PixlBit

If you're browsing the eShop, you should probably avoid games with samurai in them.

Sakura Samurai: Art of the Sword is the latest game to take use of Japan's rich lore. Despite the setting, the game's tale is standard Nintendo fare - players are on a quest to rescue a kidnapped princess. As a young samurai, your quest is split into a number of levels that consist of nothing more than a variety of encounters with a handful of enemy types. The characters and setting imbue a definite degree of charm and personality, but it's squandered by the shallow, repetitive, and boring gameplay.

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Final Fantasy takes a journey into the future of the franchise, but hits some potholes on the way.

Final Fantasy XIII-2 had a lot to make up for, being the follow-up to one of the most divisive games in the beloved RPG series. For a franchise that was built on every iteration being wildly different from the last, Final Fantasy XIII perhaps changed a little bit too much in removing many of the core elements that the series—and JRPGs in general—are known for. While that game took over 5 years to develop and was met with confusion and in some cases rage, Final Fantasy XIII-2 is a game that went from announcement to release in about a year. Is it possible that a game so rushed could hope to right the perceived wrongs of its predecessor? The short answer is “yes”, but there’s a pretty big “but…” to go along with it.

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An addictive word/turn-based strategy game that everyone can enjoy. Now go buy it so we can play!

It is a total shame when not enough people are playing a game like Quarrel, a unique mashup of Scrabble and the strategy genre. I have some small hope that word of mouth and internet buzz will make more and more people shell out the five smackers to try it out, and I need your help.  If you just give the game a chance, you’ll find that it’s enjoyable from the outset and becomes addictive as you dig in for some intense wars with words.

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On the stage of history SoulCalibur V takes two steps forward then one step back.

SoulCalibur has long held a special place in the hearts of fighting game fans.  The combination of weapon based combat combined with exaggerated, yet memorable characters was a welcome change of pace from the Tekkens and Virtua Fighters of the day.  While never accused of being the deepest of fighting games, its trademark accessibility assured that both the core and casual fighting fans could enjoy their time in the ring.

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A brand new first person dungeon crawler – I know, I was surprised too.

Going into Stonekeep, I was fully aware it was a budget priced WiiWare release, but still, I was excited. It’s not very often you see a company willing to revive an extremely old and niche series, much less one that’s a first person RPG dungeon crawler. While a big deal back on the PC two decades ago, these days you just don’t see many of these types of RPGs. But alas, Stonekeep quickly and effectively dashed my excitement after just a few short minutes.

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