Crimson Tactics wants to be a sweeping epic but is instead a cumbersome slog. Even the most patient and forgiving gamers who can look past slow pacing, terribly written dialogue, and myriad other issues will not see much potential. Crimson Tactics is an unbearably dull, poorly designed, and unfinished game that fails to deliver on any of its promises. I’m glad to be done with this game and have no intention of looking at its sequels, DLC, or any subsequent content.
A passionate love letter to traditional RPGs, pro wrestling, and upturned toy boxes.
Arcadian Atlas is a solid, concise SRPG crafted with a lot of heart.
Love Shore has ideas I would like to see expanded on in the visual novel genre.
A decent game that could have been so much better.
It's a fanservicey anime-style game with sinister underpinnings.
A decent SRPG for existing series fans only.
This game is more style than substance.
Simply put, this game rocks!
It’s half decent... literally.
Manafinder is charmingly engaging game.
Airoheart doesn’t catch big air nor does it have enough heart.
This game should be tossed into the depths of the titular abyss.
Jack Move doesn’t reinvent the wheel, but is a gridding chrome rim (to use in-game slang).
It’s difficult for me to say this, especially with so many positive elements in the game, but I found Crowns and Pawns: Kingdom of Deceit to be mediocre. It doesn’t do anything inherently wrong, but there is nothing very memorable about it either. My lasting impression is that the game played it too safe and colored too neatly inside the lines. Clearly, a lot of love, effort, and resources went into creating this game. I wanted to adore it, but I have no interest in playing any future games in a hypothetical Crowns and Pawns series. I suppose players looking for a classically-styled point-and-click game will definitely get something out of it, but it’s not a game I would recommend buying unless it’s on sale.
Pinku Kult: Hex Mortis is a taut game that took me about 7 hours to complete and left me wanting more. Those 7 hours were all substance with no padding to artificially lengthen the game. The game respected my time rather than waste it under the pretense of “longer game = better value.” I liken Pinku Kult: Hex Mortis to a game like Trace Memory. While Trace Memory was only about 3-5 hours long, it was one of the most fulfilling experiences I ever had with a Nintendo DS game. Aside from my misgivings with the writing, the only other caveat I have with Pinku Kult: Hex Mortis is that its macabre style and occult themes may not suit every person’s tastes. Personally, I was into it and would totally buy a Pinku Kult tote bag to keep my instrument cables and other bass-related accessories in for if/when my new band ever starts playing out in preparation for our own World Domination tour.
It's the fantasy Borderlands RPG I never knew I needed in my life.
An enjoyable, if flawed, classically-styled JRPG experience.
An enjoyable game that left me wanting more.
Even after 30 years, this venerable series still brings the magic.