Games Reviews

[Review] Dead or Alive Xtreme 3

The Dead or Alive Xtreme games have always been mired in controversy, but for what? Because we should be made to feel bad for playing games that feature women in bikinis? The only true reason they should ever be pooh-poohed is their lack of content …Read more »

Uppers Beat ‘Em Up Hits Hard on Vita

August 3, 2016

Joseph Luster

When I first started playing Uppers, a few specific moments pushed me right into recommendation mode. Apparently all it takes to get me excited is the ability to dunk punks into manholes and uppercut them into helicopter blades, and Uppers offers those activities and much …Read more »

[Review] Mario & Luigi: Paper Jam

April 20, 2016

Brittany Vincent

The Paper Mario and Mario & Luigi series have their roots in the Super Nintendo classic Super Mario RPG , and each entry has taken us on a bright and magical journey. I’ve always been fond of the two series as they stand in stark …Read more »

[Review] Dragon’s Dogma: Dark Arisen

April 16, 2016

Dave Riley

This is a quaint little game about climbing a cyclops like an oak tree and putting out its single eye with the stab of a fiery dagger. The added power of a PC cleans up the graphics a bit at the edges, and new hotkeys …Read more »

[Review] Final Fantasy Explorers

April 13, 2016

Brittany Vincent

Although in Japan Final Fantasy has always had to compete with other big name RPGs, until recently it was the JRPG in the West. However, lately we’ve been seeing other series from Japan getting the push that used to be reserved for only the biggest …Read more »

Japan’s Lamest City Gets Indie RPG

March 14, 2016

Fernando Ramos

It always sucks to be second banana. Tokyo’s immediate neighbor, Saitama, hardly ever gets a break in the Japanese psyche, seemingly condemned to be a punchline – sometimes literally, as in the case of One Punch Man ’s comically bland protagonist. Some of our more …Read more »

[Review] Mushihimesama

February 4, 2016

Heidi Kemps

It’s been a long time coming, but Cave has finally begun porting their world-famous danmaku shooters to PC through Steam. Mushihimesama, brought to us through Cave and localization company Degica, marks a significant milestone in the increasing availability of niche Japanese titles on PC. We’ve …Read more »

[Review] Stella Glow

February 3, 2016

Brittany Vincent

Japanese SRPGs are an extremely common sight on handheld consoles like the 3DS, and even more so from publisher Atlus. That's why imageepoch's Stella Glow feels so familiar. It takes several pages from well-read books littered throughout the genre but still manages to weave a …Read more »

[Review] Senran Kagura 2: Deep Crimson

January 21, 2016

Brittany Vincent

The first Senran Kagura game in the West made its debut on Nintendo 3DS back in 2011. It's pretty hard to believe it's been that long, especially when it's seen its share of news and updates here in the gaming sphere. It's even had its …Read more »

[Review] Hatsune Miku: Project Mirai DX

January 13, 2016

Brittany Vincent

This article appears in Otaku USA 's February 2016 issue, available on newsstands till January 25th, or via our online store . It's got features on Fullmetal Alchemist, Persona 4: The Golden Animation, and Sword Art Online II and more coverage of manga, TV games, …Read more »

Norn9: Var Commons Brings Welcome Changes to the Genre

January 12, 2016

Kristina Potts

The future is now. Or maybe it comes later. Either way, it's definitely not in the past… Or is it? Perceptions of time and reality grow muddled in the tangled sci-fi yarn woven in the latest otome visual novel published by Aksys Games , Norn9: …Read more »

[Review] Disgaea 5: Alliance of Vengeance

January 10, 2016

Brittany Vincent

Disgaea has long been a strategy-RPG series that's felt mired in the previous generation of gaming, despite its quality and generally high reviews from critics. That's why Disgaea 5: Alliance of Vengeance is here, as it's the series' first sojourn onto PlayStation 4 and also …Read more »

[Review] Steins;Gate

January 9, 2016

Alexandria Hill

Hououin Kyouma is a self-described mad scientist who leads the Future Gadget Labora-tory in a conquest for world domination! But you can usually find the scientists either playing cards at the nearest maid café or trying not to piss off their landlord running the television …Read more »

[Review] Hatoful Boyfriend: Holiday Star

December 15, 2015

Norbert Daniels Jr.

Last year I got the chance to play the 2014 remake of Hatoful Boyfriend . The game was a visual novel and dating simulator where the player acts as a human girl attending in a world dominated by birds. It was a surprisingly enjoyable experience …Read more »

Sword Art Online: Hollow Fragment Review

November 23, 2015

Joseph Luster

To someone unfamiliar, Sword Art Online might seem like the most backwards property ever. After all, Sword Art Online: Hollow Fragment is a game based on an anime based on a light novel series about players trapped in a fictional game. Hollow Fragment on PS …Read more »