13 Sentinels: Aegis Rim did to me what all good science fiction does – it made me, just for a little bit, question my perception of reality. Vanillaware’s latest title deviates from its gorgeous 2D fantasy brawlers to deliver a visual-novel-RTS hybrid that’s heavily focused on character interaction. The strategy…
Read MoreReview by Matt S. I’ll be upfront about this: Reviewing Shin Megami Tensei V is going to be a pain because all the good stuff that is really worth talking about falls firmly within spoiler territory. The think piece that I will inevitably write six months from now, when I…
Read MoreReview by Matt S. It would be so easy to look at Shin Megami Tensei III: Nocturne, view its unrelenting darkness, its crushing, claustrophobic difficulty, and the heavy use of religious aesthetics and iconography, and just assume that all of that is in the service of a kind of primitive…
Read MoreVideo by Matt S. Shin Megami Tensei III is a dark masterpiece. Originally released on the PlayStation 2, this cel-shaded apocalypse-themed, hardcore JRPG was brutally challenging and also deeply intelligent, with one of the best soundtracks, art styles, and narratives of the genre. And now it’s back, and coming to…
Read MorePreview by Matt S. A remaster was always going to be kind to Shin Megami Tensei III. Way back when it was originally released on the PlayStation 2, it wasn’t notable for being overly “realistic” or “detailed” in its aesthetic. Rather, it was this highly stylised thing, with a slick,…
Read MoreReview by Matt S. The defining quality of any of the titles in the Persona series is the characters. The turn-based combat is engaging enough, as is the dungeon crawling, but it’s the cast, their relationships, and the dramas – both hilarious and tragic – that really draws the player…
Read MoreGame Theory by Matt S. With Persona 5 Strikers just around the corner (and review embargo lifting in a few days), I figured I’d publish this piece that explains some of the underlying thinking that has gone into the Persona 5 mini-series. Let me know your thoughts! Persona 5 is…
Read MoreVideo by Matt S. Persona 5 Strikers is right around the corner now, and we’ve had the opportunity to get hands-on with the game. It. Is. Amazing. Right off the bat the game is the most brilliant mix of both Warriors and Persona and shows just how far Koei is…
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What a wonderful thing 13 Sentinels: Aegis Rim is. Developer, Vanillaware, is known for its quality 2D action games, from Dragon’s Crown through to Odin Sphere, but in general, those games are about the stunning visual engines and tight action. The developer has never been known as a storyteller in…
Read MoreReview by Matt S. Note: There will be spoilers below. The PC release of Persona 4 Golden might be new, but this is a 12-year-old game at this point and I’ll be damned if I tiptoe around the game’s narrative for people that haven’t played the game yet. Related reading:…
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