Tech-Gaming

• PC
• 90%
• États-Unis

NIS didn’t want to completely remove Disgaea 6’s Demonic Intelligence system, but here auto-battling’s role has been significantly reduced. Now, you’ll have to spend a resource known as poltergas when attempting to level up your party members. Additionally, D7 provides a bit more player control when programming the actions of your team- prioritizing ally units that most need healing or attacking weaker to reduce the number of incoming attacks. And while pre-launch online community is rather modest, the ability to build a custom team, program the behavior of each member, and fight asynchronous opponents offers some intriguing possibilities. Let’s hope the developers are quick to quash any potential cheating, as that could undermine things. One of Disgaea’s biggest draws is the sense of freedom. Feel like breaking the system to forge a stress-free path through the 30-hour main campaign? Simply loiter in the item world for a few hours to create god-level gear. Looking for a challenge? Beyond managing a rag-tag team of scrappy Prinnies, there’s always the possibility of building a single celestial hostess to scrap toward the generous post-game content. Given that there are now 45 different classes to pick from (the new maiko distracts male characters), there are a multitude of different ways to help Hinomoto. Mostly, you’ll have to do the work on your own this time, which is how Disgaea should be.

• PC
• 80%
• États-Unis

Whether you’re a Type-Moon follower with Saber wallpaper on your phone or just someone who appreciate virtual tourism, Fate/Samurai Remnant’s journey to Keian-Era Japan will delight. There’s a storyline that doesn’t assume familiarity with previous works that erupts in regular doses of intense, action-driven combat. But of all, the writing is a cut above any previous works set in the Fate multiverse.

• PC
• 82%
• États-Unis

Eleven years on, Legend of Nayuta still looks surprisingly modern. At least some of that stems from Peter ‘Durante’ Thoman’s team at PH3 working their customary sorcery. Not only does the title enjoy a solid sixty frame-per-second framerate, but fidelity has also been boosted, and even audio quality demonstrates a palpable improvement. The latter is especially important given the quality of Falcom Sound Team JDK’s work, with Boundless supplying an abundance of beguiling tracks. Although they tell some ambitious stories, Falcom’s mainline Trails games habitually demand familiarity from players. But The Legend of Nayuta: Boundless Trails is one of those marvelous exceptions. The game asks little more than for you to befriend its affable cast and appreciate its punchy real-time combat. Anyone with even a passing interest in action role-playing, should pay attention to Boundless’ appeal.

• SWITCH
• 73%
• États-Unis

Disregard the reviewers who can’t appreciate a bit of horndog humor- Mugen Souls Z is routinely funny. The downside is the occasional sections between the snickers, with conversations that sporadically drag.

• PC
• 82%
• États-Unis

• SWITCH
• 73%
• États-Unis

Rune Factory 3 Special makes few missteps in this remaster of the 2010 DS title. But for Switch owners, the availability of the technical superior Rune Factory 4 Special makes this effort a bit superfluous for all but the most fervent franchise devotees.

• SWITCH
• 78%
• États-Unis

• PC
• 87%
• États-Unis

While a multitude of titles have paid homage to SNES-era role-playing times, Sea of Stars is one of the few efforts that truly understands what makes the source material so beloved. Charmingly wholesome and aesthetically adept, Sabotage Studio’s follow-up to The Messenger will keep you beguiled through its blissful 30- (or so) hour campaign.

• SWITCH
• 91%
• États-Unis

The Making of Karateka demonstrates a deep-rooted respect of the source material. Most contemporary collections are driven by profits rather than an interest in historical preservation, establishing this as a shining benchmark for single-game curation. Capcom, Konami, it’s time to step it up.

• PC
• 40%
• États-Unis

• PC
• 60%
• États-Unis

• PC
• 4 / 5
• États-Unis

• SWITCH
• 83%
• États-Unis

Given the novel’s taut pacing, likable leads, and first-rate aesthetics, Anonymous;Code serves as one of the most approachable entry points into the Science Adventure games. It might not top the emotional crests of Steins;Gate, but it's every bit as wonderfully mind-bending.

• SWITCH
• 80%
• États-Unis

Many director's cuts can be a dubious proposition. But Akiba’s Trip: Undead & Undressed main rip-off is centered on the removal of antagonist apparel. For many, that will be a very good thing.

• SWITCH
• 80%
• États-Unis

All too frequently, video game escapism means slaying hundreds of opponents. But Story of Seasons: A Wonderful Life recreation of agrarian life is an entirely dissimilar experience, driven by an appreciation for life’s simple pleasures. Whether tending to a thriving garden or basking in the warmth of social interaction, its virtues largely continue to shine twenty years later.

• PC
• 63%
• États-Unis

Energy management decisions help deliver enough strategic depth to Tour de France 2023’s chase for the yellow jersey. But the game’s unsophisticated physics modeling and middling aesthetics do little to elevate the sense of simulation. That said, there’s masochistic enjoyment to be had in the game’s reproduction of 150+ kilometer stages- where a single bad decision can ruin an hour of focused effort.

• PC
• 63%
• États-Unis

There’s occasional visual sumptuousness, like when the camera catches a curtain swaying in the summer breeze inside Nini’s classroom. But when Loop8: Summer of Gods reuses its locations for the underworld or positions NPC where it’s difficult to interact with them, there’s a sense that the game was rushed. Scampering around Ashihara Nakatsu, attempting to cancel the Kegai invasion by hurriedly making friends, reminded me that haste could be necessary, but it can also be detrimental. Likely, you’ll wish that Summer of Gods development team has slowed down. There are some good ideas present, but often they don’t reach a satisfying fruition.

• PC
• 67%
• États-Unis

As you can see from the screenshots, Planet of Lana is a thoroughly lovely game. Panoramas showcase picturesque azure skies, voluminous clouds, and the sliver of a colossal moon. If you’re relatively new to games with logic-based brainteasers, there’s a strong chance you’ll appreciate the journey. But for those with more experience in the puzzle and stealth genres, Lana’s looks will be the biggest draw.