<![CDATA[A-to-J Connections - Gaming]]>Sat, 22 Feb 2025 02:52:01 -0800Weebly<![CDATA[Game Review: Beef Cat Ultra]]>Sat, 22 Feb 2025 07:15:32 GMThttp://a-to-jconnections.com/gaming/game-review-beef-cat-ultraBy Al
Players: 1
Platforms: Nintendo Switch, XBox One, XBox Series, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, PC (Steam)


I got into the Vampire Survivors really late, and only started playing around Christmas of last year. Just like countless gamers before me, I found myself addicted to the gameplay loop, and sought out other games like it. That search has brought me to Beef Cat Ultra, a survivors-like game that's out now on just about every major platform. We're going to be taking a look at it on the Nintendo Switch here, though I'm sure it's the same across all of its versions. There's really no need for further intro, so let's just get to the review!

Much to my surprise, Beef Cat Ultra features a story. Then again it's one that's so silly, that I wonder if it's even worth going over. The game takes place in the world of Beeflandia, and our hero is a cat named Beef Cat. He and his buddies lived a calm life until a certain Big Guy brought an end to all of the peace and tranquility they were enjoying. That is his exact name by the way, this game features a main villain named "Big Guy". Beef Cat then goes on a journey to stop Big Guy and his henchmen, and he collects his other animal friends along the way. I'd be lying if I said the plot wasn't worth a chuckle or two, but I also wondered why it was there at all. Maybe it was added as an afterthought, since most of the plot is told to you via text-only screens. It really won't get in the way of things if you don't feel like bothering with it at all, and it's a nice touch for those who care about such things. As I said earlier, I'm just surprised it's there at all.
Beef Cat Ultra is a survivors-type game, but one that breaks up its gameplay into smaller chunks. Beef Cat attacks automatically, and enemies will come at him at a constant rate. Each level has their own obstacles, and helpful items spawn in along with the enemies. Instead of surviving through a single level with bonus objectives scattered throughout, like you would in a standard survivors game, Beef Cat Ultra gives you level-based challenges that you can complete in about 3-5 minutes. These individual stages have goals like reaching the exit, defeating a certain number of a particular enemy type, or even the standard survival mode. Completing each stage gives you coins, and you use these to unlock more of the overworld map that acts as your main hub. Losing a level doesn't net you any rewards, though you do get to keep any money you've picked up. Opening up more of the overworld map means more stages to complete, and this pattern continues until you reach the boss of the current world. The boss stages function like any other stage, but you'll have to also defeat whichever of Big Guy's minions call that area home. Beating a boss lets you move on to the next world, and that pretty much lays out the gameplay loop.

If Beef Cat Ultra only offered level-based survivors-type gameplay, I'd be all in, but it has several quirks that are sure to appeal to fans of the genre. The overworld map itself gives the player a lot of choices, as you don't actually have to beat every level in a world to move on. Since you only need a specific number of coins to continue, you can simply skip levels that you don't like. Think of the stars in Super Mario 64, and you have an idea of how level progression works here. Another aspect that keeps this game unique is how it handles character growth. Beef Cat's skills reset to their base form after each stage, but you can power him up very quickly if you know what to do. Instead of simply relying on level ups to become more powerful, the game throws in item mechanics that give the game a sort of action RPG feel. Level ups will grant you bonuses like an increase in attack, a wider pickup radius, or more health, but you'll need to hunt down items if you want to have a more attacks at your disposal. Weapons, powerups, and other items are all scattered about, so you'll also have to wander around if you want to survive longer than a minute or two. Those used to camping in a small area until they win are in for a shock here, as some exploration is required no matter how small the task at hand is. These changes to the standard survivors-type formula can take a bit of getting used to, but I came to appreciate they added to the overall experience.

There's actually a bit more to the overworld map that I should cover before moving on. I mentioned earlier that Beef Cat has friends, and you can recruit said friends by visiting their houses. These houses are often placed behind gates that you'll need coins to pass, but adding them to your roster is a simple matter of picking them their spot on the map. These other characters all have different starting weapons, with some being better suited to certain level types over others. I didn't mention it earlier, but the game has several unique weapons. Beef Cat starts with a fish on a string, and other weapons include eggs that hatch enemies, bombs that take out several enemies at once via a timer, and weapons that can attack from long range. Any weapon can be picked up in-game by any character, but you can guarantee getting one by selecting the character that starts with it. Besides changing up the gameplay, there's also an indicator that shows you which characters have completed certain levels. This means that completionists will have their work cut out for them if they want to go for a 100% run. The final overworld map spaces worth talking about are the shops. Shops provide permanent upgrades to all characters. These upgrades are the same as those you'll find in the level up system, but they can be added permanently using money collected in each of the stages. Money actually is the only other collectable besides the stage-unlocking coins, and you'll need a lot if you want to get all the available upgrades. All of this made for a surprisingly deep game, and one that I had a blast playing to the very end.
Presentation-wise Beef Cat Ultra goes for a retro Game Boy aesthetic in both sound design and visuals. The graphics are all pixel-based, and the soundtrack is full of chiptune music. The basic monster designs are a bit on the generic side, but that slight negative is made up for with the rest of the cast. Not only are all the protagonists well-designed, but so are the bosses. Each world is also visually unique, as are the enemies you'll find within them. Seeing as the Game Boy wasn't exactly a graphical powerhouse, it makes sense that things can look a bit simplistic after a while. Thankfully the game's brisk pace won't let you dwell on that thought for long, and the game's overall charm is sure to win you over by the end. I should also remind readers that I played this game on the Nintendo Switch, and didn't notice any notable performance issues. I honestly thought the game was going to crash whenever gigantic, screen-filling swaths of enemies came after me, but my console managed to handle everything in stride. I'm sure the game will run better on more modern platforms, but you don't have to worry if the Switch is the only option open to you.

Even though the gameplay loop does get a bit tiresome after a while, Beef Cat Ultra has plenty of content to keep one occupied for several hours on end. Players can go forge a direct path to each of the bosses to win in the fastest way possible, or they can go at a slower pace and clear each and every challenge the game has to offer. I fell into the latter camp, though I have to admit that even I was finding it hard to stay motivated once I reached the final world. The difficulty in Beef Cat Ultra is a bit higher than what's found in your typical survivors game, and the final world can be quite the endurance challenge. The game isn't so hard as to put off people from playing it, but it may not feel as rewarding when compared to something more beginner friendly like Vampire Survivors. Then again, there are probably plenty of gamers out there who would prefer the challenge. No matter which side of that argument you fall on, the game currently comes with a very reasonable price tag of just $6.99. That is a rather standard price point for the genre, but it also makes it so that one can easily pick it up on a whim alone.

While I do have to point out that the challenge is quite a bit higher than other games in the genre, I'm still of the mind that Beef Cat Ultra is a game worth playing. It's fun, it's quirky, and it features additions to the survivors-type gameplay formula that I'd like to see in other games. It's a must-buy for those looking for something to sink their teeth into after finishing Vampire Survivors, and it can also serve as an entry point for those who have never played a game like this before. Pick it up on whatever platform you can, and get to swinging that fish! See you in the next one!

Check Out Beef Cat Ultra on Nintendo Switch:
https://www.nintendo.com/us/store/products/beef-cat-ultra-switch/


Story: A
Gameplay: A-
Graphics: B+
Music/Sound: B+
Value: A

Overall: A-

Pros:
+ Takes the gameplay loop popularized by Vampire Survivors, and tosses in shorter, single-object, level-based gameplay.
+ The story and characters are so ridiculous that they end up coming off as charming and endearing.
+ Features a retro Game Boy aesthetic that is captured perfectly in both the sound and visuals.
+ There's a lot of content here, and players can make the choice as to how much they want to see.
+ Priced very reasonably at just $6.99.

Cons:
- The difficulty level is quite a bit higher than other games in the genre.
- Considering how this game adds in a lot of new gameplay quirks, it can take a bit of getting used to.
- Like all games in the genre, the core gameplay loop can become stale after a while.

A copy of this game was provided to us free-of-charge by the publisher for the purpose of this review. This did not affect our review in any way.


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Up and at them!
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<![CDATA[Proving Hero Shooters Can Still Be Good: A Marvel Rivals Review]]>Thu, 20 Feb 2025 08:00:00 GMThttp://a-to-jconnections.com/gaming/proving-hero-shooters-can-still-be-good-a-marvel-rivals-reviewBy Teepu
Player(s): 1-12
Platforms: PlayStation 5, Xbox Series, PC


Usually when we hear about a new hero shooter coming out, we roll our eyes and ignore it. Some may play it just out of curiosity and will quickly move on. It has been a consistent issue since Overwatch first popularized the genre. Many expected the same out of Marvel Rivals, yet they managed to surprise all of us.

Rather than try to directly clone Overwatch, or do something completely quirky, the developers behind Marvel Rivals chose to lean into what makes Marvel most interesting: its characters. Being a franchise that is all about the multiverse (especially with the current story arc in the Marvel Cinematic Universe), having a ton of characters from various realities coming together for some kind of multiverse bending scenario fits beautifully. There are definitely a lot of borrowed elements from Overwatch here, but they are easy to digest because of the characters.

The first thing you will notice when you try to play is that all 30+ characters are available for you from the start. There are no purchases necessary to enjoy the game in its entirety, which is always welcome in a free-to-play game. Sure, there are aesthetics you can invest in, but nothing that affects how you play. Now, if that sounds like a lot of characters to launch with, it absolutely is. I have not had the chance to try them all, but I have played about a third of the roster thus far, and they all felt distinct. Instead of focusing on a super competitive, balanced game, they chose to focus on making fun and distinct heroes so that everybody can have fun in their own way. Naturally, with aesthetics being where the game makes its money, there are battle passes you can participate in. They run like Halo Infinite, in that they never go away, with the catch being that you must purchase it during the time it is up to unlock it permanently. I wish they had gone the whole way, allowing you to go back to purchase any battle pass you may have missed during breaks, but it is a step in the right direction for the ecosystem.

For example, my personal favorites, Cloak and Dagger, are interesting because you can switch back and forth between them on the fly. As Cloak, you can briefly cloak your team or deal solid short-ranged damage; as Dagger, while you can certainly deal long-range damage, her primary purpose is to heal the team. This means that I can switch my role at a moment's notice, mid-combat, to suit my team’s needs. Let us be honest though, the main draw of Marvel comics is seeing how the heroes interact with each other in zany situations. Well, that is here too. Not only will characters have fun conversations in the match lobby before the fight begins, but each character has combo abilities they can do with another character or two. The one my friend and I used a lot was with Hulk and Wolverine. As Hulk, I can lift Wolverine and then toss him at the enemy to allow my melee partner to close distance quickly and cause chaos within the enemy. While he is doing that, I can either deal with another threat or hop in and start smashing everything in sight, causing devastation. That is only one example, as every single character has at least one other character they can do a combo ability with. It is an incredibly fun and unique quirk that helps distinguish this game from others I have played and adds to the kind of Marvel personality we all know and love.
A game needs more than just interesting character mechanics to be fun though. Thankfully, the game has launched with a solid map variety for all the modes, and it's still growing. Perhaps it is my decades of gaming, but it is hard for me to find something unique about shooter maps these days, this game is no exception. Nothing feels special. They are all designed well enough to balance each game type no doubt, but nothing stands out as exceptional. That is not to say they are not fun maps, just that they do not scream uniqueness like the cast does. The game does something special that helps to make things interesting: destructible environments. A good amount of the environment can be destroyed which can drastically change strategies mid-match and is the kind of dynamic a game like this needs to prevent itself from being too repetitive. I have played just as many matches where nobody destroys anything as matches where people destroy everything imaginable. The valuable cover you thought would be helpful could be gone in a second, and suddenly your team must scramble to restructure its strategy. Frankly speaking, that's wonderful. Not everything can be destroyed, and you will learn over time what parts are worth taking down, but diversity is welcome.
The game modes themselves are not really different from Overwatch and other similar games. Usually it is either hold points, escort objects, or just outright deathmatch. There's not much creativity there. They do not need to fix what is not broken I suppose. In my time playing, I never minded the cookie-cutter game mode. Between the fun character teamwork and destructible maps, I never really found myself being bored. That’s because I spent most of my time in Quick Match, I later realized there are some cycling unique game modes outside of Quick Match you can participate in. For the Lunar New Year, for example, there was a 3v3 soccer-like game where you had to take a ball and score goals with it. This will help keep things fresh when you need a break from the usual modes. On a side note, it is worth mentioning that there is a continuous multiverse story that the game is evolving around. (With Doctor Doom as the bad guy.) Unfortunately, due to following similar formats as other multiplayer games, most of this info is through things you have to read. Granted, unlocking mini comic books that tell you the story is cool, but it is still reading. I am here to play, not read.
I have dabbled in various games in the hero shooter genre, ranging from team vs team to Battle Royale style games. Overwatch had hooked me for the first year of its release then I dropped off; I spent a couple of heavy months with Star Wars Hunters then dropped off; I also spent a couple good months with Apex Legends then ended up quitting. We will see if Marvel Rivals will keep me interested longer than the others, but so far so good. The familiar, and sometimes not so familiar (Looking at you Jeff the Landshark!) characters, wonderful team-up combos, destructible environments, crisp mechanics, and ever-growing content make me think I will stick around. For now though, it is time for me to get back to the game, and continue to try new characters.

Check Out Marvel Rivals on Steam:
https://store.steampowered.com/app/2767030/Marvel_Rivals/


Story: C+
Gameplay: A+
Graphics: A
Music/Sound: A-
Value: A+

OVERALL: A

Pros:
+ Huge cast of varied characters to pick from.
+ Thus far, the gameplay content is entirely free.
+ Team-up combos are a joy to execute.

Cons:
- An odd complaint perhaps, but due to the high number of characters, it can be daunting figuring out who to main.
- Game modes are mostly cookie cutter.
- Story seems interesting, but it's delivered in the most boring way possible.


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Can't win 'em all!
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<![CDATA[A Totally Different Type of Isekai Adventure: A Welcome to a Sexy Open World Review]]>Wed, 19 Feb 2025 08:00:00 GMThttp://a-to-jconnections.com/gaming/a-totally-different-type-of-isekai-adventure-a-welcome-to-a-sexy-open-world-reviewBy Manuel
Players: 1
Platforms: PC (Steam)


The drought of A-to-J reviewing eroge titles has seemingly come to an end, as we're going to be looking at another recent release by our friends at MangaGamer. Welcome to a Sexy Open World is an 18+, isekai-themed visual novel that is available on PC via Steam and MangaGamer's site. We're going to be taking a deep dive into the game today, and see what exactly makes it tick. Is this an eroge worth your time? What kind of heroines does it offer? Do its sex scenes lean towards the vanilla? Hopefully we'll answer those questions and more within this review! Also, even though the game features plenty of 18+ scenes, there will be none of them featured here. You'll have to play the game yourself to see those!

Welcome to a Sexy Open World places you into the role of Sejima Seiya, a college student who hasn't had a lot of luck with women. He's on his way to a mixer set up by his friend when he suddenly finds himself involved in a horrible traffic accident. Thankfully he isn't dead, but he wakes up in a fantasy world. In other words, he's been isekai'd. The world he finds himself in is known as Laurentide, and it's a land that awaits the arrival of a legendary hero, there's also a huge, month-long festival that is only held once a century that is about to begin. Though confused as to what's going on, he quickly befriends Anna Heiritte, the daughter of a local restaurant owner. Anna not only resembles his childhood friend, but she also has the same name as her. Instantly falling in love with her, he finds himself working for her father's restaurant. That festival is about to take place after all, and they need all the help they can get. Since the arrival of a stranger from another world isn't exactly the norm, it doesn't take long for Seiya to draw the attention of many of the locals. This is an eroge though, so it makes sense that said locals seem to consist of beautiful women. That's not all though, as it's also revealed that he is the legendary hero that everyone has been waiting for. Well, he's not actually the hero himself, but he will be the father of the hero with the mother being someone from Laurentide. That little quirk of the prophecy means that all the women he's met up to that point now want to bear his children. He was on a way to a mixer before the entire isekai situation, so it makes sense that he's more than eager to oblige. Not only does this mean plenty of sex for our otherworldly protagonist, but it means plenty of hijinks too. Seiya actually wants to father a child too, since he hopes that it will allow him to stay in this new world permanently. Being isekai'd is a precarious situation after all, and it would suck if he had to go back to his former reality one day. There's also the matter of all the girls throwing themselves at him... It's a good thing that Laurentide is very accepting of polyamorous relationships!
In case it wasn't obvious by the plot details I just revealed, Welcome to a Sexy Open World is an eroge that places a strong emphasis on its sexual content. That may something too obvious to point out, but this is a game that literally gives you a sex scene every 10-15 minutes. I know that there is a specific term for games like this, but I still prefer using the generic "eroge" instead. Suffice it to say, this is a game that is made for those looking for such content, and could be a bit much for those who aren't used to hyper-sexualized hentai games. There are plenty of fantasy trope send-ups and thing like that scattered throughout, but everything circles back to the sex in the end. Part of me wishes the game leaned more into parodying the isekai genre in general, as it does a very good job when it tries, but I'm not exactly against what we do get in its stead. After all, who can be disappointed with a game that provides the player with seven beautiful heroines? Not only do we get the girl next door Anna, but we get her older sister Elda, Mystic Fox Yuuna, Elf Princess Ehlitte, Flower Girl Madri, Samurai Hikari, and Knight Alencia. It's a full cast of busty anime girls, and players will surely find one that becomes their favorite. Each of the girls also have their own motivations and backstories, and it's these that drive the game forward more than the core plot does. There really isn't much of a central plot to be had. I basically laid out all the important stuff earlier, and the only other things worth mentioning probably stray too far into spoiler territory to cover. Though the plot is a bit all over the place, I do think that it's strong enough to keep people interested. There's also the sexual content that'll string players along, but you sometimes need a bit more to keep things fresh.
I went into Welcome to a Sexy Open World thinking that it was going to be a standard visual novel that had branching paths depending on which girl you chose to focus on. I imagined that there would be single girl routes, harem routes, and everything in between. While that still technically is still the case here, there's far more to it than that. After the intro to the game, which essentially is the part of the game where you meet and have sex with all seven of the girls, you're moved into a time management simulation of sorts. It turns out that the goal of the game isn't necessarily to fall in love with the girls, but to get them pregnant. Since a big part of the plot focuses on the month-long, once-a-century festival, that is also the time frame which the game takes up. Your goal is to get someone pregnant before the festival is over. Seiya really has his work cut out for him! (Funnily enough, the game does warn you that you need a rest day each week to not die from too much sex!) There's still the standard visual novel bits like conversations and choices, but there's also light dating sim mechanics too. Each girl has a day when they're most likely to conceive, and you have to plan out your month accordingly to make sure you visit them during those specific days. Visit enough times, and you get them pregnant. You can then move on to the next girl, or choose to continue focusing on your favorites. I don't want to spoil how this all wraps up in the end, but I guess I should've realized that the game was going to be more open-ended than other visual novels based on the name alone.

One interesting aspect of Welcome to a Sexy Open World is that you're able to complete a "perfect run" if you schedule the dates with each girl in a very meticulous fashion. I'll admit that I took it as a challenge to do exactly this, and found that I immediately found myself mapping out the best way to go about getting all seven girls pregnant in the most efficient way possible. The game does try to throw a wrench into your plans here and there, but you can easily stay on course if you're as dedicated as I was. It's funny too, since prior to learning about the time management sim part of the game, I wasn't really having as much of a good time as I had hoped I would. Parody or not, the writing in this game doesn't really lend itself to any actual depth. If you're a fan of busty anime girls in various stages of undress, then you'll probably have a blast no matter what. Me on the other hand, I was hoping for a bit more, and I found that I was growing bored of the game only a couple hours in. I know I'm probably thinking about the plot of an eroge way too much, but the entire "everyone wants to have sex with the main character" trope started to feel like a reverse Mary Sue thing after a while. I needed something more, and the game thankfully delivered on that before too long. It was a surprisingly deep mechanic I could sink my teeth into, and I'm a sucker for life simulation gameplay in whatever form it appears in. I don't want to make it sound like this one aspect of the game will suddenly make it appeal to fans of dating sims, but that's the effect it had on me at the very least.

The main reason as to why I was getting bored of the game has to do with its visual style. I'm all for big-breasted anime girls, but the cast of Welcome to a Sexy Open World feels especially one note in that regard. Each of the girls' designs are unique in their own way, but they also feel like they all share a single template as far as their bodies go. This goes double when it comes to the sex scenes, as they all feel like they could belong to any of the girls. Obviously this is a matter of taste, but those looking for variety in their hentai games might want to look elsewhere. Every single girl is the very definition of "thicc" with several c’s, and there isn't really anything here for those who aren't fans of that one type of girl. This wouldn't necessarily be any big issue in and of itself, but there's also the aspect of the pregnancy kink that is present throughout the entire game. Not only is it a focus of the plot itself, but there's also a "Maternity Dress Patch" that's also included in this release of the game. I accidentally (No, really, it was an accident!) turned on this patch when I first started up the game, and was quite confused to find that all the girls I encountered were pregnant. Unless you're a fan of such things, be aware of that first choice you make in starting up the game is one that you can't undo. I don't want to judge anyone who would excitedly turn on the patch, but it definitely wasn't for me.

I don't want this review to go down the path of kink shaming, but the emphasis on pregnancy really rubbed me the wrong way. There are sure to be those who enjoy the game specifically for its emphasis on pregnancy, but I'm also positive that I can't be the only one who is put off by it. I'm not exaggerating when I say that it was only the time management part of the game that kept me around, because I probably would've quit otherwise. Instead of letting all the pregnancy stuff get to me, I was min/maxing each girl's stats, and clicking through the sex scenes as fast as I could to get back to the tight schedule I'd set for myself. Clearly the developers had a specific market in mind, but Welcome to a Sexy Open World fills a niche within a niche within a niche. Who is this game really for? I don't doubt for a second that there are plenty of eroge fans who want their games to only have busty heroines, but I wonder how many of them also want to see those same girls pregnant and in maternity clothes. Maybe I don't know the fandom very well, but that audience seems a bit too specific for this quality of release.

Even though I just critiqued the visual style a bit, I don't want to make it seem like I wasn't a fan for the most part. The designs are good once you look past the sameness of the body types, and the backgrounds and CGs are amazing. I was actually shocked by how many CGs there are that aren't strictly sexual in nature. Those hunting for all the CGs and their variants have their work ahead of them, as there are plenty to collect. I have yet to go down that rabbit hole, but maybe I will once I'm done with this review. While you won't see any of the 18+ CGs in this article, rest assured that they're quite impressive too. That said, those looking for animated sex scenes might be a bit disappointed. Though the sex-focused CGs are all great in their own ways, this is an eroge that only use static images to go along with the more intense descriptions of the text. I was a bit put off by this the few times I chose to read through the sex scenes, since the game often goes into details that fly in the face of the one or two CGs that you'll actually see. This is probably due to the fact that there are dozens of sex scenes in the game, but that's still little consolation when they don't feel as detailed as they could've been. I doubt anyone will hate what is here, but I personally would've preferred it if the game focused on fewer scenes that featured more detail in them. Outside of CGs, the 18+ scenes also feature a countdown timer, and a second "internal" view. I always wonder who actually enjoys the latter, but it is something you can turn off from the options menu. Oh, and I should also point out that the aforementioned Maternity Dress Patch doesn't change the CGs. The patch only affects the base character models, so be prepared for some visual whiplash if you're the type of person who is looking forward to playing with it turned on.
Those who are experienced with my reviews might be expecting me to once again talk about the genre of music I refer to as "visual novel music". I use that term to refer to music whose sole purpose seems to be to exist in the background. Soundtracks made up of visual novel music are rarely bad, but usually aren't very memorable either. Though Welcome to a Sexy Open World does have some music that falls into this category, it also has plenty of music that doesn't. I was extremely surprised to hear an upbeat vocal track in its opening movie, and that song also serves as the game's main theme via an instrumental version. That particular song stood out for rather obvious reasons, but there were plenty of others that I enjoyed too. I'm not sure if it's because I tend to prefer JRPG-styled soundtracks in general, but there were several tracks that grew on me over the course of the game. Parody elements aside, this game does capture the JRPG vibes surprisingly well. There are even several tracks that are stuck in my head even as I wrote this review. Welcome to a Sexy Open World has a soundtrack that feels far above its genre, and it's a rare example of an eroge OST that I'm considering looking into getting on its own. While the music is awesome on its own, it's not the only aspect of the game's sound design worth discussing.

It probably isn't any surprise that Welcome to a Sexy Open World is a fully-voiced game, and it features a cast that is puts in some stunning work. There's only a Japanese language track here, but I'm sure that's expected for a release of this size. One of the reasons why an English dub wouldn't be viable, is that just about every character is voiced. This not only includes the main cast, but also several side characters, and even those that don't have any on-screen representation. This level of detail is usually only reserved for higher-budgeted releases, and the quality of the acting is consistent throughout. The only character left unvoiced is Seiya himself, but this is standard practice in games like this. I also want to give quick praise to the sound effects too. I'm not at all a fan of some of the "sex sounds" that most eroge use, and I'm pleased to report that they're all but non-existent here. I actually checked several times to make sure I didn't turn them off at some point, or had somehow muted them by skipping the scenes so quickly, but they just seem pretty much absent. I guess that can be viewed as a negative to anyone who likes such things, but I was all for them being cut out. It's not often that I come into a full on hentai game and think that its strongest component is how it handles sound in general, but here we are.

I went into Welcome to a Sexy Open World thinking that I'd complete a few routes, write my review, and move on. I ended up spending far more time with the game than I intended, and I went so far as to attempt a perfect playthrough on my first go around. I'm happy to report that I succeeded in my endeavors, and I still feel that I haven't seen everything that it has to offer. This is a game that offers well over 20 hours of gameplay, and probably lots more if you go about it at a more leisurely pace than I did. It's also available on Steam in a completely uncensored form. There's no need to look up patches online, and it even comes with that Maternity Dress Patch included at no extra cost. It's quite the package all things considered, and it's available at a very reasonable $44.99 at the time of this writing. That price point may be on the higher end of things, but the content justifies that price point. It may not have state-of-the-art animated sex scenes, but this is as much of a AAA release as one sees in the world of eroge.
Even though this is the sort of game that will only appeal to a certain crowd due to its content, I still have to give Welcome to a Sexy Open World a strong recommendation. It's a fun, silly eroge that doesn't take itself too seriously. I may have been a bit hard on the game at times, but I had a lot of fun with it. The emphasis on pregnancy kinks might be a barrier to some, but those looking for an eroge chock full of 18+ plus content will probably be able to overlook that particular focus in light of everything else the game has to offer. This is a must-play for fans of the genre, and it's worth every penny. Grab it now, and thank me later. On that note, I think it's time I get back to my isekai world. See you in the next one!

Check Out Welcome To A Sexy Open World on Steam:
https://store.steampowered.com/app/3306310/Welcome_to_a_Sexy_Open_World/


Story: A
Gameplay: A
Graphics: A
Music/Sound: A+
Value: A

Overall: A

Pros:
+ A fun, silly send-up of the isekai genre. Though the sexual content is the focus here, it can (almost) be played as a straight parody.
+ Though the main plot is a little thin, the characters are all fleshed out, and their backstories drive the game forward.
+ The inclusion of time management gameplay elements was a nice touch. It's those that kept me playing until the end.
+ If you're a fan of busty anime girls, this game has seven of them for you! There are also several sex scenes with each of them.
+ Though the character designs can have a same-y quality to them, the visuals are near perfect otherwise.
+ Features a great JRPG-inspired soundtrack, and a voice cast that gives stunning performances.
+ Is available on Steam completely uncensored, with a bonus DLC included. No patching is needed at all to play it in its intended form.

Cons:
- The strong emphasis on sexual content comes at the detriment to most everything else. This isn't really a game that you'll "play for the plot".
- Having every girl want to instantly have sex with the protagonist gives off strong Mary Sue vibes.
- May not be for those who don't have a pregnancy kink. There's not only a strong emphasis on pregnancy itself, but the free DLC mentioned earlier is one that puts the heroines in maternity clothes.
- There really isn't much variety when it comes to the girls themselves. There's pretty much nothing here for anyone not a fan of big-breasted anime girls.

A copy of this game was provided to us free-of-charge by the publisher for the purpose of this review. This did not affect our review in any way.


Picture
I didn't even mention your talking dog sidekick!
#SexyOpenWorld
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<![CDATA[Game Review: Moe Waifu H Fantasy]]>Tue, 18 Feb 2025 08:29:22 GMThttp://a-to-jconnections.com/gaming/game-review-moe-waifu-h-fantasyBy Al
Players: 1
Platforms: Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5


We are once again gathered together to take a look at one of those games. Moe Waifu H Fantasy is the latest title in the Moe Waifu H series, and it's now available on the Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, and PlayStation 5. The Nintendo Switch version is only available from the Japanese eShop, but I'm willing to bet that most Switch owners know how to get around that hurdle if they really want a particular game. Difficulties in picking it up aside, it's the Switch version that we're going to be taking a look at today, though I'm sure that they all play the same. There really isn't a need for further intro, so let's get right to the review!

It probably isn't at all surprising that there is no story at all to be had in Moe Waifu H Fantasy, though they did at least give the girls names this time around. I've been playing this series since its beginning, and I'm shocked it took them this long to make such a simple change. Better late than never I guess. Seeing as there is no plot to discuss, I guess that brings us straight to gameplay. I'm not really sure how to categorize Moe Waifu H Fantasy, but I guess I would say that it's a rhythm game in the most basic of senses. There are a total of fifteen stages in the game, broken up between five girls. Completing a stage unlocks the next, and you also get a new costume for the girl the stage belongs to. Your goal is to hit dozens of scrolling icons before they disappear off the screen, but they don't seem to follow any set pattern. There is a unique song for each of the stages, but the icons don't follow its beat. They also appear in a random order, so each playthrough is unique from the one that came before. The timing is off as well, and you have a long grace period in which you can hit a note. This is probably for the best, since you have to use the shoulder buttons to hit each note. I don't know about you, but that is not the way I like to play rhythm games. There is a bonus that grants you a higher score, but this game is such a mess that I wouldn't suggest anyone bother with it. I'm honestly struggling to find much to say about the game. I guess I might as well get into its negative points next.
I'm really not exaggerating when I say that there is very little to say regarding Moe Waifu H Fantasy's gameplay. You hit random icons, trigger a bonus when you get it, and you try to survive when the game starts throwing nonsense at you halfway through. I actually was having an alright time with the game until things like skull notes and screen distortion started to appear. These start to pop up from the third girl onward, and mess up the game in ways that are impossible to describe in writing. That's actually a huge understatement, since they will most likely lead to your first game over screens. Unlike an actual rhythm game, where you're allowed to make several mistakes before failing, Moe Waifu H Fantasy only gives you three lives in which to complete a stage. Missing a single icon takes away one, and missing three means a game over. There's no way to get more lives, and it can take a ridiculous amount of tries to get through the second half of the game. I often try to give any game the benefit of a doubt, but there's no way that these mechanics were playtested. This is a fairly meh game even when it's operating at its most basic level, and it literally becomes a broken mess by its second half. This is the part of the review where I move on to the positive points, but I'm at a loss as to what they could be.

There's not even much raunchy content in this ecchi-themed game. I've reviewed several games like this in the past, and can say with some confidence that Moe Waifu H Fantasy is as tame as can be. The three outfits you unlock for the girls are the epitome of basic, and I swear these are the same girls from some of the other games. That's not it either, as the backgrounds are also recycled and reused, and the icons you have to hit look like they came from another game entirely. You do have a gallery of sorts, but it's literally just the stage select screen without the stage selecting. Things don't get any better when it comes to music either. I actually didn't think there was a focus at all on the music until a few stages in, since the first couple songs were so random, and oftentimes very quiet. It wasn't until I got to the second girl that I realized that this was trying to be a rhythm game. You'd think that the developers would at least put some effort into the soundtrack, but that's giving them too much credit. Not only am I convinced that all the music came from some sort of royalty-free song library, but each of the tracks are just as random as the icons you use to clear them. There's no rhyme or reason to the songs themselves, and some of the choices made are just mind-boggling. I honestly expect very little from these games as far as presentation goes, yet Moe Waifu H Fantasy managed to surprise me by how lazy it is.

I played Moe Waifu H Fantasy for about 15-20 minutes before I hit a brick wall that ultimately made me give up. That 15-20 minutes was actually me clearing about half the game, but I then stumbled upon the late game obstacles I mentioned earlier. It took me about a dozen tries to clear the next song, and then tings only got worse from there. Each subsequent stage was worse than the one that came before it, and I had to throw in the towel early. This is a borderline unplayable game that takes more patience than I have to complete. It's not that it's hard per se, but the three mistakes only mechanic means that you can get a game over in literally a second or two. I guess I could've cleared the game if I was willing to spend another two hours plodding through those final stages, but I care about my sanity too much for that. I guess the developers figured they had to add those annoying mechanics since I would've beaten the entire game in about 45 minutes or so otherwise. If that's the case, then I suggest they just give their games better content overall. I set a really low bar for these types of releases, and it managed to completely fail anyway.
If it's not obvious yet, I don't think that anyone should play Moe Waifu H Fantasy. The other games in the series might be hit or miss as far as their own gameplay and content go, but they're masterpieces when compared to this one. I often like to say things like: "It's cheap enough so that one can pick it up for the lols alone!" but I can't bring myself to say that here. It's only $4.99, but that money is better spent on just about anything else. Hell, grab Moe Waifu H - Blockblast instead. I'm going to wrap this up now, but I still have hope that the next game in the series is at the very least as good as the ones that came before this one. Let's hope they don't let me down twice. See you in the next one.

For More Information on Moe Waifu H Fantasy:
https://www.eastasiasoft.com/games/Moe-Waifu-H-Fantasy


Story: N/A
Gameplay: D
Graphics: C-
Music/Sound: C-
Value: B

Overall: D

Pros:
+ The first few levels are playable.
+ They gave the girls names this time around, and even a bit of animation.
+ I guess that its price point of $4.99 isn't all that bad.

Cons:
- If this is trying to be a rhythm game, then it failed in just about every way imaginable.
- The gameplay is extremely random, and is barely engaging.
- Visuals are meh, and the soundtrack is all over the place.
- While the first few stages are okay, if boring, the entire second half of the game is nearly unplayable due to the additional gameplay mechanics added.
- Honestly the worst game in the Moe Waifu H series.

A copy of this game was provided to us free-of-charge by the publisher for the purpose of this review. This did not affect our review in any way.


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<![CDATA[Game Review: The Tale of Bistun]]>Mon, 17 Feb 2025 08:00:00 GMThttp://a-to-jconnections.com/gaming/game-review-the-tale-of-bistunBy Manuel
Players: 1
Platforms: Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 5, PC (Steam)


The word "epic" is often thrown around when it comes to video games, and there are several ways for a game to prove itself worthy of that term. That may be giving things away just a little bit, but the game we're going to be looking at today definitely takes a stab at earning that title. The Tale of Bistun is a story-driven action adventure game that recently released on the PC, PlayStation 5, and Nintendo Switch. We're going to be taking a look at it today on the Switch, though I'm sure it'll reflect the experience on all the platforms. There's a lot to cover in this one, so let's dive right in!
The Tale of Bistun is a loose adaptation of the 12th century epic poem, "Khosrow and Shirin". Going over the finer details of the poem is something that's far outside the scope of this review, but reading its details after playing the game will probably give those who are curious a fuller picture of the story. As far as the game itself goes, its plot focuses on Farhad, a sculptor who finds himself on the mountain of Bistun, with no recollection of how he got there. Though eventually tasked with digging into the very heart of the mountain, he also must traverse a mysterious realm where his beloved Shirin is being held prisoner. He's aided in his journey by a friendly bird who guides him along his path, and a living tree named All-Seeds. All-Seeds not only rescues Farhad from the mysterious realm, but also promises to grant him the strength needed to complete free Shirin. This help doesn't come without a price though, as All-Seeds tasks him to free the land from the blight that currently plagues it. Clearing this blight means ridding Bistun of all sorts of evil creatures that inhabit it, but there's really so much more to the plot than that. Blocking his path to Shirin is a giant being that bears the same name as the mountain. It seems that everything and anything named Bistun is destined to become Farhad's adversary, but he'll bravely face any threat to rescue Shirin. The tale unfolds from there, but I'll leave most of the details out for fear of going too far into spoilers.
I wouldn't be exaggerating in the least if I said that storytelling is the main focus of The Tale of Bistun. There is far more to the plot than I let on just now, and it continuously unfolds as you play. That may sound like any other game out there, but there is literally a running commentary in just about every action. This may sound like it would be silly on paper, but it works in execution. There is rarely a moment where the plot isn't being revealed to the player in some way, and this makes the game feel more like an interactive movie than anything else. The player doesn't have much agency when it comes to the story, they're simply along for the ride. I don't mean this as a negative, it's just the route the developers chose to go. This ultimately means that you'll be following a single pre-determined path throughout the entire game, though there are a handful of times where you can go off the beaten path to complete some optional sidequests. Thankfully the story is more than able to carry the game through its odd quirks. Though I'm choosing to keep most of the plot details under wraps, rest assured that this game embodies the very definition of the word "epic". This is still a video game though, so I guess it's time to turn our attention towards gameplay.
One would be forgiven for assuming that The Tale of Bistun is a soulslike action game when looking at its trailers and screenshots. Though it does have some moments that play out that way, there is very little attention placed towards action. Even though it's not totally apparent while playing the game, The Tale of Bistun is broken up into several chapters that basically act as individual levels. These mostly follow the same pattern, but things do change up towards the end. Each chapter sees you explore a particular region of the mountain, free it of its blight, receive a strength-giving pomegranate from All-Seeds, and then return to the other realm before continuing the cycle again. That other mysterious realm doesn't have any enemies to fight, and you only ever have to complete some basic puzzle solving to move on. The mountain of Bistun also acts as a hub area that takes you to the next level, and also displays some of the optional goals you may have achieved. These optional goals involve chiseling statues of Shirin, or picking up journal pages. Both of these only really exist as additional lore dumps, though they do a good job of opening up the story further. If you're someone who needs lots of action in your games, then you might want to look elsewhere. I don't want to make it sound like I'm trying to dissuade anyone passing this one by, but it's the type of game where it's best to come into it with the right set of expectations.
If you're willing to stick it out through the many story-driven moments, you'll be rewarded with a bit of combat too. It makes sense that combat in The Tale of Bistun is left fairly simple, though it isn't without its own unique elements. You can attack, dodge, and pull of special attacks, and you have two different weapons to choose from. These weapons have to be picked up over the course of the game, but they're a pair of knives, and a pickaxe. Each weapon stands out on its own, and many of the game's stages let you switch between them before each enemy encounter. You also get a hammer later on in the game, though you only use it for a single fight. Since the enemies are tied to the blight plaguing the land, you only will encounter them in specific spaces. There are several different enemy types you'll face off against, with some being slow but strong, fast but weak, or having the ability to attack from long distances. There's only one real boss encounter in the game, and I bet you can guess who it will be.

No matter what enemies you face off against, you'll have to defeat them all to move on. All encounters take place in closed off areas, and you aren't able to heal during combat. This might sound like it would make things difficult, but it really doesn't. I never once came close to dying, and there were many encounters where I didn't take any damage at all. I don't think I'm particularly good at action games either, as I think the difficulty level here is just pretty low. Spamming your main attack combo will get you out of most tricky situations, and your special attack will often take out any other enemies that might be left behind. It may not be the best combat system in the world, but it isn't bad either. It's good for what it is, and it serves as a nice break from the plot-heavy scenes that make up the rest of the game.

I was a bit torn at first whether I thought The Tale of Bistun was a good game or not. I truly enjoyed it, but it didn't really feel like anything I'd ever played before. On one hand, the game barely lets the player truly control the action, but it also tells a tale so good that I really didn't care all that much. Its greatest strength probably lies in the fact that it doesn't overstay its welcome. Beating the game only takes about three hours, and you can easily 100% it with only a bit more time invested. Though the game holds you hand most of the time, it does so while also dragging you along at a very brisk pace. The player is barely given time to take in everything that's going on before they're thrust into the next thing. This breakneck approach does mean that some of the plot points become a bit fuzzy and confusing, but it kept the game from ever feeling boring. Ultimately I found The Tale of Bistun to be one of the most unique gameplay experiences I've ever had, and I mean that in the best way possible.

Before we wrap up this review, let's discuss the overall presentation. Graphically speaking, The Tale of Bistun won't be pushing any of the platforms it's on to their limits. There are some impressive visuals to be had, but there are many other parts of the game that bring things down a few notches. While most of the character designs look amazing, I was a bit let down by Farhad and most of the enemies. Main character or not, Farhad does look quite plain. Thankfully the rest of the visuals make up for any shortcomings. The cutscenes look like they came out of an ancient text, and the unique designs of characters like All-Seeds, made me forget that Farhad's breathing animation never stopped. Things fare a bit better when it comes to audio. The soundtrack is full of epic music that wouldn't be out of place in a big budget fantasy movie, and the voice acting is even better. Each actor gives an amazing performance, and I should give credit to the fact that just about every single notable line of text is voiced. That's not something you see too often in an indie release like this, especially considering the quality of the acting.

Even though part of me feels that the game is a bit too short to justify its price, I still have to give The Tale of Bistun the fullest of recommendations. This is a game that's purely driven by its story, and that story is one that is worth experiencing. Its focus on plot over all else might keep away some players, but those that choose to pick it up are in for one hell of a journey. This is a game that's been stuck in my head ever since I finished it, and I'm sure it will have the same effect on you. Pick it up on whatever platform you can, and thank me later. See you in the next one!

Check Out The Tale of Bistun on Nintendo Switch:
https://www.nintendo.com/us/store/products/the-tale-of-bistun-switch/


Story: A+
Gameplay: B
Graphics: B
Music/Sound: A+
Value: A


Overall: A

Pros:
+ A great story-driven game that tells a tale worth experiencing.
+ Borrowing heavily from an epic Persian poem, the plot involves tragedy, romance, hope, and purpose. It truly is a well-written story.
+ Combat may not be the focus, but the action elements are enjoyable too.
+ The soundtrack is full of epic music, and the voice acting is full of amazing performances.
+ Though a rather brief game, the plot moves along at a pace that keeps the player invested.
+ There really isn't another game like this.

Cons:
- There is very little player agency in this game. You'll move along it with very little deviation.
- This might not be the best fit for those looking for an action-heavy game.
- Though entertaining, the combat is pretty basic.
- While there are plenty of impressive visual moments, some graphical elements leave something to be desired.
- At just three hours, it might be a bit too short for its current price tag.

A copy of this game was provided to us free-of-charge by the publisher for the purpose of this review. This did not affect our review in any way.


Picture
I think I've earned my rest...
#TheTaleOfBistun
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<![CDATA[Game Review: Prison Loop]]>Sun, 16 Feb 2025 08:00:00 GMThttp://a-to-jconnections.com/gaming/game-review-prison-loopBy Al
Players: 1
Platforms: Nintendo Switch, XBox One, XBox Series, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5


It feels like I've played about a dozen anomaly games lately, and that trend continues today. This review will be focusing on Prison Loop, a prison-themed anomaly game that is coming soon to consoles by way of publisher Sometimes You. It'll be dropping on just about every major platform, and we're going to be taking a look at it on the Nintendo Switch. There really isn't a need for further intro, so let's get straight to the review.

I think a bit of explanation is needed for those that aren't familiar with anomaly games. Anomaly games are games where a scene loops repeatedly, and you're tasked with determining if anything has changed within it compared to the base version. These changes are typically referred to as "anomalies", and you have to choose correctly a certain number of times to win. Each loop typically has an entrance and an exit at either end, and you make your choice by going through the one that corresponds with there being an anomaly, or the scene being similar to the base version. Choosing incorrectly resets the loop, and you're sent back to the base version. I'm not sure if 2023's The Exit 8 was the first game to use this gameplay formula, but it was definitely the one that made it popular. Ever since its release, there have been countless games that have emulated its style to various degrees of success. I've personally reviewed a handful of these games in the past month alone, and I like to think of myself as a fan of the genre at this point. It is a very basic style of game, but there is a lot of enjoyment to be had if you're the type who likes "spot the difference" type puzzles. Simplicity doesn't always have to be a bad thing. Now that we have that explanation out of the way, let's talk about Prison Loop in particular.
As the name implies, Prison Loop takes place inside of a prison. There is a single corridor of six cells on both sides, and a staircase that takes to you to or from the current floor. Each of the dozen cells are similar to one another, and there are a total of four inmates spread between them. You technically can't enter any of the cells in the base version, so you'll be doing just about all of your investigation by way of looking into each of them one by one. This alone changes up the gameplay formula quite a bit, as you typically have a more diverse area to deal with in games like this. Prison Loop has more than its share of surprises, but I appreciated its take on the formula. There aren't as many random elements as other games might have, and there's a certain realism to the simple task of checking on a set of cells. Prisons are also dangerous places by their very nature, so the realism also gives the player a bit of uneasiness each time you go through a loop. Anomaly games often go for the "liminal space" vibes for their horror, but you get a more straightforward sense of creepiness here. I also liked the staircase that you're placed into between each of the loops, as it brings also manages to incorporate a hint of those "backroom" vibes too. This is not a horror game by any stretch, but there are elements that are hard to describe outside of playing it for oneself. All of this is cool of course, but it's the anomalies that can make or break a game like this, so let's move on to discuss those next.

Even though you only have a single hallway and a dozen cells to deal with, there are a surprising amount of anomalies that you can encounter on each loop. I don't want to reveal all of them in the hopes of leaving some of the cooler ones for players to discover for themselves, but there were far more than I was expecting to find. They range from small and easy to miss, to ones that will have you running back the way you came. The subtle ones include things like extra items in a cell, the bunks or furniture being slightly off, a light flickering that wasn't before, a cell open that shouldn't be, or other details you're definitely going to overlook your first couple loops through the game. More obvious anomalies include the prisoners holding contraband items, cell doors opening and closing on their own, or even some crazy ones that lead to an instant game over. These latter ones I found the most interesting, as they reminded me the most of the anomalies found in The Exit 8. I'm not sure if other developers aren't fans of such instant-death anomalies, as this is one of the few games that I've seen incorporate several of them. I really don't want to reveal them all, but these can truly give you a jump scare or two when you encounter them. It can be a bit annoying to fall victim to a game-ending anomaly in the 8th or 9th loop, but it's not like these types of games are very long to begin with. I guess that's the only other thing to mention as far as gameplay goes, as you really can't expect anything resembling a resolution when you complete the final loop. Things just sort of stop once you exit the final loop correctly, but this is a game that's more about the journey to the end anyway.

I really don't have a lot to say about the game's presentation, but I found the graphics and sound to be more than adequate as far as the genre is concerned. There is the usual "asset-flip" feel to everything, but the prison setting means that all the in-game items and scenery fit together in a cohesive fashion not often found in other similar titles. I only tend to care about a game using store-bought assets when they feel like they've been randomly slapped together, and that's not the case here at all. Everything looks good for what it is, and some of the effects for the crazier anomalies are downright impressive. Sound is as basic as can be, and you can expect to play much of Prison Loop in silence. This is pretty much par the course for any other game in the genre, but there isn't even a decent footstep sound here, nor any creepy atmospheric noises to set the mood. It's a small failing, but one that I think could've been easily solved in the development process. This could also be something that only I notice, but I feel that it's worth pointing out nonetheless.

All anomaly games have one big flaw to them that's very hard to overlook, and that's their longevity. I was able to fully complete Prison Loop in well under an hour, and I'm sure that most people will have the same experience. You can keep playing of course, and try to discover all of the anomalies, but the game never changes beyond that. There's no extra levels to unlock, and the all the loops are randomized in similar ways to the first one you played. Though this is a big negative that's hard to overlook, the game also comes at a price that reflects its level of content. It's hard to be too upset with the lack of shelf-life or gameplay length when you're only paying $4.99. I guess some might still see that as too high of a price point, but I find it to be more than fair.

While I do have to say that the genre itself might not be a good fit for everyone, I still have to give Prison Loop a solid recommendation. Fans of the genre will find something to enjoy here, and its low price of entry means that one can easily pick it up on a whim. Its setting and anomalies also make it a decent first go for those looking to get into these types of games. It doesn't surpass the greatness that is The Exit 8, but it's a solid take on the genre that it popularized. That's pretty much all I have to say on this one, so I guess I'll see you in the next one!

Check Out Prison Loop on Nintendo Switch:
https://www.nintendo.com/us/store/products/prison-loop-switch


Story: N/A
Gameplay: B
Graphics: B
Music/Sound: B-
Value: A

Overall: B

Pros:
+ A great take on the anomaly genre.
+ The prison setting adds a realism to the game that's hard to describe. It also means that all the gameplay elements gel together in a way you don't always see in games like this.
+ There are a surprising amount of anomalies to find. Some of extremely subtle, and some will even end the game if you're not careful.
+ Priced very reasonably at $4.99.

Cons:
- This is a very short game, and there isn't a lot of reason to play it once you've beaten it.
- Even though I appreciate the different take on the gameplay formula, you really are just examining a single row of cells over and over again.
- The sound design is a bit lacking. Better effort could've been put into setting a creepy vibe via sound.

A copy of this game was provided to us free-of-charge by the publisher for the purpose of this review. This did not affect our review in any way.


#PrisonLoopOnConsoles
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<![CDATA[Getting The Full Retail Experience: A Trading Card Shop Simulator Review]]>Sat, 15 Feb 2025 08:00:00 GMThttp://a-to-jconnections.com/gaming/getting-the-full-retail-experience-a-trading-card-shop-simulator-reviewBy Manuel
Players: 1
Platforms: Nintendo Switch, PC (Steam)


There are a lot of simulator games on the market these days, and I've had some mixed experiences with them over the years. Some can be broken messes full of store-bought assets, and others are pure fun despite their limitations. Coming to us by way of publisher Nostra Games, Trading Card Shop Simulator recently dropped onto the Nintendo Switch following an earlier Steam release, and we're going to see where it falls on the spectrum. Running a card shop is probably going to be a lot of work, so let's just dive right in already!

Seeing as there is no story in Trading Card Shop Simulator beyond whatever you choose to make up for yourself, let's go straight to discussing gameplay. As the title suggests, your goal is to set up a Trading Card Shop, and watch it grow. You start with an empty shop that you can name whatever you want, a starting bank balance of $1,000, a cell phone that acts as your portal to everything business related, and a single shelf with which to stock items which are purchased with your starting money. How you grow from those humble beginnings is completely up to you, but the game does offer something akin to a tutorial in its first few in-game days. Games like this can be deceptively complicated when trying to explain their mechanics in a handful of words, so bear with me while I essentially go over that tutorial again.

Starting each day of business is as simple as turning the sign in the window from "Closed" to "Open. Each day starts at 9 AM, and your store will be open for business until 9 PM. You can actually close the store at any time during the day too, but that's the general window you'll be working within. Time continuously moves forward while the store is open, but isn't counted before or after the 9 AM-9PM period. This means that those times are perfect for stocking shelves and re-arranging fixtures. Any purchases made on your part, be they store furniture or inventory, are made via your cell phone's menu. You can order anything you wish as long as you have unlocked it by way of your current level, and if you have enough money on hand to pay for it. Each order you make also has a delivery fee attached to it, so you'll have to factor that in as well. Orders are literally dropped out of the sky onto the street in front of your store, but thankfully no one walking by will steal your stuff. You can actually use the street as an unofficial stock area, but that's crazy behavior I can't get behind. Each stockable item has a size that limits how many of them can be stocked within a single space, and any leftover items remain in the box they came in. You'll also need these same boxes to "un-stock" an item, but it's usually best to simply sell through whatever it is if you've already thrown the box away.

Once you've stocked your shelves, and recycled the empty boxes outside, you then set the prices of whatever it is you're going to sell. This is where the real magic comes in, as some customers will only buy at a certain level of mark-up. They will of course more than eagerly eat up any item left at the market price, but you'll be losing money at that point thanks to shipping fees and rent. Pricing an item too high means that customers won't buy anything at all, and they'll also leave upset. Finding the right price for an item is key to running a successful shop, and I've found that the magic number is somewhere between 25-35% above the market price. Also, since this is a store that stocks items that can be considered collectables, you'll find that prices for your items will fluctuate day to day. This can be quite the time-consuming task to stay on top of, but it's very important if you want to maximize profits. Each sale you make also raises your in-game level, which in turn allows you to stock new items. These unlockable items typically have higher price points, so your profits will go up accordingly. Even though you're running a card shop, you'll eventually be able to stock non-card items like stickers, dice sets, cell phone cases, and even comic books. You can of course pick and choose whatever you stock, so you can keep your store a "pure" card shop if that's what you desire.

Shelves are stocked, now it's time for the real gameplay to begin! What does this gameplay entail? Manning a cash register of course! I'm exaggerating a bit, but you will be spending much of your first few in-game days working the register yourself. This means counting out change for cash sales, and inputting totals for credit card transactions. You can only enter the correct amount for both, so you don't have to worry about either party getting screwed over during a transition. You will eventually unlock the ability to hire staff to take over this part of the game, but you'll still most likely have to work on the register at least a couple times each in-game day. Even though customers come in droves, they thankfully are mostly able to handle all other tasks themselves. There's no need to answer pointless questions, or check if an item is in your non-existent stockroom. Customers will simply buy what's available, and complain if things aren't to their liking. Besides ringing up sales, you can also restock items at any time during the day. There's actually no limit as to what you can do during business hours, so feel free to also upgrade your shop and move furniture around. One other interesting aspect of gameplay that's unique to a TCG shop involves opening card packs to sell the individual cards as singles. This process can make or lose you additional money depending on the cards you pull from the packs. Besides shelving, you also can set up tables for customers to play cards, and this is a service they will pay you additional money for. If you get further into the game, you can also set up tournaments, and this too nets you more money that doesn't require stocking inventory. Money is the name of the game after all, and you're in a constant fight to the top.

Besides purchasing inventory, you'll also be spending your money on things like shop upgrades, furniture and fixtures, and bills. Bills are paid out for rent and electricity, though I found that the latter isn't really important. The game does have a day/night cycle, but you can get out of paying the electric bill entirely by never touching the light switch. Rent is charged daily, and you can pay it at seemingly any time you want. If there is a time limit as to when you have to pay, I never encountered it. Furniture and fixtures come in the form of tables for card playing, shelves for standard inventory items, and displays for more expensive inventory or individual cards. While you can recycle (read: throw away) furniture you no longer want, I don't think it's possible to get any return on the money you spent to acquire them. Therefore it's best to plan ahead when purchasing anything new for your store, and you might want to think about finding somewhere to put fixtures that have outlived their usefulness. Upgrades to your store come in two types. One allows you to expand your floor space, and the other allows you to purchase an entire second shop. The second shop isn't a stock area, it's a standalone storefront that takes in money as well. I say "standalone", but there is a door that goes between both spaces. You can upgrade the second store too, and even hire a second employee to work it. Unfortunately there are only two employees for you to hire, a good one and a bad one, so you'll always have one store operating at a lower level than the other. Oh, and I guess I should also point out that you have to pay your employees a daily wage, so I guess that amounts to yet another bill.
Even though Trading Card Shop Simulator has one of the most basic gameplay loops I've ever experienced, I'd be lying if I said I wasn't also extremely addicting. I spent far longer playing it than I originally intended, and I even came to care about the store that I was creating. Running the store may be the focus here, but I spent just as much time figuring out fixture layouts, and moving stock around so that it made sense to me from a retail perspective. I even made it a point to place all my overstock in a single tidy area of the store, and made sure that all inventory orders were taken off the street in a timely manner. You'd think that running a virtual store like this wouldn't be very fun, but that's not the case at all. I've personally spent many years of my life working retail, and I never imagined that I'd find myself addicted to a game that simulated the very tasks I disliked. Being on a register was the bane of my existence at one point of my life, but I eagerly jumped at the chance to do it in a digital setting. I can't explain it, but it's just different. There's also the fact that you're creating something from nothing. Seeing your store grow from a single shelf, to two huge, fully stocked retail spaces gives one a surprisingly big sense of accomplishment. There are some quirks to the game I didn't care for, most of them having to do with wonky controls, but all the negatives are overshadowed by how simply fun everything is. This is a game that will probably wear out its welcome after a while, but I have yet to reach that point.
I don't have a lot to say regarding the graphics or sound of Trading Card Shop Simulator, so I guess I'll just cover them both at once. Graphically, the game has that Unity Simulator look everyone expects to find in a game like this. Repeated character models, basic textures, and some graphical elements that feel more than a little mismatched. It's not a great looking game, but it's really not an ugly one either. Then there's the inventory items and cards themselves. The in-universe card game actually has dozens (hundreds?) of cards that you can collect, and these all have an AI generated look to them. I can't say that AI was used in the creation of this game, but the cards certainly do look that way. I know that's a very touchy subject in the world of gaming, but I honestly didn't think too much about it here. The possibility is there, but the cards aren't really worth getting upset over. I actually found most of them to be rather cute. On the other hand, music just sort of exists. It's not bad, but it isn't going to win the game any awards either. The best thing I can say about it is that it isn't annoying, and hearing it over the course of several hours didn't make me want to turn the sound down. The music might not even have been created specifically for this game, but there's really nothing wrong with that either.

Judging the length of a game like Trading Card Shop Simulator is rather difficult. It will probably take you around 5-10 hours to fully unlock everything in-game, and from there it's a matter of going through the same tasks until you get bored of the repetition. I personally found the game to be worth playing beyond that point, but that can vary from player to player. To that end, I personally think that its current price of $12.99 is more than fair. The real issue lies with the fact that this game seemed to have released alongside two or three other very similar titles. Not only is it a crowded and confusing space, but those other games are all cheaper than this one. I can't compare one game versus the other, since I've not played any but this one, but it is hard to recommend this one over those considering its higher price point. Then again, I can say that this one is totally worth playing when judging it on its own. It has a more than reasonable price point, and I guess I'll leave it up to others to check if the cheaper alternatives are at all comparable.

In case it's not obvious, I give Trading Card Shop Simulator the fullest of recommendations. If you're the type of gamer who absolutely loathes Unity-based Simulator games, this one isn't going to do anything to change your mind. On the other hand, if you're fan of them, then this is a must-play game. Those who enjoy simulator titles, TCGs, or even sandbox games, will find something to enjoy here. Pick it up now, set up your shop, and maybe invite me over for a tournament. I can't wait to play more games like this in the future! Until then, I'll see you in the next one!

Check Out Trading Card Shop Simulator on Nintendo Switch:
https://www.nintendo.com/us/store/products/trading-card-shop-simulator-switch/


Story: N/A
Gameplay: B+
Graphics: B
Music/Sound: B
Value: A

Overall: B+

Pros:
+ A great game that feels a cut above the many Unity-based simulator games out there.
+ Building your shop from the ground up is quite enjoyable. There's a surprisingly deep level of customization when it comes to your store's look and inventory.
+ It can quite a while to unlock everything available in-game, so you'll have goals to work towards for much of the game.
+ Captures the Card Shop vibes in ways I wasn't expecting. Opening packs for individual card sales, and being able to set up in-store tournaments, are nice touches.
+ Though I suspect that AI art was used in their creation, I have a soft spot for the silly creatures found on the in-universe cards.
+ While some gameplay elements keep this game far from perfection, it's still quite addicting, and a lot of fun to play.

Cons:
- The repetitive nature of the core gameplay loop might put off some.
- I'm fairly positive that much of the game's individual components are made up of store-bought assets. This isn't truly a negative in the traditional sense, but some might find issue with it.
- On a similar note, the art found in the cards has an AI-created look to it. I can't confirm that this is the case, but I'm sure most people will agree with my assessment.
- Can be a hard buy when there are a handful of similar-looking games that are currently available at a lower price point.

A copy of this game was provided to us free-of-charge by the publisher for the purpose of this review. This did not affect our review in any way.


Picture
I love my store!
#TradingCardShopSimulator
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<![CDATA[Wasted Days & Sleepless Nights: A Mizuchi Review]]>Fri, 14 Feb 2025 09:37:53 GMThttp://a-to-jconnections.com/gaming/wasted-days-sleepless-nights-a-mizuchi-reviewBy Manuel
Players: 1
Platforms: Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, PC (Steam)


It's Valentine's Day, and I have just the game for you all! Mizuchi is a yuri themed visual novel that originally released back in 2020 on Steam. It was brought to fruition via a successful Kickstarter, and developer Aikasa Collective recently completed another Kickstarter for a new game. Funding details aside, Mizuchi is now making the move to consoles. It's currently available on the Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, and PlayStation 5. We're going to be taking a look at it on the Switch, and seeing if it was worth the long wait. We have a lot to cover in this one, so let's get right to the review!

Mizuchi places you into the role of Linh, a character who you can rename to whatever you wish at the start of the game. She is one of five daughters, and lives a tough life in a small village that worships snakes. One day, while stealing food, she stumbles on a wounded snake who she promptly feeds out of obligation. Linh figures that the snake is near death, but little does she know that this action will change the course of her life. Upon returning home she finds that her childhood friend, named Anh, is back from war. He uses this time of leave to ask for her hand in marriage, and her family's standing in the village means that she has no reason to not accept. It seems like this story is going to have a quick happy ending after all. Unfortunately nothing is ever so simple, as she ends up being betrayed by Anh. Through a course of events that I won't reveal for the sake of spoilers, she ends up being thrown into a snake pit for a crime she didn't commit. Fortunately for her, this pit currently houses the snake she earlier befriended. Not only did the snake survive its wounds, but it turns out that the snake is a shapeshifting creature named Ai. Ai saves Linh by taking her to her remote mountain home that is surrounded by mists. Linh now has no home to return to, and she is to serve as something of a partner to Ai. This is all told to Linh in a matter-of-fact way, but Ai is not exactly acting out of malice. The pair then go about a peaceful, if awkward, co-existence. Not too long after this, a monk named Jinhai arrives to fight Ai. This confusing turn of events gets even stranger when it's revealed that Jinhai will now be living with them too. Despite being a monk, Jinhai is also female, and has a history with Ai that is wrapped in mystery. From there on, the plot focuses on the relationships between the trio of women that live in Ai's house. Linh isn't exactly a prisoner, but she's not quite free either. She's going to have to make a choice. Will she stay with Ai? Or will she run away with Jinhai when the opportunity presents itself?
Like I said at the top of the review, Mizuchi is a yuri themed visual novel, so you can probably guess where the plot goes next. This isn't an 18+ game though, so don't expect things to get too intense. There are also some platonic routes to go through if you so desire, and there's plenty of game that doesn't involve romance at all. Ai is a snake though, so don't expect her to wear clothes. I only really bring that up as I think it's one of the biggest reasons why the game is rated M. There are some scenes that may have also caused the game to get that rating, but I wanted to point out early on that this isn't going to be a full-on eroge. Going back to plot, Mizuchi has a lot going for it beyond romance that makes it a unique experience. Some might already be aware of this, but the story is actually a loose adaptation of the Chinese folk tale, the Legend of White Snake. It only borrows some elements, but it's what drew me to the game in the first place. There was an animated movie that came out the year before this game was originally released, and I'm surprised it wasn't on my radar until now. White Snake aside, the game doesn't actually take place in any single place. Not only does it borrow cultural traditions of several Asian countries, but it's more accurate to say that the game takes place in a pure fantasy setting. These two factors alone make it a game worth playing even if you may not care for the yuri themes. The focus of the story is on the relationships between the three main characters though, so don't expect to fully get away from that if you're only here for the setting. Then again the Legend of White Snake itself is a tale of romance, so I guess it's to be expected.
Though romance does develop between the three characters, it takes quite a long time for it to blossom. You're in for a long haul if you want take on Mizuchi's story, so you might as well get comfortable. There is a lot of will they/won't they type of scenes throughout, but the biggest factor that draws out the romance is the overall pacing. I've played several visual novels that take the "slice-of-life" approach to storytelling, but Mizuchi really takes the cake. This is a game that isn't afraid to take its time, and you better be ready to deal with that. If you're hoping for the characters to start falling for each other right away, you're going to be disappointed to see that much of the game seems to revolve around anything but love. Romance is always present of course, but so are scenes that involve seemingly random conversations about history, cultures, and even society itself. Most present of all is the topic of food. Just about every meal the characters have is presented in full detail, and much of the game revolves around cooking. This did get old after a while, but the pacing was a quirk that I came to enjoy by the end. There's a light, friendly vibe to everything that puts the focus on the characters. You'd think that learning about Jinhai's cooking skills, or Ai's preference for meat, will be unimportant to the core story, but that couldn't be further from the truth. Each interaction lets the player learn more about the characters’ lives in a way that feels completely natural, and it makes the choices between them feel all the heavier. There really is no "right" path to follow here. Jinhai, Ai, and Linh are all flawed characters to a degree, but they're also endearing and charming in their own way. I guess since we spent this bit talking about pacing, let's talk a bit more about characterization.
Considering that Mizuchi is essentially a tale that only truly features three characters, one would hope that they're all written in a way that keeps one invested. While it's true that some may still find something to dislike here simply due to personal preference, I have to say that the game pulls off the job well. Not only will you grow to like them, but you may even wish for their happiness by the end. Since the story goes for the slice-of-life approach, there is no rushing towards a conclusion here. Relationships develop, grow, and change in a way that feels very natural. Tension and drama are always present, but there's an undercurrent of tranquility that runs counter to that. Slow and steady not only wins the race, but it can also win hearts too. This approach to storytelling means that you'll come to learn all there is to know about our trio of characters. Some big interactions are locked away behind character-specific routes, but there's enough for the reader to get a very good perspective on them even if you're just going through it without a focus on picking one pairing over the other. It's not just the relationships that involve Linh either, as the bond between Ai and Jinhai is just as important to the narrative. It also helps that all of the characters are quite endearing. Ai's odd character quirks and flippant remarks could have easily made her unlikable, but that's not the case here at all. The same can be said for Jinhai's calm and stoic nature. It's hard to write characters with these sorts of personalities in a way where they don't become a walking character trope, but the line is treaded very carefully here. The small cast is anything but a detriment, and Mizuchi pulls off a story that rivals that of bigger titles that have giant casts of characters by comparison.

Even though Mizuchi is a visual novel, there still is something resembling gameplay when it comes to the choices you make in-game. That may sound like an odd way to phrase it, but this is the type of visual novel that tracks your choices to determine the ending that you're going to get. I may be reading a bit too much into it, but you really do have to take an exact set of actions if you wish to get onto a specific route. There are five endings in total, with some of them being romantic, and others being platonic. It's not always easy to figure out when your actions will lead you towards one versus the other, but focusing on the character you like is probably the safest way to go. Having said that, I found that it was somewhat difficult to figure things out without consulting a guide. I do think that several of the in-game choices only affect dialogue, but there are some that feel like they aren't important, but can lock you out of a route if you're not careful. This can be pretty annoying if you've already saved beyond a certain point. Considering the game is quite long, it isn't exactly easy to start again if you've messed up. You can make use of the dialogue skip feature, but skipping hours of scenes still means minutes and minutes of sitting there until you get back to the choice you messed up on. I guess this might only be an issue for completionists, but I actually got an ending I wasn't hoping for my first time through the game in spite of making what I thought were the "correct" choices. It didn't sour my experience on the game overall, but it did annoy me a bit that I spent hours to get a conclusion that ran counter to what I thought I was working towards.

If there's one aspect of the game where Mizuchi completely shines, it has to be its artwork. This is a beautiful game, and it's in no way limited by its small cast or very localized setting. If anything, the smaller scope allows the game to fully explore what is present in the game. There are tons of CGs of all the characters, some of them being very impressive, as well as several outfit variations. This isn't a full-on 18+ title, but there are some romantic scenes that are stunning as well. That aside, I was constantly surprised by the ways that the game would break out of its seemingly small scope to give a scene that felt new and unique. This usually came by way of exploring areas not mentioned in the game before, but come in the form of giving us a different view of a character. This is most relevant when it comes to Ai herself, as she has several forms she can take on, each being a work of art in and of itself. I actually think that Ai's design is perfect, and I loved seeing her on screen in whatever form she was in. There's also a level of detail that goes all the way to the background images. Similar to the plot's setting, there are several different Asian aesthetics that seamlessly come together. I guess my only real gripe would be the lack of much animation in some of the scenes, but that's not really a big issue at all. While you won't get anything resembling a fully animated scene, there are plenty of moments that imply action and movement by way of a cleverly-used CG, or by simple camera motions. Though I have nothing else to say on this topic, I will advise players to check out the CGs in the unlockable gallery. They really do all deserve a second look.
My praise for Mizuchi's soundtrack might not be as glowing as my praise for the visuals, but the game does an amazing job on that front too. I've talked about the video game music genre I dub "visual novel music" many times over the years, and the music here falls squarely into that category. For those who are new, visual novel music is the term I use for soundtracks that are good, but are full of music that seems to exist to be solely in the background. Certain tracks may have catchy melodies, but they don't seem to ever get stuck in your head the way other video game music might. These types of soundtracks have music that always complements the scene that they're in, but they very rarely overtake said scene and become the focus. It really isn't a negative term though, it just describes music that rarely warrants big discussion. That said, I will admit that there's a bit of a difference in Mizuchi's soundtrack that I feel is worth pointing out. Due to the subdued pace of the game, the soundtrack almost feels like an extension of the slice-of-life vibes. The music lulls you into complacency, and makes it so that you'll feel the dramatic twists and turns all the better. This is a soundtrack I wouldn't mind having on in the background while doing my writing, and features a similar eclectic mix of Asian inspirations as the game's setting.

While it makes sense that the soundtrack would be a bit more prominent in a game like this, it really has to be since there is no voice acting at all. I was more than a little let down to learn that there wouldn't be voices bringing Ai, Jinhai, and Linh to life. One can make the argument that having no voice acting makes it easier to put one's own spin on things, but I've played other indie visual novels that have voice acting in them. I do realize that this is a smaller release, but I can't help but wish that some of the Kickstarter money was spent voicing the main cast at the very least. Admittedly this would be a lot of work due to the length of the game, but the opposite is true as well. Having to read walls of text in relative silence can be a bit of a strain at times. I did just go on about how great the soundtrack was a bit ago, but it can only do so much heavy lifting. The lack of voice acting is something you will get used to after a while, but its absence does detract from the overall presentation quite a bit.

Those expecting a short visual novel experience will probably be surprised to learn that getting through Mizuchi will take anywhere from 8-10 hours or so your first time through. This has a lot to do with reading speed, but it's still a bit longer than I was expecting. One can't forget about the multiple endings though, so your time can actually double if you want to see them all. There's a lot of content to enjoy here, and I do think the story is worth seeing through to its end, but I have a big issue when it comes to this console release's pricing. Mizuchi's 2020 release on Steam was priced at $14.99, and I think very reasonable. There is a lot of content, and the artwork is amazing, but the small scope of the game, and the lack of voice acting, do bring it down a couple notches. If that were the price across the board, things would be perfectly fine, but that's unfortunately not the case. I know that there is always talk of the "Switch Tax" when things make their way to Nintendo's hybrid console, but that doesn't excuse this five year old game being re-released at $24.99. You can't even use the Switch Tax defense anyway since it's also that price on PlayStation 4 and 5. I'd feel the same way regarding price even if I didn't know about its history, but it feels sort of insulting knowing about the post-Steam price hike. I don't want to end this review on a negative, but this was probably the only part of the game I couldn't get behind.
Despite my strong reservations on console pricing, I still have to give Mizuchi a full recommendation. It's a beautiful game with a beautiful story, and it deserves to be enjoyed in any way you can get your hands on it. It's a must-buy for visual novel fans, yuri fans, or anyone just looking for a good game to play. Part of me wants to recommend the Steam release over the console one since you can get the game and the soundtrack for less than $24.99, but perhaps I'm just being too hard on the game for pricing. If you get it on consoles, you still won't be disappointed. Not only was Mizuchi a great game on its own, but it made me interest in looking up other takes on the Legend of the White Snake. I'm also really looking forward to Red Rebellion, the upcoming game from Aikasa Collective. Maybe I'll be back to review that one later in the year? I guess we'll have to wait and see! See you in the next one!

Check Out Mizuchi on Nintendo Switch:
https://www.nintendo.com/us/store/products/mizuchi-switch/


Story: A+
Gameplay: N/A
Graphics: A+
Music/Sound: A-
Value: B

Overall: A

Pros:
+ A great visual novel that adapts elements of the Legend of White Snake.
+ Also features cultural elements from other parts of Asia in a unique fantasy setting.
+ The main trio are all well-written, and you'll grow to care about the bonds that form between them.
+ The art and character designs are all amazing. Ai in particular has several different designs that are practically perfect.
+ This slice-of-life visual novel is also accompanied by a great soundtrack.
+ Five different endings, some romantic and some platonic, mean that you'll have a lot of content to look forward to.

Cons:
- The game's slow pace can put off some. (How many times do we have to hear about what they're eating for breakfast?!)
- Some of the cultural elements, like untranslated lines, can seem to come out of nowhere.
- The lack of voice acting hits pretty hard here. It can be a bit much to go through a game as long as this one without a single spoken word.
- Considering the Steam release is priced at $14.99, asking $24.99 for the console release just feels wrong.

A copy of this game was provided to us free-of-charge by the publisher for the purpose of this review. This did not affect our review in any way.


Picture
Eating this many egg dishes in the US would bankrupt them today.
#Mizuchi
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<![CDATA[Early Access Examination: Dark Trip]]>Thu, 13 Feb 2025 08:00:00 GMThttp://a-to-jconnections.com/gaming/early-access-examination-dark-tripBy Al
Players: 1
Platforms: Meta Quest


I'm no stranger to Early Access releases, but I don't think I've ever seen one outside of Steam. Dark Trip is a VR game that's available now on the Meta Store, but it’s currently in that aforementioned state of Early Access. There doesn't seem to be a lot of information on when its full release will be coming, but you can grab it right now if you so desire. Is that something you desire? Hopefully that's what we'll find out today in this early look at the game!

Dark Trip places you into the shoes of a detective hired to find the missing daughter of a businessman. This investigation takes you to an abandoned laboratory in a small German town, and it's here where you hope to find clues as to her whereabouts. Things quickly go off the rails once it becomes apparent that this facility is very much active, and that her disappearance is part of a much bigger scheme. The details of what's going on will slowly reveal themselves to you, but you first have to find a way out of the series of rooms that you find yourself trapped in. Getting out means using your wits, but it also could mean using drugs. In a twist that is just as crazy as it sounds, you can ingest hallucinogenic drugs to help you escape. The word "help" is doing a lot of heavy lifting there, but we'll to that in a bit. Dark Trip may throw you into the deep end as far as its plot goes, but there's no denying that it has quite the unique premise.
I guess this is the part where we discuss gameplay. At its heart, Dark Trip is an escape room-themed adventure game. Your task is to escape from a series of rooms, and you have to solve puzzles in order to do so. Items can be picked up and used in standard adventure game fashion, and clues can also be found scattered about the environment. There's even an in-game journal that provides both plot points and hints. Speaking of plot, this is game that relies heavily on atmospheric storytelling. There aren't any notable character interactions, so don't expect much in the way of dramatic cutscenes here. You'll be mostly solving puzzles, and that's fine by me. Puzzles involve the use of switches, codes, and picked-up items, with many of them containing multiple steps. There really isn't too much to say about the puzzles themselves, as they aren't too ground-breaking on their own. The thing that makes Dark Trip stand out among its contemporaries, and the main focus of its marketing, is its use of drugs to alter the gameplay. I of course refer to using drugs in-game, as we all know that winners don't use them. You can actually complete the entire game without ever having touched them, but where's the fun in that?

If the game ever explains what exactly the drugs are, I must've missed it. Their effects are psychedelic though, so it's safe to assume we're talking something along the lines of acid. Using these drugs changes up the way you see the game's world. Not only will you see things that might not really be there, but the puzzles may have altered solutions too. This doesn't really alter the difficulty or anything like that, but it is a very interesting concept. As a gameplay mechanic, it essentially creates two different versions of the game. Early Access or not, this adds a lot of replayability. You can do a sober run, a drugged-up run, or a mix of both. The game really does open up if you're willing to use the drugs in-game, though it is worth mentioning that the game gets even more over-the-top if you do. Even though I have no problem with the game's reliance on drugs to alter gameplay, I can also see how some would think this was added just to make the game needlessly edgy. I personally don't think that's the case at all, but I also have to say that things are definitely going to get more edgy whether you use the drugs or not.

Even though I have mostly good things to say about Dark Trip, let's cover some negatives. For a game that has the word "dark" in its title, it probably shouldn't be surprising that things can sometimes be a bit hard to see. There are actually some impressive lighting effects on display, but that doesn't change the fact that I often found myself straining to see what was going on more than a few times. There's also the matter of controls, which can be on the wonky side of things. Some puzzles require hand movements that feel outside of the abilities of the Meta Quest, and movement can take a bit of getting used to. You can alter things a bit via the options, but movement mostly takes place by teleporting automatically from space to space. This makes the game feel a bit like old-school Myst, but it can be very jarring in VR. You'll also be disappointed if you go in expecting to find a horror game. There are some creepy moments to be had, but there isn't a jump scare in sight, and the drug trips are more weird and wacky than anything else. This isn't a bad game by any stretch, but it's very rough around the edges at this point and time. I guess it's a good thing it's in Early Access.

Now that I have most of the negatives out of the way, let's go back to the positives. Even though the marketing focuses on the drug aspect, I for one feel that Dark Trip excels more at capturing realistic escape room vibes. I don't know why I prefer these types of experiences in a digital format over the IRL, but I'm a sucker for games like this. Genre favoritism aside, Dark Trip feels like a well thought out escape room that has puzzles that will actually challenge you. They won't have you stuck for hours not knowing what to do, but they'll probably have you stumped for a decent while until the lightbulb moment suddenly goes off. The story also gets quite out there by the end, and involves the topic of Nazi experiments. (Bet you thought I forgot about mentioning where things get edgy!) The story gets so crazy that it almost circles back around to becoming funny. The full scope of the plot is still not revealed at this point in the game's development, but it involves the rather infamous Dr. Mengele and his experiments. That might not sound very funny, but trust me when I say that it doesn't seem to be taking itself fully seriously.

As it stands now, Dark Trip offers seven rooms, and about one or two hours of gameplay. I'm not sure when the full launch will come about, but it's a surprisingly strong showing already. I've played full release VR games that offer the same level of content as this one, so I look forward to whatever else the developers have up their sleeves. It also only costs $10.99 at the time of this writing, so it's inexpensive too. I have absolutely no experience when it comes to Early Access games on the Meta platform, so I don't know if there's a good "success rate" or not when it comes to these types of games. Having said that, I think that Dark Trip looks really good already, and can only get better. If you choose to grab it now, I doubt you'll be disappointed. If you don't, then at least keep an eye on it.

Check Out Dark Trip on Meta:
https://www.meta.com/experiences/dark-trip/27793698076945636/

A copy of this game was provided to us free-of-charge by the publisher for the purpose of this review. This did not affect our review in any way.

#DarkTrip
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<![CDATA[A New Take On A Classic Formula : A Starlight Legacy Review]]>Wed, 12 Feb 2025 08:00:00 GMThttp://a-to-jconnections.com/gaming/a-new-take-on-a-classic-formula-a-starlight-legacy-reviewBy Manuel
Players: 1
Platforms: PC (Steam)


It's been a while since I reviewed a retro-styled RPG, and I'm very excited to break the drought with the game we're going to be looking at today. Starlight Legacy comes to us by way of developer Decafesoft, and publisher EastAsiaSoft. It's actually a game that I've been following on and off for about a year now, and I'm glad to see it get a full release. It's only available on PC (via Steam) at the time of this writing, but maybe it'll end up on other platforms in the future. As you might be able to tell from some of the screenshots, this is an RPG styled after the 16-bit classics of the 90s. It's an aesthetic I hold near and dear to my heart, and I have a lot to say about this game. That's enough for an intro, let's just get into the review already.

Starlight Legacy takes place in the world of Evaria, where friends Ignus and Teryl head off to deliver a package to King Lennox in the Kingdom Capital. Teryl is a freelance warrior for The Kingdom, but Ignus is simply along for the ride. If you were expecting either one to assume the role of "main character", you'll probably be sorely disappointed. Weak openings aside, King Lennox rules a land made up of four distinct Provinces, one of which is currently in open rebellion. These Provinces are referred to by their main characteristics, Forest, Mountain, Sky, and Desert, though all were independent at one point in time. Delivering the package goes off without a hitch, but Separatists from Lusoria, The Sky Province, kidnap the princess and burn down The Eternity Tree. Though it's never made totally clear as to why The Eternity Tree is so important to The Kingdom, its destruction creates havoc that our heroes must solve. King Lennox sends our unlikely duo, as well as a travelling merchant named Frida, off to collect the Starlight Relics. These three are now dubbed "The Starlight Heroes", and the quest begins. Free travel is restricted, so each Province must be taken on individually. A Relic is hidden in each, and together these Relics can create a new Eternity Tree. Things aren't ever that simple though, as King Lennox, The Lusorian Separatists, and even others you'll meet along the way, all have their own goals in mind that may run counter to those of The Starlight Heroes. It's not the most original plotline out there, but it does a good job in getting you into the world and its mechanics.
I don't want to start off the review with too much negativity, but there are some points about Starlight Legacy's story that I want to discuss before moving on. Put simply, it's messy, written in a style that is a mix between overly serious and campy, and isn't nearly as impactful as anything found in the games that inspired it. Admittedly, it's not the worst plot ever seen in an RPG, but it seems to have gotten the short end of the stick as far as focus in development went. If you're wondering why I seemingly glanced over the trio of heroes, that's because the game pretty much does so too. Teryl is probably the most developed character of the bunch, and that's pretty much solely due to the fact that he's a family man. Ignus literally has no real reason at all to be on the quest, and Frida just got caught up in things as they were happening. They all have a bit more backstory added to them over the course of the game, but it never really extends to the point where they feel like fleshed-out characters. I probably would've liked it more if they were simply blank slates, as this half-assed attempt at characterization feels almost insulting at times. The rest of the plot doesn't fare too much better, but it does flow decently for the most part. The game is essentially split up into several chapters, each being centered on the current Starlight Relic you're searching for. The overarching plot isn't bad, but you'll most likely be able to predict the next turn of events long before they happen. There's a fine line between creating a story that recalls classic games from a simpler time, and creating one that is cliché and boring. While I don't think Starlight Legacy completely fell towards the latter side of things, it did stumble along quite a bit.

It can of course be argued that older RPGs didn't have the strongest of stories, but that would be cop out. Not only can I think of several that did, the 16-bit era is often considered something of a renaissance for the genre. Perhaps there is a bit of the 8-bit take on story here, but that's just me making excuses. I don't think anyone will grow to hate Starlight Legacy due to its weak story, but I'm also willing to bet that plenty of people will probably be disappointed by it. It really was a big let-down for me, and I kept hoping it would go places it didn't. I guess they can't all be winners, and part of this failing can be due to the fact that Decafesoft is apparently a development studio made up of a single person. Anyhow, I guess it's time to move on with the review.

Discussing Starlight Legacy's gameplay is a bit of a messy topic, since it can be very complicated if approached from a certain angle. At its heart, it's a traditional turn-based RPG with random combat that is as basic as could be, but there's more to it than that if you're willing to dig deep. Combat relies heavily on elemental-based attacks and alignments that you can change at most any time, as well as equipment that moves character stats towards three different areas. Elemental affinities can be given to each character via in-game items, and these affinities can affect damage taken or received. For example, characters with the fire element will deal more damage when performing fire-based attacks, but will also take more damage from ice-based ones. You're freely able to change your elemental affinity at any time, and each of the game's main regions tends to have enemies that lean towards one element or another. You can also just go for the basic, non-elemental, alignment if you want. Equipment on the other hand tends to move a characters stats to attack, magic, or speed at the detriment of the others. For example, axes are strong but slow you down, staves provide you magic over strength, and just about all equipment messes with your speed to some degree. Technically defense and magic defense are thrown in as well, but you get the point. It's not just a matter of equipping the best gear available to you, but more like equipping weapons and armor that suit your play style. There are a few more systems we're going to get into in a bit, but I think it's worth discussing how important these mechanics are to the main game.
I'm sort of jumping the gun a bit, but my biggest issue with Starlight Legacy has to be its overall balance. Enemies will absolutely destroy you early on, and that trial-by-fire cycle will repeat itself whenever you enter a new Province. You also start at level one, which makes no sense from a story perspective. Why freelance warrior Teryl is the same level as Ignus is beyond me, but it means you can get one-shotted if you're not careful. I honestly thought I was doing something wrong at first since I kept dying. I think the game wants you to make use of the elemental affinities right from the get-go, but I found them to be very ineffective in practice. The bonuses they grant barely ever feel worth the hassle, and a handful of tough battles leveled up the characters enough so that messing around with the elements seemed even more pointless. Then there are the character skills which can come off as very OP. Get used to abusing skills if you want to get ahead. Also, money is just thrown at you via the near-constant random battles you're subjected to. Items and the like are very expensive, but it doesn't take too long to max out your money if you simply fight every battle the game throws at you. Even though my first couple hours were extremely difficult, I eventually got to the point where I didn't even bother with any of the more complicated in-game mechanics. I reused the same skills and summon magic over and over again, and used my easily replenishable supply of items whenever I needed to heal up. Starlight Legacy is far from an easy game, but it proves that there is a lot of work that goes into balancing an RPG that we as players don't ever seem to notice. This is anything but an example of that balance done right, but it was enjoyable enough that you might not care all that much.
Now that we have that big issue out of the way, let's tackle some positives regarding gameplay. Even though I wasn't too big on how Starlight Legacy handled elemental affinities and equipment, I did like how it handled exploration. Since the plot sees our trio of heroes collecting the Starlight Relics one Province at a time, it makes sense that those Provinces would be tackled in a particular order. In actuality, you can choose to take on the four regions in any order you choose. Level scaling across them all means that they will all (mostly) be in line with whatever your current party level is. The issues I mentioned earlier regarding balance are definitely still present, but I think they would've been there even if a "correct" sequence of Provinces was provided. Not only can you tackle each region in any order, but there's also a lot of freedom in how you do so. Each of the four nations have their own quests and gameplay quirks, but you're pretty much left to your own devices as to how you go about completing them. Each of the Provinces also gives you a new form of transportation that affects where you can travel. These include a magic carpet to get over rocks, a raft to go onto the water, and so on. You can even fly in 3D by the end, but talking about that too much goes into spoiler territory. Since each Province has areas that need all the unlockable forms of transportation to reach, that means that areas tackled later have more secrets to find. It's not quite open world, and it's not quite Metroidvania-like in its progression, but it is cool, and made for a fun experience.

Since the world is broken up into areas you can explore in any order you desire, this does mean that towns, chests, and available equipment can be a bit all over the place too, but these are all also scaled in accordance with the order taken. Each shop in the game is pretty much a copy of all the others in the world, and carry items, equipment, and magic that correspond with your current place in the game. I think they might also be somewhat dependent on character level, but I may be mistaken on that. Also, I didn't mention this earlier, but magic is something you purchase in-game. Some characters might be more proficient with magic-based attacks, but no character learns spells by default. You also can only use four spells at any one time, so some planning has to be made when decided who gets what spells. This all works out in a manner similar to early Final Fantasy games, and was a nice break from traditional mechanics. Going back to the level scaling, chests are handled a bit differently than shops and monsters. Besides some of them being locked off until you acquire modes of transportation only found in other regions, there will also be some chests that have numbers on them. These numbers correspond to the amount of Starlight Relics you currently have in your possession, and you can't open any that are above your current amount. This allows these chests to have items of a far higher level than what is found scattered elsewhere, and is another unique system that I liked. Though I must also point out that its inclusion means that you won't be able to collect every chest on your first run through an area.

I think I've gone on about gameplay for long enough, let's discuss graphics next. I'm a bit torn on this topic, as I really do like the overall look and feel of the world. The retro aesthetic is captured perfectly, and there are design elements I like. I'm a sucker for 2D sprites, and this game has some good ones. Also, the world is presented as a single large area. You go from town to monster-infested roads smoothly, and only break in this immersion comes when entering a dungeon. There are even some Mode 7-style scenes that are fairly impressive too. What's the problem then? Well, I'm of the mind that Starlight Legacy has a generic look that is hard to get behind. This is purely a subjective view, but the entire game looks so by the numbers that it lacks anything that would have it stand out. I'm sure the developer gets a kick out of fans comparing it to older games, but that can only go so far until it becomes a curse. The three main characters not only have very little character to them, but they also look like they were pulled out of a How to Draw Anime book. I don't mean that as an attack to the quality of their artwork, but as to the amount of personality and charm that their sprites and portraits give off. These are not characters you'll remember after the game is finished. At best, they'll just get you thinking about games and characters that possibly inspired them. This also goes with most everything else in the world. Towns, dungeons, and roads look like they could belong to any other 16-bit looking RPG, and the monster designs can be very hit and miss as well. It also doesn't help that each of the four Provinces follow a specific stereotype (Desert, Forest, Ice, etc.), and that the game and world are both rather small in scope. This doesn't really ruin the experience by any great degree, and you may in fact take in the game in a totally different way than me, but I really have to wonder if Starlight Legacy could've benefited from some outside help when it came to aspects outside of gameplay.

All my small issues aside, there's one part of Starlight Legacy that I think is near perfect, and that's its music. The entire soundtrack is full of the same retro vibes present elsewhere, and this is probably the only part of the game where I have nothing at all negative to point out. I truly did like every single piece of music the game had to offer, and I was even starting to look forward to certain themes after a while. It's also a place where the game most definitely succeeded in keeping things both traditional and original. The overworld themes are lively, the town themes are calm and soothing, the battle themes get the blood pumping, and so on. This sounds like it could very well be the soundtrack of a long lost SNES JRPG, and I mean that in the best way possible. There were some tracks that I must've heard on loop for ten minutes or more, and I was never bothered by it one bit. Instead of becoming irritating, I found myself humming along to some of them, and there are even some melodies that have been stuck in my head the entire time I've been writing this review. I don't know if the soundtrack is available to pick up on its own, but I'm going to look into that when I'm done here. I really have nothing else to say. This is a great soundtrack, and I hope that this level of quality is kept up in any future projects from the developer.

While Starlight Legacy does manage to capture much of the spirit of a retro 16-bit JRPG, it doesn't really pull off the length one comes to expect from such a game. It only takes about ten hours to reach the end, and maybe a few more hours more if you're going for the completionist route. That's not a bad length for any game for sure, but it is on the shorter end of things as far as the genre is concerned. There is something to be said about the quality versus quantity approach to gameplay, but I don't know if that's really the case here either. I'm not exactly against the game's reliance on old school gameplay mechanics, but a good chuck of those ten hours will be spent grinding levels. The battle system isn't the worst, so I didn't mind it all that much, but the lack of a strong story really stings when the game's short length enters the discussion. I do think it's totally worth its current $16.99 price tag, but it can be hard to recommend it when there isn't a lot of replayability. That is a problem for many RPGs, but most other RPGs are either longer, or have more memorable stories to fall back on. There are some optional bosses to beat, and secrets to find, but this is truly a one and done experience. Then again, most players will enjoy the ride nevertheless.
It probably comes as a surprise to no one that I give Starlight Legacy the fullest of recommendations. It's by no means perfect, but it's a strong showing from a single developer. Playing it is a must for fans of 16-bit RPGs, and probably for RPG fans in general. It also is short and affordable enough to appeal to those who lean more towards the casual side of things. It's not the easiest of games, but there just might be a little something for everyone here. I also should mention that said developer is taking in a lot of the early feedback and fixing issues with the game as they come up. I actually had to rewrite parts of this review as some of the issues I had were fixed in recent updates. That's always a good sign, and I really do look forward to what the developer has up their sleeve for the next game. Until then, this is there for Steam players to play right now. Grab it, and hopefully it makes its way to consoles later down the line. Until then, see you in the next one!

Check Out Starlight Legacy on Steam:
https://store.steampowered.com/app/2696760/Starlight_Legacy/


Story: B
Gameplay: B
Graphics: A-
Music/Sound: A+
Value: A

Overall: A-

Pros:
+ A cool take on the retro 16-bit RPG formula.
+ Though some of the advanced gameplay mechanics can be ignored if you so desire, the game does have a level of character customization that is rather impressive.
+ The non-linear aspect of the game almost gives it an open world, or even a Metroidvania, type of feel.
+ If you're a fan of 2D sprite-based graphics, then you'll find a lot to love here!
+ The soundtrack is simply amazing! Some of the best retro-styled music I've heard in a long time.
+ Though the game itself can be rather small in scope, there are lots of optional areas to explore, and secrets to uncover.
+ Its current $16.99 price tag is more than reasonable considering the amount of content one gets.

Cons:
- Both the story and characters are near paper thin. This is not a game that will remain in your mind due to its plot or characterization.
- Game balance is all over the place. The opening few hours of the game are absolutely punishing, and the latter few hours will see you so powerful that you can simply ignore many of the more complicated gameplay mechanics.
- Though good on a technical level, there isn't much charm or uniqueness to the graphics or character designs.
- At just ten hours or so, the game is on the shorter side as far as RPGs go.

A copy of this game was provided to us free-of-charge by the publisher for the purpose of this review. This did not affect our review in any way.


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Is King Lennox really King Trump?
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