W.Kohaku Media

GigaBash – Review

Overview – developed and published by Passion Republic Games, GigaBash is a Kaiju Action Brawler with chaotic arena combat, destructible environments and a solid roster of Titans. GigaBash is an arena brawler inspired by classic Tokusatsu and Kaiju film, with the playable titans referencing some of the legendary characters like Godzilla and Ultraman. This title is currently available on both PC and PlayStation platforms, with a link to each version at the bottom of this review.

Disclaimer: before I get into the review, I would like to thank Future Friends for providing the copy of GigaBash that was used for this piece. The provision of this software has not influenced the contents of this review, all thoughts and opinions contained within are my own.

Now with the introductions out of the way, let’s get into the review. I will be skipping the story segment of the review and going straight into the gameplay segment.

Gameplay – GigaBash is an arena based brawler in the vein of Power Stone, where up to four combatants can fight it out in battles of titanic proportions. There are destructible environments that take place all over the world of GigaBash, including Japanese cities, ancient jungles and Alaskan tundra. In these locations, the Titans can throw their enemies into buildings, pick up objects and throw them as weapons to damage opponents.

All of the Titans have their own unique strengths and weaknesses that fit their themes, with these different abilities are broken down into Strength, Agility, etc. These stats vary relative to the Titan, like the hulking Gorogong excelling in strength while the plant Titan Rohanna excels in speed. These different character traits also extend to the character move lists, with their unique skill sets matching their strengths to offset their weaknesses.

These move sets consist of a normal, special attack and a grab/throw, with the normal attack being able to combo together with themselves. The special attacks tie into their themes, with the Yeti Titan Woolley inhaling enemies and turning them into snowballs, as well as the Alien Titan Pipijuras using hidden cannons to attack. These attacks can be augmented by holding down the attack button, pressing attack buttons while jumping and while dashing.

There is also a transformation system that activates by filling the Giga Meter, a bar that is filled by dealing damage and collecting special energy orbs. When the meter is full, the player can activate it to power themselves up and transform into an S-class Titan, increasing their Titan in size and strength until the meter is fully depleted. There is also an ultimate attack that can be activated by breaking a Giga-orb, which will deal massive amounts of damage to the enemies when used.

When starting the game, there are several options for players to select from. These settings are as follows;

Couch Play – here players (and CPU opponents with adjustable difficulty settings) can duke it out in local multiplayer battles, with three game modes to select from. These options are Free-for-All, where up to 4 players can battle with the last one standing as the winner, team battle where players fight in 2-on-2 battles and Mayhem which features objectives for players to participate in.
Online – Players can face others online in multiplayer battles via the internet. In three different lobbies (public, private and ranked) players can fight 4-player, team and 1-on-1 battles with Cross-Gen support for PlayStation and Cross Platform for PC (please note, there is no cross play between console and PC).

Story – play through 4 character stories, with multiple stages, checkpoints and special objectives to complete. The Story mode routes unlock in sequence and feature cutscenes that tell their unique stories.
Extras – here galleries can be accessed, with lore, character details, music and more to view in this mode. Additional content is added as the game progresses, giving players a reason to return to the extras.
Others – there is also a Tutorial that can be replayed freely, a Gym mode where players can practice their moves to get used to the controls and options where different settings can be modified.

In the story mode, the battles between Titans are usually single round matches, whereas the couch play mode has additional modifiers that allow matches to be tailored to their preferred style. With the standard settings there is a two life battle system, with the players battling to deplete the health of their opponent as fast as possible. When a life is lost, a shield will be granted for a short time when recovering from a loss, with the last defeated opponent being launched into the stratosphere.

When a battle is completed or story mode stage is cleared, the player will gain experience to level them up in a reward system that provides rewards for each level. There are also additional rewards that can be unlocked, including extra stages, playable Titans and skins/colors for those Titans. The leveling system adds to the replay value of this title, giving players a reason to continue to play after clearing the story mode routes and encourage multiplayer battles.

The combat and moment to moment gameplay is frantic, with the unique combat styles of the Titans meshing together well. The destructible environments, hazards and explosive stage elements really knock the battles up a notch, providing a satisfying and enjoyable brawling experience. There is a slight imbalance between the roster of Titans, but the different possible combinations of characters leads to some very interesting match-ups.

Unfortunately, there are some shortcomings to the experience. The unlock system can be a grind as it can take a significant time to unlock different Titan colors, gallery content and music. The story modes are a little short and the multiplayer can become repetitive, which is made a little worse by the online matchmaking. There are some weaknesses in the matchmaking system, with long waiting times and sadly intermittent connections as the game uses peer to peer connections.

Aside from these shortcomings, there is a lot to enjoy with the smashable cities, Kaiju styled Titans and unlockable difficulty levels to challenge in the Story mode. The only improvement that could be made to this title is the addition of an Arcade mode, as that would extend the playtime of this release outside of the multiplayer once the story modes are cleared.

Now with the gameplay covered, I will be moving on to the other aspects of the game, starting with the controls.

Controls – the controls for this release are simple to pick up, with a layout that works very well with all controllers. The main functions are tied to the face buttons, with the block and dash tied to the front shoulder buttons. There is very little input lag during combat, but occasionally some inputs will activate later than needed during frantic segments. For the PC version of the game, there is an option to change button prompts to fit the preferred controller of choice as well as keyboard support.

Difficulty – there is an inconsistent difficulty curve to GigaBash, with the imbalance between ranged and melee attacks, which can make the game difficult for newer players to the genre. In the story mode, there are 4 selectable difficulty settings that modify the flow of gameplay, with the toughest difficulty being unlocked by beating the setting below. Overall, this is a very difficult and challenging brawler but can be forgiving with the checkpoint system in story mode.

Presentation – the visual style for this release is pleasing to the eye, with the unique designs for the Titans, in engine cutscenes and beautifully illustrated story sequences. The environments each have their own unique look to them, with Japanese themed cities, Hawaiian styled islands and sci-fi heavy military bases. The sound for this title has a lot of weight to it, with impactful sound effects that have a lot of weight to them, along with a soundtrack that has the grandeur of its inspiration throughout.

From a technical standpoint, the presentation of GigaBash is very solid on PlayStation 4, with there being zero issues with lag, textures or frame rate when it comes to the console version. However, that cannot be said for the PC release. Due to the number of assets on screen at once, it can put tremendous strain on low to mid-range PC systems. This is most noticeable during in-engine cutscenes, where textures can load very slowly, as well as the odd moment of frame stutter or skipping.

Final Thoughts – I had not been aware of GigaBash until recently, but I was very interested when seeing the trailers and learning more about this release. The Titans have excellent designs to them, with some having a layer of humor to them, like the Ultraman inspired Gigaman, appearing as an out-of-shape hero that came out of retirement to fight the Titans. There is a lot of content to enjoy in this release, with the story modes, offline and online multiplayer modes.

I enjoyed this title a lot as I am a fan of both fighting games and Kaiju media, but there are some minor hiccups with this title. The unfortunately inconsistent online matchmaking, need to grind a lot to unlock content and lack of an arcade mode do hinder an otherwise solid experience. I can recommend this title to fans of Kaiju media and arena brawlers as there is a lot of fun to have here, but the price point may be a little steep for some that aren’t into online play.

In the end, I give GigaBash a final score of 4/5. This is a satisfying and fun Kaiju themed brawler, with a lot of love put into it that shows through the references to its inspiration, engaging combat and world building that makes for a satisfying experience. I just wish there was a single player mode where I could just smash up the different cities. If you want to check this game out for yourself, links to each version of the game are below.

Link to PlayStation version (HERE)

Link to Steam version (HERE)

Link to Epic Games version (HERE)

Avenging Spirit – Nintendo Switch Review

Overview – brought to home consoles for the first time by Ratalaika Games, City Connection and Shinyuden, Avenging Spirit (called Phantasm in Japan) is a classic arcade title originally published by Jaleco in 1991. As a wandering spirit that wants to rescue his girlfriend being held hostage, players must possess enemies to complete this mission. This title is now available for Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4/5 and Xbox One/Series systems, with links to each platform at the bottom of this review.

Disclaimer: before I get into the review, I would like to thank PR Hound for providing the copy of Avenging Spirit that was used for this piece. The provision of this software has not influenced the contents of this review, all thoughts and opinions contained within are my own.

Now with the introductions out of the way, let’s get into the review, starting with the basic plot for Avenging Spirit.

Story – While out on a troll with his girlfriend, the protagonist is attacked by agents of a criminal syndicate, who kidnap the girl and kill the protagonist. After death, the protagonist becomes a wandering spirit that has the ability to possess others. Now the spirit has been summoned by the girl’s father, who has given him the mission to save her from the syndicate. The avenging spirit sets out to bring down the evil syndicate, save the girl and finally rest in peace.

Gameplay – Avenging Spirit is a platform action title, with the objective being to clear each of the 6 stages by reaching and beating the boss for that stage. As the spirit, players are able to possess enemies and take control of them, using their attacks to take out other enemies, while finding secrets in some of the more maze like stages. There are several different enemy types that appear, with different attacks, movement speeds and jump heights making for a challenging gameplay loop.

The enemies that can be possessed also have their own strengths and weaknesses, with some excelling in movement and others in offense. The overall variety of enemies will be a mixed bag, as the reach and effective range of attacks will make the game increasingly difficult. During the six levels of the game, the enemies will get stronger with new attacks, with a change in color showing the new enemy variants. The player possessing stronger enemies is key to success, as they can take out others with ease.

The player has an energy bar as a spirit that will be depleted in two ways. The first is while possessing an enemy, as each enemy has their own health bar, but any damage a possessed form takes will reduce both energy meters. When a possessed enemy is defeated, the spirit is ejected and the energy meter starts to run down. This means that every second that the player hasn’t possessed an enemy their energy will start running out, functioning like a timer for the player to add additional pressure.

If the player runs out of ghost energy, they will lose and must use a credit to continue playing. There are some health items that can refill energy for the spirit and possessed units, however, energy can run out very quickly so collecting energy refills is important. There are also items that can wipe out all enemies on the screen, quickly clearing out the immediate threats. The gameplay does change a little when the player enters a boss battle.

In contrast to the main stages, where players will run jump and battle foes in platforming action, the bosses are set in a single arena in a one on one battle. When the player enters a boss room, they will be locked in as the character they possessed, sharing the same energy bar as the spirit. The boss also has an energy bar that needs to be wiped out in order to progress. If the player is defeated, they can continue immediately with the same character that they entered the boss room with.

When a boss is defeated, a bonus is provided based on the performance of the player in battle, with the bonus points reducing over time. The boss battles have their own unique challenges to them as each boss follows a unique attack pattern, along with hazards and specific weak points that must be hit to deal damage. These battles keep the flow of gameplay going smoothly and don’t derail the experience when moving between them.

The last thing to mention is the quality of life improvements that have been made with this release. First, both regional variations of the game are available to play, with the English Avenging Spirit version and the original Japanese release called Phantasm. Next are the Arcade and Home Console modes that can be selected from the main menu. Arcade mode allows players to freely alter the games dip-switch settings and play 2 player, while home console mode comes with preset options for players to enjoy.

There is also the inclusion of save/load states that let players stop playing and resume from where they left of freely, with an additional rewind feature that allows for mistakes to be corrected during play. The developers also included additional features for players to explore, including debug menus, filters and more for players to get the most out of the experience.

Now with the gameplay covered, I want to move onto the other aspects of the game, starting with the controls.

Controls – the controls for Avenging spirit are very simple, with two buttons used for jump and possession/attack, along with movement tied to the left thumbstick and d-pad. The inputs can also be remapped to fit any control set up, making it easy to adjust the controls for any set-up. There are also zero issues with input lag which makes it feel responsive and snappy during play. I do recommend that an arcade stick is used if available, as that is the most authentic way to experience this title.

Difficulty – this title has a simple difficulty curve with four difficulty settings that increase the challenge of this release. The four difficulty settings increase the number of enemies, the frequency of foes respawning and the amount of damage that attacks do to the player. There is also adjustable settings for the Arcade mode and free credits for both modes, which makes this an accessible and beatable challenge for players of all skill levels.

Presentation – the visuals present in this release are excellent with satisfying sprite work, exaggerated characters and varied stage designs. These classic visuals translate to the big screen and handheld modes, as well as the inclusion of filters for those who want to add a vintage look to the game. The sound emulation for this release is excellent, with the music being as vibrant as the arcade original and the sound effects having a satisfying hit to them.

Final Thoughts – I had played Avenging Spirit many years ago and I was happy to see it is getting a home release after 30+years. The translation from arcade to the home is seamless, especially for a system like the Nintendo Switch, with the new quality of life improvements making for a fun experience at home and on the go. I can happily recommend this game to fans of action platformers and arcade games in general, especially at the low price point being offered for the game length.

In the end, I give Avenging Spirit (aka Phantasm) a final score of 4/5. This is an excellent port of game that hadn’t been re-released in 30+ years, with pixel perfect emulation and fun gameplay that has a unique selling point through the possession system. Even though the game is a little short, the modest price point and overall quality of the game makes up for it. if you want to check this title out for yourself, a link to each version of the game will be below.

Link to Nintendo Switch version (HERE)

Link to PlayStation version (HERE)

Link to Xbox version (HERE)

Spidersaurs! – Review

Overview – developed and published by WayForward, Spidersaurs is a run and gun action title, with 2 player co-op and a menagerie of mutated beasts to battle. This release features two distinct characters to play as, abilities to unlock and an arsenal of weaponry to use against enemies. This title is available on all major console platforms and PC, with a link to each version of this release available at the bottom of this review.

Disclaimer: before I get into the review, I would like to thank WayForward for providing the software used for this piece. The provision of this software has not influenced the contents of this review, all thoughts and opinions contained within are my own. Please be aware, at the time of writing, there is currently a bug within the Nintendo Switch version of Spidersaurs that can prevent the final stage from loading correctly (but it can accessed by clearing the previous stage), with WayForward working to patch it as soon as possible.

UPDATE: Since publishing this review, a patch for the Nintendo Switch version has been released to address the above issue, this makes the final stage load correctly when selecting the stage from the main menu in Story Mode. This update is now available for all Nintendo Switch users.

Now with the introductions out of the way, let’s get into the review, starting with the story.

Story – after catastrophic events destroy global food supplies, InGest Corp have genetically engineered dinosaur-hybrids that can provide enough food to end world hunger. However, there has been a containment breach and the Spidersaurs are now on the loose, leaving the clean up to two taste testing interns. Calling upon punk rocker Victoria and officer in training Adrian, InGest send them on a mission to save the day, fighting the Spidersaurs and gaining new powers along the way.

Gameplay – Spidersaurs is a fast paced run and gun action title, taking place over several stages that scroll horizontally and vertically, with a lot of hazards and enemies to contend with. The core focus of this title is to reach the end of each stage and beat the boss. To accomplish this task, the player must battle through wave after wave of mutant monstrosities, collecting power-ups to enhance their weapons and avoiding hazards that can kill them.

When starting the story mode for the first time, players can select their character, choosing between Victoria and Adrian to play as in this adventure. The two characters share the same move set when it comes to character abilities, including the basic run, jump and shoot in 8 directions, with additional skills like double jumping and climbing unlocked later. What separates the two characters in terms of gameplay is their weaponry, which is themed after them and featuring unique effects.

During the course of the game, the most basic weapon that both players have is an auto shot, but during play, different weapons can be collected from support drones which drop an item when destroyed. These weapons function differently depending on the character that is being used, as the projectiles fired are based around their own themes. Two of these weapons can be carried and switched at any time, with the newest pick up replacing the active weapon.

The weapons for Victoria are all based around performing music, with fireworks as rockets and sound wave lasers, whereas Adrian has weapons based on sports, like a football canon and pool ball shooter. Each of the weapons can be upgraded by collecting duplicate power-up drops, increasing their overall power and efficacy in combat. However, a weapon can be reverted to its pre power-up state if damage is taken and lost entirely if a life is lost, replacing it with the base shooter.

The variety of weapons can keep the gameplay exciting, but learning which weapons work best for a play style and against the bosses is important. This is due to the fact that the mid and end bosses of stages can be quite challenging, with their own unique patterns and gimmicks that will prove challenging to players. For example, there is a mid-boss that can only be damaged when flipped over by a getting hit with a lava geyser, as well as bosses that have weak points that will only be exposed for a short time.

The stage layouts for each of the missions in this release can be complex, with both horizontal and vertical movement, as well as some auto scrolling sections that will keep players on their toes. This will be challenging as there are many hazards that can hinder progress, including webs that players can be stuck on and environmental dangers that will hurt players. If players are careless, lives will be lost fairly quickly with a game over soon following.

The overall challenge of this title is high, with limited lives and a maximum 3 hit-points per life with the only way to regain health being to collect food dropped by enemies or placed in the stage. This system can increase the difficulty of the experience, as well as pressure enemies that can attack the player to prevent point farming. These pressure enemies will attack at times where there is the potential for point farming, since every 20,000 points provides an extra life to the player.

If the player loses all their lives, they will get a game over and can retry that stage or select a different mission that has already been cleared. If the player chooses to retry, they will continue from the start of the stage, unless the mid- boss has been defeated which will allow them to continue from there. If the player does choose to go to the mission select screen, they will be able to switch characters and retry the uncompleted stage from the mid-point if it has been reached.

The mutant variety is quite diverse, ranging from the general one hit enemies to foes that will attack from cover and toxic enemies that will leave poison clouds behind. These enemies heighten the tension of the action and increase the difficulty of platforming, as the player is able to drop through platforms and off rails while trying to avoid attacks. There is also character knock back when taking damage, with the possibility to be knocked off platforms, rails and conveyor belts while fighting enemies.

The overall gameplay experience is challenging, with tough boss battles, tricky platforming and sometimes unfair enemy placements. However, there are some difficulty options available to tailor the challenge to the taste of the player. There is also the multiplayer component, with the 2 player co-op gameplay, which is local only but let’s two people work together. But do be careful as the second player won’t be able to rejoin if all their lives are lost, unless a game over happens.

The last thing to talk about for gameplay is the unlockable modes. Upon completion of the story mode, two additional gameplay modes will be unlocked for players to enjoy in single and co-op play. The first is Arcade, where the player can run through the game like in story, but without the cutscenes between stages. The second is Speed Run mode, a mode where players try to reach the end of the game as fast as possible, with one credit and all abilities unlocked.

Now with the gameplay covered, it is time to move onto the other aspects of this title, starting with the controls.

Controls – the control method for Spidersaurs is very similar to other titles in the run and gun genre, allowing fast fluid movement, snappy inputs and 8 way directional shooting. The inputs are laid out well with the jump and fire mapped to the face, movement tied to the left stick/D-pad and other skills set up in a comfortable way. Having played the game with a variety of controllers, this is a solid experience that is comfortable no matter how players choose to play.

Difficulty – this release has three difficulty options to choose from, with an easy, medium and hard option using steak temperature terms to fit the game theme. The differences between the difficulty options include changing the number of foes on screen, removing some obstacles and increasing the number of lives (when playing easy). There are some other differences with modes, the biggest one being that the final stage is locked off in easy, just like action games of the past.

Presentation – Spidersaurs has a Saturday morning cartoon style to it, with distinctive sprite work for characters and enemies. The cutscenes work well, with character portraits that are expressive and pleasing to the eye. The environments are detailed and varied, with bold stage elements and backgrounds that are distinct from each other. There is little if any lag when it comes to the flow of action, with no slowdown during the busy sequences or when there are big sprites on screen.

The soundtrack for Spidersaurs is an excellent accompaniment to the visual style and action that appears on screen. Featuring a mix of styles with heavy rock guitar, techno beats and electro keyboards from composer Harumi Fujita, who has created music for Strider, Pulstar and more. The opening theme features Cristina Vee (Miraculous) and Jason C. Miller (Shenmue III). This title also features excellent voice acting that adds an additional layer to the charm of the experience.

Final Thoughts – I was excited when I saw the announcement that Spidersaurs was coming to consoles, since I had seen the title on apple arcade a few years ago and I can safely say that I’m not disappointed. The action is smooth, the game is well paced and there is a lot of variety to the overall experience as a run and gun. The difficulty does spike towards the later part of the game, but if the player uses some caution, takes their time and learns enemy patterns then the difficulty is eased.

There is a lot of charm to this release, with the entertaining character dialogue, fantastic soundtrack and vibrant character designs. There is a lot of depth and enjoyment to the overall product, I can happily recommend this game to fans of run and guns titles, like Contra, Metal Slug and Gunstar Heroes. The game does have some minor flaws, but the overall experience is worth playing and can be great fun either alone or with a friend.

In the end, I give Spidersaurs a final score of 4.5/5. This stylish and charming run-‘n’-gun action title is a real challenge, with some tough stages and difficult bosses, but the overall experience is fun and rewarding when played alone or with a friend in 2 player co-op. If you want to check this title out for yourself, links to all versions will be below. Please note: a patch for the Nintendo Switch to fix a bug is being worked on to be made available as soon as possible.

Link to Nintendo Switch version (HERE)

Link to PlayStation version (HERE)

Link to Xbox version (HERE)

Link to Steam version (HERE)

Link to Apple version (HERE)

Yurukill: The Calumniation Games – Nintendo Switch Review

Overview – developed by Izanagi games with assistance from G-Rev and published by NIS America, Yurukill: the Calumniation Games, is a hybrid of visual novel escape adventure and bullet hell shooting action. As a prisoner convicted of a crime you didn’t commit, you have arrived at Yurukill Land, a mysterious amusement park where your life will change forever. This title is available for the Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4 and PlayStation 5 with links to the game at the bottom of this review.

Disclaimer: before I get into the review, I would like to thank NIS America for providing the copy of Yurukill: the Calumniation Games that was used for this review. The provision of this title has not influenced the contents of this review, all thoughts and opinions contained within are my own.

Now with the introductions out of the way, let’s get into the review, starting with a brief background for the plot of this release. I will be calling this release simply Yurukill to keep it nice and brief. I will only be covering the core of the mechanics as I feel that this title should be experienced first-hand.

Story – Pardon or kill. Let the madness begin. At the edge of despair, lurks the unsettling past, and an unspeakable truth! Convicted Prisoners face a series of attractions to clear their names in Yurukill Land. If they and their Executioner partners overcome the Yurukill Games, they will be absolved of their alleged crimes. What secrets are hidden in the twisted attractions of the secluded amusement park, Yurukill Land? Who will emerge victorious from its cruel, fiendish games?

Gameplay – the gameplay for Yurukill is a hybrid mix of visual novel styled escape adventure and bullet hell shooting, with a diverse cast of characters that each have unique stories. I will be separating the gameplay coverage into two segments, discussing the escape adventure and bullet hell shooting action separately. First to discuss is the escape adventure.

Escape Adventure: the majority of the gameplay experience takes place here, with each of the games chapters based on a different set of characters. Taking place in escape room styled hidden object puzzles called attractions. The characters in each of these chapters consist of prisoners and executioners. The prisoners have been accused and convicted of various crimes, with their partners having the ability to end their life at any moment as their executioners.

Each attraction is split into stages, containing puzzles and hints that are needed to progress. There is a gate that will need to be unlocked in order to progress through each stage, with the solution to the puzzles being the key. To search the areas, the player controls a cursor that will light up to show that an object can be interacted with. There will also be conversations between the prisoners and their executioners, providing further help and hints for the attraction.

While progressing through each chapter, the player will engage in conversation that can have multiple choices to select from. These interactions provide more details about the characters, can uncover hints to the puzzles and even offer a little light hearted amusement. It is important to also pay attention to the conversations, as they could hold clues that will be useful later, or may even be tied to an important plot twist during the story.

There is even a hint system that can assist characters with the puzzles, giving additional hints to answer the riddles and tasks to ensure smooth progress. Throughout the investigation stages, there will be information that will be added to a device called the Yurukill passport. The passport holds the evidence collected, a dialogue summary that stretches back a fair amount and other helpful details. Players can also save, load and access other information with the passport.

During the course of an attraction, there will be more obstacles that will hinder the player. First are deadly puzzles that players must solve in order to progress, which involve making a decision that could lead to a sudden end. The second is the deadly cross-examination called “Maji-kill Time”, where the prisoner is grilled by their executioner and one wrong answer will result in death. If the prisoner succeeds, they will be able to continue a little longer.

All of the Maji-kill sequences are multiple choice quizzes, where the player must select a response to the question they are asked. With each correct answer, the “urge to kill” meter will rise, ramping up the intensity of the questions and the risk to the prisoner. If the wrong answer is chosen, the kill meter will instantly increase to 100% and the prisoner will be executed, giving a game over and returning the character to a check point.

When all of the puzzles and stages have been cleared, the next part of the Yurukill games will begin. The Yurukill Judgment, a life or death battle between the prisoner and the executioner, which their opponent has the power to pardon or kill them depending on what they do.

Now it is time to cover the shooting action part of Yurukill.

Yurukill Judgment: as well as the escape room style attractions, there is the Yurukill Judgement. This is an intense set of bullet hell stages, where the prisoner and executioner are pitted against each other in combat. Taking place in cutting edge BR (Brain Reality) developed by Yurukill Inc, the characters pilot Yurukill Fighters in VR environments, with the prisoner fighting wave after wave of enemies. At the start of the shooting stages, the prisoner will answer a high-speed quiz before launching.

During the high-speed quiz, the player must answer five questions related to the attraction and alleged crimes, with five answers to choose from. Each time the player gets an answer correct, they will get extra lives that they will be able to use in battle, but if they get an answer wrong they get nothing. After all the questions have been answered, the shooting begins in full swing, launching the player into the stage to battle the enemies.

While flying through the shooting stages, enemies will appear for the player to shoot down which will increase the score, as well as some enemies dropping power-ups. Each time a power-up is collected the prisoner craft will increase in strength up to a max level of 4, increasing the special weapon shots and overall damage they can do. There is also a system called the outburst meter, a special bar that fills up by destroying enemies and collecting items they drop.

The outburst meter becomes active at 20% letting players use two special attacks, a bomb that exhausts all of the meter and an alternate attack that uses a little of the meter each time. Once the meter falls below 20%, the outburst skills cannot be used until it refills. The outburst bomb is the more useful skill as it can be used as a defensive shield when taking damage if it is active, when the meter is completely full a bomb that annihilates all on screen can be used.

However, if the player has their ship destroyed, they will lose their power-ups with a few appearing on screen to recollect and the outburst meter resets to 20%. When the player ship is destroyed, a life is also lost, reducing the remaining total for the stages but more lives can be earned. Hidden in each stage is a Binko icon, which is uncovered from outburst attacks and providing an extra life when collected. There is a Binko hidden in every stage to be found and collected.

Towards the end of each stage, the executioner will appear as the boss for each stage, engaging in multi-phase battles with the prisoner to attempt to wipe them out. During these battles two special instances can occur, depending on the stage that the player is on. During the early stages, a mind barrier will appear which allows the player to enter the “Prejudice Synapse”, where the prisoner can provide evidence to prove innocence. However, failure will result in lives lost each time.

In the last part of each Yurukill Judgment there is the “Mind Maze”, where players must complete sentences that are related to the incidents, with each success getting further. But if the wrong answer is chosen, lives will be lost and the chance of failure increases. If the prisoner can solve the sentences and select the correct answers, they will get one step closer to completing the Yurukill Judgment and obtaining their freedom.

After the Mind Maze, there is one final set of boss phases that the player must overcome before Judgment is complete. Once Judgment is complete, a total score for the cleared stages will be given and the story will continue. Separate from the main story, there is also a dedicated Score Attack Mode where unlocked stages can be played with any of the unlocked prisoners. While in this mode, players can challenge any of the stages for a place on the leaderboards.

There are leaderboards for each individual stage, as well as for all stages played consecutively which gives additional replay value when the main story is cleared. All of the prisoner characters that have been unlocked can be used in the score mode, giving access to a variety of play styles in free play. The different characters have their own different characteristics, strengths and weaknesses which allows for experimentation with in the game.

The score attack provides additional replay value, extending the playtime for the game once the story has been cleared entirely. The shooting sections play very well, with smooth movements and reactive inputs that make the shooting a lot of fun to play. There is a lot going on at once and there are occasional moments of slowdown, but they do not interfere with the gameplay experience to a great extent.

Now with the gameplay covered, it is time to move onto the other aspects of this release, starting with the controls.

Controls – the controls for this release are separated into two styles, the cursor based search controls for the escape room style puzzles. The left thumbstick controls the cursor, the face buttons perform interaction functions and the shoulders control the camera. The shooting controls are fun, with responsive and easy to use inputs for shooting, featuring an auto fire, charge fire and outburst attacks. Both game styles handle well, with minimal lag and are comfortable in docked/handheld play modes.

Difficulty – the difficulty for this game is almost entirely within the Yurukill Judgment sections, with the adventure segments being fairly straightforward and easy to follow. The shooting however, can be tense and difficult, with a hail of bullets and wave after wave of enemies to fight. In this section the difficulty settings that can be chosen are Easy, Normal and Hard, with each setting affecting the number of available lives and attack patterns of enemies/bosses.

Presentation – the visual style for this release is very distinct, with the manga artist Hiro Kiyohara (the illustrator for ANOTHER) responsible for bring the characters of Yurukill to life. The character portraits are expressive, which adds to the overall atmosphere and tension of a scene with almost all dialogue in a Visual Novel format. The environments and backgrounds have their own unique charm, with each location having its own distinct theme.

The shooting gameplay looks fantastic and switches the experience from the 2D VN style, into intense 3D bullet hell action. The player ships look unique from each other, the wire frames for different segments are vibrant and the bosses look fantastic. There is no real issue when it comes to slowdown or lag during play, as the action moves quite smoothly with only a brief pause in the flow when losing a life in battle, or when there are lots of enemies on screen.

The sound design for Yurukill ties the whole experience together, with atmospheric musical themes and distinct sound bites make the narrative more engaging. The background soundtrack has a lot of diversity to it, ranging from creepy carnival/theme park music and melancholic violin, to intense orchestral themes for the BR sections. There is voiced dialogue throughout, featuring the vocal talents of Sayori Hayami (Demon Slayer), Takuya Eguchi (Spy x Family) and Yu Kobayashi (Attack on Titan).

Final Thoughts – I was intrigued by the whole concept of Yurukill, as the combination of escape room puzzles, visual novel presentation and bullet hell shooting is not one I have seen before. The mix of the puzzles and the shooting is a lot of fun, with the two genres blending quite well. The featured artwork and character designs are distinct, with a variety of unique characters that have stories the player can get invested in.

I can easily recommend this release, the overall story is engaging and can be entertaining at times. I found myself becoming more and more engrossed in the narrative, finding the twists and turns of the plot pulling me in further. I applaud both Izanagi Games and G-Rev for the outstanding worth that has been created here, along with the artwork created by Hiro Kiyohara. The only flaws I found with this experience aside from puzzles being a little hard at times, was the very ocassional slowdown.

In the end, I give Yurukill: the Calumniation Games a final score of 4.5/5. This is an unconventional mix of hidden objects puzzles, visual novel storytelling and bullet hell shooting doesn’t appear to work on the surface. However, all of the different elements come together, creating an excellent and unique experience, with a narrative and characters that can really pull the player in. If you want to check this release out for yourself, links to the game will be below.

Link to Nintendo Switch version (HERE)

Link to PlayStation version (HERE)

Birushana: Rising Flower of Genpei – Nintendo Switch Review

Overview – developed by Idea Factory and RED Entertainment with publishing handled by Idea Factory International, Birushana: Rising Flower of Genpei is an Otome Visual Novel set in Heian period Japan. Experience a story filled with intriguing characters, where each choice made can lead the protagonist Shanao down a route that could lead to happiness or even tragedy. This title is available exclusively for the Nintendo Switch, with a link to the game at the bottom of this review.

Disclaimer: before I get into the review, I would like to thank Idea Factory International for providing the copy of Birushana: Rising Flower of Genpei that was used for this piece. The provision of this software has not influenced the contents of this review, all thoughts and opinions contained within are my own.

Now with the introductions out of the way, let’s get into the review, starting with the story (taken from the official website for this title). I will also be using some vague terms in order to prevent spoilers for this release, as I want players to experience the narrative of Birushana for themselves.

Story – Fifteen years after the Heiji Rebellion, the Heike clan has reached the height of its power, while the Genji clan remains devastated by defeat. Hidden deep within the mountains of Kurama lives Shanao, the youngest surviving male heir to the Genji name. However, Shanao harbors a deep secret known by very few. The youngest heir to the Genji name is no man.

Gameplay – Birushana follows the traditional Visual Novel experience for the most part, with the experience playing out exclusively in narrative form. The characters that are involved in a scene will appear on screen, their dialogue voice acted and text appearing below them. The protagonist Shanao is silent throughout the experience, likely to provide the ability for the player/reader to put themselves into the position of the heroine.

During the course of the story, there are dialogue choices that the player will be presented with. These options have an impact on the way that the narrative plays out, guided by a system called Love Catch (which can be disabled in the settings). Depending on the choices made, the flowers that appear on screen will open, indicating the level of affection that each of the lead male characters feels towards Shanao. The boarder of the screen will also change color, showing a change to three character abilities.

Each of the lead characters that Shanao encounters has their own route, which is initiated through the dialogue choices that are made during the story. As each choice is made, the compatibility that the protagonist has with a lead, as well as her abilities will influence the way that some events play out. These factors combine together to lead to one of several potential endings for that route, which include both good and bad endings at the climax of a narrative arc.

Upon completing a route in Birushana, an option called an “IF Ending” may become available to the player, providing a new route to experience with a sub character. These scenarios are separate from the rest of the game, acting as side stories for players to complete once all other routes have been completed. In order to track the progress of a route, the compatibility with a lead and Shanao’s abilities, the player can use the Information screen to see what each value is currently at.

There is also a flowchart which shows the progress through the various storylines, with branches for each of the chapters that diverge from a plot thread. In the flowchart menu, players can return to previous points in the story and replay chapters when the route is cleared. There is also a dictionary that gives explanations for the different terms used in the dialogue, providing background information on the historical setting for the story.

Players can also save and load the game freely, with a total of 100 save slots allowing the ability to save whenever a decision is to be made. This allows the player to try out all the different options and narrative threads when they wish, giving greater flexibility and experimentation with decision making. Last is the Album, which has a gallery for unlocked images, videos, music and dictionary terms that can be viewed from the main title menu of the game.

Now with the gameplay covered, I will be moving onto the other aspects of the game, starting with the controls.

Controls – being a visual novel the controls for this release are streamlined and easy to use, with both controller and touch screen capabilities depending on the way the switch is being used. When in handheld mode, there is touch screen support with dialogue history, quick save/load and the menu to be accessed via swiping the screen. Advancing the story, accessing the dictionary and selecting menu/dialogue options are all accomplished by tapping the screen.

Presentation – visually, Birushana is stunning with attractive character designs for Shanao and the Male leads, as well as attention to the time period that the story takes place in. The background for each scene that takes place adds additional depth to the experience, with a lot of attention to fine details of each location featured. There are some minor issues with the text/dialogue on screen, with words ending up going too far to the edge or occasional typos, but they don’t ruin the experience.

The sound design for this release really knocks it up a notch, with an excellent soundtrack that conveys the impact of each scene well. There is excellent use of soft piano in scenes designed to be emotional, along with strong use of brass and string instruments during tense scenes. The voice work for this release is Japanese only, with each role having a good voice that fits the look of the character. The talent featured in this release includes Jun Fukuyama (persona series), Kengo Kawanishi (Food Wars) and Soma Saito (JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure).

Final Thoughts –while I’m not usually one for visual novels on their own, often preferring the narrative style part of a greater whole, like the JRPG franchises Death end re;Quest and Mary Skelter. But, with that being said I found myself getting really invested in the narrative that played out. Each of the lead characters are fleshed out and the supporting cast has depth to it, along with the protagonist Shanao not feeling one dimensional in her silent portrayal.

I can easily recommend this release to anyone that is a fan of Visual Novels, as well as those who enjoy the Otome genre. There is a lot of content on offer, with each of the main routes taking several hours to complete and multiple endings to experience. This is a complete package, however there were a few hiccups that did slow the experience down, like the time it takes to skip read parts and occasional typos. But these are minor inconveniences.

In the end, I give Birushana: Rising Flower of Genpei a final score of 4.5/5. This Visual Novel set in the Heian period of Japanese history is filled with intriguing and deep characters, plot threads that readers can get invested in and multiple character routes to get stuck into. If you want to check this title out for yourself, a link to the release will be below.

Link to Nintendo Switch version (HERE)

Pocky & Rocky: Reshrined – Nintendo Switch Review

Overview – developed by Tengo Project and published by Natsume (under license from Taito), with physical publishing handled by ININ Games, Pocky & Rocky: Reshrined is an expanded soft remake of the classic SNES shooter of the same name. As the Shrine Maiden Pocky and her friend Rocky, take on the monsters and spirits that have gone out of control and restore peace to the land. This title is available both physically and digitally on Nintendo Switch and PlayStation 4/5, with links to the game at the bottom of this review.

Disclaimer: before I get into the review, I would like to thank PR Hound for providing the copy of Pocky & Rocky: Reshrined that was used for this piece. The provision of this Software has not influenced the contents of this review, all thoughts and opinions contained within are my own.

Now with the introductions out of the way, let’s get into the review. I will be skipping the story segment as I feel it needs to be experienced first-hand, going directly into the gameplay section. I will be mostly referring to this title as Reshrined to keep things simple, with my discussion of the game focusing on the story mode to prevent spoiling some things.

Gameplay – Pocky & Rocky: Reshrined is a scrolling shooter offering 8 way directional movement and shooting action, with the camera moving in either a horizontal or vertical path. When launching the game, the player can only select the single player story mode with a normal and hard difficulty to select. An additional two player mode can be unlocked by either clearing the game or earning coins in game, as well as an easy story difficulty that can be unlocked with coins.

During the course of the game, the player can move with relative freedom around the screen, moving the camera in a top-down perspective as they go. While moving around the stages, the player will be attacked from all directions by the monsters and hazards that fill the different locations. There are also alternate paths, power ups and secrets to find in the game. To make it through the stages, the player must battle the monsters that attack using a variety of skills in their arsenal.

Here are the basic moves that the player has access to in the game (I will be only talking about the simple move set Pocky uses to prevent spoiling surprises);

Talisman – Pocky can throw paper Talismans at enemies in the direction that she is facing, they can be strengthened by collecting power balls. There are three types of power that can be used, with the standard blue, Fire red and Wind green which alter the look and behavior of the attacks. If enough damage is taken, the power level of the Talismans will be lowered.
Gohei – Pocky can use her Gohei purification rod to deflect attacks, push enemies back and even send projectiles back at the enemy. The rod must be facing the same direction as the attack to be effective, as it can only be used from the front of Pocky.
Special Attack – unleash a special attack that deals tremendous damage to the enemies on screen, with limited uses for this special skill. These attacks can be refilled by collecting items during stages.
Slide – Pocky can slide across the floor to dodge attacks, get past enemies and evade projectiles that are sent her way. This is most useful during boss battles and busy battles, but it can be risky.

Throughout the stages while battling enemies, items can be found either dropped by monsters of hidden in baskets that need to be shot. When broken open, the baskets can contain power balls to strengthen attacks, amulets that provide shielding, additional special attacks and even a lion-dog that provides invincibility. There are also health items that can heal damage, with tea that will heal a little damage and Dango dumplings that heal a lot.

When enemies are defeated, they will drop sometimes drop coins which the player can collect. These coins can be used for a lottery by a spirit that can be hiding in plain sight. When the lottery is activated, a reel in the corner of the screen will roll, with the potential for max power to be granted, a shield or even an extra life. These lottery spirits will only appear if the player has enough coins, making the collection of coins a very important element of the game.

During the course of the game, there will be mid bosses and blockade bosses which the player must defeat to continue. There are also challenging end stage bosses for each stage, with the player having to do battle with a powerful enemy in an arena. These boss battles are very tough, with the large enemies potentially filling the entire screen with attacks to try and kill the player. The bosses can do a lot of damage, which can wipe out a players health quickly, along with hazards to make battles tougher.

When the boss has been defeated the stage is cleared, when this happens the player will gain bonuses for remaining health and more. The game will also provide extra health upgrades during the game, increasing the total damage that can be taken. Between stages, the story will play out in in cutscenes with some animations included, pushing the narrative forward as well as dialogue from characters before important battles.

As the story progresses, new playable characters will appear and special abilities will be unlocked, mixing up the flow of the game. The additional character changes and new abilities will be dictated by the story, with the lead character changing over time to keep the experience fresh. It can take a moment to get used to each of the different gameplay mechanics, with the challenging enemy patterns and difficult hazards from the start of the game.

To compensate the difficulty curve that is in this release, players have unlimited continues which is useful as the player can easily get overwhelmed. When the player loses all their lives, they are given a game over and if they choose to continue, the player is sent to a preset point. These checkpoints can be at the beginning of the stage, at a midway point or even at the boss itself. When the stage restarts there are usually power-ups that can be found to get the player back into the action.

Once the player has either cleared the story mode, or accumulated enough coins, Free Mode will be available. In this mode, two players are able to take on the adventure together, being able to select their character from the playable roster and work together through the stages. There are also leaderboards for all players to post scores, which offers a challenge for players in story mode and the individual characters in free play.

Now with the gameplay covered, I will be moving onto the other aspects of this release, starting with the controls.

Controls – the control method for this release is easy to pick up. The character movement is handled by the D-pad and thumbstick, with all action inputs mapped to the face buttons of the controller. All button inputs and movements are reactive, with zero issues when it comes to delay or lag when playing the game. The experience is comfortable when playing the game in either handheld or docked mode, working very well with controllers that use a solid D-pad.

Difficulty – Reshrined has a very high difficulty curve, with enemies that swarm the player quickly and have the potential to quickly deplete a full health bar. This is most present when first starting the game, as the first stage eases the player into the action, but quickly ramps up in difficulty without providing any hints on how to play. However, there is a good checkpoint system, with an extra unlockable easy difficulty that can be unlocked, but the best way to progress is practice.

Presentation – this release has a beautiful retro styled aesthetic, taking the original graphical style used in previous games and updating them. There is also new and expanded sprite work throughout, with outstanding level designs, enemy sprites and huge screen filling bosses. The cutscenes for the plot look amazing, with large and detailed sprite based portraits. The sound for Reshrined knocks the experience up a notch, taking original compositions and reworking them into something fresh, while also creating unique tracks for new stages.

Final Thoughts – having played the original Pocky & Rocky all the way back on the SNES, I was excited when I saw the announcement for this title and I was not disappointed. The challenging difficulty, brutal boss battles and signature charm of the original games was all there, while still feeling fresh and new. This isn’t a full-on remake, nor is it a whole new experience, since there is a mixture of old and new with this package. I would call it a soft remake as it expands on the original while maintaining its spirit.

This is an easy game to recommend to anyone, since it is such a fun and challenging shooter. It may be hard and that can definitely put some players off, but it doesn’t have a permanent failure state as there is no limit to continues. The story mode is also a major positive for this game as keeps the experience fresh, with new characters being introduced and new abilities to use. All of the elements of the game come together in a wonderful package of both nostalgia and new experiences.

In the end, I give Pocky & Rocky: Reshrined a final score of 5/5. This is an excellent scrolling shooter and an even better reintroduction of a classic franchise, there may be new sprite work, locations and characters, but the spirit of the original title is still there. If you want to check this game out for yourself, links to the digital and physical versions will be below.

Link to Nintendo Switch digital version (HERE)

Link to PlayStation 4 digital version (HERE)

Link to ININ Website for Physical version (HERE)

Neko Secret Room – Nintendo Switch Review

Overview – developed by Axyos Games and published by Eastasiasoft, Neko Secret Room is a mature title where players must solve grid based puzzles. As puzzles are completed by the player additional, sexier images will be unlocked with 12 girls to reveal. This title is available exclusively on the Nintendo Switch system, with a link to the game available at the bottom of the review.

Disclaimer: before I get into the review, I would like to thank Eastasiasoft for providing the copy of Neko Secret Room that was used for this piece. The provision of this software has no influenced the contents of this review, all thoughts and opinions contained within are my own.

Mature Content Warning: this title is intended for mature audiences, with sexual content, nudity and heavy fanservice elements present. If you are under the recommended age or find the content mentioned offensive, please proceed at your own discretion.

Now with the introductions out of the way, let’s get into the review. There is little in terms of story with this title, so I will be moving directly into discussing gameplay.

Gameplay – Neko Secret Room is a simple puzzle title, where the player has infiltrated a photographer’s room and must complete grid based puzzles to access the images they have taken. There are 12 girls to select when accessing the ChanOS system where they are located, split into two catagories, Favorite Photos and Photo Session. Both categories have a total of 6 girls, each with three puzzles to complete, bringing the total up to 36.

These puzzles are simple enough for anyone to figure out at the start, with a 5×5 grid for the first puzzle of each girl. But they will become more complicated and explicit as each puzzle is cleared. The puzzles start with the girls fully clothed, becoming increasingly lewd (with the lewdest parts censored). Once all the puzzles are complete, players can view the images at their leisure or replay the puzzles freely, trying to clear them as fast as possible.

To solve the puzzles, the player swaps pieces to put them into the correct places, with the best the way to match pieces up being using the outside parts of the image. It can take a few minutes to figure out where some of the pieces fit, but others can be lined up fairly easily. The most difficult parts of the puzzles are the background pieces, which can be quite tough to match up with the subtle details. But, they can be completed if enough time has been spent.

Outside of the puzzles there are some simple activities that can be accessed in the two explorable rooms. These rooms are a bedroom and bathroom, which can be explored in a free roaming manner. The player character can move freely around the room, activating an activity when touching a marker on the floor, with one for each activity. The main marker is by the computer, where the puzzles are located with three additional activity markers.

These additional activities are as follows:

Dance – the player character will dance in place, which is a little confusing as there is no addition music that is played aside from the standard background music.
Darts – the player can take part in a darts match against an A.I. opponent, playing a game of 301. Unfortunately the controls are uncooperative, which makes it hard to aim well and the bot opponent is unfairly accurate winning the majority of matches.
Outfit Change – the player can change their characters look by customizing her hair, selecting an outfit and changing accessories. The player can also change the characters skin color, breast/thigh size and height.

These additional activities don’t really add much to the experience, as the majority of playtime is spent with the puzzles. This means that the player character won’t be seen, aside from the opening cutscene and when roaming the two rooms, which feels like a waste unfortunately. The overall experience is fairly simple, with the limited number of puzzles and the rather sparse free roaming sections/activities outside of the puzzles.

Now with the gameplay covered, I will be moving onto the other elements of the game, starting with the controls.

Controls – the controls are very simple, the camera is moved by the right stick and the player character is moved with the left stick. The face buttons control menus and interactions, being used for the Darts mini game, the outfit changer and the puzzles. When leaving an activity there is a pause which takes a few moments and the inputs are not recognized. The best part of the controls is the touch screen capabilities, as the menus and puzzles can all be navigated with the screen in handheld mode.

Presentation – the overall look and aesthetic of the game is basic but pleasant to look at with some fanservice/sexualized content included. The artwork for the puzzles has an anime look to it, with beautiful artwork for the girls featured that cover a range of looks and themes. The rendered rooms that exist outside of the puzzles are basic, with some simple animations and cute elements. The sound for this release is just as simple as the visuals, with a simple soundtrack and limited sound effects.

Final Thoughts – overall this is a very simple experience, with a variety of attractive girls, simple to understand puzzles and mature content. There is a lack of substance outside of the puzzles, with only a few things that can be done. Unfortunately, this titles greatest strength is also one of its biggest flaws, since all 36 puzzles can be completed fairly quickly.

The total game time can be about 2 hours at most, which I feel is sufficient for the low cost. I can recommend this title to players who are looking for an easy lewd puzzle title at a modest price point. However, please bear in mind that this is a rather bare bones gameplay experience, with only 12 girls that have 3 image variants each.

In the end, I give Neko Secret Room a final score of 3/5. This simple but enjoyable puzzle experience is sadly marred by the short length of time, but this is balanced out by the high quality of the featured artwork and variety of themes to them, with 12 alluring female characters at a budget price point. If you want to check this game out for yourself, a link to the game will be below.

Link to Nintendo Switch version (HERE)

Samurai Riot Definitive Edition – Nintendo Switch Review

Overview – developed and published by Wako Factory, in collaboration with Hound Picked Games, Samurai Riot Definitive Edition is a 2D action brawler set in a war torn fictionalized Japan. As Sukane and/or Tsurumaru, fight your way through wave after wave of soldiers and make choices that will alter the course of events. This title is available on the Nintendo Switch and PC platforms, with links to each version of the game available at the bottom of this review.

Disclaimer: before I get into the review, I would like to thank PR Hound for providing the copy of Samurai Riot Definitive Edition that was used for this piece. The provision of this software has not influenced the contents of this review, all thoughts and opinions contained within are my own.

Now with the introductions out of the way, let’s get into the review. I will be skipping the Story segment but I will be giving some basic details about the setting, characters and the way that the game works in the other segments. I will be referring to this title as simply Samurai Riot during the review to save time.

Gameplay – Samurai Riot is a 2D local co-op, side scrolling brawler set in a fictionalized Japan, where a war has been waging for many years. The two loyal soldiers of the Great Master, Sukane and Tsurumaru have been tasked with bringing down the rebellion that threatens his position, fighting soldiers and Yokai to achieve their goal. The core objective is to move through each area, battling the foes that appear and fighting bosses. However, what makes this title different is the branching path system that can lead to 1 of 8 possible endings.

The combat system for Samurai Riot is fairly unique, with the two characters having their own fighting style and special moves. There is also a system called “schools” which give the characters different stats, alongside skills like poison or double jumping. Here are the basic abilities of the two warriors for this title;

Sukane – a Kunoichi that uses close quarters combat to attack her foes. Accompanied by her faithful companion Azu, a Kitsune fox that can transform and be used in combat as a capture chain, shuriken and bomb but if Azu is hit then he will be unable to assist for a short time. Sukane is unable to block attacks, but she does have a dodge roll and can use Azu to bring enemies close.
Tsurumaru – a samurai warrior that cuts down those in his way with his Katana. While he lacks a companion like Sukane, Tsurumaru has access to grenades that can be thrown at enemies, but these are limited and must be replenished before using them again. He is able to block attacks with his sword and grab enemies up close.

The basic flow of combat with both characters is smooth and consistent, with both light and heavy attacks that can be mixed together for combos. There are also charge specials that deal extra damage depending on charge length, aerial attacks that can be used to get within striking distance of foes and powerful dash attacks. The overall combat experience is fairly consistent and can be easy to pick up, allowing players to get right into the game.

The only complaint with the battle system is the lack of a tutorial when first playing the game, explaining how the mechanics for battle work. For example, there is no explanation of how Azu works when using him to grapple enemies, or how to gain additional grenades when playing as Tsurumaru. There is a command list that is available in the pause menu, showing the moves for both characters, however there is still a lot of trial and error present during battle.

Both characters have access to a fury meter that allows use of 2 ultimate attacks, a close range super combo that uses one charge and a powerful explosive attack that uses two charges. The fury meter has a total of 3 charges, with the bar being filled by collecting items and dealing damage to enemies. These attacks can turn the tide of battle and are most effective against bosses, but they are not the only special attacks that players can use.

As a co-op brawler, this title has a special meter that is only accessible when playing the game in 2 players. By working together, both players will build up the special co-op attack meter that is in the middle of the screen, allowing for a special team attack to be unleashed. This special attack allows both players to deal heavy damage to the bosses and tougher enemies in the game, making team work an important element of the game.

Over the course of the game, players will gain medal rewards based on performance for each battle sequence that they go through, with 4 possible rankings that can be earned. The medals are wood, bronze, silver and gold, with each subsequent rank increasing the gold earned for that battle. The rankings will increase for successful hits on enemies, but will decrease if the player sustains too much damage in battle.

There is also an overall ranking that the player can earn for each stage, with the time taken as well as other factors during play influencing the final result. When a stage is cleared, additional bonuses will be given to the player, adding to the total funds earned for that play through. All funds earned will be added to the total either through a completed run of the game, or if there has been a game over and the player doesn’t continue.

There are also bonus items that can be given to the player, which consist of extra lives and fury filling items. But these aren’t the only items that can be obtained during play, by destroying environmental objects like rocks and signs, additional items will be dropped. Alongside the extra life and fury pick-ups, the player can collect money in three different amounts and health items that heal damage. Items are picked up by walking over them so be careful in co-op if one player is wounded.

At key parts of the game, there will be decisions that the player has to make, with each choice changing the way that the story plays out. These choices will have drastic effects on the plot, altering the sequence of stages that are played through and the bosses faced. When playing in co-op, both players must decide on which route to take. However, if the players are unable to decide, a PVP duel will take place with the winner deciding where to go next.

These branching paths and different endings add to the replay value of this release, but they aren’t the only thing that gives players a reason to return to the game. As mentioned above, there is a system for character stats called “schools” which alters the abilities of both characters. Both characters have a total of 12 different fighting styles with 5 unlocked at the start, with the other 7 needing to be unlocked. To unlock the different fighting styles coins must be used that are earned in game.

There is a caveat to the unlock system in this title. When a fighting style is unlocked it is tied to that character, meaning that the remaining locked styles must be unlocked for both characters. There is also escalating costs for purchasing the fighting styles, starting at 2000 coins and going up from there. These prices are tied to each character, meaning that several runs of the game will be required to unlock them all, grinding coins to unlock more styles.

The overall flow of combat has the potential to change depending on the school chosen, giving flexibility for players to mix up their gameplay style. The combat in general is fairly stable and works well, with solid combos and action during the battles. There is a smooth flow with both characters having their own unique styles, keeping the gameplay fresh through multiple playthroughs. However, there are some flaws to the experience.

The biggest issue that occurs is the game entering a soft locked state, where the game is unable to continue. This can occur when the companion fox Azu will get caught on scenery, an enemy gets stuck off screen or a scripted event doesn’t activate. This unfortunately forces the game to be quit or closed entirely and rebooted, causing a significant loss of time and progress. Another issue is that hit detection can be a little off, causing attacks to miss enemies but they will hit the player.

The last issue to discuss is that the player can be easily overwhelmed by enemy forces, with foes dealing massive damage to the player very quickly. This is due to the presence of hit stun, where the player is unable to react to the attacks until they are knocked down or killed. It is also possible to get stuck in a corner, being trapped in an inescapable pattern where enemies will repeat strong attacks, knocking the player down over and over until death.

These issues can be frustrating and disrupt the flow of the game, which can sadly ruin a speedrun or a playthrough in general. It is possible for these issues to be patched in an update, but at the moment they are a stumbling block that otherwise tarnishes a fairly solid experience.

Now with the gameplay covered, it is time to discuss the other aspects of this release, starting with the controls.

Controls – the control method for this release is basic and well planned out, with all of the buttons having a function on the controller. The attacks are mapped to the face, movement is handled by the left thumbstick/d-pad and the block/grab is covered with the shoulder buttons. There doesn’t feel like there are any issues with input lag, with a range of control types supported through the ability to remap inputs for different controllers.

Difficulty – this title has four different difficulty settings that are selected when starting a new game. They are Easy, Normal, Hard and Expert, with each one affecting the damage that enemies deal, the number of enemies present and the amount of continues the player can use. All four options have a fair balance to them, with the difficulty increasing over time, making for a challenging experience that players of all skill levels can enjoy.

Presentation – the visuals for this title have a distinct stylized look to them, with detailed backgrounds, fluid character animations and detailed sprite work. There are cinematic cut scenes that play out at the beginning of the game, along with special ending scenes that appear depending on the choices made. The sound design fits the theme of the game well, with Japanese styled musical compositions that feature traditional instruments for the soundtrack. There is also a limited amount of voice acting in this release, with voiced dialogue for the cut scenes at the start of the game.

Final Thoughts – I have some mixed feelings about Samurai Riot. The core of the gameplay is solid, with some fun action, creative combo potential and very fun co-op action. However, the fun that is had with the game can be tarnished by the flaws that are present in the game, especially with the soft lock issue. Having the game lock up and being forced to reset is a real pain, with the time lost feeling like a waste and being frustrating.

I do hope that the game can be patched, because the overall experience can be fun and it is very engaging even with the rough edges. The gameplay loop and replay value is there, it has a lot of content to unlock, with the different endings, routes and stage variety to explore. I can recommend this to people who are looking for a fun single/co-op brawler, as the game is enjoyable at a very good price point. However, be aware that there are some flaws.

In the end, I give Samurai Riot Definitive Edition a final score of 3.5/5. This is a fairly solid side-scrolling brawler, with fun arcade style combat and frantic co-op action, all set in a stylized fictionalized Japan. However, the experience is a little frustrating and brought down by some of its flaws. If you want to check this game out for yourself, links to the game will be below.

Link to Nintendo Switch version (HERE)

Link to Steam version (HERE)

Link to Epic version (HERE)

Wonder Boy Collection – Nintendo Switch Review

Overview – originally developed by Westone and Sega, ported by Ratalaika Games, with publishing handled by ININ Games and Bliss Brain, Wonder Boy Collection brings 4 titles from the iconic franchise to new platforms. Take on monsters and bosses to save the day in these classic titles from the 80s and 90s. This collection is available on the Nintendo Switch and PlayStation 4 platforms, with a link to each version of this release at the bottom of this review.

Disclaimer: before I get into the review, I would like to thank PR Hound for providing the copy of Wonder Boy Collection that was used for this piece. The provision of this software has not influenced the contents of this review, all thoughts and opinions contained within are my own.

Now with the introductions out of the way, let’s get into the review. I will be breaking each game down into individual segments, with an overview of the story and discussion of gameplay. Starting off with the first game in the series, Wonder Boy (all story details taken from the official Bliss Brain website).

Wonder Boy – 1986 (Arcade)

Story – Help Tom Tom rescue his girlfriend Tina, who got captured by the evil King. Guide him carefully through different areas and battle the devious enemies that await you on your quest. Use a variety of items that help Boy on his adventure. Face the evil King in various battles to reach your aim and rescue Tina!

Gameplay – this action platformer takes place over 28 stages, split into 7 areas of 4 rounds each, with a special area of 4 rounds added if a special requirement is met. To get through the hazards of Wonder Boy, the player must run, jump and dodge many of the dangers that will be thrown at them. The hazards include fires, boulders and residents of the islands like snakes, spiders and octopi. At the end of each set of rounds, there is a boss where the player must hit them in the head several times to beat them.

To help reduce some risks, power up eggs can be collected, which include an axe that can be used to attack, a skateboard and a fairy that provides invincibility for a limited time. But be aware, if damage is taken or the player falls into a pit, these power-ups will be lost and they will need to be collected again. Players must track the Vitality bar at the top of the screen also, split into yellow and red, which ticks down and kills the player when empty, with the only way to fill it is collecting food during stages.

While the gameplay in unchanged, the controls have been modified with this version of the game having a dedicated run and high jump button. This can be jarring for long time players, as the traditional two button set-up is not implemented, meaning that the instinct to hold the attack button to run won’t work. There are basic game settings that can be changed, with adjustable lives and difficulty, but the extend settings don’t seem to work as 30k points give an extra life regardless.

Wonder Boy in Monster Land – 1987 (Arcade)

Story – Years after the adventures of Wonder Boy the beautiful peace in Wonder Land was destroyed once again by the invasion of a dragon with its evil monsters turning Wonder Land into Monster Land. Help Book to fight the monsters, defeat the dragon and restore the peace for the land and its people again. On your journey, you can collect equipment and magical spells to help you in your battles. But beware – every round has a time limit so you got to be quick!

Gameplay – the gameplay for this title established the direction that most wonder boy titles would follow, moving from a simple platformer to an action RPG. The player takes on monsters that have taken over the Monster Land, with snakes, goblins and boss monsters to battle. When the player defeats monsters, they will drop gold and treasures to collect. The money that is collected can be used to buy armor, shields and items to strengthen their character.

To clear each of the different rounds that make up the game, the player must reach the end point and either collect the gate key in battle or clear the boss room. To help the player keep track of damage done to enemies, colored markers will be visible with blue for high health and red for the critically low health. Wonder Boy uses a sword for the majority of this adventure, but there are also special abilities that can be obtained, like fire balls, lightning and bombs.

Now, the player must be careful in battle as Wonder Boy has limited health (shown as hearts), which is depleted from taking damage or letting the timer in the corner tick over. If all the hearts are lost a game over happens, but players can continue by using a credit and resetting their score. Additional hearts can be earned at score milestones, but only the first time they are reached during a game, which can make death a significant set-back.

Like the first Wonder Boy title, there are settings and modifications made to the way that the game works. The settings for difficulty, number of hearts and the extend score milestones are available, alongside the ability to change controls between classic and modern. This setting option gives players flexibility with the way the game feels in action. However, there is an extra feature included called the wiggle jump button, which lets players activate a glitch/secret in the game as a nice bonus.

Wonder Boy in Monster World – 1991 (Mega Drive/Genesis)

Story – Guide the young adventurous Shion and help him on his quest to defeat the evil BioMeka and his army of monsters that are threatening the land. However, Shion is not alone! Accompanied by the 4 spirits Priscilla, Hotta, Shabo and Lotta, he explores thedifferent regions of Monster Land. Collect money, weapons, armor and magic spells to get stronger and defeat the evil!

Gameplay – this is the third sequel in the monster world series, which follows the same action RPG gameplay as the previous titles, but with a search action style interconnected world. Like the previous title discussed, there are monsters roaming the land that can drop gold when defeated, but monsters will stop spawning if defeated too many times. When this happens, the player needs to leave the area and return to refresh the enemies, allowing them to grind gold.

As this game features several interconnected regions to explore, there is an emphasis on interacting with the residents of different towns to gain information and clues. There are also Inns where the player can rest, save their game, refill their health and choose to continue or not. However, these Inns require payment for the player to rest and save the game traditionally, but the save state feature in this game (and the others in the collection) allows the player to save freely.

While in the towns of Monster World, the player can access different shops where they can use gold to buy items and gear. The gear that is available includes weapons and armor that will alter the stats for Shion, with each piece of equipment having its own unique qualities to it. Shion can change equipment freely, with the different gear strength being shown by stars next to three stats. There is also a skill slot system, which allows the player to assign up to two items or magic skills for use.

As well as the towns to explore, there are also dungeons that Shion must explore, collecting the treasures inside while battling the monsters that populate them. The dungeons also contain puzzles for players to solve, like a musical puzzle that requires Shion to play an ocarina via button inputs to open doors. These puzzles can be complex and a little cryptic, requiring notes to be taken in order to solve them and progress further.

Along with the treasures, puzzles and monsters that can be found in the dungeons, there are also bosses that the player must battle. The boss battles can be tough and can be disastrous for the player if they are not prepared, with a full set of hearts being wiped out immediately. To counter this, there are special potion items, elixirs and heart containers scattered throughout the game increasing the total hearts that Shion has.

The battle system itself is a little more streamlined in this entry, with a life bar popping up on screen to show how much strength an enemy has. This appears below the heart containers for Shion, providing a more reliable way to track how much damage a weapon does against each enemy. The health bar is most helpful in combat against the bigger enemies, especially bosses as it allows for tactical use of special attacks and magic.

The last thing to mention for this title is that Shion can recruit companions from different areas, helping during the adventure with unique skills. These helpers are tied to plot points in their location and aren’t able to go outside of a preset boundary, but do provide help in their respective zones. When the player goes outside the boundary or sleeps at an Inn, the companion will return to their “spawn” and can be recruited again.

Monster World IV – 1994 (Mega Drive/Genesis)

Story – The young girl named Asha sets out on her mission to save the four spirits that were captured by the evil wizards. With the help of Asha’s loyal companion Pepelogoo, they overcome every obstacle and fight their way through various enemies! (I have previously covered the Remake of this title, which you can find HERE).

Gameplay – this entry retains the action RPG styled adventure gameplay of the previous titles, with Asha having some unique mechanics that make this title distinct from the others. With the interconnected regions of Monster World replaced with a single main town, reworked combat and exploration/treasure hunting. The biggest change with this title is the introduction of Pepelogoo, a cute blue monster that becomes Asha’s companion for the game.

The combat system for this title is simplified to an extent, with Asha armed with a sword to fight monsters in four directions and a shield to deflect attacks. This gear can be upgraded with money earned during play, increasing damage and defensive power, along with armor that increases Asha’s endurance and health. Improving the gear equipped can make a difference between success and failure in the dungeons of this adventure.

Another change is the introduction of a home base, where the player will return to often during the adventure. The base is the town of Rapadagna, with merchants, a save point and NPC characters to interact with. These features of the town add a little more depth to the world, with different characters changing dialogue and merchants changing their wares. The home base can be fast travelled to while in dungeons, using the lamp that is collected during the tutorial tower.

In this entry the dungeons are isolated from each other, with a medallion required to access each stage from the transportation gates in the temple at the edge of town. Each stage is filled with monsters to fight, treasure to obtain and puzzles to solve. The different zones that are explored each have their own themes, with a frozen pyramid and an underground water temple. To navigate these areas, the player will need to collect keys, go through doors and take on platform challenges to progress.

The dungeons also contain boss enemies that will try to stop the progress of the player, with each of the main stages having a mid and end boss that will challenge Asha to battle. These battles can be challenging, but there is a way to reduce the risk of failure a little. Throughout the game, Asha can collect blue drops which increase her total health by 1 for every 10 collected, this adds extra emphasis on exploring to find as many as possible (they can even be found in chests).

There are also vending machines that can be accessed, with different amounts of hearts and even elixirs inside (special potions that will replenish some health upon fatal injury). However, the most important part of Asha’s tool kit for this adventure is her friend Pepelogoo. During the course of the game, Asha will partner up with this adorable blue monster, which can aid her in various ways, including granting the ability to glide, double jump and help solve puzzles.

Last to mention is the changes made to the save system. In this title, there are NPC characters called the Sages of Save, who allow the player to save when they are encountered. There are two save slots for the player to use, allowing more than one playthrough to be active traditionally. However, if the player wishes to save their game freely, there is the save state feature that lets up to 6 individual saves to be used at any time.

Now with the gameplay for the titles in this pack covered, it is time to move on to the other elements of this collection, starting with the controls.

Controls – the control method for this release has tailored setups for each title, with fundamental changes to the button layouts of games like Wonder Boy and Wonder Boy in Monster Land. These changes do make the games more accessible to newer players, but could be jarring for older players as the traditional 2 button input of Wonder Boy cannot be used. There is also an issue with Wonder Boy in Monster World, as there are input codes for puzzles without knowing what buttons are listed as.

The inputs for each game can be remapped freely, allowing players to set their controls to fit the controller used for each game. The pro controller and Joy-Cons are comfortable to use with this collection, but I would recommend an arcade stick for the two arcade titles and a Sega style controller for the Mega Drive titles.

Difficulty – the games featured in this collection are challenging, with gradually increasing difficulty curves that will push the skills of the player. The arcade titles have simple settings to adjust the number of Lives, difficulty setting and extra life milestones. There are no difficulty options for the two Mega Drive releases. However, there are some features that players can use to help get through tougher areas, like the save/load state system and a Rewind option that can be used in all games.

Presentation – this collection has several options to alter the graphical look for each game. This release has settings to change the aspect ratio, pixel scaling to set the sharpness and add a CRT filter to emulate an old display. The graphical and sound emulation for this bundle is as close to perfect as possible, with no sprite issues or problems with sound effects and music. The overall quality of visuals and sound are very high, providing the most authentic experience that can be attained on modern hardware.

Final Thoughts – I am a longtime fan of the Wonder Boy series, having owned and played versions of the titles in this collection before. That being said, this is a very good collection that offers a good alternative to buying the original titles on discontinued hardware. The emulation is solid, with no issues when it comes to inputs, graphics or sound alongside quality of life improvements like save states and adaptive rewind.

I can happily recommend this title to fans of the Wonder Boy franchise both old and new, with this collection allowing players to experience these classic titles at home (or on the go with the Nintendo Switch). There are some minor issues that I have with this pack, like the inability to use the traditional 2 button controls with Wonder Boy or the lack of button labels in Wonder Boy in Monster World. But these minor flaws don’t ruin the overall experience.

In the end, I give Wonder Boy Collection a final score of 4/5. This collection contains 4 classic titles in one neat bundle, offering platforming, action and even light RPG mechanics for most of the titles. The emulation is excellent, with quality of life improvements like save states and adaptive rewind, making it an accessible way for new players to experience these classics. If you want to check this collection out for yourself, links to this game will be below.

Link to Nintendo Switch version (HERE)

Link to PlayStation version (HERE)

Pretty Girls Speed – Nintendo Switch Review

Overview – developed by Zoo Corporation and published by Eastasiasoft, Pretty Girls Speed is the latest entry in the Pretty Girls series, this time with a competitive speed based card game. Challenge 10 girls to fast paced card battles in 2 different modes, with gameplay that requires both skill and luck to succeed. This title is available for Nintendo Switch and the PlayStation platform, with links to each version of the game at the bottom of this review.

Disclaimer: before I get into the review, I would like to thank Eastasiasoft for providing the copy of Pretty Girls Speed that was used for this piece. The provision of this title has not influenced the contents of this review, all thoughts and opinions contained within are my own.

Now with the introductions out of the way, let’s get into the review, I will be skipping the story section as there is no plot for this release, going directly into the gameplay.

Gameplay – Pretty Girls Speed is a competitive card game, with a simple objective to win against the pretty opponents. The objective of the game is to use all the cards in your deck faster than your opponent, matching cards in sequence in either ascending or descending order. Each side is given a deck of cards, with the player and opponent drawing a hand of 4 cards, along with a starter card from each side. The battle then begins and each side tries to use all their cars first.

During the card battles, players can play cards from their hand as long as there is a card that will allow the sequence to continue. However, if there are no cards that can be played, the game will draw a new card directly from the deck, allowing the match to continue. This system adds an element of luck to battles, as it is possible for several cards to be drawn from both decks before play can continue. If there is no deck left, a card will be selected from the hand.

Once all of the cards from either side are used up, the round is over with the winner being the person to use their last card first. The speed element is a key factor to the main Battle mode, where the player takes on 10 female characters in 2 out of 3 round matches. These matches are also times, with the fastest completion time for a victory being logged as the high score. The fastest time will also be added to a global leaderboard, where players from all over the world can compete against each other.

Secondary to the Battle mode is the Challenge mode, where the player takes on 100 challenge stages. This secondary mode doesn’t have a leaderboard, but is a good solo challenge, offering more content outside of the main game. The two gameplay modes offer a lot of content for the modest price point, providing a good few hours of play. The difficulty of each stage and challenge increases over time, but the random nature of a card game can make it feel unfair at times.

Now with the gameplay covered, let’s get into the other aspects of this release, starting with the controls.

Controls – Pretty Girls Speed has an accessible and easy to play control method, offering both button inputs and touch screen controls. The button controls to use cards function with the D-pad and thumbstick, making it very simple when playing on a screen in docked mode. But the touch controls are the preferred way to play this release, with faster response times and more flexibility when using a stylus or just a finger.

Difficulty – the difficulty curve is a little complex as the challenge really depends on the reaction speed of opponents, the luck of getting the right cards and the skill/speed of the player. This can lead to one sided rounds, where the player has no playable cards for a while, or when there are playable cards the opponent can drop a card in immediately before. This combination of AI and random luck can feel unfair, but it is the nature of card based games.

Presentation – the visual style for this release is simple, but aesthetically pleasing. There aren’t any elaborate animations or over the top effects, with portraits of the girls that have that distinct Zoo Corporation style. The sound for this game features a nice and basic soundtrack, with guitars and electronic sounds that work together well. There is also the inclusion of voice acting for each of the girls in Japanese, with lines that are said in and out of battles/challenges.

Final Thoughts – having played some of the previous titles in the Pretty Girls series, I went into this this title with an expectation of a simple but solid experience, which this game delivered. The gameplay is simple, with a single objective and can be easily picked up with little issue. The luck element is unfortunately this titles biggest stumbling block, as it can cause a player to lose quickly if the opponent draws well.

As a low cost title it is worth the price tag, since it takes the one thing it needs to do and does it well. There is a lot of content on offer here with 100 challenge stages, 10 girls to battle and the global leaderboards. With that all said, I can easily recommend this title as it is a fun and fast paced challenge, featuring a selection of attractive character designs all at a modest price point.

In the end, I give Pretty Girls Speed a final score of 4/5. This is a fast paced and challenging release from Zoo Corporation, with attractive female characters, simple to pick up gameplay and plenty of gameplay content at a modest price point. If you want to check this title out for yourself, links to each version of the game will be below.

Link to Nintendo Switch version (HERE)

Link to PlayStation version (HERE)