Phil Villarreal's Blog, page 60
March 24, 2020
"Bubble Bobble 4 Friends" Review
"Bubble Bobble 4 Friends" gives the "New Super Mario Bros. Wii" treatment to the 1980s and 90s platformer.
With co-op available for up to four players, ININ Games brings back the classic series in chaotic form, with the players aiding and messing with each other in equal measures.
Giggles and elbows abound as you trek through the 100 levels with friends. Collectibles and hidden crannies abound.
There's also a side game at play, tasking you to discover letter bubbles that spell out the word "EXTEND." Find them all, and you'll unlock more facets of the design.
Colorful visuals meld with a catchy, chiptune-style soundtrack to conjure a retro-friendly feel that brings the older games to mind while also pushing the series forward in significant ways.
A satisfying way to bring back a blast from gaming's past, "Bubble Bobble 4 Friends" is a lovingly crafted and invigoratingly breezy way to revisit the adventures of Bub and Bob.
Publisher provided review code.
March 20, 2020
"Granblue Fantasy: Versus" Review
Set in a steampunk-influenced world, "Granblue Fantasy: Versus" packs 2D-fighter and side-scrolling brawler aesthetics into one hack-and-slash package.
The characters are diverse and distinguished while also balanced. The lore is engaging and well-conceived. And the visuals tie it all together with verve and panache, luring you into the realm of might, magic and exotic contraptions.
There are three modes in which to test your might. The main RPG mode lets you level your character and advance the story. Versus mode allows you to square off in one-and-done matches against a friend or the PC. And Arcade is a traditional match tree that puts you through the paces against all comers until you either emerge triumphantly or wither away from the challenge and give in.
The game makes the transition from mobile platforms to console with confidence and ease, with developer Arc System Works taking advantage of the additional power and visual fidelity to make the game feel as though it were built from the ground up for the PS4.
Those familiar with Arc's contributions to the likes of "BlazBlue" and "Guilty Gear" will feel right at home in the frenzied yet fair strike-parry-block metagame of mental wrestling.
"Granblue Fantasy: Versus" may not have the name recognition of its predecessors or competitors, but its fresh take on the genre is a welcome departure from the norm. In a time when escapism and empowerment fantasies are more needed than ever, the game came along just when it was needed most.
Publisher provided review code.
March 19, 2020
"Wunderling" Review
Sick of their kind being stomped on all their lives, one member of the tribe has finally learned to jump. The skill becomes a game-changer in the squad's eternal clash with their arch-villain, Carrot Man.
Out for sweet vengeance, the Wunderlings run amok over the colorful, polygonal platformer landscape, dumping the usual routine on its head.
Developer Retroid has loads of satire-minded fun with the concept, twisting accepted gaming cliches. A goofy and satisfying romp, the game goes beyond its story gimmick by infusing the platforming with solid design and clever twists.
Light puzzle-solving keeps the action from becoming monotonous. Clever writing in the story segments is another incentive to keep hopping.
Wunderlings are sort of the ugly cousin of the Minions or the Little Goombas that Mario has stomped for the last 35 years, and the protagonist's angst-ridden resentment makes them charming antiheroes to get behind.
A winning underdog much like its subject, "Wunderling" is retro-tinged fun for Switch and Steam players alike.
Publisher provided review code.
March 17, 2020
"Yakuza 0" Xbox One Review
There are worse ways to introduce yourself to the "Yakuza" series than its prequel.
Conceived by developer Ryo ga Gotoku Studios as an entry point into the series, the game does away with the muddled morass of a plot built up over the series and cuts to the origins of the saga.
Set in 1988 Tokyo, the plot follows Kazuma Kiryu and Goro Majima as they work their way through the gangland underworld, hinting at wild times to come.
Three years after its PS4 release, the game makes its way to the Xbox One, which is unusual territory for the traditionally Sony-exclusive series. The game is also part of the Xbox Game Pass, making for a low-risk barrier to entry for those who are heading into the franchise with hesitance.
A coming of age story packed with emotion, grand plot developments and more than a little silliness, the combat-heavy action-adventure moves through the traditional "Yakuza" light RPG elements while building up its story elements.
"Yakuza 0" may not be the most polished of the series' titles, but it's a well-crafted sampler platter that shows off some of the highlights that the "Yakuza" games have to offer.
Publisher provided review code.
"Persona 5 Royal" Review
Just as developer P Studio gave "Persona 4" a grand victory lap with its "Persona 4: Golden" rerelease, the paradigm-shifting success that was "Persona 5" gets a second go-round with "Persona 5 Royal."
The reboot of the universally-respected masterpiece shines every bit as bright as the first entry, giving veteran players ample reason to revisit the classic while beckoning new players to see how the buzz is justified.
More adventurous, action-packed and somewhat lighter in tone than previous entries, the JRPG tasks you to explore the Tokyo underworld, navigating psychological dramas that sweep through the streets.
You play as a member of the Phantom Thieves of Hearts, a band of iconoclast do-gooders that pull off elaborate crimes in order to shame the wealthy and powerful into reformation.
Juggling your secret identity along with your daily school and social life, you tangle with and recruit summonable Personas that can tip the balance of power in battle.
The follow-up to the 2017 game makes for a surprisingly refreshing experience. New characters and story beats add considerable depth and breadth to the story.
You can also sink plenty of hours into the Thieves' Den, which serves as your base of operations and allows you to customize it to your tastes, shaping it into your ever-shifting trophy of your mounting achievements.
Robust and sprawling while never losing its laser forcus on the feverishly written tale, "Persona 5 Royal" is nothing short of a crowning achievement that's well worthy of taking its spot on the throne.
Publisher provided review code.
March 16, 2020
"Sega Ages: Sonic the Hedgehog 2" Review
One of the best assets of the Switch is its tendency to inspire developers to churn out the great games of the past. The "Sonic Ages" banner is at the forefront of this archaeological benefit, mining the pillars on which the Blast Processing brand was built.
"Sonic the Hedgehog 2" is among the most glittery of those rediscovered gems. The fast-moving, inventively designed multi-path levels continue to stand out as examples of riveting design.
The catch music, entertaining boss battles and consistently daunting challenge make for loads of replayability with charm to spare.
The 1992 Sega Genesis classic shook up the formula by adding a competitive two-player mode, letting Sonic and Tails face off in frenzied matches that caused many a couch-set slugfest between siblings.
New features include a time trial with online rankings, as well as new modes that let you start off the game as the yellow-colored alternate form of the hero, as well as Knuckles.
Carrying the momentum from the incomparable original, "Sonic the Hedgehog 2" high-stepped its way into the race with Mario for platformer mascot supremity in days of yore. Future games may have caused the Blue Blur to lose his way, but if you want to see Sonic in his prime, you can't do much better than this one.
Publisher provided review code.
March 15, 2020
"Sega Ages: Puyo Puyo 2" Review
The once-obscure "Puyo Puyo" series has been granted a renaissance thanks to the Switch. After the 2017 port of "Puyo Puyo Tetris" comes the latest in the conga line of revamped 1990s Sega originals in the "Sega Ages" lineage.
A quarter-century after release, the simple-yet-satisfying block puzzles retain their charm and appeal. A surprisingly stressful experience, the increasingly frantic frenzy of tile placement inflicts you with the Tetris effect after your close your eyes following long, intense sessions.
A simple reissue of the original game might have been enough to hook you once again, but Sega took welcome measures to plus it up to modern standards.
With two-player online matchups, an online leaderboard and offline quick rewinds, the old standby gets the equivalent of a fresh coat of paint and a new transmission as it hits the road once again.
The years have been kind to the rock-solid structure of the puzzle dynamics in "Puyo Puyo 2," which will probably still be in puzzle gamers' rotations 25 years from now. That's par for the course for the brand, which may as well be renamed "Sega Ageless."
Publisher provided review code.
March 14, 2020
"3000th Duel" Review
A sleek and penetrating takeoff on the Metroidvania dynamic, "3000th Duel" places exploration and dynamic backtracking at the forefront. Combining smart, suspenseful storytelling with inventive combat and puzzle-solving, the game is a treat for Switch owners looking for a rich and powerful new obsession.
Placing a fresh twist on the insomniac hero setup, "3000th Duel" tells a stylish story with urgency and a deepening sense of mystery. As your mask-wearing character explores the oblique world, he learns haunting facts about his past that shifts his motives and endgame into question.
Developer Neopopcorn Corp crafts a visually bold tale that tugs you along by the shirt collar.
Battles, in particular, make for a rewarding sense of accomplishment. Timing and strategy are key, with enemies testing your sense of adaptability as you scrap for survival. Action rises to the forefront, and your character's rising sense of power and control is intoxicating.
If you find yourself more cooped up than usual in these days of social distancing, "3000th Duel" can be a welcome part of your entertainment rotation. It's well-crafted enough to cleanse your memory of your other Metroidvania successes.
Publisher provided review code.
March 13, 2020
BOOK REPORT: "1177 B.C.: The Year Civilization Collapsed"
1177 B.C.: The Year Civilization Collapsed by Eric H. ClineMy rating: 3 of 5 stars
An academic treatise with a sexy title and premise, Eric H. Cline's book is more of an extended research paper than a cohesive narrative.
Although packed with intriguing historical detail, Cline is so determined to stay true to proven historical documentation that he is hardly willing to add any opinion or interpretation to fill out his premise. The result is an unfulfilling, footnote-driven rundown of various debates between historians that can never be decisively settled due to lack of supporting evidence.
A better book would have used the research as a jumping off point, then infused some imagination to explain why it was that the first interconnected, globalized economy came to a sudden halt.
Oddly, given our coronavirus-plagued times, disease is never mentioned as a possible catalyst for the fall of the various empires. Instead, Cline speculates that earthquakes or invasions from unidentified "Sea Peoples" -- who could also have been victims of the same globalized cataclysm -- may have sparked the catastrophe.
In the Audible version, narrator Andy Caploe injects a little verve into the otherwise dry read, infusing the words with history-nerd passion that emphasizes some of the more intriguing nuggets that Cline digs up.
Still, the book is worth a read due to its magnificent premise -- an ancient history world that largely echoes our current state in terms of commerce, trade, grudges and interdependence. The chilling lesson, though not without its redemptive Darwinian qualities, is that a global economy is a house of cards prone to rapidly-spreading destruction.
Publisher provided review copy.
View all my reviews
March 12, 2020
PHIL ON FILM: "I Still Believe"
For my full review, click here.
