Articles written by A.J. Maciejewski (Page 58)
Top 10 PlayStation Vita JRPGs (First Three Years)
Ten ways to skin a dragon
February 22, 2015 - If there's a single genre that stands out on the Vita, it's JRPGs. On this day three years ago, the PlayStation Vita was widely released in North America and I wrote this list to mark the occasion. So, slip into some comfortable cosplay and enjoy this look back at ten incredibly fantastical stories of slaying demons and saving the world. As a side note, strategy games aren't included in this list (sorry, Disgaea).
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Axelay Review (Super Nintendo)
These space invaders sure mean business
February 20, 2015 - There's nothing more satisfying for a retro gamer than discovering an underrated gem. You may not have heard of Axelay, but its perfect combination of tight shoot 'em up gameplay, exemplary presentation, fresh level design, and thrilling boss battles will have you hooked from start to finish. Now that it's available for multiple consoles, being able to experience this old school alien invasion is easier than ever.
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Q*bert Rebooted Review (PlayStation 4)
Some retro games should stay in the past
February 18, 2015 - In a world full of arcade-inspired indies, it's intriguing to see an actual remake of a classic arcade game. If you've played the original Q*bert then you'll generally know what to expect. A few additions and updates help freshen it up a bit for the modern age, but is it worth downloading a copy or is it only for fans? Before we get to the review, it should be mentioned that this package contains the original Q*bert (which is a pretty decent bonus), but it won't be covered in this review since I've already reviewed it here.
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Hyper Void Review (PlayStation 3)
It'll take a great deal of firepower to tame this tempest
February 16, 2015 - Arcade shooters are a dime a dozen but very few draw inspiration from Atari's Tempest. Hyper Void offers plenty of satisfying gameplay that more than fills this gap in the market, but is it worth exploring the void or should you keep your ship docked?
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Top 10 Early Xbox 360 Live Arcade Games
Revisiting the dawn of downloadables
February 15, 2015 - Xbox 360 changed the way console gamers get their fix by introducing Xbox Live Arcade games to the mainstream. Sure, the original Xbox had a rudimentary online store that was launched via a mail-order disc, but Xbox 360 made it easy by integrating a Marketplace into the user interface. Believe it or not, its decade anniversary is this year and I made this list to celebrate. Each game featured here was released within the first couple years and although there are a few remakes, you won't find any direct ports (sorry, Symphony of the Night). Anyway, let's reminisce about a time when digitally distributed console games were fresh and exciting.
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Jungle Rumble Review (PlayStation Vita)
All these primates want is a little freedom, happiness, and bananas
February 13, 2015 - Genre-mixing has lead to both wonderful and disastrous results in the past. Jungle Rumble blends rhythmic controls with strategy elements in an intriguing way, but is it worth monkeying around with or should you throw it away like a warm handful of feces?
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Super Stardust Ultra Review (PlayStation 4)
Good thing this spacecraft is equipped with two sticks
February 11, 2015 - As the fourth iteration on a PlayStation console, Super Stardust still holds up in its most Ultra form to date. However, is it worth adding yet another twin stick shooter to your collection or are you better off leaving it in the dust?
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Game & Watch Gallery 3 Review (Game Boy Color)
Nintendo unearths and revitalizes some ancient treasures
February 9, 2015 - Kids today with their Wii U and 3DS don't understand what constituted as fun back in the early '80s. Ironically enough, they can now find out on their 3DS by downloading this collection of eleven Game & Watch classics.
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Apotheon Review (PlayStation 4)
201: A Greek Odyssey
February 7, 2015 - It must be a difficult feat to create a metroidvania adventure that even closely lives up to the games that the genre is named after. Apotheon is definitely a notable contender, but is it worth the journey back to ancient Greece or should you save your drachma?
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Kick & Fennick Review (PlayStation Vita)
A boy and his bot
February 5, 2015 - It seems like buddy-platformers are still in style after all these years. Although Kick & Fennick continues this tradition by teaming up a kid with a robot pal, it won't fail to impress with its unique and challenging gameplay mechanics.
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