Review: A.W.: Phoenix Festa – PS Vita

A.W.: Phoenix Festa is another game based on an anime but is it worth your time and money? A.W.: Phoenix Festa is 3 types of games in one and includes dating simulation, time management and visual novel.

The story begins with you choosing between two characters: one is from the show named Ayato Amagiri and the other one is an original character that does do things in the beginning very slightly.

The story is pretty boring and non existent and doesn’t make you to continue the mode. Combat is the best element but it’s way too short to fully enjoy. The graphics look decent and are smooth and in my opinion the combat is similar to One Piece: Burning Blood but tweaked better.

The dating simulation aspect doesn’t really spread out and it seems very basic and lost my interest after awhile. The training menu is done a lot better with different things opening up like a shop as you do the story. You can do jobs that increase in difficulty as you beat them for money.

Lab gives you the option to upgrade your weapon and you can also rest to refill your life bar. Pharmacy lets you buy boost for battle and items to increase your future partner’s interest in you. Combat is the best part but as stated earlier it is too short and makes you want more.

Conclusion

A.W.: Phoenix Festa‘s boring story makes it hard to continue the game and although the combat is neat, it is too short to fully enjoy. A.W.: Phoenix Festa is only for fans of the Asterisk War anime, other players should buy the game with caution.

Review: A.W.: Phoenix Festa | PS Vita

• Presentation - 8/10
• Music - 7/10
• Gameplay - 5/10
• Lasting Appeal - 5/10

Summary

+ Neat style of gameplay
+ Decent graphics
- Story and everything else falls short to make you want to continue to play

A.W.: Phoenix Festa’s boring story makes it hard to continue the game and although the combat is neat, it is too short to fully enjoy.

Review: Shiren The Wanderer: The Tower of Fortune and the Dice of Fate

Shiren has been around for quite a bit on Nintendo Advance/DS systems and to me, it inspired the Pokemon Mystery Dungeon games. Everything you know about the genre is here plus more and Shiren The Wanderer: The Tower of Fortune and the Dice of Fate doesn’t kick in until you’re well into the game.

You play as Shiren The Wanderer who is aided by his pet/narrator Koppa in search of three dice needed to change the fate. Lets begin with what you can do outside the main dungeons. Mini games are a plenty with cave puzzles, explosion rock puzzles, challenge dungeons and creating items. Even doing the training missions feel like a mini game, with first time completion earning you items.

Dungeons are random and you get a variety of items and weapons on each floor as well as traps and even a shop if you’re lucky. Traps come in all unwanted flavors like stripped equipment, sleep and a lot more so scrolls to see them or equipped items will help you a lot.

There is a fullness system that is used up with just about every command but sitting still and it’s filled up by eating certain items. You can even throw items at monsters but some throw as well or worse they steal an item and warp around the dungeon. You can earn auras which makes you stronger and guess what, so can enemies.

You can’t cheat the system which I found out the hard way. If you die or better yet when you die, you can’t just turn the game off and redo it. It treats it like you died anyway and leaves you with nothing so good luck. Mystery dungeons are rogue like in gameplay which is why you can never be bored of the game or the genre and this game proves it.

There are hundreds of items to find and log in as also enemies and it always feels like a new experience either way. The bad thing is the item management which you will love/hate very quick. When you are full you can store some items in pots that you get or item storage in town. Easy to remember but a pain to deal with.

Lastly, there is a day and night cycle. Later on, the cycles happen and enemies can only be hurt by skills. It gets challenging but you earn skills rather quickly based on luck. Weapons and armor you have equipped can level up like you and get stronger or even change what they are as well. Also of note, monsters can as well. A helpful trait is you can have NPCs as party members and if they are down just throw a healing herb on them and they are back.

Conclusion

Shiren The Wanderer: The Tower of Fortune and the Dice of Fate is the best mystery dungeon game I played so far on the PS Vita with nice 2D graphics, nice music and challenging gameplay. If you like mystery dungeon games, go get it!

Review: Shiren The Wanderer: The Tower of Fortune and the Dice of Fate | PS Vita

• Presentation - 8/10
• Music - 8/10
• Gameplay - 9/10
• Lasting Appeal - 9/10

Summary

+ Nice graphics
+ Tons of items and enemies
+ Never gets old
- Item management
- When you die after completion of Future Tower

Shiren The Wanderer: The Tower of Fortune and the Dice of Fate is one of the best mystery dungeon games on the PS Vita with nice 2D graphics, nice music and challenging gameplay.

Review: God Eater Resurrection

God Eater came out for the PSP awhile back and I liked it as it did what Monster Hunter created but faster though somewhat stale but fun. With God Eater Resurrection, the PS Vita has a much improved version which adds things like survival missions.

The story is pretty much the same but the shiny new graphics and added voice work make the title even better. If you played Freedom Wars then you can easily jump into the game and while some is the same, Freedom Wars does some stuff better like a proper lock on system but upgrades I found in God Eater Resurrection better.

The story starts off slow but later on picks up speed and the enemies look great but the camera angle is a fight to deal with at times in battle. The AI for both sides is pretty smart unlike others “party” games and it works to a T. You earn items during and after a battle just like in Freedom Wars but God Eater Resurrection introduces a card system which also gets you to know your characters a bit but doesn’t really feel like an impact into it.

Voice acting is done really well and the music fits into the game and gameplay is smooth and quick. You have 3 types of missions which are: Regular, Urgent (which opens as you complete certain missions) and Add-On missions which I didn’t try yet.

Difficulty is pretty easy until rank 3 opens and then more strategy is needed. The email system is a nice touch that makes you feel connected with characters as well. Crafting is easy though don’t expect to get good craft items till much later in the game.

Conclusion

God Eater Resurrection looks amazing on the PS Vita and with its smooth gameplay it guarantees many hours of fun and entertainment. If you liked Freedom Wars, get God Eater Resurrection as well.

Review: God Eater Resurrection | PS Vita

• Presentation - 9/10
• Music - 9/10
• Gameplay - 8/10
• Lasting Appeal - 8/10

Summary

+ Amazing graphics
+ No lagging
+ Good voice acting
- Difficulty spikes
- Needs a better lock on system

God Eater Resurrection looks amazing on the PS Vita and with its smooth gameplay it guarantees many hours of fun and entertainment.

Review: Alone With You

The developer Benjamin Rivers, who created the hit game Home has done it once again with Alone With You which reminds me of the great DOS games of the past and a bit of Lenny Walkabout in some ways and it doesn’t let up.

Your character is nameless but everyone else plays a huge part in this sci-fi romance tale and everything just works perfect. You get missions from the AI and investigate one place per day since you have a limited amount of days to complete the mission but where you go per day doesn’t matter. But what does is the choices you make throughout the game itself.

The art style is amazing and so well done. Home was original and made you think while Alone With You keeps you going with the style and its story progression. After a mission you get to go to the hologram area and talk and get to know parts of the character associated with that mission and even later on you get a free day to know whatever character even more.

The music fits in as well and all the small details like the rain to your character’s movement is really good. I don’t want to spoil the story but the basics is you are finishing up what the others started and figuring out what happened to them while repairing your ship and collecting food and more to survive.

Alone With You boots up quick and going from area to area loads quick and looking at the short cutscenes when you sleep, go through doors and more you will see frequently and don’t take a lot of time.

Conclusion

If you liked Home you will love Alone With You even more as you investigate caves, bio-domes and relay towers to complete a mission and collect items. You even have some puzzles to complete but they aren’t hard as long as you pay attention to what is around you. Alone With You is a must get for PS Vita owners.

Review: Alone With You | PS Vita

• Presentation - 9/10
• Music - 9/10
• Gameplay - 9/10
• Lasting Appeal - 9/10

Summary

+ Amazing art style
+ A sci-fi romance story doesn't come often
+ Story holds you and doesn't let go
- Puzzles seem too easy

Alone With You is a beautiful sci-fi romance adventure and a must get for PS Vita owners. If you liked Home, you will love Alone With You even more.