Recent reviews by nikos

Tokyo Xtreme Racer is back! Those are words I've been wishing to say for the better part of two decades. TXR has always been at the top of my "which series would you revive?" list. It's pretty surreal to see it return, and what a return it has made!

Eighteen years after their last major release, Genki has returned to deliver a gaming experience that will transport you right back to the glory days of gaming. No account required. No online required. No transactions of any kind. No BS.

This is a company that truly cares about its product and fans. The game feels like a labor of love, and Genki is actively taking feedback during Early Access to make the best game they possibly can. In fact, they have already implemented many changes based on feedback given during pre-release. This is a level of integrity that is incredibly rare to see from developers these days, and that alone is worth supporting.


Speaking of Early Access, this game is launching in a better state than most finished games. Its implementation of UE5 is probably the best I have seen, scaling wonderfully with all levels of hardware. It also scales properly to any resolution and aspect ratio. It even runs well on Steam Deck, which is capable of delivering a locked 60 FPS with a mix of low/medium settings at native resolution. Wheel support is already implemented quite well, especially considering we're in Early Access.

The game itself is phenomenal. It remains true to the other games in the series and is on its way to become the best Tokyo Xtreme Racer of all time. This could have been the final release and, even as a fan of Genki for nearly 30 years, I personally would have been satisfied with it. It's already that good.

If you're a fan of the older games, you're going to absolutely love this. Buy it.
If this game looks at all interesting to you. Buy it.
If you want to support developers who have integrity and actually care about their game and its players, buy it.

Thank you, Genki, for bringing back a game that means so much to a lot of us.

Check me out on YT for the video review as well as more TXR content. https://www.youtube.com/heartofbattle

A new standard for sim racing has been set.

Can't believe she acted that way after so many years.

This game really brought me back. It nails the nostalgia and had me feeling some things I haven't felt in a long time. I actually minimized the conversation when my girlfriend walked in so she wouldn't ask me who emerly35 is. ;x

Currently playing the Yakuza series in order and this entry may have had my favorite story in the series so far.

If you're considering skipping the remasters, don't do it. I was able to get used to the older engine very quickly, to the point where I almost didn't even think about it once I got drawn into the game. The combat is definitely a bit more stiff, and probably this game's weakest point, so put it on easy and at least experience the main story.

This game currently has no controller support or aim assist. Enjoy it while it lasts.

So many comparisons to Overwatch, yet this game lacks everything that makes that game special. Feels like a mobile game.

Masterpiece.

As a long time fan of Final Fantasy, I can honestly say that this is a fantastic entry in the series that's as "Final Fantasy" as any other.

I wasn't a fan of the setting/time period as this game was being revealed but it turned out to be beautiful. So beautiful that I'd often stop to admire the setting while listening to the game's incredible soundtrack and frequently pause to take screenshots.

I didn't quite fall in love with, or become as attached to, the characters as I have in some other Final Fantasy games. They're all fine characters, I just didn't feel that strong connection that I have come to expect from these games. Probably because there's less emphasis on being in a "party" than in other entries. This is pretty much Clive's story and your mates are just sort of with you for the ride.

The combat system is incredibly fun, perhaps the most fun in any of the Final Fantasy games. I was trying new combos until the very end of the game, as more abilities unlocked. If that's not your thing, you can equip an accessory that makes combos incredibly easy to perform but I strongly suggest you give the combat system a proper chance. Anybody that says spamming attack while waiting for cooldowns is what the combat entails is wrong.

The story improves as the game progresses and never really becomes too convoluted. You can pause for "active time lore" during any cutscene for information on the involved characters, setting, etc. There are some truly WTF moments in the game. Some of the side quests are actually memorable, most are to kill a mob or gather something. There's also a hunting board.

I've already mentioned how good the soundtrack is but it's worth mentioning again. It was a major reason why the game felt like Final Fantasy.

The boss battles are insane.

Finally, something that's well worth mentioning is this game was only playable thanks to a specific community mod. Without that mod, it pretty much would have been DOA for a lot of us. The mod providing ultrawide support, FOV / camera settings, uncapped cutscene FPS etc. really saved it. Hopefully Square Enix takes that into consideration for future PC ports.

This is the type of game that you can pick up and play when you only have a few minutes but will also melt away an hour before you realize it.

Driving model is really fun. Online leaderboards keep things competitive and interesting. Each co-pilot has their own personality. Great amount of content, especially for Early Access, in terms of vehicles, customization and track layouts.

Ultrawide is supported and Steam Deck performance is excellent at the time of writing this. Easy recommendation.