Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: The Cowabunga Collection (Switch)

 Growing up when I did, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles was a very important part of my life.  I watched the show on Saturday mornings, I had the toys, and I even played lots of games.  This collection was a great way to relive specific moments of my childhood.  Some of the games haven't aged well but a lot of them are here with some I had never played before.

Each game is very well emulated, I didn't experience too much input lag as was reported when the game first came out.  They did a good job porting these and adding some new features.  Although, some things would have made the game so much better.  Not having infinite lives/continues on all the games with those systems was a little baffling.  Some games would have been more enjoyable if I could have turned that on.

Two of the games on the collection, namely the second and third Gameboy games were new to me.  The second one wasn't anything special but the third was great.  It was a hidden gem in the collection.  The fighting games haven't aged well, especially the NES and Genesis versions of it.  The inputs aren't explained well and it is very obvious the CPU was reading inputs or would just constantly block everything.

All in all, this was a great collection.  If you grew up with TMNT or just got into the turtles.  This is a good purchase.  Even for the multiple versions of Turtles in Time is this worth it.  Cowabunga!

13 Sentinels: Aegis Rim (PS4)

Vanillaware has always made games that I have enjoyed and this was no exception.  I went in with no expectations and no background which really helps because the story is the key piece to this game.  This was unlike any other game from this developer and it is no wonder why it took so long to make.

Let's get the least fun part out of the way, the combat segments.  Surprisingly, the actual game part of the game is the least interesting but is passable.  There is definitely some depth to the fights but I am absolutely terrible at real-time strategy games like this is or appears to be.  It is an interesting concept but I played on the lowest difficulty because I didn't want this part to get in the way of the better part of the game.  I will say, towards the end of it, I was powerful and I didn't really know why.  I do have to give credit to the final fight though, it definitely was fitting the whole tale and really wrapped everything up.  It was frantic but manageable.

For me, the best part of the game was the story.  It plays out like an interactive visual novel and it is obvious the developers paid extra attention to making sure everything flowed.  Each story section does weave and out through different arcs and timelines, there are some pretty heavy concepts and it does get confusing but once it gets going and the threads come together.  It is a twisting and winding road but once everything converges at the end, it just kind of clicks.  All the characters were enjoyable and felt real, I really grew attached to some of them and it was hard to see them go.  It does get a little repetitive when you can't figure out the little esoteric trigger to get to the next scene but those were few and far between.  As a whole, the narrative really stands out in the Science Fiction genre and some modern writers could really learn from this game on how best to weave a complicated yet complete story.

The other great thing about Vanillaware is the fact that they always have great visuals.  This game is no exception, it is very apparent that everything was designed in great detail.  The sprites are visually pleasing and the 2D affects are sometimes utterly stunning.  I have to give them props for the soundtrack as well.  The music that plays in the final battle stage especially stands out as you can hear the chanting as you are frantically fighting off kaiju.  It really helped get me into the moment, I felt like I was truly in command.

I went into this game not expecting anything and ended up getting an experience I won't forget.  The combat wasn't my cup of tea but it was passable and luckily didn't hinder progression to the point that I got frustrated. Vanillaware really outdid themselves with this one.  I for one cannot wait for their next title but will be patient for their next title.  I know they take a long time to make but the care and detail that go into them are well worth the wait.  Don't sleep on this title, even if you don't like visual novel style games.  There is something for you.

Dragon Quest VIII: Journey of the Cursed King (3DS)

 I never was into Dragon Quest when 8 was originally released but I do see now why so many people are fond of the title.  Dragon Quest games seem like very basic games but there is a lot of hidden depth and various things to do.  As a player, it is up to you to pick and choose what you do.

The combat is pretty straightforward.  You have a party of four members and you can use various skills, abilities, and spells to win in turn-based battles..  Each character is pretty unique from the powerful mage with Jessica to the physical attacker with Yangus.  Each member fills a role and it is up to you to find how they mesh.  I did unlock one of the new character introduced in the 3DS remake but never used them.  I never needed to.

Characters learn new skills through story progression or when you level up.  You can choose how to spend your skill points and tailor each character to how you play.  Some weapons and skill trees are obviously better than others but most seem viable.

The game's story is pretty standard fair as well.  There are a few twists and turns but nothing too surprising.  That's part of the charm though.  When you play a Dragon Quest game, you know you are in for a fun time.  It is never dull and there is always something neat.  It never takes itself too seriously and provides entertainment throughout the experience.

The visual and music are nice.  Nothing really stands-out but it is not an ugly game.  You really do feel like you are in a fantasy world and everything feels alive.  Towns have various chests and drawers to search.  Monsters roam around the overworld, waiting to fight you.  The music does stand-out as some of the best in the series. The final boss theme was very fitting and really got me into the moment.

If you enjoy RPGs, the Dragon Quest series is a must play.  Each title I have played has been solid and fun.  Although they seem very simplistic, using the various party members and skill builds allows for a lot of depths.  This is not the best Dragon Quest game I've played but definitely a solid title in the series. Cor blimey!