Portable Archives - Tech-Gaming

Japanese Rail Sim 3D: 5 Types of Trains review

Robert Allen — Tue, 04 Dec 2018 05:54:52 +0000

An appreciation for rail transit is inevitable after a trip to Japan. Whether you’re enjoying a scenic three-day tour aboard the Twilight Express Mizukaze, taking the Shinkansen (bullet train) to race between Tokyo and Kyoto, or just riding the Yamanote Line for an afternoon of shopping in Akihabara, you’re bound to appreciate the efficiency and ubiquity of ...

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Fast Striker review

Robert Allen — Sat, 20 Oct 2018 17:44:03 +0000

Peruse the PlayStation website, and you’ll discover that Sony has removed most evidence of the Vita’s existence. But despite the purge, a few diminutive publishers are still releasing software for the beloved portable system. EastAsiaSoft’s Fast Striker might be one of final shmups to be released on the system, and while it pales in comparison ...

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Shin Megami Tensei: Strange Journey Redux review

Robert Allen — Thu, 17 May 2018 04:09:02 +0000

While not a complete misnomer, Strange Journey Redux isn’t really all that strange. Sure, Megami Tensei fans who missed the original 2009 DS release might perceive a few peculiar divergences. Most notable is the game’s shift away from a teenage cast, a tradition put into place since the debut of 1987’s Digital Devil Story: Megami ...

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The Alliance Alive review

Robert Allen — Wed, 28 Mar 2018 19:21:59 +0000

The twilight era for gaming systems routinely brings about a software schism. On one side, there’s an abundance of shoddy shovelware that has curiously eluted quality control standards. Prompting by the size of the install base, you’ll find rapidly-coded clones of popular titles, hewn by developers trying to make a quick buck. On the other ...

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VA-11 HALL-A: Cyberpunk Bartender Action review

Robert Allen — Tue, 28 Nov 2017 04:01:56 +0000

Gaming has an affinity for spectacle, with an output that often seems influenced by Hollywood’s procession of summer blockbusters. If there’s an opportunity to make the explosions bigger, the villains more malevolent, or the scope grander, developers habitually seize the chance. As such, VA-11 HALL-A: Cyberpunk Bartender Action feels distinctive. Instead of attempting to articulate ...

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Tokyo Tattoo Girls review

Robert Allen — Wed, 15 Nov 2017 03:21:48 +0000

Tokyo Tattoo Girls is the type of game that probably wouldn’t have been localized a decade ago. The reason has nothing to do with the appearance of some slightly risqué images; the game’s exhibition of butt and boob cleavage is all fairly tame stuff. If you remember back in 2010, SEGA removed the hostess bars ...

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Creeping Terror review

Robert Allen — Fri, 10 Nov 2017 21:45:30 +0000

A number of developers have tried to cultivate scares on Nintendo’s dual-screen device with decidedly mixed results. A pair of Resident Evil games brought Capcom’s popular series to the 3DS, but the two titles definitely favored survival over horror. An awkward spin-off of the Fatal Frame series called Spirit Camera: The Cursed Memoir attempted to ...

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Summon Night 6: Lost Borders review

Robert Allen — Wed, 01 Nov 2017 19:23:22 +0000

Like Criminal Girls, the Summon Night series has outlived the studio who originally created the franchise. The inaugural entry, its three subsequent follow-ups, and several spin-offs were all crafted by Gifu-based Flight-Plan, which departed from the industry in 2010. An ensuing effort was developed by Hyperdimension Neptunia Re;Birth revivalists Felistella, marking the main franchise’s first ...

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Yomawari: Midnight Shadows review

Robert Allen — Wed, 25 Oct 2017 15:32:46 +0000

Growing up in the U.S., I was habitual visitor of haunted house attractions. But, after inching my way through dozens of these scare shacks, I was able to distinguish a formula. Moments of calm frequently foreshadowed fright, with gruesome monstrosities popping out of alcoves on cue. Gradually, I became desensitized to the graphic depictions of ...

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Etrian Odyssey V: Beyond the Myth review

Robert Allen — Mon, 23 Oct 2017 18:41:50 +0000

Computer-based role-playing games have automated many of the analog-based labors of traditional pen-and-paper based games. That can be a beneficial, permitting players to concentrate on elements like storyline. But streamlining also obscures many of the nuances that make RPGs so enjoyable, over-simplifying essentials like the thrill of exploration or the myriad of strategies that can ...

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Bad Apple Wars review

Robert Allen — Fri, 20 Oct 2017 17:47:27 +0000

Japanese writers are especially adept at allegory, crafting eloquent and often evocative metaphors when tackling provocative subjects like animism, environmental abuse, or war. With the release of Bad Apple Wars for the PS Vita and PlayStation 3, Ikebukuro-based developer Otomate employs an academic setting to explore the nuances of religion, conformity, and our capability to ...

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Mary Skelter: Nightmares review

Robert Allen — Wed, 20 Sep 2017 17:44:16 +0000

Following the success of 2010’s Hyperdimension Neptunia, developer Compile Heart’s output drifted toward the formulaic. Beyond a structure split between visual novel-based storytelling and turn-based combat, the Toshima-ku based studio integrated a copious amount of fan-service into their games. As such, subsequent entries in the Neptunia series, as well as titles like Mugen Souls, Monster ...

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Drive Girls review

Robert Allen — Tue, 12 Sep 2017 04:29:56 +0000

Although disregarded by Sony, the PS Vita survives thanks to a steady stream of niche software. Sure, support from big third-party publishers like Ubisoft and Electronic Arts dried up years ago, but thanks to a convoy of offbeat titles from firms like Idea Factory International, XSEED, NIS America, and Atlus, there’s still an active constituency ...

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Collar X Malice review

Robert Allen — Sat, 29 Jul 2017 02:28:42 +0000

When Americans travel to Japan, they often remark on how safe the country feels. Unlike many parts of the U.S., you’re able to walk freely without the fear of assault or mugging- at any time of night. While traditional police stations can be observed, your much more likely to encounter kōban– diminutive, community-based stations where ...

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Tokyo Xanadu review

Robert Allen — Tue, 04 Jul 2017 03:28:00 +0000

In the West, Nihon Falcom’s output is tarnished with the rare blemish. Notably, The Legend of Heroes: A Tear of Vermillion and Prophecy of the Moonlight Witch– the first two entries in the Gagharv Trilogy were released out of order, with both PSP titles suffered from a slipshod localization, and subsequently suffering from middling sales. ...

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RPG Maker Fes review

Robert Allen — Thu, 29 Jun 2017 02:53:52 +0000

Occasionally, the industry treats games as disposable commodities to be purchased, played, remastered, and then purchased anew. Fortunately, that’s not always the case, with some efforts favoring an autonomous experience that serves as an outlet for creativity. In 1983, Bill Budge fashioned a set of development tools, with Pinball Construction Set allowing gamers to craft ...

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God Wars: Future Past review

Robert Allen — Tue, 20 Jun 2017 01:14:12 +0000

The ‘90s were a glorious time for the strategy role-playing genre, with SEGA crafting the Shining Force series while Quest Corporation earned critical acclaim with the Ogre Battle franchise. Later, key Tactics Ogre: Let Us Cling Together members Yasumi Matsuno, Hiroshi Minagawa, and Akihiko Yoshida would leave to join Square, going on to create the ...

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Hakuoki: Kyoto Winds review

Robert Allen — Fri, 19 May 2017 17:54:56 +0000

2012’s Hakuoki: Demon of the Fleeting Bloom was released at an unfortunate time, just as the PSP’s user base was beginning to erode. But those who did get an opportunity to play the Aksys-published title encountered an effort that established an elevated water mark for visual novels. As an otome, Hakuoki supplied a storyline teaming ...

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The Caligula Effect review

Robert Allen — Thu, 04 May 2017 15:31:33 +0000

Japanese role-playing aficionados know that allegory is a frequent storytelling strategy. Whether it’s Hyperdimension Neptunia’s spirted take on game console competition or the Persona series’ ruminations about our inner psyches, there’s something rather potent about the technique. Pleasingly, the recent release of The Caligula Effect for the PS Vita continues that trend, offering a metaphoric ...

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Japanese Rail Sim 3D Journey in Suburbs #2

Robert Allen — Tue, 28 Mar 2017 18:07:46 +0000

Travel to Japan and an appreciation for rail transit is inevitable. Whether you’re traveling on the Akebono’s sleeper car between Ueno to Aomori, taking the Shinkansen (bullet train) to race between Tokyo and Kyoto, or just riding the Yamanote Line for an afternoon of shopping in Akihabara, you’re bound to appreciate the efficiency and ubiquity ...

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