Featured Archives - Tech-Gaming

Earwig and the Witch review

Robert Allen — Tue, 23 Mar 2021 15:47:06 +0000

Earwig and the Witch’s legacy is both a curse and blessing. The 82-minute feature film was directed by Gorô Miyazaki, son of famed animator Hayao Miyazaki. The senior Miyazaki helped shape the medium of animation into art, with films like Spirited Away, My Neighbor Totoro, and Howl’s Moving Castle captivating audiences across the globe. Even ...

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Romance of the Three Kingdoms XIV review

Robert Allen — Sat, 13 Feb 2021 00:00:16 +0000

While maintaining the game’s relative accessibility, Romance of the Three Kingdoms XIV’s Diplomacy and Strategy Expansion Pack offers an inventory of new scenarios, strategic opens, and even a streamlined game mode. Now there’s even more way to get yourself involved in three-way standoff, stalemates, and other tactical conundrums. Luo Guanzhong’s fourteenth-century novel, Romance of the ...

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Lupin III: The First (Blu-ray+DVD) review

Robert Allen — Mon, 11 Jan 2021 20:23:31 +0000

Several times during Lupin III: The First’s succinct ninety-three minute running time, protagonist Arsène Lupin III warns against half-hearted thievery. Largely, that kind of complete commitment to craft has been heeded by the talent who have brought Katō “Monkey Punch” Kazuhiko’s beloved manga to screen. From Miyazaki’s film debut with 1979’s The Castle of Cagliostro ...

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Jiangshi x Daoshi – Episode III: Lady Hexers review

Robert Allen — Wed, 02 Dec 2020 01:33:40 +0000

Enjoyable characters, engrossing lore, and a bit of bloodshed are all part of one of the best visual novels released in 2020. Now, if only Fruitbat Factory can release Jiangshi x Daoshi‘s splendid soundtrack separately. If you equate visual novels with longwinded, sluggish experiences, Jiangshi x Daoshi is poised to challenge that stance. Originally released ...

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Bubble Bobble 4 Friends: The Baron Is Back! review

Robert Allen — Fri, 20 Nov 2020 20:45:02 +0000

Bubble Dragons Bub and Bob are back with engaging sequel that won’t burst your bubble but won’t bowl you over with inspiration, either. Few games have a legacy as enduring as Bubble Bobble. Originally released by Taito in 1986, the title quickly became a hit in arcades. Two years later, a competent NES port emerged, securing ...

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Necrobarista review

Robert Allen — Wed, 22 Jul 2020 16:04:59 +0000

With a dynamic visual delivery and a shrewdly pared-down cast, Necrobarista channels the intimacy of a stage play within the medium of a visual novel. It’s a remarkable feat that truly pushes the medium in a new direction. Necrobarista wants to change your perception of the visual novel. Instead of the typical tidy narrative told ...

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Namco Museum Archives Vol 1 & 2 review

Robert Allen — Mon, 22 Jun 2020 17:12:17 +0000

Each of the two volumes of Namco Museum Archives offers a mix of arcade, NES-exclusive, and an original eight-bit ‘demake’. Many of the games are still great, but the museum’s interiors are a bit too desolate. Increasingly, it’s becoming easier to enjoy yesteryear’s classics. Releases like Atari Flashback Classics, SNK 40th Anniversary Collection, and two ...

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Darius Cozmic Collection Arcade review

Robert Allen — Fri, 19 Jun 2020 23:48:16 +0000

Exterminate schools of antagonist mechanical marine life across a compilation of Darius’ arcade offerings. There’s a notable omission, but that’s not enough to prohibit enjoyment from Taito’s classic shooters. During the late eighties, there was a growing concern that home consoles would start ebbing away at the popularity of arcades. The editor of Beep, One ...

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Disintegration review

Robert Allen — Mon, 15 Jun 2020 18:34:29 +0000

Plotlines are often dispensable in real-time strategy and first-person shooter games. Disintegration provides an absorbing motivation for its blend of genres. But the game’s action isn’t as tactical or engaging as it should be. For years, developers have attempted to merge real-time strategy and first-person shooter genres. Games like Raven Squad: Operation Hidden Dagger (2009), ...

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Demon’s Tier+ review

Robert Allen — Wed, 10 Jun 2020 18:24:52 +0000

Demon’s Tier+ is a simple, satisfying twin-stick shooter ideal for those moments when you just want to turn higher brain functions off, and gun down anything that’s inching toward you. Daniel Fernandez Chavez’ (aka Diabolical Mind) games might not attain awards or even captivate most critics. But each effort has been built around solid mechanics ...

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Flying Red Barrel ~The Diary of a Little Aviator~ review

Robert Allen — Fri, 05 Jun 2020 21:41:34 +0000

Doujin developer Orange_Juice’s fluffy little shooter makes its way to Steam, offering five protracted stages of projectile dodging, MiniCoin-collecting fun. Like a plate of drunken noodles that conceal lip-numbing spiciness, the cute ‘em up is a delightful deception. The sub-genre’s moniker emerged as a deviation of the shoot ‘em up. Titles like TwinBee (1985), Parodius: ...

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Shantae and the Seven Sirens review

Robert Allen — Sat, 30 May 2020 21:07:39 +0000

Everyone’s favorite half-genie is back, tasked with reconnoitering an immense sunken city. Beyond the inclusion of mechanics that speed up transformations and the addition of monster cards that complement your play style, cinematics from Studio Trigger help Shantae shine. Across an eighteen-year legacy, Shantae, has battled a Giga Mermaid, an evil clone named Nega-Shantae, and ...

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SEGA AGES Thunder Force AC review

Robert Allen — Fri, 29 May 2020 17:10:37 +0000

The 1991 coin-op arrives on Switch screens with most of the customary supplements of the SEGA Ages line. If you’re a fan of first-class retro shooters, this entry deserves a space in your collection. Although Nintendo’s inaugural console had a number of shooters, there were often obvious differences between the NES/Famicom port and the original ...

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Utawarerumono: Prelude to the Fallen review

Robert Allen — Mon, 25 May 2020 17:38:54 +0000

Utawarerumono: Prelude to the Fallen is a remake of the original 2002 game. Despite laying the groundwork for two sequels and a spin-off game, it hasn’t received an official localization until now. If you’re new to the series, this is the best place to start. As stateside gamers, we’re occasionally tossed in the middle of ...

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Red Wings: Aces of the Sky review

Robert Allen — Thu, 21 May 2020 23:03:33 +0000

Red Wings: Aces of the Sky’s first few missions are some of the best aerial combat found on Switch. But the game starts losing momentum as soon as the gameplay shifts. Red Wings: Aces of the Sky beginning promisingly, as you take to the skies in your trusty Fokker Triplane. (You can also hop into ...

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Guns of Mercy – Rangers Edition review

Robert Allen — Wed, 20 May 2020 23:01:38 +0000

Guns of Mercy is one of those digital sub-$10 sleeper hits. Although play recalls the simplicity of early coin-op games, the inclusion of meta-game elements extend longevity. The motivations that drive our gaming habits varies significantly. Some seek the thrill of overcoming near-impossible challenges, while others crave the exhilaration of friendly competition. Then there are ...

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Dungeon of the Endless (Switch) review

Robert Allen — Tue, 19 May 2020 20:47:21 +0000

The Switch port of Dungeon of the Endless brings the ruthless adversity of previous iterations onto Nintendo’s hardware. While interaction lacks the ease of mouse-based input, otherwise this is an adept adaptation. We’ve all faced that pivotal moment in gaming, where our finger hovers over a button. A press represents far more than a single ...

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The Shmup Collection review

Robert Allen — Sun, 17 May 2020 04:06:03 +0000

The Shmup Collection brings together a trio of Astro Port’s efforts that each offer lightly familiar, foe-exterminating fun. Genre fans will appreciate everything that the lack of supplementals. Since its release three years ago, the Switch has become an exceptionally practical piece of hardware. Sure, it might lack the raw computational power of the ...

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Hatsune Miku: Project DIVA Mega Mix review

Robert Allen — Fri, 15 May 2020 21:38:57 +0000

Everyone’s favorite vocaloid makes a smashing debut on Switch. Although the addition of motion control doesn’t quite feel essential. Miku maniacs should adore the pursuit of unlocking over 300 costumes and outfit her in a custom t-shirt. Chances are, if you possess even the slightest interest in popular culture, you’ve heard of Hatsune Miku. Created ...

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TT Isle of Man: Ride on the Edge 2 review

Robert Allen — Thu, 14 May 2020 23:07:35 +0000

Fall down seven hundred and ninety-nine times, stand up eight hundred should be TT Isle of Man: Ride on the Edge 2’s mantra. If you’re looking for a two- wheeled simulation that offers a brutal challenge, Isle of Man should be your next stop. Few sporting events pit man against nature as starkly as the ...

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