Tech-Gaming

• SWITCH
• 93%
• États-Unis

Upraised by a prodigious score from Hitoshi Sakimoto (Final Fantasy Tactics, Radiant Silvergun, Vagrant Story), 13 Sentinels: Aegis Rim is undeniably one of the most ambitious offers to arrive on Switch. Narratively, the title’s entwining of plot strands and inspired world building is unrivaled. What’s more, the game adeptly leaps from heartfelt confession to giant science fiction reveal with staggering suppleness. While Vanillaware could have easily iterated on their previous successes, the team’s willingness to venture out in an audacious new direction was praiseworthy. 13 Sentinels’ aim is high, but amazingly the studio pulls it off with nary a hitch.

• XSX/S
• 89%
• États-Unis

• SWITCH
• 75%
• États-Unis

• SWITCH
• 77%
• États-Unis

• PS4
• 83%
• États-Unis

• SWITCH
• 83%
• États-Unis

• SWITCH
• 78%
• États-Unis

Narratively, Crystar tackles concepts typically shunned as too sophisticated for gaming and should be commended for its exploration of emotionality. But the gameplay that supports this storytelling isn’t as sophisticated, which is a bit saddening.

• SWITCH
• 82%
• États-Unis

Andro Dunos 2 is the real deal; looking, sounding, and playing like a long-lost Neo Geo MVS title. Hopefully, this means that a sequel to Aicom/Yumekobo Pulstar is a possibility.

• SWITCH
• 73%
• États-Unis

• PS5
• 80%
• États-Unis

Relayer’s Japanese dialog is adept, employing the talents of both notable and emerging voice actors. And while publisher Clouded Leopard should be commended for a global release, the English dubbing is rather lackluster. Not only is there a notable discrepancy in audio quality but direction can be off, with actors sporadically emphasizing the wrong word. Oddly, the post-game content lacks any voice acting, which is jarring after expectations have been set. Fortunately, the game’s text has been editing since the release of the demo, minimizing the number of grammar blunders and inconsistent capitalizations. Despite a few blemishes in the variability of combat and in the game’s storytelling, Relayer comes recommended. The two core components, visual novel-style exposition and turn-based battles feed into each other quite adeptly. While it’s habitually engaging to watch giant robots duke it out, Relayer never forgets about the ambitions of each individual inside the suit. It’s a better game for it.

• SWITCH
• 80%
• États-Unis

• PS4
• 84%
• États-Unis

Persona 4 Arena Ultimax makes an adept return to console and PC, modernizing Atlus and Arc System Works stylish fighter. Just be aware that it's not quite feature-complete at launch and lacks parity across platforms.

• SWITCH
• 76%
• États-Unis

Don’t get me wrong, I’m thankful that Phantom Breaker has finally arrived stateside. As an enjoyable, accessible anime fighter, I’m sure I’ll be revisiting Omnia regularly, much like I do with Melty Blood: Type Luna and BlazBlue: Cross Tag Battle. But it’s disheartening that the developers couldn’t provide a more dynamic tutorial or even a list of movesets in the pause menu. While diehard fighting game fans will want to jump into the ring, more prudent players might want to wait to see if these blemishes will get patched.

• PC
• 80%
• États-Unis

• PC
• 72%
• États-Unis

From chaotic, real-time clashes with dozens of tiny sprites to a multitude of distinctive factions, a flood of fiddly parts ensure that Hero’s Hour is filled with unpredictability.

• XSX/S
• 78%
• États-Unis

• PC
• 73%
• États-Unis

• PC
• 90%
• États-Unis