Jimmer-jammer

The name Fall Guys works because it is a double entendre. Stumble Guys is just…this can’t be real.

I’m absolutely loving Unicorn Overlord. I think it’s brilliant. I’m new to Vanillaware but their passion is seen, felt and heard in every frame of this thing. Most importantly, it’s extremely fun to play. By all accounts, they seem like a truly great studio as well. Thanks for this interview!

The best game I’ve played this year is Unicorn Overlord but my favourite is Rise of the Ronin. It’s got so much heart and is just so much fun to play. In some aspects it hasn’t met my expectations but in others it has assuaged and even surpassed them. Team Ninja should be proud of their first open world effort and have cultivated some real fertile ground for future projects here. If anyone’s looking for a challenging, classic open world samurai sim that prioritizes gameplay, don’t sleep on this one!

The difference between 30fps and 60fps is undeniable. I fully comprehend and appreciate the difference. A stable 30 still isn’t a deal breaker for me, depending on the game.

I got a chance to play this on Xbox for about 3 hours at a buddy’s house. I had a lot of fun! The way all of the systems interact with each other creates a lot of gaming gold. That said, my time with it convinced me to wait a bit on it. Especially if there’s an expansion coming (and potentially a PS5 Pro), I think it will be well worth the wait.

I had a good chuckle when I noticed the three seashells in V’s apartment!

@GilgaMax96 I wholeheartedly recommend it, though it’s only the second Vanillaware game I’ve played and I actually didn’t get on with 13 Sentinels (though I may give it another shot at some point), so take that for what it’s worth. I do really think Unicorn Overlord stands on its own as a fantastic strategy game.

Unicorn Overlord is the only game from this list I’ve played but it is a real showstopper. I’ve seen a lot of comments about how it plays itself but I can’t say I agree. I see those fights as more of a visually stunning reward, whereas the true tactical depth comes from managing the battlefield during stages: building well balanced units and matching them appropriately to adversaries, mobility and item/valour management, planning efficient routes so as to capture strategic fulcrum points, withdrawing and deploying units effectively… It’s really great stuff executed at an exceptional level.

Rise of the Ronin. Having a lot of fun, except when I lost what may have been my favourite picture I’ve ever taken in a photo mode because there’s no prompt asking, “Are you sure you want to exit?” Happy gaming!

It completely depends on the game for me. Shooters and anything first person or competitive should hold a stable 60fps. Outside of that, I’m not generally bothered by a stable 30fps. Both new God of Wars, Final Fantasy XVI and Alan Wake II are recent games that I played entirely in quality mode. They look amazing.

The development time shows. It’s a really beautiful, expansive and very polished game.

@MikeOrator Been years since I played ACII but having played through Origins fairly recently, I’d say it’s a fair comparison. There are various differences but the biggest differences for me personally are the depth of the combat system, customization and general freedom for player expression in Ronin far outweigh that of Origins, resulting in a more fulfilling Action/RPG experience, if that’s what you’re looking for.

It may not be up to the standards of other open world giants but Rise of the Ronin is a very solid game in its own right and, after putting some solid time into it, I do think it will find its audience. It’s a slow burn but I’m finding it very enjoyable.

Pac-Man for the win!

Performance is definitely all over the place and a real blemish on what is a surprisingly beautiful world that has been crafted here. Hope to see some improvements there. Thankfully, gameplay is fantastic.

I had no idea that the first had sold that many copies. I suppose there’s a Netflix show as well. Anyway, very impressive sales and a huge congrats to Capcom!

I enjoyed the demo. Definitely got me interested in it. I found perfect dodges very difficult to perform (even with the ability that makes them easier) on a consistent basis but I fared much better with the parry and blink abilities. Not sure yet if I’ll be a day one buy but this is shaping up nicely!

I’m finally picking it up today so despite not having a score to share, I am very excited.

I love my PS5 and have a plethora of diverse and incredible games to play. It’s definitely time for new blood but Jim Ryan is hardly leaving things in a shambles. All the best to him and here’s to the future 🥂

@colonelkilgore I knew someone would cut through the crap 👊

The two huge Dragons Dogma fans in my life couldn’t be happier 🤷‍♂️

Ashen is an excellent game and a great foundation to build off of. I’m very excited for this.

There’s some real potential here. I’ll definitely give the demo a whirl. The combat system sounds right up my alley and a graphics showcase is always welcome.

I haven’t finished it yet but for now it’s an easy 9/10 in my opinion. The gameplay is super fun, there’s real tactical depth, the music is great, the art design is second to none. What really puts a smile on my face though is the world. Everyone is so darn polite and respectful, it’s impossible for me not to enjoy leading the liberation as an absolute do gooder. It’s oddly refreshing. Fantastic game.

Neither of these games was going to set the world on fire, though of the two my money was on DD2. I think it would have been smart of Sony in this case to release Rise of the Ronin simultaneously on PC. Hopefully the positive word of mouth from those playing it carries it to a place of profitability as it seems like Team Ninja has made an admirable open world debut.

@Nepp67 I wasn’t aware of critical issues such as crashing, so fair enough. That’s not cool at all.

Glad to see they’re working to improve the experience! To be honest, this all seems pretty overblown, as usual. Sounds like a great sequel and every Dragon’s Dogma fan I know is thrilled. I’m excited to play it one day.

It kills me to say it but I haven’t had a chance to start it yet. I really have come to love Team Ninja games over the years so I’m almost certain I’ll enjoy this.

@Skadoosh Yeah, it’s a bizarre price point. I’m not sure either 🤷‍♂️

I was hoping to be playing Rise of the Ronin but work got crazy this weekend and I haven’t gotten to the city to pick up my copy. Ah well, on with the excellent Unicorn Overload!

Looks amazing! Glad I’ve held off Echoes as combined, this should be a meaty and enjoyable foray back into the world of Valisthea.

Very cool! It’s a really beautiful piece and must have been a neat experience.

@Ainu20 Interesting. I’ll have to check and see what the cost is physically when I visit the store later today. It’s not a big difference nor a big deal, I just found it odd. Thanks for the reply!

One thing I’ve been curious about and have seen no discussion on is why this game is inexplicably more expensive than other new releases on PlayStation Store. Maybe it’s just in Canada but Sony’s new games are typically the most expensive at $89.99. Dragon’s Dogma II’s standard edition is $94.99. What’s that about?

@LiamCroft Does the game offer much in the way of learning about the time period it’s set in? Are there interesting notes or item descriptions and the like to discover that flesh out the world?

This really does sound amazing and will likely be my next game after RotR. I love this style of adventure when it’s done well and this appears to have nailed it. Can’t wait!

Sounds like a good time at the right price!

Well that’s great news! Counting down the days…

Didn’t think I’d get to play another Tango Gameworks gem. Can’t wait to give this a go!

Neat trailer. Counting down the days now!

Nice preview! Sounds like a game that’s hard to fully peg down in its early hours. It’s clearly a step in a more accessible direction from the hardcore gauntlet of their previous games and as a first open world effort, I’m expecting a fairly standard approach to its structure.

Seems like this will live or die by its atmospheric and narrative ambitions, which feels like a strange thing to say for a Team Ninja game but as a very systems driven developer, I’m excited to see what kind of depth, if any, they can bring to the well established formula. If the game allows me to feel like a wandering ronin forging relationships and drifting on the winds of change in a truly politically and economically tumultuous time in modern Japanese history, with a solid combat system and rewarding sense of adventure, I will see it as a great success for Team Ninja. Not long to wait!

My favourite game from last year. I’d love a chance to play this on the most powerful hardware. On PS5, there were moments where I just couldn’t believe what was coming out of my screen in real time. Hopefully performance mode can eventually be brought up to the level of stability that Fidelity offers. I really believe this game will age well and be looked back on fondly as a standout series entry.

I don’t even understand the controversy here. In the real world, Eve will grow old, her cleavage will wage war with her navel and her joints will lock up tighter than an alligator’s jaw from the years of kicking butt. She’ll be sadly chewed up and spit out like every other objectified person valued only for their looks.

But this isn’t the real world, it’s a fictional sci/fi fantasy video game. Call her design what it is: objectification for the purpose of titillation targeted at a specific audience. If you’re that target market, own it. Enjoy it. Revel in it. This was made for you. There’s no need to justify your position with broader philosophical, sociopolitical and moral arguments. I don’t see it doing your position any favours.

If you’re not that target market, change the channel. Just my half baked two cents.

@Ralizah The question is, peeled or unpeeled? Personally, I like my bananas sexy 😂

@Petrecis24 Thanks! There are some upgrades that make collecting spirits slightly less laborious but however you slice it, it’s a heck of a grind.

@BaronSqwelch I almost did too! Textbook definition of a slog. Still not entirely sure what possessed me to see it through.

Sounds like a bit of a slog but if I’m really, really enjoying the game I might give it a shot. I somehow toiled my way to Ghostwire Tokyo’s platinum so it can be done!

@breakneck Vacation maybe? Push Square is usually pretty on top of things but yeah, a little disappointing that I had to watch the new Ronin diary on a different website yesterday.

@ShogunRok After a character I had chosen to lock up ended up escaping, it had my imagination running a little wild. Thanks for the review, I’ll be buying this for sure!

I fell in love with the demo. By the time it was wrapping up, I really felt like the leader of the liberation. Glad to hear things continue to ramp up as the immense tactical depth was just starting to show itself.

@ShogunRok As mentioned, the overarching narrative seems pretty straightforward, however there were some seemingly impactful choices to make on the fate of some characters in the demo that I wasn’t able to see fully play out. How consequential are these in the final game? Can these characters be recruited if you play your cards right, do your choices just lead to optional fights or inter-party conflicts or do they have major implications on the plot?