Tag Archives: reviews

Game Review: AKIBASTRIP {A.K.A. Strip Simulator 2015}

Posted on by
Reply

The first of a collection of games I am going to review is one that I had avoided on PSN for the longest time.  And by the longest time, I mean a week.  When it first came out, I thought AT was a game similar to the plot of Highschool of the Dead – that is, tits, ass, and zombies.  Technically, I was right.

***

I would like to warn viewers of this review that this game contains partial nudity, scenes of graphic clothes ripping, and completely crude humor relating to otaku culture.  You have been warned.  Now on with the show!

***

Game Review: AKIBA’STRIP (or Akiba’s Trip)

ESRB: M

Platform: PSN (Initial release for PS3 and Vita, later release for PS4)

Price:$49.99 (New, US)*

Genre: Open World 3rd Person JRPG with Character Customization

The good thing about a good number of XSEED and Acquire (And in this case, Marvelous USA) is that they know when to take their game seriously – or for Akiba’s Trip, when to not.  I have to admit, while I didn’t originally intend on enjoying this game, I was pleasantly surprised by the amount I gleaned from it.

Akiba’s Trip takes place in (you guessed it) Akihabara, Japan, where you wake up in a secret hideout, where you’ve apparently been experimented on.  From there, you escape with a girl named Shizuku, and are brought to the realization that you are a vampire, in the most basic senses – and if your body becomes completely exposed to the sunlight, you will die.  Immediately, the game becomes a choice-driven game, with some options favoring you towards some girls (yes, it is a dating sim), and others, towards you’re death – you can even die during the prologue!

The game features many different landmarks in Japan’s otaku wonderland, from the bustling streets to the anime-heavy boardwalks.  Many of the advertisements in-game are actual reference to other XSEED, Marvelous, and Acquire games, as well as a special NISA game that is well-known by Prinny fans.

(From this point, the post has been edited on 1/3/2017.)

Since there’s not much else to say about this game (it’s better experienced than talked about), I’ll try my hardest to give this game a fair and unbiased review.

Story: 3/5

The story is new, but it is definitely lacking in substance.  Some of the characters seem forced, although there is a clear distinction of when the characters want to move the plot forward, and when there’s nothing going on (other than you being a vampire-thing).  Sometimes it’s bothering, sometimes it’s funny; but the amount of times it happens may annoy a player to never come back.

 

Art/ Acting: 4/5

Like i said earlier, some characters seem forced, while others have no purpose whatsoever.  The art style is reminiscent of Musashi: Samurai Legend (which was a great game with an awesome art style), but it’s definitely not the same thing.

As for the acting, I will admit that I didn’t use Japanese voices, which is usually a TERRIBLY BAD DECISION for translated games.  However, I was pleasantly surprised to not only hear voice actors that I both knew and didn’t know, but that their acting matched the image of the characters that they played for.

 

Character: 4/5

It’s not rare for a game with dating sim elements to have good character growth – in fact, I think it would be preferred.  While the minor characters have their fitting problems, the main romances (and the main villains) do a good job of fitting their roles: Shizuku is generally mysterious and quiet, Kasugai has the “slutty teacher” vibe down pat, and even the final boss doesn’t seem totally forced.  If I had one complaint, it’s that Kati is useless in battle and doesn’t have her own route.

 

Playability: 4/5

2/5 (PC Version)

As you’ve probably noticed, this category has a separate Playability for the PC version, which came out as I was writing this review (this may also have impacted my view of the Vita version in the long run).  This is mainly because the Steam / PC version of Akiba’s Trip is fairly glitchy.  Some side missions don’t load properly, a good number of graphical and continuity glitches happen often, and every now and then, the game crashes altogether.  In addition, the game tends to lag greatly on higher settings (this including the fact that my PC is made for high-process gaming, and runs fine with 152-mod Skyrim.)

In contrast, the Vita version had very few of these (the continuity glitch would appear every now and then, but it wasn’t EVERY MISSION).  After completing the game, which can net you around 20-50 hours if you do every Side and Sister Mission, you can restart the game with a new “body”; that is, as a girl, rather than a guy, if you so choose.  But even then, there’s still plenty to do: there’s hidden events everywhere, clothes to collect, and (with the New Game +) a Route Tracker, which tells you what Partner Route each choice will put you on, if any.  There’s also an arena where you can get better clothes and more money, but I recommend doing that during regular play.

 

Overall Rating: 72/100 C-

60/100 D- (PC)

As you could probably guess, this game is very interesting.  I would have liked to see more to it (such as more than two villain characters, or a few more romantic choices for the ladies), but where it is seems good for now.  My biggest problems would be the continuity glitch – for those asking, there are times when certain quest targets won’t appear in the designated area; or when you’re told to “enter an area alone”, but have no one else in your party.  Obviously, I give the PC version a much lower score, both from experience and malice, but overall, it’s nice to have it on a bigger screen.

 

I recommend the Vita version for anyone looking for an Anime-style game for handhelds, or if you just like stripping people forcibly (not judging, just saying).

It appears that an anime series is being released starting on the 4th that is a departure from the game(s), so check it out if you end up liking this.

 

*Based on GameStop Online prices on March 5th, 2015.  As far as I’m aware, the price is the same for all consoles.

Anime Review: Charlotte

Posted on by
2

It’s been a bit since my last post (but not nearly as long as some of them), so I figured I’d start writing this post while the anime is fresh in my mind. I will point out that this review may have spoilers, so readers, beware.

Strike a pose~

Four of the main characters of this beautiful show.

Here is a synopsis from Wikipedia, since I suck at describing:

Charlotte (シャーロット Shārotto?) is a 13-episode Japanese anime television series produced by P.A.Works and Aniplex and directed by Yoshiyuki Asai. The anime aired in Japan between July 5 and September 27, 2015. An original video animation episode was released in March 2016. Two manga series are serialized in ASCII Media Works’ Dengeki G’s Comic. The story takes place in an alternate reality where a small percentage of children manifest superhuman abilities upon reaching puberty. A focus is placed on Yuu Otosaka, a high school boy who awakens the ability to temporarily possess others, which brings him to the attention of Nao Tomori, the student council president of a school founded as a haven for children with such abilities.

While I will try my hardest not to put spoilers in this review, I will say that this show is better experienced knowing less. So once again:

    POSSIBLE SPOILERS AHEAD

All right, so down to brass tacks. Is this show “good”?
In short, I would say that it’s one of the best (if not the best) show this anime season – while I do enjoy Slice-Of-Life shows with bits of comedy, or hyper-violent series with emphasis on psycho-horror, this show falls more into the “Clannad” category of emotional trauma.
And by that, I mean that I actually cried.

That’s not to say that this show is all feels – rather, as stated above, it’s a Superteens show, with happy moments and dark twists. But without ruining the ending, everything ties up fairly neatly – there is not an “ending for a second season”, or even “what about this or that?” ending.
I feel that the ending closes everything nicely, even regarding my one problem with this series regarding the younger sister (which I won’t state).

But enough ranting about how I love it. Let’s review the show as a whole.

Plot: 9 out of 10
When I like a show, it’s usually superficial (as in, I like one character who seems to be the coolest character in the universe). But this show has thirteen episodes – and unlike a lot of shows, it feels like not a single one is wasted. As I stated before, everything seems to wrap up nicely, with the main character showing extremely dynamic growth through the show. The side characters have their own little growths here and there, but this story seems to know that it wants the main characters to stay that way – instead of fading into the background like in other shows. Even considering this, the one moment regarding Ayumi forces me to drop this grade by a point, but otherwise, I think this show nailed it.

Character Development: 5 out of 5
Like with the Plot segment, I have to give this show credit for its use of characters. None of the major characters seem to be forgettable, but the show still manages to keep focus on the “main” characters: Yuu and Nao. By episode 6, you think you’ve figured everyone out, but the show throws a curve ball, going deeper for character development than I’ve ever seen. I can’t genuinely state a single major character that I disliked.

Art / Acting: 9 out of 10
Let me say this: I absolutely LOVE P.A. Works. Every series I have seen them involved with has beautiful animation and powerful, accurate acting – the problem is, the series’ usually end up very boring halfway through (Hanasaku Iroha, RDG, Another… etc). However, this one had all of the above points; not only that, but every character seemed to have their own reason for using their powers… which makes some of the scenes a little more than upsetting (specifically during the last episodes).

Rewatch Value: 7 out of 10
If I am to give any low scores to this show, it would be here. While I did enjoy the show, it isn’t something I would watch over and over because of that. If anything, I would rather watch it again to clarify anything I may have missed (for instance, if the name Charlotte actually appeared before Episode 6…). But then again, I don’t like rewatching many series. My advice to you: take your time with this series. Otherwise, you’ll feel empty inside by the time you reach Episode 9. Trust me.

Overall Rating: 49 out of 50
A+

With the one problem I have with this show, I can’t knowingly give it full marks. However, I have to admit that I absolutely loved this show. Never since Clannad: After Story have I shed an actual tear for a show or movie, but this show did its storytelling right. From the characters to the events, from the animation to the actors, and from beginning to end, this show was absolutely amazing. As I said before, I tried very hard not to put spoilers in this review, but I know that there are some things that are easier to tell now rather than later.

While I don’t know of any discs available outside of Japan and Australia, it seems like most streaming sites (excluding Netflix and Youtube) seem to have it – including Hulu. I wholeheartedly recommend this show to anyone and everyone who enjoys Superteen series (or people looking to jump into the genre). Just be prepared for the last two episodes… actually, just prepare yourself for the whole show.

Anime Review: Kara no Kyoukai (The Garden of Sinners)

Posted on by
Reply

So, it’s been a bit since my last update. Because of that, the next few posts may be a little cluttered together.

But for right now, a new anime review – this time of a fairly well-known series of movies!

Anime Review: The Garden of Sinners

Kara no Kyoukai

I want to start this review by saying that I had no clue what the hell Kara no Kyoukai was when I found it. The first movie I saw was the latest in the collection, and then I went back and got the rest of the movies. Among my favorite fansub groups, there is a large amount of anime I subconsciously avoid, and for the longest time, Kara no Kyoukai: Future Blessing was on that list. But after realizing that the majority of UTW’s anime choices were amazing, I decided to give it a chance.

Kara no Kyoukai started out as a 1998 light novel by Kinoku Nasu, which apparently gained a cult following, with eight novels and more than seven animated films o date, with one novel unreleased, and a possible final film being released soon. It follows the story of a small group of people in late 1990 Japan, and tackles many mature subjects such as incest, rape, suicide, murder, and parricide, adding a paranormal twist to it. The main character, Shiki Ryougi, is a form of paranormal sleuth, dealing out her own form of vigilante justice through her knife, and her mysterious powers.

Throughout the movies, it is obvious that she and a second character (Mikiya) have some sort of unspoken relationship. Not only that, but as the prequels and sequels come in, we also learn about Shiki herself, and the mysteries surrounding her, such as her prosthetic arm, her entanglement with the paranormal, and in the latest movie, her connection to these people who target her.

To be honest, I wanted to watch all of the movies in one go. However, there were problems with my player, and the middle movies aren’t playing correctly. The movies I did see, however, were definitely interesting – each movie is directed by a new director (with some exceptions)- and the story and animation show that- but still, the story seems to flow well from chapter to chapter. Also, despite the fact that the movies skip along the timeline weirdly, they seem to do so in a way that answers the questions from the previous movie, and makes new questions that can be found through careful study.

I have not seen many other reviews on this series (Demolition D+ is the only one I’ve actually seen), but despite that, after seeing the first movie, I realized that it is in fact a classic. It inspired such series as Fate/Stay Night and Tsukihime, and the characters and plot points seem to be reminiscent in those series.

There’s not much more that I can say about this series, but I must say: watching Shiki break someone’s pupil with magic was awesome.Beating a serial killer has never been so badass

And now, without further ado, the scoring of Kara no Kyoukai.

Looking at my past posts, I realize this is actually the first Anime review I’ve published. So here’s a breakdown of the scoring system for anime:

-Plot / Story: how well-thought out the plot was, or how well the story arcs build into the main idea of the series. Out of 10.

-CD: short for Character Development. How characters develop, and how their relationships or interactions with other characters change them. Out of 5.

Art / Acting: based around character design, clothing and environment design, and above all, acting. Poor acting means a poor grade. Out of 10.

Rewatch Value: how tempted I would be to re-watch the series. Things like To Aru have a high rewatch value for me, while things like Helsing don’t. Out of 10.

Overall Rating: kind of self-explanatory. Based on the above factors (and my other personal feelings about the franchise or series) I will give the series a rating and an S through F grade, with high and low markers. Out of 50.

So, here is my score for Kara no Kyoukai: The Garden of Sinners (TVMA):

Plot: 7.5 out of 10
while I did like the story (and in the series’ defense, I watched the last movie first), there were times in the movies that I just couldn’t follow. Whether it is because of poor subbing, or if the language just didn’t translate well, it caused me to deviate, albeit a little, from paying attention to the plot. However, the parts that I could follow were definitely amazing – seeing the evolution of Shiki between the first and latest movies was definitely surprising, and it correlated well when watching the other movies in the series.

CD: 4 out of 5
Possibly the only slow character development that I can stand, TYPE-MOON uses each chapter to tell a different story that connects with the main characters, and almost always features a new character that helps flesh out the major characters. There still seems to be some characters that could use this (such as Bomberman Mitsuru in Future Blessing), but that could just be because I haven’t seen him in the other movies yet. Shiki especially changes throughout the series, going from a murderous introvert who hates socializing, to a young woman who can express some form of feeling.

Art / Acting: 10 out of 10
I may be generous in most of my reviews, but it is still rare for me to award a full score in any category. The art of each chapter evolved as the series grew older, and each director had a distinct but powerful difference in their interpretation of the series. Each actor seems to be carefully chosen for the role they portrayed, and each character seemed believable, from the simple Mikiya to the complex Shiki – even some of the less-major characters (Seo, Bomberman) seemed to have their own backstories in their voices. The clothing choice is interesting, and always complements the character it is chosen for; as for the environments, the distinct lack of high-tech devices in the 1990’s gives the series a nostalgic feel, like when we used to all have that huge cellphone from Nokia.

Rewatch Value: 8 out of 10
As I said before, while I couldn’t watch the middle chapters, the episodes I did see have stuck with me. Not to say, they were perfect, but Future Blessing and Overlooking View seem to have many hidden themes, which gives me the feeling that I missed something. In fact, I have watched Future Blessing four times, and each time, I notice something new. Although this is the case for many movies and series, I feel like this movie does it well, and in such a way that makes a watcher come back again and again (although, once again, it could be the different directors).

Overall Rating: 48 out of 50
A
I have to admit, I absolutely loved the series. From the symbolism to the scenes, the characters to the antagonists, Kara no Kyoukai peaked my interest, and kept my attention all through the movie. Usually when watching a movie (subbed or dubbed) I have the need to multitask – for the chapters that I have had the pleasure to watch, I couldn’t tear my eyes away from the screen. Many of the themes, characters, and basic ideas in the game were different – innovative, interesting, and above all, mysterious. I can’t honestly say that I have seen a better anime series, excluding Ghibli films, and even my favorite series can’t match up to this. Kara no Kyoukai is definitely a must watch, but only for the older audiences, as there are many violent, mature, and just plain disturbing scenes throughout each episode.

I’m not sure if there are DVDs available in North America or Europe, but the series is subtitled only, and there are a large number of Torrenters who you can get the series from. If you can find an official release for your country, however, I definitely recommend buying it.

Quick Update! +Game Review: Gravity Rush

Posted on by
Reply

Hey, everyone!  I’ll bet you thought I was dead!

Well, almost.  But what happened is in the past, and now let’s delve into the future!  Over the few months I’ve missed here, I’ve been watching some Crunchyroll, and I also got some new consoles.  So, hopefully, after Friday’s work and/or classes, I’ll be able to do some hardcore reviews.  We have both an Xbox One and a PS4 now, so games from most consoles may be subject to reviews.  Games I have been playing and may review soon include: FFX-2 HD; Kingdom Heats II.5 Remix; Shadows of Mordor; Project Diva; and even some “demos” that have recieved a lot of hype.

As for anime, expect some of the genres that you would expect of me.  Anime I may end up reviewing include: Celestial Method; Your Lie In April; Plastic Nee-san; Highschool DxD; Girlfriend Beta; and Denki-Gai.

On a secondary note, I also recorded some videos of me playing horror games (if you’ve met me, I pussy out easily), fittingly titled “Let’s Die!”, so stay tuned for those to hit YouTube!

And now, onto the thing you’re actually here for:

Game Official Art

Game Official Art

Game Review: Gravity Rush

Platform: PS Vita

ESRB: Teen

Price: $13.49 (Digital)

Genre: Open World Action-Adventure RPG

I’ll be completely honest: the only reason I didn’t get a Vita right off the bat was because this was the only game I wanted.  At the time, this game intrigued me with the unique combat system, plus the graphic were just beautiful.  But I repressed my urge for the game, and instead went for the 3DS, where Pokemon awaited another journey.

As soon as I started playing Gravity Rush, however, I realized my mistake.

Gravity Rush takes place in a fictional city / country / world / continent called Hekseville, which is being swallowed in parts by these strange rifts called Gravity Storms.  You play as a girl who has lost her name, waking up next to a cat you lovingly nickname Dusty.  as you play through the story, you gain the name Kat, and start to help the people of Hekseville by doing little chores, killing enemies (known as Nevi), and destroying the Gravity Storms, thereby returning parts of the city to normal.

By far, the most interesting mechanic that I have found in the game is the main focus of the game: the gravity shift.  There is a plethora of collectibles, enemies, and missions that require going under the city and not falling into the giant void below to gain – the fact that you can control which direction your gravity makes you fall can make these tasks much easier than if you were just flying.  You can also float in space and do a high-speed Gravity Kick, dealing extended damage to father enemies.  There are even three (maybe more) special moves that can help with those bigger Nevi, or the ones that like to spawn more.

The story is separated into different chapters, where in-between missions, you can wander the city, talk to some people about the next mission, and (if you pay a few extra bucks), go do some DLC missions for more stuff, including costumes.  Other than that, I have to also mention that the game has its own language that you may hear bits and pieces of during the cutscenes.  This language, as I have heard, is a “Japanese-French fusion that’s essentially just gibberish”, but still finds a way to be interesting and colorful.  Along with that, the soundtrack for the world is just beautiful – it is one of the few games that I can say, “This soundtrack has no bad moments, and fits the game perfectly!!!”

There is not much I can criticize about this game; the only thing I really dislike is the Gravity Slide mechanic, where you basically turn while sliding with the Vita itself.  There are no penalties for falling off of the world, and if you go farther that you are supposed to, the rift will teleport you back to the last populated area.  Not only that, but fall damage doesn’t exist, and there are no real penalties for accidentally tossing the people who get caught in your gravity field.

As always, this review is my opinion – I don’t mean to offend anyone with it, as it is what I believe, notice and/or have done in-game.  If you disagree with me, have comments, questions, or just want to bitch at me, my e-mail is on the About page.  Now then, to the Final Scoring.

My scoring for Gravity Rush (ESRB T, PSV) is as follows:

Story: 4/ 5

As much as I want to give this game a 5, I need to finish the game before I can honestly say the story is flawless.  However, playing through this huge world with these tiny secrets and multiple entryways keeps me (and maybe you) entertained for hours.

Art/ Acting: 3.5/ 5

Again, love the game, and its art, but I feel like they didn’t put enough effort into the acting portion.  There are many scenes that are partially-voiced, but they have no reason to do so.  Like I said, the game’s language is intriguing and colorful, but it would be fun to hear more of it.  The art, on the other hand, although a little old, is still swimmingly beautiful, cel-shaded in a form that reminds me of Musashi’s 3D-Manga style.

Character: 3/ 5

There seems to be something left to be desired with the characters, as many of them start to get fleshed out, then just drop out of the major story.  This may pick up later, but I’ve played through half of the game, and there are still character questions left unanswered: Gade is a creator who can’t do shit, Raven seems to be a bipolar rival (like Gary MF Oak), and we still haven’t seen anything about Kat’s background, or how she arrived “in this strange city”.  Worst of all, more and more questions keep popping up without being fully answered.

Playability: 5/ 5

I have never found a game that I can play for more than a couple of hours at a time (except for Ratchet & Clank UYA), and this game is no exception.  However, I still end up playing it first thing in the morning, during my work breaks, and right before bed.  Every free moment has been taken buy this game recently… and I love it so much.  It is probably the first game I have played day-by-day since N3 first came out.

Overall Rating: 93/ 100

A

There is very little I disliked about the game: the enemies are for the most part unique per level, and it appears that the game’s difficulty matches the way you play.  Not only that, but the unique control scheme easily becomes second nature after fooling with the world for a little bit.  I also like the upgrade mechanic, which you can also use to fix parts of the city that you regained.  Talk of a Gravity Rush 2 has me very excited for a sequel to this amazingly beautiful game.

I cannot recommend a game more than this one right now, and I am.  GO TO PSN AND BUY THIS GAME NAOW!

"Please buy my game! You won't regret it!"

“Please buy my game! You won’t regret it!”

Anyway, that was all I have to say.  Expect more updates soon, hopefully less scattered.

Until then,

Marcosias Isif.

Game Review Friday: A new thing for me to post shit.

Posted on by
Reply

So, fuck. I meant to post this last week, but, hey, shit happens.

So, hey, it’s been a little while. But then, this post isn’t for chat. This is… Game Review Friday!!! I have decided that starting this week, I will post a review of a game that I have recently played (or beaten >3>;) every two weeks. I will present the content in a way that is TOTALLY unbiased and fair, and not based on the opinions of others and their peers that I read online at the game’s wiki… Totally.

Anyway, here’s the first game I will review: Borderlands 2.

Borderlands 2: Hyperion Strikes Back

Borderlands 2: Hyperion Strikes Back

Borderlands 2 came out a while ago, but I’ve only recently completed it, due to the many little frustrations, the time-consuming effort to kill and revive, and the difficulty to decide which weapon I wanted to get rid of to get the new, godlike weapon. When I first started playing, I (like many others, I believe) chose to play as Zer0. I mean come on, what’s not to like about a ninja that can turn invisible and use a freaking KODACHI?! But as I played the game, I realized that some of the abilities shown in his opening video were near the END of his skill tree, which seemed pretty tedious, even for the badass assassin.

So, after I got to Level 14, I decided to look at the other characters – mind you, I had already gotten a bunch of Microsoft points and the Season Pass, so I decided to use the newest character to the fray, Gaige the Mechromancer. She’s hysterically violent, cocky, and owns a FREAKIN’ ROBOT DESTROYER! So, I played through my first entire playthrough with Gaige, learning that I probably rely too much on Deathtrap and Shield Damage too much.

I digress. Next: the gameplay. As I said, I have only used two of the five chracters, so an unbiased view of this game’s play will be a little difficult, although I believe that all the characters are from the same cloth, more or less. As I love First Person Shooters and Role Playing Games, Borderlands 2 was a bifecta on my “To-Play” list. The game offers not only a wide variety of guns, shields and other crap to kill stuff with, but also intruguing characters, vivid environments, and a dickhole antagonist that just won’t give up. For people who have a hard time getting through games without ironside aiming, the game takes care of that too; a crosshair for guns in general, plus a nice zoom effect for all guns (even better for sniper rifles). There are even some special, secret guns that are complete dicks to you, even though all you did was reload.

Back to the general game, Borderlands 2 makes great use of things like side missions and experience farming. Even so, if you aren’t prepared for what the game can throw at you, YOU. WILL. DIE. (Seriously). The main story follows the Vault Hunters who have just arrived on Pandora, greeted by a Hyperion train and an explosive welcome, all complements of a dickhole tyrant known as Handsome Jack (the same dickhole I referred to earlier). His job is to make sure you don’t get work, and he assures this by sending thousands upon thousands of malevolent robots, soldiers, and creatures to find and kill you. If that weren’t bad enough, there are millions more creatures that also want your untimely demise. And still worse off- Claptrap is here.

But there is a silver lining- You are the champion. You are a god. You… Are The Vault Hunter.