Video Game Review: Tunic by Isometricorp Games

Put away the sword and explore.

Stranded on the tiny shore of a minuscule piece of beach, our little fox protagonist awakens. The striking art style, a mix of simple geometry and vivid colors, catches the eye right away. And on an adventure we go. To do what? Well, that’s for you to uncover. Perhaps. But only if you stick with it. Developed by Isometricorp Games, Tunic is an ode to the ye olde days of Zelda, before the Ocarina hit Link’s lips, where exploration is king and secret passages hide around every corner. Armed with a sword and a shield (once you find them), our furry fox friend is thrust into a cheery world of varied biomes and challenging puzzles.

There is a cleverness to Tunic that pervades its puzzle aspects, and this is where the game truly shines. It makes exploration and discovery feel paramount in an enigmatic world. The top-down camera cleverly conceals certain structures and passageways. There are numerous shortcuts one can take on a subsequent playthrough once they find all the throughways. Finding a hidden passage and realizing you could have gone that way the entire time never got old. Though I must admit my disappointment was much higher every time I found a nook with no treasure. The Pavlovian response had become too ingrained by Tunic’s constant rewards. And while I found the discovery of each page of the manual and new item to be a delight (each with their accompanying charming tune), I must admit it took me a while to get to that feeling of delight.

And that is because of the combat. The combat in this game is uninspiring. Fighting through hordes of enemies or fighting a challenging boss did not make me want to overcome the hurdle; it just made me want to put the game down. This is tied to the story. The game lacks much of one by today’s video game standards. And that’s fine; not all games need one to be fun. But the challenge created by the mundane combat didn’t present its own reward (the combat itself being enjoyable), and the story (or lack thereof) didn’t offer enough incentive to push through the bosses to having to retread areas with hordes of enemies. I’m not saying the combat is awful; it’s just that the challenge isn’t worth the reward. So what did I do?

I put on No Fail Mode and finished the game. Mind you, I played more than half of the game with regular combat, and I intended to turn off the invincibility. But I never did. I struggled with the choice because I’m stubborn. It’s not that I couldn’t beat the game; it was that I was starting to not care. Now, I know it seems like a cheat, but I thought it better to actually finish out the game and see what it offered. And I’m glad I did. The dodge doesn’t feel great and the sword swing is very basic. Killing new enemies with a mix of combat prowess and items in your inventory is enjoyable the first time you enter a new zone, but became tedious each subsequent one. I would sometimes just avoid sleeping at a shrine so I wouldn’t have to engage with any re-spawned enemies. This was one of my no-fail mode eye-openers.

Once I made the choice to take no damage, Tunic got magnitudes better. I realized, through not having to deal with all the combat, I could enjoy the best aspects of the game: the puzzles and exploration. From then on, I didn’t think about putting the game down, and I thoroughly enjoyed going to new areas and exploring even more than before.

As I mentioned, the best part of Tunic is its exploration and puzzles. Once I started collecting more and more pages of the manual, the game opened up. How to unlock new passageways and complete certain sets of puzzles, which would then unlock more pages so that I could uncover more secrets. The manual is in the style of the old NES games, each page giving clues on how to play the game. Some pages had maps, others had information on trinkets and charms, while some had handwriting and cheat codes! This gave the game an old-school feel that too few games try to replicate.

As I ventured forth through Tunic’s numerous biomes, I found I enjoyed some much more than others (and for the record; I had visited most of the game’s biomes with damage still active). The art style permeates, lending itself better to some zones than others. I still think the starting area is the most striking. The sound effects in the Quarry are… unpleasant and made me want to zoom through that zone any time I was there. While I enjoyed the juxtaposition of pink on black and its stark difference from the rest of the map, I could never endure it for long. But mostly, discovering each new part of the map brings a sense of wonder that I think the developer nailed. In this, I believe Isometricorp Games pays the most homage to the games that inspired it.

While discovering new items and enchantments brought an early-game excitement to the mix, I couldn’t help but be let down by Tunic’s weak story and repetitive combat. Combined with the pace of the starter manual page reveals, it led to me almost putting the game down. Now, I know this game was built as a nostalgia-inducing trip for those old-school Zelda lovers out there, but if I’m being honest, I only tried a few when I got older. And they weren’t my cup of tea. Had this game advanced with the times and introduced a more thrilling combat system and a tinge more of a story, I think I may have fallen in love, but as it is, this game will appeal to people who loved those old school Zelda games. For others, I’d say so long as you don’t mind the deficits I mentioned, I think there’s enough exploration and discovery here for a memorable experience.

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The Math

Objective Assessment: 8/10

Bonus: +1 for charming art style and enjoyable melodies. +1 for sense of discovery.

Penalties: - 1 for uninspired combat. - .5 for weak story elements.

Nerd Coefficient: 6.5/10

Posted by: Joe DelFranco - Fiction writer and lover of most things video games. On most days you can find him writing at his favorite spot in the little state of Rhode Island.

Review [Video Game]: Nine Sols by Red Candle Games

A parry system to make Sekiro blush

Yi hangs off a cliff as an imposing figure points her energy sword down toward his disheveled form. He eases off into the abyss only to be absorbed and placed in a hibernation state by Fusang (a world-tree-like organism). Fast-forward five hundred years later and our protagonist awakens from his unwanted slumber, wounds healed, hellbent on putting things right. And perhaps a bit of revenge. But what is right? And what is Yi hiding from his friends, from the player?

Nine Sols immediately grabs the eye with its fetching art style. Crisp, bright colors with clean linework. Bold, charming character design and detailed environments fuel this sci-fi tao-punk adventure. The setup is accompanied by a solid score that follows throughout and hooked me right from the get-go. Yi’s bipedal, cat-like character design is, honestly, adorable, even if he can kill hordes and hordes of enemies. Most of the characters have a rather cartoony feel to them, even some villains, which all work within their characterization. The ones that are more serious seem to have a more balanced design that works within the artistic framework. One of the few Metroidvania games I’ve played that rivals Hollow Knight in execution. Red Candle Games has some good artists on staff.

It’s hard not to mention the indie juggernaut Hollow Knight when comparing Metroidvania titles, but alas, when one is at the top, all others shall compete for a bit of that spotlight. But here’s the thing: Nine Sols stands on its own and even surpasses the king in some places. Each takes its own focus and hones it to a sharp point. While Hollow Knight excels in exploration and lore, Nine Sols focuses on story, character work, and combat. Let’s get into each of these.

The story and characters are intertwined, as with any piece of media, though one of my favorite parts of Nine Sols are the extra bits sprinkled in. As you move through your adventure, new characters will join you at your base. Different collectibles will allow you to interact with these characters and grow your relationships with them. Completely collecting almost every item in the game will even give you the true ending (more on this later). Forging a bond with Shuanshuan is as satisfying as offering the conspiracy theorist Shennong a new poison to endure. And boy, does he like his poison. The more, the better. These relationships were satisfying enough to drive me to unlock all the hidden items on the map for a chance at more dialogue. And while I don’t think every character moment is earned, the ones that are land solidly.

Speaking of hits, let’s get to the combat. Fast, intense, precise, challenging. The game, at least on standard mode (there is a story mode that will essentially allow you to breeze through the game), offers the player plenty of trials. The game relies on a parry system, not dissimilar to the highly acclaimed From Software darling, Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice. Parrying is the bread and butter of the game. Every parry fills a ki charge (you can get up to five), and these allow you to do more damage, either through talisman application or through other jade upgrades (for instance, one jade allows every third hit on your three hit combo to use two ki charges to do extra damage). Besides parrying, Yi can dodge, and eventually, use a different type of parry as well. These combined mechanics, along with the traditional sword slashes, create fun, frenetic gameplay that challenges you even against regular enemies. No matter how much I leveled, I always felt the heat.

The boss and mini-boss battles add an extra test of both player patience and mechanical learning. But each boss encounter, while initially frustrating, takes an appropriate amount of practice before you feel you’ve mastered a phase. And each of the battles feels appropriately boss-like without pushing me out of the range of total discomfort. All except one. The final boss is, to put it mildly, a horrendous difficulty spike of massive proportions. You don’t even want to hear what I really think. I respect making the final enemy the most difficult by all means, but that was a nightmare. It left a rather sour taste in my mouth right near the end of a rather enjoyable adventure. I’m surprised that difficulty spike got through play-testing. Unless you’re a masochist, go for the true ending on story mode so you can see the game through without wanting to delete the game (something I actually considered during my multi-hour bout). It’s unfortunate because the combat choreography of the fight is brilliant and would be otherwise enjoyable with some tweaks.

But back to the story. Red Candle Games made a solid effort in creating a flowing narrative, with ancient lore and other worldbuilding. While the translation doesn’t always align perfectly, and there are quite a few expository dialogue interactions, the game is comprehensive and enjoyable. If you prefer an alternative to the more subtle, environmental storytelling like in a From Software game, or the previously mentioned Hollow Knight, Nine Sols may offer what you’re seeking. While there are plenty of chances for exploration, the game focuses on its narrative, creating a slightly more linear feel. Something I preferred over Hollow Knight’s more enigmatic traipsing.

Nine Sols still has some of the Metroidvania staples I could do without, like mindless exploration (towards the beginning). Once multi-way teleportation opens up, everything flows much better. I understand the desire to push the player to explore the map, but it eventually feels a bit like drudgery. For some, this is one of the best parts of a Metroidvania, but I must admit, it is not this humble reviewer’s favorite thing to do. Luckily, Nine Sols isn’t the worst offender in this category, and, like in Hollow Knight, the world is beautiful and the puzzles can distract from the small irritation. Also, toward the beginning, when I ran into a boss that had a small cut scene, or a difficult stretch of enemies between the respawn area and the boss, I was displeased. Thankfully, these issues disappeared as I progressed.

Nine Sols should be revered for its slick, enticing combat, its story, its world, and its fun characters. It’s a great compliment to some of the best in the genre and deserves the attention of any fans of the genre. Considering Red Candle Games only made two horror games before this, I must say this was quite the pivot. My few frustrations with Nine Sols aside, I look forward to seeing what this developer does next. Now go out there and feed Yi’s bloodlust, teach Shuanshuan how to code, and dammit, find Shennong as much poison as you can. He deserves it. And you deserve to hear the stupid drunken conversations that emerge from the transaction.

The Math

Objective Assessment: 8.5/10

Bonuses: +1 for solid, intense combat. +1 for storytelling and character.

Penalties: −1 for final boss difficulty spike. −0.5 for some translation errors. −0.5 for typical Metroidvania exploration irritations.

Nerd Coefficient: 8.5/10.

Posted by: Joe DelFranco - Fiction writer and lover of most things video games. On most days you can find him writing at his favorite spot in the little state of Rhode Island.

Video Game Review: Marathon (Season 1) by Bungie

This ain't a sprint, it's a goddamn marathon.

My teammates are dead. I can hear the enemy team scurrying about; they’re searching for me: the rat in the attic. They know I’m somewhere around and they want to enforce a “no mercy” policy lest the festering rat comes back to bite them. I can hear them continuing their hunt. It feels like they can smell my blood. Then I hear a Recon prime ability activation; my heartbeat quickens: they’re scanning my location. I apply a signal jammer and try to lose myself in a group of bots. Two of the enemies give chase, but I lose them while they fight bots and then I circle back. One player stayed back to loot my teammates. I catch them with their pants down and kill them, then lay claymores around the body bag. I use my Triage Prime ability to bring one of my teammates back instantly (normally a ten-second process). While he heals up, the remainder of the enemy team rushes us. One hits the claymores and goes down to a few bullets, then my teammate and I take down the final player. The rat bites back. Marathon is filled with PvPvE moments like this, from 3v3 to 1v3 to 1v2 to 2v2 to 2v1, all in the matter of a few minutes. What seem like impossible odds are quickly reversed with patience and game knowledge. Not to mention hitting some of your shots.

Marathon is the latest effort by Bungie, an extraction shooter set in the world of their original Marathon IP from the mid-90s. While the original was a single-player series with some LAN multiplayer options, Marathon of 2026 is anything but: a first-person shooter multiplayer with no single-player elements whatsoever. If any of the old guard are seeking a throwback to the old days, this isn’t it. What Marathon is, however, is absolutely brilliant.

Bungie, despite its developmental and managerial mishaps, makes some good gameplay, and Marathon is no exception. For those who haven’t played an extraction shooter, the goal of the game is to gather loot, get to an extraction point, then leave with it. You can then use the good loot you’ve gotten to use in a future match. If you want to do a quest, or have a key for a loot room, or run Cryo Archive, you’ll want to equip your best gear. Bungie does this with panache. Every element of the game, while not perfect, is meticulously designed and creates an addictive loop that can hook you for hours on end.

The movement is smooth but weighted, with a feel that borders on Halo and Apex Legends. In a similar fashion to the latter-mentioned game, Marathon’s playable entities comprise different shells (playable characters) with different skill-sets. Each one has a tactical, passive, and prime ability, similar to Apex and Overwatch. My main shell, Triage, has three main abilities; med drones that heal over time and prevent a full death of a teammate on a down (not to mention, if a teammate has a drone attached, you can share your consumables with them), an ability that increases the efficiency of volt weapons, and the ability to revive teammates instantly or EMP enemies (or even both simultaneously if you aim it right). In addition, each shell comes with preset baseline stats. These stats can be upgraded over the course of the season either through faction upgrades or implants. For instance, a knife skill of 5 will take five stabs to kill an enemy at full health, but at 100? Two stabs and they’re mince meat. Gunplay feels incredibly responsive with satisfying hit detection. Playing the game is a real treat.

Marathon is a looker. With top-tier graphics and peak lighting, it would almost make me want to visit if it weren’t so deadly. Tau Ceti IV is a dangerous place, with UESC patrols coming in and out, not to mention alien lifeforms nagging you around every corner (damn you, poison plants!). Every map is distinct and enjoyable to play for its own reasons. Want a smaller, open map with opportunities for mid to long range combat? Perimeter will do the trick. Want to snipe to your heart’s content? Dire Marsh has your back. Close to mid-range? Focus on Outpost. Want to question your life choices and whether one, as a thirty-seven year old person like me, should even play video games anymore? Play Cryo Archive (only available on weekends). Each map is beautifully created and distinct from one another. And while there are certain parts of specific maps that look a little too similar for my liking (like North and South Relay on Perimeter, or some wings of Cryo), the attention to detail is there. Combined with the Codex entries, the artists at Bungie paint a lurid picture of the lives of the Tau Ceti IV settlers.

Speaking of the Codex, this is absolutely brilliant and a huge part of what drew me into Marathon. Certain items that you extract, or specific story missions you complete, or even certain places you discover open up codex entries that share insights into the lives of the scientists and settlers of Tau Ceti IV. What problems did they face? What diseases did they have to fight off? What was this room used for? What were the power dynamics between superiors and inferiors? While much is unanswered, there is much to read up on between matches, and it fills in some holes left by omitting a single-player mode. By doing this, they make four maps feel like part of something bigger. And the best part? Despite dying over and over and over, you can still make progress toward unlocking lore goodies. It makes the defeat not feel so daunting.

One of the biggest elements of this game is the audio. I highly recommend a decent headset for playing Marathon; it can be the difference between life and death and is without a doubt a game saver. Everything, and I meant EVERYTHING, makes a sound. Healing? Makes a sound. Aiming down your sights? Makes a sound. Switching guns? Makes a sound. Crouch walking? Sound. Granted, some things make less noise than others; being able to hear everything puts a player at a distinct advantage, and Bungle has created a game that rewards the ever vigilant. Turn your sound up and focus. The more time spent in the game, the easier it becomes to distinguish what each sound is and how far along an enemy player is toward pulling off a heal or revive.

But what are the flaws? Great question. I didn’t find very many in my multi-month marathon of Marathon. An occasional sound glitch here, a geometry bug there has definitely spoiled an experience and/or ruined a run, but they were rare instances. I’d say the biggest drawback of the game is the learning curve, and that’s not necessarily a negative regarding the game itself, but in the ability to onboard potential players. It took me five hours before I felt like I had somewhat of a grasp on what was going on, even longer to distinguish between the footsteps of UESC and Runner shells, and I am a dedicated gamer. I can only imagine what it would be like for someone a little more casual. The UI management system could be smoother, but like every other aspect of the game, I came to learn it and appreciate its depth. And, as is persistent in most multiplayer games, the occasional weapon balancing issues occur. At first it was the knife, then the bubble/shotgun meta on Cryo Archive, but Bungie has been doing its best to tweak these imbalances.

And don’t get me started on Cryo Archive. It is both the most frustrating and rewarding gaming experience I’ve ever had (in a multiplayer game). I completed a Compiler run (the final raid boss) the night before the end of the season, as well as every Vault except 4, thanks to some friends. The map is so huge it still confuses me in some areas, and despite how much time I’ve spent in there, I still have a ton to learn. I wish the visuals had a little more variance throughout the map (like how Control and Panopticon feel very distinct). But despite the challenge, the reward feels worthwhile.

Marathon is unapologetically hardcore. There is absolutely nothing about this game that I would recommend to a casual player unless they were willing to take the time to ensure that they learned the game’s systems. You don’t have to be great at this game (I’m not), though it certainly helps. What you need is stubbornness, perseverance, and the knowledge that you will die a lot. Sometimes unfairly, but mostly because you did something stupid. In an age of gaming where everything is made easier (not saying I have any problems with accessibility!), it is nice to see a game that doubles down on its goal, deepening the experience by creating a very hardcore sci-fi multiplayer experience. With Bungie’s regular efforts to update the game and consistently balance not only the gameplay but also the systems within the game, the future for Marathon seems bright, so long as they can retain a decent number of players. My advice: if you are going to play Marathon, expect to play for an entire season and give the game the time it deserves; otherwise, you’re doing both yourself and the game a disservice. With Marathon, I truly believe Bungie has crafted one of the best multiplayer experiences of the last decade and I'm so glad I took the gamble and purchased the game.

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The Math

Objective Assessment: 9/10

Bonus: +1 for gameplay depth. +1 for world building.

Penalties: -1 for poor player onboarding. -1 for weapon balancing issues.

Nerd Coefficient: 9/10

Posted by: Joe DelFranco - Fiction writer and lover of most things video games. On most days you can find him writing at his favorite spot in the little state of Rhode Island.

Video Game Review: Ghost of Yōtei by Sucker Punch Productions

Let the wind gently guide your hand to the purchase button

Whispering winds carry upon them the golden leaves of the gingko tree throughout the waving fields of grass and rice throughout Ezo. There is wisdom in the winds, and alongside them comes Atsu, a young woman intent on attaining retribution for her long-dead family. Ghost of Yōtei occurs hundreds of years after the much loved Ghost of Tsushima, and though the story and all its characters are new, there is much that has been shared.

To begin, this game is gorgeous. The intro is enough to let you know the developers have taken care to infuse the spirit of this historical timeframe in Japan with their own art style. From the snow-capped mountains of Teshio Ridge to the multi-colored flora and fauna in the Yōtei Grasslands that open their arms to the player upon booting up the game, every aspect of the world feels beautiful and well crafted. The art design is not focused on hyperrealism, instead going for a specific feeling, one that captures an almost painted artistic aesthetic of what Japan would have looked like in the early 1600s. The small villages and towns feel lived in, the roads feel traveled (yet dangerous), and the castles and prominent landmarks (like Mt. Yōtei) all take on a life of their own. Exploration in Ghost of Yōtei never suffers from a lack of beauty.

It’s odd; I remember enjoying Ghost of Tsushima, but have trouble remembering many of the specifics outside a bunch of the story beats. I think it may have something to do with the game being a better version of a “Ubisoft clone,” much like the Horizon series. Unlike some of the more contemporary games (like Elden Ring) that eschew this approach to exploration mechanics, Ghost of Yōtei embraces the classic format. And like Horizon, it takes said format and makes it its own. Instead of using some sort of tower to unveil playable areas, paying for maps from the cartographer or accepting bounties will place markers on the player’s map that create a more natural sense of exploration. On the way to a particular place, you may run into a golden bird that may lead you to a hidden area, some new charm, perhaps help a wold in trouble, or relax at a hot spring that you can use to increase your health. Like I mentioned earlier, the world is entrancing, and it never felt like a chore to go from one place to another. Fast travel is instantaneous, and nothing feels too far away.

The game throws you right into the thick of things. With Atsu back in Ezo for her revenge against Clan Saito and the Yōtei Six, Ghost of Yōtei immediately places the player in combat. Traditional of more modern action games, the player can use heavy and light attacks, block, parry, and dodge, among other moves. The gameplay feels great, and taking on multiple enemies, or even taking on one specifically challenging boss, feels appropriately climactic and cinematic. While the duel showdowns are not as flashy as in Ghost of Tsushima, the sentiment still resonates with each intro; a battle to the death feels like it (even if the gameplay loop does not support that narrative for the player).

Swordplay feels great. Though I suppose I should expand to say combat feels great, as multiple weapons become available over the course of the game. Though the general play style is still the same, knowing when to switch and use which weapons against which helps with breaking opponents’ stagger gauges, making the challenging fights much more manageable on higher difficulties. In combination with the quick-fire weapons (like smoke bombs) and ranged weapons (like bows), the combat is engaging throughout the entire experience. Even while I was going around finishing up the non-combat related collectibles at the end of the game, I would still engage in combat to enjoy a bit of that Sucker Punch fun. Knowing when to use your spirit to heal or disarm an enemy comes with hours of experience (that I still did not always get right).

I occasionally had some issues with visibility, specifically when facing many surrounding enemies. Especially ones with longer-range weapons like the yari and the kusarigama. The developers made some accommodations for the player by showing a light from the direction a bowman was about to fire from (and simultaneously, any enemies around the player will duck to avoid the arrows). But sometimes the number of enemies is overwhelming. It would not have irritated me as much if there were no mechanic that relies on not being hit. Trying to build up your howl only to get hit by an unseen enemy was a tad annoying. Not a huge issue, but something I ran into quite a few times.

I refuse to speak for everyone here, but I have to say, I think the map is a fantastic size. It felt explorable while not being overwhelming. Many games try to cram everything (plus the kitchen sink) into their game to pad it with more content. Ghost of Yōtei feels like just enough. After fifty hours, I feel like I have unlocked almost everything, and yet, I still feel like I explored a pretty large game world. The side content feels good, albeit with a few underwhelming quests. I enjoyed learning music on my shamisen and would play some songs when I was walking around. The bounties are fun and varied, many with a story of their own that end in surprising ways. Sucker Punch took care to ensure that the side content felt meaningful, even if there are a few missed opportunities.

The story is great. It may not win any awards, but the characters are solid and their motivations sincere (though I believe Atsu’s motivation shifts a little too quickly toward the end). Voice actors are believable, and the animations that accompany them are fantastic. The voice acting done for some of the younger characters is done by adults, and it sounds terrible. Aside from that, the adult performances are spot on. Traditional revenge tale cut up into segments. Atsu is after the Yōtei Six for the murder of her family; she intends to cross each name off her sash.

While the gameplay loop works well, sometimes the desire for player choice impacts the believability of the world and story. For instance, early in the game, you can choose which member of the Yōtei Six to go after; upon completing whichever sequence you choose, some cutscenes will mention only the first member that you killed (which is necessary to advance the story right away), while others will incorporate every member you have dispatched. There is no order to it, and it would sometimes remove me from the world and remind me of the illusion of choice so elegantly debated in the gaming scene over these last few decades. While the facial and gameplay animations are fantastic, there are some minor animation issues throughout the game that are stiff or clunky, but they rear their heads so infrequently that when they happen, you notice.

Ghost of Yōtei’s story, like the rest of the game, doesn’t shatter any boundaries, doesn’t reinvent the wheel by any means. What it does, however, it does very well. Set in Japan in 1603, the game can easily transport you through its beautiful world and complex characters if you let it. I never felt the game falter for very long whenever it did (a boring side mission here or there), and I never felt the need to put it down for long. Coming from the superhero-charged Infamous series, it’s impressive to see what Sucker Punch has done in representing the Edo period in Japan’s history. I have yet to try the Kurosawa mode because I feared missing out on the vibrancy provided by the developer’s aesthetic, but it is an option for those seeking a more authentic black-and-white samurai experience with Japanese voiceovers. While some of the supernatural side quests push the boundary a little more than I’d like, the game feels grounded overall, something I much appreciated.

Those who like samurai/shinobi style games with a good story are in for a treat. If you have not played Ghost of Tsushima, it is not a necessary experience. As I’ve mentioned, this game occurs three hundred years later. There are references to the past, but they aren’t anything significant and wouldn’t hinder one’s enjoyment of the title. For those of you who have played the original, I believe this title is superior to Tsushima in most ways. With Ghost of Yōtei: Legends (a free multiplayer addition) on the horizon, the game will offer even more bang for your buck.

The Math

Objective Assessment: 8.5/10.

Bonus: +1 for beautiful authentic aesthetic. +1 for focused content.

Penalties: −1 for occasional visibility issues. −1 for story layout/cutscene implementation.

Nerd Coefficient: 8.5/10.

Posted by: Joe DelFranco - Fiction writer and lover of most things video games. On most days you can find him writing at his favorite spot in the little state of Rhode Island.

Video Game Review: Pokémon Legends: Z-A & Mega Dimensions DLC

Old dog finally learns the trick it should have years ago.

Pokémon Legends: Z-A

Pokémon is undoubtedly the biggest juggernaut in entertainment history. It’s bigger than Star Wars, bigger than Mickey Mouse, bigger than Harry Potter, bigger than the entire MCU. And while I respect a publisher’s fear of altering too much of a known formula for an established IP, no single entry will derail this franchise. When Pokémon Legends: Arceus released, it temporarily assuaged my exhaustion with Pokémon’s turn-based combat. The game, while still turn-based, took some liberties with catching and including the player character in the world, blurring the lines between the trainer’s gameplay and their Pokémon’s. The follow-up games, mainline entries (Scarlet and Violet) reverted to norms with undesirable results. But finally, the toe Game Freak dipped in that pool of live action Pokémon gameplay with Legends: Arceus has become a full dive. Pokémon Legends: Z-A is the step I’ve wanted the franchise to take for the longest time. And while there are still some kinks to work out, there’s a lot to be excited about.

This is the first full action Pokémon game (and no, I’m not counting fighting games with Pokémon characters or Pokémon Unite). That’s right, no more PP. Instead, the game gives each attack a cast time and a cooldown to ensure a balance between the strongest and weakest. Traditionally, a move like Fire Blast would only come with 5 PP before needing to be recharged; now, it simply has a longer cooldown time and a slightly longer cast time than weaker moves. This creates a new dynamic within the gameplay. You could use Fire Blast, but it might not be ready even after your next attack. Do you wait it out, reposition, and use it again, or do you try to get another two attacks during its cool down? (Fire Blast has a higher chance to miss, so I’m not suggesting you use it—just an example). When fighting wild Pokémon, you’ll find that you draw aggro before your mons do. It’s completely possible to get knocked out this way, and adds an extra layer of immersion to the gameplay, especially early on when facing down a powerful alpha Pokémon or rogue mega-evolved mon. Dodging wild Pokémon attacks while commanding your own to unleash on an opponent can be incredibly satisfying and kept me entertained throughout the entirety of my run.

That said, the combat still needs work. The pathfinding system can sometimes be egregious (which rears its head particularly in the Mega Dimensions DLC that I’ll get to later). Sometimes your Pokémon will line itself up behind a wall or a fence before firing off its move (only to hit into the building instead), sometimes the Pokémon will take a weird path to get to another part of the map before unleashing their attack, wasting your precious speed advantage over an enemy while they pelt your Pokémon in the back. Sometimes they’ll fall off a roof mid-attack. Heck, sometimes a Pokémon just won’t attack. I think what happens is they take so long to follow a path that the system just cancels out the attack you selected initially. When you choose to attack again, it works fine, but it wastes time. This mostly occurs when fighting in the city environment; arenas aren’t problematic.

Another issue I have with the battle system is entering my inventory. Most of the time it works well, but sometimes the game simply won’t let you access it when you need to (and this happens in a lot of the intense mega fights). The game essentially puts a freeze on your inventory access if a Pokémon is mega-evolving. I don’t know if it’s because they may or may not show a mega evolution cut scene (which becomes annoying after the first time you see it). Sometimes there is no mega evolving, and I still can’t enter my inventory. I just have to shrug my shoulders and swap my Pokémon out instead of using a potion and heal them later when it works again.

Legends: Z-A takes place in Lumiose City, and while not as large as a traditional Pokémon game world with all its regions, it makes up for that by expanding the city, incorporating rooftop exploration and placing wild Pokémon zones throughout the map. The world is bright and welcoming, even if some environments are underwhelming. Considering that Pokémon games always sell millions upon millions of copies, it’s a shame they won’t put more effort into hiring more people to help make the games look better. Some buildings are simple boxes with textures on them. Look at the screenshot above. I mean come on, Game Freak, you can do better than that. You’re charging full price for these games, so don’t give us a budget effort. Luckily, the Pokémon animations look good, as do the models themselves. It’s fun to watch my hulking alpha Dragonite float around behind me on the map.

One of the main gameplay mechanics of Legends: Z-A is an oldie they introduced over a decade ago with X and Y: Mega Evolution. Most of the Pokémon you’ll find throughout Z-A can mega evolve, which is necessary to help quell the rage of rogue mega evolved Pokémon. At night, you try to climb the Z-A Royale list. You start and rank Z and climb your way up to; you guessed it, rank A! You do this by entering battle zones at night and challenging other NPC trainers. You can pick up cards that give you mini quests to fulfill that fill your challenger ticket bar faster (for instance, land five psychic-type attacks on unaware opponents). Sneaking up on an opponent and landing a critical move is fun, though sometimes the game randomly makes you get caught unaware by an opponent and stuns you momentarily. This would only make sense if you were sneaking, and they caught you, but sometimes I’m running full at them for a battle and I get the de-buff anyway. Once you have a challenger’s ticket, you can face your next ranked opponent. This is the closest thing the game has to gym leaders, and many of the higher-ranked characters get used throughout the narrative and into the DLC.

For those of you worried about EVs and IVs, worry not. They’ve included it all. There are some specific Pokémon moves that have been altered to work in an action-paced setting, so you may find one of your favorite moves isn’t what it used to be. It’s also wonderful to have access to your Pokémon boxes anywhere you go.

There isn’t much going on in the story. It’s a typical “save the city” trope, but with a Pokémon skin. It’s not abysmal by any means, and I thank the heavens there isn’t anything so terrible as Team Star from Scarlet and Violet, but there isn’t too much here that will stick with me in the coming years. The characters are fine; some deliver some well-timed zingers, but mostly just serve the narrative. One thing I find bizarre is that there is absolutely no voice work. Why? This is 2025 (well, 2026 now, but the game released last year), so there is no reason for there not to be. It works in some games, but when characters are moving their mouths and no dialogue comes out, it’s odd.

The side quests are a mixed bag. Some are clever and genuinely made me laugh, while others are quite simple and boring. You never know which one you’ll end up with, unfortunately. A few were long and tedious, while others were engaging and well thought out. I particularly enjoyed engaging in the wild zones and catching everything available; it reminded me of the mainline games, and I always jumped over to a new spot whenever it was introduced.

The game ran smoothly (though I was on Switch 2, so I had a little extra processing power to back me up). Minus the in-game issues, I had no performance problems or stutters like I had with the last few entries in the series. Collecting Pokémon was a breeze, and battling was fun and intense. While there are still many things Game Freak should address with the Pokémon pathfinding, this is a massive step toward creating a more immersive experience with this series. I hope we get more advances in this direction instead of the uninspired Terastallization they introduced in the last games. With the power of the Switch 2, I also hope to see better effort from the developers to make the world look like it’s part of the number one entertainment IP in the world. There is a lot of good here, and I’m hoping it becomes great. If you want to see what a live-action Pokémon game plays like, it’s right here; it’s fun, and it runs well. If you remember wishing you could be more like Ash from the anime, controlling your mons around a battlefield, give this game your support.

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The Math

Objective Assessment: 7.5/10
Bonus: +1 for full-action gameplay. +1 for Pokémon designs and animations.
Penalties: -1 for poor Pokémon pathfinding. -1 for having to watch mega evolution a million times.
Nerd Coefficient: 7.5/10

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Maybe save your money.

Mega Dimensions Review

I purchased Mega Dimensions for two reasons. One; because of my desire for mega evolutions that weren’t in the main game (that I thought were going to be, but I’d been misled by the advertisements), and two; because I had just about finished the main game when the DLC came out and was still enjoying the experience. Plus, I know myself; if I didn’t play it immediately after I finished the game, I would never have gotten to it. And to be honest, I wish I had saved my money.

That’s not to say that this DLC is broken or unplayable. It’s fine if you want something to do, but it is an expensive something to do that feels like a cash grab. At the price of thirty steep dollars (which is the most I’ve ever paid for a piece of DLC) I was hoping for something really neat, maybe an expansion to the map or a completely new zone. Instead, you get to enter the hyperspace Lumiose, which is essentially just recycled pieces of Lumiose with a different skin that you have to visit repeatedly. At first, exploration was interesting, but once I discovered it was simply a grind, it felt more and more like a chore.

They introduce two new characters with the content, one to help you with mega battles, and another that makes donuts to feed Hoopa, which allows the player to traverse hyperspace. The gameplay loop here comprises finding berries to craft donuts, which allows you to enter hyperspace, which allows you to research the other dimension (through minor tasks like catching Pokémon, battling, destroying floating Pokéballs) which allows you to find better berries. Once you progress through the story, you can create better donuts. All the Pokémon in hyperspace Lumiose start out at over level 100, so using your donuts will give you a level buff. You want to be at level 100 to maximize their effects; this content isn’t really feasible without having high-level mons.

The problem is the story is not enticing, and after a while, I simply wandered hyperspace Lumiose for better and better berries, but the whole thing is RNG. You’re not guaranteed the good berries. Worse yet, the donuts you make get random abilities, so if you want a specific ability (which is more important at higher levels) you lose out if you don’t get lucky (unless you save scum it by loading a backup save).

Besides increasing your level a certain amount, the donuts have other perks as well; calories being paramount. The more carbs a donut has, the longer you can stay in hyperspace. That’s right; the player is timed each time they go into hyperspace. The better the donut, the longer you can stay. But the higher the difficulty of the zone, the quicker your calories drain before getting ejected from the other dimension. This wouldn’t normally be a problem, and on the lower levels it isn’t. But on the higher levels, when my energy was draining incredibly fast and every single move counted and I saw my Pokémon take a random, unnecessary path around some area to come to do its move, or worse, whiff the move completely, I lost my mind a bit.

I finished the main part of the Mega Dimensions DLC. There was, as to be expected, a powerful Pokémon at the end of the trail, but the thing is, there’s even a bit more beyond the main DLC storyline. Rayquaza is teased early on, and I know Groudon and Kyogre come first, but I just can’t get myself to care. The donut system is bad, the story isn’t great, the flaws in the gameplay are exacerbated in the timed segments, and it’s expensive. It works mostly, which is fine, but it’s a grind. If you decide to pick this up, do yourself a favor and use Mewtwo and have it use psychic on all the floating Pokéballs in hyperspace. You’ll thank me for it.

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The Math

Objective Assessment: 5/10
Bonus: +1 for cool new mega evolutions.
Penalties: -1 for RNG/Grind. -.5 for high price, repetitive content.
Nerd Coefficient: 4.5/10

Posted by: Joe DelFranco - Fiction writer and lover of most things video games. On most days you can find him writing at his favorite spot in the little state of Rhode Island.

Video Game Review: Balatro by LocalThunk

You'll be seeing poker hands in your dreams.

I was skeptical of Balatro when I heard of all the praise it received last year. How could a roguelite game about making poker hands become something so lauded that it propelled the little indie title into the stratosphere? Not only has it succeeded critically, becoming a nominee for game of the year at the Game Awards (and winning best indie, best debut indie, and best mobile game), but also commercially, selling over five million copies as of earlier this year. The developer, LocalThunk made the wise decision to remain anonymous, so though I can't mention him/her by name, know that minus the music, one person made this entire game (who is now set for life, thanks to Balatro). Because of PlayStation Plus’ monthly offerings, I had the opportunity to check it out for free. I’d just finished up Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 and had Death Stranding: Director’s Cut next in the lineup and decided I needed a palate cleanser. Enter Balatro.

As aforementioned, Balatro is a game about creating poker hands. That is the main hook of the game. Simple, effective, and increasingly challenging. You make hands to reach a certain chip score. In order to beat a blind (level), your hands need to make enough chips to surpass the blind. Every round, Balatro gives the player a certain number of hands and discards to work with. You use these to ensure you have the best offerings when you put your cards up. If you’ve used all of your hands and still haven't met the threshold of the blind, it’s game over and time for a new run. Getting to the boss blind (a more difficult blind that gives the player a detriment) when you know your jokers aren't quite where you want them can be intimidating.

But wait, there’s more! In addition to creating better hands, there are ways to amplify your chip score… and this is where Balatro shines. That little joker that smiles menacingly at you from his white background on the title screen is one of only 150 jokers that can be utilized throughout the game. Many of those need to be unlocked through specific criteria, but can all show up throughout your run once you’ve unlocked them. The fun of Balatro comes from managing your jokers and hoping that you can find such strong synergy amongst them that you make millions upon millions of chips per hand. And when that chain of points goes off, boy is it a satisfying feeling (I had to turn the game speed up to four times, otherwise it was a bit too slow).

But wait! Yes, there’s even more. In addition to jokers, there are vouchers, tarot cards, spectral cards, and planet cards that can help boost the score of your runs in immeasurable ways. Vouchers are expensive (you use money earned from victorious rounds to purchase them), but effective. They can increase your hand size or discard count and are endlessly helpful. Tarot cards can do anything from changing the suit of a few cards, to adding a steel card to your deck (which multiples your Mult by 1.5), to increasing the amount of money you have. Planet cards are specifically for hand types, so you can upgrade how much a straight or flush gives you every time you use it. Spectral cards are tricky and sometimes require sacrifice, but they can pay off big time when you get when you want of it. Changing a dozen cards to a single suit or card number/face card can alter your run big time. Sure you’ve heard of four of a kind, but have you ever played a five of a kind? Full house, okay, but what about a flush house? Layered on top of all of this is the ability to choose your deck, each one offering different boons and blights that more layers to your run. Altering your deck to fit your run is an increasingly satisfying endeavor, and when you're on a roll, you feel unstoppable.

 

But that’s the thing about roguelites, right? When you have a good run, it’s great, but when you don’t… Well, then it can be irritating, grating, and sometimes can feel like a total waste of time. The higher you increase the challenge, the more elements get introduced that induce that time-wasting feeling. For instance, on Gold tier (the highest difficulty) they introduce rental jokers, after already introducing permanent jokers and perishable jokers. Sometimes this feels like artificial difficulty and can make a run feel immediately useless. After building up so much and getting past a few antes, it feels like a slap in the face when you run into jokers that will only help for a few rounds. If your build can account for it already, great, but if not, it’s game over. I feel like the player should fail because they took certain risks with their hands (like trying to discard for a Royal Flush and coming up short) or mismanaging their hands and jokers, not because the game doesn't give you the tools to do so. Though, anyone who has ever played a roguelite will know it’s just the way it goes. If you play these types of games, expect to be frustrated at times, most of which will have nothing to do with your own incompetence, but with the hand you’ve been dealt.

I don’t speak too much on the other aspects of the game because the graphics are simple, effective, and serviceable. The different art for new jokers is always fun to come across, but otherwise nothing here that will etch itself into your memory (though maybe your retinas) for years to come. The music does the job, though I honestly listen to other music soundtracks or sports games in the background. The sound effect for racking up points is a bit addictive and exciting to hear as it ding ding dings you into the millions. There is no story here, so the gameplay has to be enough for you, or it has nothing.

Do you like poker? Do you like a challenge? Do you like the rush of watching your poker chips pile up before you as you hoard them like Smaug in a gold vault? Sometimes frustrating, sometimes unfair, but despite this, still addictive, Balatro manages to be more than the palate cleanser than I thought it would be. In fact, it’s both. Sometimes you want to read some snippets of a coffee table book between two sci-fi epics... and sometimes that coffee table book is so interesting that you read it front to back. Be it your main obsession, or a game that you’ll pick up from time to time, Balatro deserves many of the accolades it’s earned, and LocalThunk all the praise for single-handedly creating one of the most recent roguelite fads.

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The Math

Objective Assessment: 8.5/10

Bonus: +1 for synergistic gameplay. +1 for addictive fun.

Penalties: -2 for unfair runs that aren't the player's fault.

Nerd Coefficient: 8.5/10

Posted by: Joe DelFranco - Fiction writer and lover of most things video games. On most days you can find him writing at his favorite spot in the little state of Rhode Island.