in this chapter. The backgrounds are odd in that they're real pictures, probably taken at Shirakawa-go Village, but they've been edited in a way that makes them look like they were done by a concept artist. There's one or two where people's faces are in there that sort of breaks the cartoonish illusion, but for the most part, it's actually very scenic. The music, what little there is, is clever and perfectly timed. Granted, the loops aren't exactly the best, but I enjoyed each track happily. Now since this is only the first arc of the series (only 4 episodes long in the anime), this is by no means the FULL story. In fact, the bonus content even says that this story sort of acts as a prologue for what's to come. But don't let that fool you. The shortest time you'll spend on this VN if you're actually reading it is 8 hours. It's brimming with content, which is something I always appreciate in a story. The Steam edition offers a choice between the original character sprites drawn by the original creator, or new updated sprites that even surpass the anime's art style. If you ask me, the original sprites haven't exactly aged well, and these new ones are almost more alive and believable (it's mainly the hands). Overall, this first chapter of Higurashi: When They Cry gets an 8/10 from me. My only complaint is that it's basically a book with extra additives, but at least it rocks as its own thing. You can download a copy of Higurashi: When They Cry - Chapter 1: Onikakushi-Hen on Steam for $5.99 on PC, Mac, and Linux, or for $0.99 on the AppStore (bearing in mind that the iOS versions do not have the updated sprites, and may possibly not have the updated English translation either).

Okay let me begin. WATCH_DOGS is a fantastic game! It's different from your usual GTA-like game in its environment and hacking games. And if you have an amazing computer, this game will look absolutely stunning when run at the highest settings. The reason I disapprove of this game is because of my situation. I was goofing around with the settings and decided "HERP DERP! I'M GONNA HAVE MY LOW-SPEC LAPTOP TRY TO RUN ALL THE VIDEO SETTINGS AT THEIR HIGHEST!" Obviously the game crashed. But what's a major kick in the ass is that now whenever I try to boot it up, it immediately crashes. I JUST WANT TO PLAY THE GAME! I've searched all over the net for a solution, but there appears to be nobody willing to help with this issue of mine. If you're gonna play this game, be mindful during your video setup, as it seems WATCH_DOGS is unforgiving if you push it too hard. If this issue ever gets resolved, I'll happily type up a legitimate review. I own this game on PS4 as well, and on there, I have a grand old time. But until I can successfully launch this friggin' PC version, It's just a waste of dataspace for me

8/10
Final Fantasy VII is without a doubt the second-greatest RPG I have ever played (second to Undertale). It's a classic that I discovered randomly before learning of its cult following. This PlayStation classic tells an amazing story, putting you at the wheel 98% of the time. The controls, WASD and controller, feel nice when mapped correctly (Make B your [OK] and A your [CANCEL], trust me, you'll thank me when you get to the squatting), and while the graphics haven't quite aged well, the PS4 remake is just around the corner. It should also be noted that this game spawned prequels and sequels. HEre's the order
Before Crisis: Final Fantasy VII (Mobile Phone game, currently exclusive to Japan, but being considered for 3DS)
Crisis Core: Final Fantasy VII (PSP Exclusive, cannot be played on VITA as of yet)
Last Order: Final Fantasy VII (Japanese OVA, can be found English Subbed on YouTube easily)
Final Fantasy VII (Originally for the Playstation, but hey! You can click that green button right now and play it on PC!)
Final Fantasy VII Advent Children (A movie. It's on YouTube for free)
Final Fantasy VII Advent Children COMPLETE (The movie's extended edition. You have to order this online)
Final Fantasy VII Dirge of Cerberus (PS2 title, currently not playable without getting a PS2. Hope for a remake)

This is the game that started it all! Trust me, once you get into the game, you'll have a blast. That said, it gets an 8/10, with the only flaw being how poorly the polygonal graphics have aged

9/10 First time I ever loved a platformer.
Cave Story is the brilliant child of Studio Pixel, a one-man company. Pixel spent five years developing Cave Story in his free time. There's a lot of TLC put into the design, and it really does show. Now I sucked at platforming going into this game. I just did not have the skillset. This game gave me the necessary skills to succeed in a platformer, and really ramped it up as I neared the True Ending. The music was awesome, and in Cave Story+, You get three choices of soundtrack:
Original: From the freeware version of the PC game
New: From the EU patch of the Nintendo WiiWare port of the game
Remastered: From the fully-3D Nintendo 3DS remake of the game.
The graphics can also be in their lesser Original quality, or their newly refined Remastered quality. This game has a lot of wonderful elements, and you'll likely log HOURS of gameplay in this game. The Soundtrack, in whichever form, is catchy, and you'll definitely jam out to it. With all said, I give this game a 9/10, docking points nly for the sudden intensity spike for activating the true ending's route, granted it was to be expected

7/10
The good ol' days are back! Whether you ran down that road from the truck on GameCube, Dreamcast, or have not yet run it, Sonic Adventure 2 is a wonderful ride. However, it should not be considered a PERFECT game. Like any early 3D era game, it was bound to have its flaws. The engine is just a bit rickety, and doesn't QUITE live up to today's standards. But look, if you can learn the game, and work past the glitches and flaws, you'll find a beautiful little game that you'll enjoy. It's no life-changing experience, but it's definitely worth playing through just to see that there's fun to be had in a glitchy game. That said, Sonic Adventure 2 gets a 7/10. It's no golden game, but god if it ain't fun to play!

10/10 PERFECT SCORE
Undertale. What a game... no, an experience..... this is. Undertale is the work of genius by Toby Fox with the support of Kickstarter and adoring fans. Previously, Fox was known for his Earthbound Halloween Hack and his work with the Homestuck comics. It is quite clear that Undertale takes much inspiration from the Earthbound (Mother in Japan) series, but not directly ripping it off. To my understanding, this game was also made in RPG Maker, which really goes to show just what that tool is capable of. The visual style is somewhere between NES and SNES graphically. I'd call it 12-bit. Every character from the main folks, to the smallest enemies (hOI!!!!) are loveable. The best way to describe the humor is by calling it "dad jokes," the kind that can be corny, but you're still laughing at them. Undertale will DEFINITELY elicit multiple playthroughs from players, as there are NUMEROUS endings dependent on your choices, and the True Ending is pretty tricky to get. The combat is actually optional! That's right, this is one RPG where nobody has to die! And it's how you can avoid these fights that really puts a spin on what we know from RPGs. It's goofy, it's fun, it's got its scary moments, and it WILL make you cry. There's also plenty of challenge for those who seek it, and you may regret seeking it out. This game really captures the charm Earthbound and Mother 3 carried. The kind that makes you happy to be playing, and really draws you in. The soundtrack is probably the best part of this AMAZING title. Every track carefully fits the scene (and even Toby's signature piece, Megalovania, which has appeared in every one of his major works thus far, is in here), and really brings forth the emotions you want to be feeling at that exact moment in time. Never before have I felt so engaged in a scene by the music alone! I downloaded the soundtrack as DLC and now listen to it in my car daily, and remembering where the music plays, letting the memories of my journey flow to me, it brings a smile to my face. Kids, adults, moms, dads, brothers, sisters, sons, daughters, grandmothers, grandfathers, friends, family, everyone you know would love this game, and it's the first game to really win my heart over like this. I've never been so captivated by a game before, not like this. I am very very glad I was gifted this game. With that said, this gets the first ever score of 10/10 from me. It is the only game I have ever rated with a perfect score, as I typically do not believe in perfection in game design. But Undertale is, without a shadow of a doubt, my new favorite game of all-time. It is a masterpiece that Toby Fox will go down in history for, and that deserves Game of the Year in my opinion (Sorry Metal Gear Solid V The Phantom Pain and Fallout 4, you just aren't as fun as this), and I sincerely doubt this will be leaving my heart anytime soon. If you haven't played this masterpiece yet, you are missing out on the first game of this year to get EVERYTHING about it right! Majora's Mask 3D was close, but this is right on the nose with how games SHOULD be, and it didn't need VR, motion controls, 3D, or stunning 3D graphics to pull it off. This is an absolute must-have for anyone who calls themselves a gamer, and trust me, you will not regret spending the extra $8 to get the soundtrack bundle!

9/10 Get ready for a new type of Dragon Ball game. Dragon Ball Xenoverse is a different kind of game from the critically-acclaimed anime's usual games. While most others are very much the same as each other, Xenoverse works in a fully 3D and explorable environment. You get to brild your own character; Human, Saiyan, Majin, Namekian, or Frieza-race (come on, Toriyama, we need a name for them already!). Travel through the timeline of Dragon Ball Z all the way through Battle of the Gods (Resurrection F too, if you get the DLC), and learn all sorts of techniques over the course of the game. The plot and new characters were all made by Toriyama himself, and most of the new cast of Dragon Ball Z Kai the manga-faithful redubbing of DBZ) The controls, when using a gamepad, MAY seem a bit janky at first, but you adapt to them really fast. Would HIGHLY suggest that you buy the Season Pass Bundle, as all the extra content will give you HOURS upon HOURS of gameplay.

9.5/10 This game is amazing! Honestly, I felt paying for this version was money well-spent. With the free edition, I was getting a lot of crashes, and this one also feels much more polished. Still missing those Xen levels for right now, but unless I'm mistaken, this is the version that is still aiming to get the Xen levels. Guys, if that's the case, don't whine about having to pay. It's a small price for such a good game, and it's WAY easier than that complicated set of downloads from different websites I had to do for the free version.
For those who don't know, Black Mesa is a Source-rebuild of Half-Life 1. It is a VERY good retelling of the story, and really breathes new life into the classic hit. Everything is carefully created, voice acting is superb, and everything just FEELS better in general. This is a MUST-HAVE for anyone who enjoys either sci-fi or the First-Person Shooter genre. I would especially recommend this over the original Half-Life and Half-Life: Source if you can't muscle through early-3D-gaming graphics.