Bottle
The missing link between the brawler and the modern character action game, Kaze Kiri is nearly ruined by its extremely repetitive gameplay loop.
Every level plays out the same way, with each area giving you a set number of enemies to beat before pushing you onto a boss. There is no platforming, each level is just a long hallway. It's good then that the core control is super solid, with a surprisingly deep combat system. It appears clunky at first but once you get the hang of it you'll be surprised at what you can pull off. The bosses are also really fun, the combat system excels in one on one encounters. The sprite work (especially in cutscenes) is top-notch and is reminiscent of Naxat Soft's other PC Engine games like Fausetté Amour.
It honestly feels like a proof of concept, the small team that worked on this clearly did their best with the time they had and I think with more varied levels this probably could have been one of the best games on the platform. As it is now though, its worth a go just to try out the combat systems.
Every level plays out the same way, with each area giving you a set number of enemies to beat before pushing you onto a boss. There is no platforming, each level is just a long hallway. It's good then that the core control is super solid, with a surprisingly deep combat system. It appears clunky at first but once you get the hang of it you'll be surprised at what you can pull off. The bosses are also really fun, the combat system excels in one on one encounters. The sprite work (especially in cutscenes) is top-notch and is reminiscent of Naxat Soft's other PC Engine games like Fausetté Amour.
It honestly feels like a proof of concept, the small team that worked on this clearly did their best with the time they had and I think with more varied levels this probably could have been one of the best games on the platform. As it is now though, its worth a go just to try out the combat systems.
Please I beg of you let Like a Dragon 8 be a fun beach episode. I can't handle these emotions anymore.
2023
Creative Business Unit 3 are masters of the 7/10 experience, creating a streamlined RPG that simplifies so much in the pursuit of accessibility that you wonder why they even bothered in the first place. Everything here feels like it exists because it has to for the sake of convention, its technically competent but incredibly basic.
If you've played XIV over the years, this shouldn't be all that surprising. Removing barriers to entry is what they do best. It'll appeal to newcomers to the genre, but those expecting more depth will be disappointed to find that this game has more in common with Mystic Quest than traditional RPGs.
A fun one and done, but feels like wasted potential.
If you've played XIV over the years, this shouldn't be all that surprising. Removing barriers to entry is what they do best. It'll appeal to newcomers to the genre, but those expecting more depth will be disappointed to find that this game has more in common with Mystic Quest than traditional RPGs.
A fun one and done, but feels like wasted potential.
1990
Give it a go with infinite credits and experience the absolute pinnacle of voice acting, or play it with limited credits and go absolutely mental at the complete lack of thought put into the game balance. Go ahead, I'm not your dad.
1992
I am a Valis apologist. I respect what it was trying to do and understand why the series maintained the fandom that it has. However, this game kinda stinks. Sloppy controls, poor hit detection and bosses that feel designed to be cheesed rather than fought with any sort of strategy. Valis was never a top tier franchise by any means but this is weak, even for the standards of the brand. Yuuko is still cute tho.
A (mostly) uninspired Ratchet game that sometimes borders on unplayable due to a erratic framerate. It's not a bad game, but with only about 5 hours of content you're not missing out on anything substantial.
1990
Capcom's stealth sequel to U.N. Squadron is rock solid if a little bland.
The 90s definitely saw some pretty rapid changes in the SHMUP genre which is probably why this one has become forgotten by most. It doesn't feel outdated by any means, but it also isn't very exciting which makes it hard to recommend over its contemporaries. Play if you enjoyed U.N. Squadron and/or are curious about Capcoms arcade history.
The 90s definitely saw some pretty rapid changes in the SHMUP genre which is probably why this one has become forgotten by most. It doesn't feel outdated by any means, but it also isn't very exciting which makes it hard to recommend over its contemporaries. Play if you enjoyed U.N. Squadron and/or are curious about Capcoms arcade history.
1988
Was a fun game until about round 6 where it just becomes way too cruel. Not really even the fun sort of hard from that point, and just felt like the developers were showing off just how many sprites they could put on the screen at once at the expense of playability. Unfortunate really.
1992
The scariest part of this game is the platforming, and maybe that frog too.
A step back compared to Operation C in most ways. This one feels way slower, less interesting, and just an overall lower-effort product than what came before. A curiosity no doubt, but it's a shame we got an outsourced Contra 3 demake rather than something that built upon what was already set.
I knew this game wasn't considered to be very good but holy moly, this is borderline insulting to the brand lmao.
Maybe you'd like it if you never played a 'Silent Hill' game but I'd reckon you'd be better off never playing the franchise at all if this is your only choice. It's a boring, tedious slog of a game with admittedly some nice music that to be honest, just makes me wish I was playing something better.
Maybe you'd like it if you never played a 'Silent Hill' game but I'd reckon you'd be better off never playing the franchise at all if this is your only choice. It's a boring, tedious slog of a game with admittedly some nice music that to be honest, just makes me wish I was playing something better.
1990
A smart Game Boy conversion from developers that understood the hardware, and built the game around it. The limitations are evident but are accounted for, with a config menu that allows you to play the game how you'd like, giving it surprising scalability now that you don't have to play it on the Game Boy's crummy screen. This stands alongside the other Gradius games rather than being a watered-down handheld substitute like so many other games on the platform.
1995
Honestly, it's a really fun concept that is crippled by the Game Gear's small screen. Would love to see a fan remake of this one ala Triple Trouble.
1988
What at first appears to be a pretty fun platform shooter in the same vein as Mega Man, Psychic World's MSX origins become increasingly apparent, with its level design and movement being its greatest weakness.
Control is quite finicky with movement physics being pretty slippery, made apparent by our heroine deciding to go into a full sprint after a few seconds of movement. Unfortunately, there really isn't anything to distinguish when this speed-up will occur, so it will get you hurt more than a couple of times. There also aren't any invincibility frames so with some bad luck you can lose half your life in a few seconds by sprinting right into a hazard when you least expect it. An invincibility power-up is there and should be used regularly to compensate, but I'd think the game should just be designed more fairly rather than forcing players into using a power-up for balance. Luckily, bosses are pretty simple, for at least half of them you can just stand right next to them and be completely safe. Level themes are also pretty generic but it's passable I suppose.
I did like how the powers you get from said bosses are incorporated into the levels; freezing waterfalls to make ice platforms seems basic enough, but it's something I didn't expect. The final boss(?) is also surprisingly cinematic for the platform and was a decent end to a pretty mediocre MSX conversion. it would definitely be a better fit on the Game Gear, but for a console release, it's just OK really.
Control is quite finicky with movement physics being pretty slippery, made apparent by our heroine deciding to go into a full sprint after a few seconds of movement. Unfortunately, there really isn't anything to distinguish when this speed-up will occur, so it will get you hurt more than a couple of times. There also aren't any invincibility frames so with some bad luck you can lose half your life in a few seconds by sprinting right into a hazard when you least expect it. An invincibility power-up is there and should be used regularly to compensate, but I'd think the game should just be designed more fairly rather than forcing players into using a power-up for balance. Luckily, bosses are pretty simple, for at least half of them you can just stand right next to them and be completely safe. Level themes are also pretty generic but it's passable I suppose.
I did like how the powers you get from said bosses are incorporated into the levels; freezing waterfalls to make ice platforms seems basic enough, but it's something I didn't expect. The final boss(?) is also surprisingly cinematic for the platform and was a decent end to a pretty mediocre MSX conversion. it would definitely be a better fit on the Game Gear, but for a console release, it's just OK really.
1988
Although it plays more like a remix of Gradius and Salamander rather than a true sequel, it iterates on itself just enough to become the best of the three. It still has its moments of unfairness, especially toward the end, but there are more chances to recover than in the last two games which is definitely a welcome change. Overall, just a really solid 80s shmup.