Phil Villarreal's Blog, page 104

"Code of Princess EX" Review

The latest effort from developer Nicalis, "Code of Princess EX" is yet another rock-solid RPG to grace the Switch. An HD upgrade to the 2012 3DS title, the game is a natural fit on the Switch.

A stirring story set to a sweeping score, the game will give fans dozens of hours of material in which to lose themselves, captivated by the stirring dramatic arcs, intense battles and head-spinning twists that fit together as puzzle pieces to form the entire picture. While not all aspects of the game have aged well in the past six years, its retro feel helps it hold up surprisingly well.

Visceral combat is the order of the day, tasking you to maraud opponents in the button-mashing manner of "Diablo" or "Gauntlet," plugging your way through battles with twitch reflexes and timing rather than turn-based dice rolls.

With more than 50 characters to mix, match send out into the fray, level up and use to strategize, the amount of options to choose from is dizzying. The myriad options allow you to get the most out of the game by tinkering with your tactical options as you try, fail, regroup and come back a bit more knowledgeable and powerful.

While not a title for everyone's tastes, "Code of Princess" manages to satisfy most of the checkmarks that enthusiasts long for. The remake is easily the definitive version, so those who have harbored interest in the game but never taken the leap will find the best time to do so is now.

Publisher provided review code.

Book Report: "V for Vendetta"

V for Vendetta by Alan Moore
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

At this point I shouldn't be shocked at Alan Moore's genius, but "V for Vendetta" somehow managed the task. I read it in one sitting and cursed myself for having taken so long to get to it.

The good-not-great 2005 movie probably kept me from getting to it sooner. Silly me, not to realize that Moore's artistic vision is best expressed via words blended with still images, the shifting narrative forms of horizontal presentation and interspersal of non-verbal frames that only the comic book medium can provide. Just as with "Watchmen," there is no way a movie can compare to an Alan Moore comic book.

Shards of stirring -- and also disturbing -- hope streak through his dystopian tale, which makes an insane anarchist of a terrorist as the hero. The Guy Fawkes mask-wearing V is a haunting phantom who somehow grows more ethereal and mysterious as the story goes on. The fact that his identity remains a secret throughout only adds to his mystique.

With style and savvy, Moore manages to get you to -- if not root for -- at least appreciate with fascination what otherwise would be a villain in any other story by pitting him against a totalitarian 1990s British government. Eerily prophetic about the willingness of society to give up privacy to a fear-mongering, hyper-aggressive faction of government and corporate interests, the setting stands as a worst-case scenario warning of what society can come to without vigilance.

Moore's storytelling ability is at the peak of its powers here, having constructed a shimmering example of inspiration meeting technique and drive on equal planes.

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"Ultra Space Battle Brawl" Review

Marrying the fighting game formula with an "Arkanoid" concept, "Ultra Space Battle Brawl" pits two floating combatants against one another, both protecting a base of fortified blocks.

Using a repertoire of basic attacks and specials, they bat a ball back and forth, trying to sneak it past the opponent and wear down the blocks guarding the opponents' base. You win not by knocking out your enemy, but by destroying what he's trying to protect.

The concept is clever in its simplicity, making every battle a frantic fray of ricocheting projectiles, dramatic momentum shifts and brutally decisive finishes.

Graphics that hearken back to the 16-bit days of the 1990s, as well as a chiptune soundrtrack, enhance the nostalgic tone, making the whole package seem like a lost arcade classic.

"Ultra Space Battle Brawl" no doubt would have munched up mountains of quarters had arcade developers dreamed up the concept a quarter century ago. Even if that had happened back in the day, the Switch version would be the optimal way to experience its thrills and spills.
Publisher provided review code.

PHIL ON FILM: "Mission: Impossible Fallout"

Click here for my written review.

"Banner Saga 3" Review

The final chapter of the Viking-themed RPG series builds upon the first two games with confidence and relish, advancing the narrative in meaningful ways while staying true to the foundation on which it was built.

From the opening scenes, "Banner Saga 3" proves to be the most cinematic entry in the trilogy, setting up its story with sweeping animations and gripping writing.

While playing the first two games enriches your experience, you can also use the third game as the entry point. A helpful catch-up gets you up to speed before you dive into the fray. Equally helpful to continuing players is a save import that allows you to relay your choices from the first two games to shape the final chapter.

Combat remains a strategic tour de force, with several tactical paths to pursue as you look to outmaneuver your enemies. The scale and precision of the battles are every bit as compelling as the well-crafted story segments.

Taken as a whole, the product reaches the storytelling momentum of a TV miniseries, with rich characters interacting in dense scenarios with sprawling thematic implications. In addition to being the most profound of the trilogy, "Banner Saga 3" is also arguably the most replayable entry. A seminal sendoff to one of indie gaming's greatest triumphs, the game carries its banner proudly.
Publisher provided review code.

"Iro Hero" Review

Fans of "Galaga" and "Ikaruga" will be all over "Iro Hero," the latest in a long line of bullet hell shmups that blast away at each other for Switch gamers' attention.

As in "Ikaruga," you're given the power to shift polarities mid-battle, granting yourself an edge on the endless bombardment of formation-attacking baddies.

Your task is not only to ramble your way through the increasingly hellish levels, but to do so with enough style and precision to help you claw your way up the leaderboards.

Although most games of this ilk are light on brainpower, "Iro Hero" doesn't let you check out mentally. Puzzle-style challenges are packed into each level, challenging you to out-think your surroundings rather than rely on simple firepower to get you out of every jam.

"Iro Hero" is a short, arcade-style game meant to be played through multiple times in single sittings, always challenging you to step up your game and match the intensity that the AI and your phantom leaderboard rivals are hurling at you. Be prepared to wear out your JoyCons and scream at your Switch screen in agony and delight.
Publisher provided review code.

PHIL ON FILM: "The Equalizer 2"

For my written review, click here.

"The Banner Saga 2" Switch Review

While most developers would be satisfied with equaling the resonant feel of a game such as "The Banner Saga," Stoic sought out to do what might have seemed all but impossible with the sequel. Somehow, some way, they managed that accomplishment.

Building on the epic sweep of the story and frantic combat action of the original, Stoic made everything bigger, bolder and more inventive in the 2016 follow-up, which rolled out on the Switch shortly after the port of the original game.

Just as Switch players managed to power their way through the final touches of the 10-to-14-hour first game, the bigger, badder follow-up popped up to reignite the embers of battlefield challenges and epic twists once more.

Few games instill you with the burdens and triumphs of being a field commander as this series. You make tough choices that make for excruciating sacrifices that come as the cost of victory. You meet betrayal head-on and seek to stay a step ahead of your adversaries at every turn. You try out wild stratagems, fail spectacularly and regroup to tinker with your tactics and re-up once more.

The summer of 2018 is a "Banner" season for Switch owners, and as spectacular as the sequel is, it only leaves enthusiasts wanting more. Luckily for them, the wait for the trilogy finale won't be long.
Publisher provided review code.

"Hungry Shark World" Review

"Hungry Shark Evolution" bared its teeth and tore through the sea of unsuspecting free-to-play mobile games, using the Ubisoft marketing machine to get a fin up on similar shark attack titles to draw the most attention. Now swimming onto the Switch as "Hungry Shark World," the spirit of the original remains.

Making for hours of sea life-stalking fun, the setup has you chase down smaller fish while avoiding larger ones, the reward loop tasks you to strive for incremental upgrades, gradually working your way up the food chain by unlocking larger, faster and more vicious beasts.

Those who wanted to plug in funds to cut down the wait times for unlocking the good stuff could turn the game into a costly pay-to-win affair. Frugal gamers could plug their way through without spending a penny, using their skills and patience to inch their way through the progression path.

What works as a free-to-play lark doesn't necessarily translate to a $10 console/handheld entry. It would have sweetened the deal had developers unlocked -- if not all the sharks -- at least enough of the higher-level creatures to justify the cost. There is little you can do in the Switch version that you can't in the free mobile version, and although the look and controls are better, that hardly justifies the $10 ante.

"Hungry Shark World" makes for a dive into plenty of seafaring fun, but a full-scale remake rather than a simplified port would have given the game a chance of being more than a small fish in a big sea.
Publisher provided review code.

"Vertical Strike Endless Challenge" Review

Planes and ships just can't seem to get along in "Vertical Strike Endless Challenge." It's just too much fun for one to blow the other one into sinking smithereens.

The game plays up both phases of air-to-ship combat, allowing you to choose a swoop-and-destroy jet fighter or a sky-stalking ant-aircraft warship.

With no recognizable endgame in site, the draw is to rack up as many stylish kills as possible. To help you achieve that end, the controls are slick and reactive, the weapons bombastic and speedy and the game of naval battling cat-and-mouse ever compelling.

While the arcade thrills are ample, there is plenty of technical wizardry to master. Post-stall dives, thrust vectoring barrel roles and thrust and pitch control swapping make for aerial acrobatics. In the drink, it's all about spraying the clouds with 20mm deck guns or leveling the hardware with 37mm anti-tank cannons, mitigating your lack of agility with raw firepower.

While somewhat one-dimensional, "Vertical Strike Endless Challenge" is a pick-up-and-play delight for those looking for simplistic combat. Whether by air or sea, the action rolls on in waves.
Publisher provided review code.