Recent reviews by Ice_princess

I really enjoyed my time with Mask of the Rose, and I'll likely continue to enjoy it. The writing was never in doubt- Faillbetter has produced some incredible writing in the past, and Mask of the Rose continues to be incredible, with so many interesting characters and scenes to see.

The main issue so far is the one that everyone has noticed- The time constraints are a little strict, and it's difficult to comfortably get anything done in a single play though. They're already planning on changing this, though, and even with the current issues, I firmly believe that Mask of the Rose is worth a try.

A first glance at the trailer might give you the impression that this is another game just trying to cash in on retro graphics- Do not be mistaken! The Last Hero of Nostalgaia is an incredibly well designed soulslike game, and it makes really good use of it's artstyle to tell an interesting story. Let me break it down;

First of all, Gameplay! As a big fan of the genre, I have yet to find a soulslike game that isn't made by Fromsoft that nails the dark-souls feel as well as this game does. Combat is weighty and tense- Mashing the attack button is rarely the best choice, as your swings need time to follow through and could leave you open for attack if you aren't careful, and this is true for the enemies as well! Combat feels like a dance, putting you on your toes to dodge attacks and find openings to attack or heal, and this is especially true for the bosses, most of which are really well-designed and really fun to fight. The devs put a lot of effort into making sure everything is balanced just right, and you can really tell.

Second of all, level design! The map is cohesively connected and really feels like a whole world, rivaling the original dark souls in how interconnected it is. At the start of the game, the world feels vast and unfamiliar, everything miles apart, each area a journey to get through- by the end of the game, you know the layout like the back of your hand, dozens of shortcuts opening up to give you free reign of the world, and it's an utter joy to explore, lots of little nooks and crannies to find stuff in.

Third of all, Story and Puzzles! There aren't really puzzles to block your progression, but there's plenty in the Remembrance system! Items lore will give you hints pointing to landmarks in the world, and going there will let you upgrade your items, making them more powerful and giving them special abilities, as well as revealing more of the story surrounding the world. And the story is really interesting! The writers weren't lazy in the slightest- They've developed an interesting, self-consistent world with a wide number of characters who's stories all intersect- both past and present, with dozens of long-gone characters developing the backstory of the world and explaining it's current state, and characters you meet on your all have their own quirks and personalities, their questlines weaving in and out of each other. And while the story is comedic, it's a DARK comedy, the game mixing humor and tragedy masterfully.

And finally, Yes, the fanservice. I know there are people out there who would get a bitter taste in their mouth from it, but honestly, I really enjoyed it. The games artstyle is not simply retro for the sake of retro- It's an active participant in the story, and wouldn't be the same without it. The games items and lore also make a lot of references to other video games- pulling inspiration from triple A games and small indie games alike, and they do so in a way thats both faithful to the originals while having their own unique twists to fit into the world of the game. Picking up items clearly inspired by some of my favorite indie games was really nice.

In short; The Last Hero of Nostalgaia is a really well-designed soulslike game, and it's got a very interesting story to tell, about not just video games, but the game industry and our relationship with video games as well. It's funny and sad and I really, really recommend you give it a shot.

An incredibly stylish and fun RPG with a ton of content and customizability. Do you want a miserable experience trying desperately to cling to your life an sanity, or an spooky action romp where you behead demons with a katana? You can get all that and much more here. Good stuff.

This game is a ton of fun! Adorable and addicting. I wish it had a litlte bit more to do, but I'm enjoying just making my little towns and such. Deffo give it a try if you can.

I love this game. Running and gunning feels nice, the wide variety of equipment and mutations are excellent, and the writing is hilarious and disturbing. A little buggy and incomplete, but I'm hoping that's fixed quickly.

Do you want to murder your friends in creative ways? Then you should probably get some therapy or something, or get better friends. In the meantime, Play this game. It makes me want to laugh evily as I stab a guy with a barbeque poker while he's on a toilet.

Also, 20 bucks buys FIVE COPIES of this game. It's like a virus that infects everyone, and makes them stab people with weird stuff.

7/10.