Akai Katana

Also known as: Akai Katana Shin (Japan)

Developer: Cave

I've always liked Cave shooters…they tend to be as fun to watch as they are to play. The visuals in Akai Katana are very nice to look at as you blast your way through the levels…and I'll admit, they caused a few deaths on my part when I found myself admiring the visuals instead of focusing on not taking a bullet to my booty. In later levels however, this was less of a problem, due to the bullet hell nature of the game - you'll see hundreds of bullets covering the screen and covering up the backgrounds, making it a bit easier to stay focused and not die. In terms of gameplay, this game is strategic in that you want to swap between forms as you traverse each stage. One form is attack and the other form is defense. When in attack form, you do more damage at the cost of less defense, and in defense form, you'll do less damage with the benefit of more defense. I'm simplifying it by explaining it like that - the system is a bit deeper, but that's the gist of it. Anyway, Akai Katana is a very solid, scrolling shooter and if you're a fan of the genre, it's definitely worth tracking down a copy and giving it a try.

Review added: 12/14/2024

Alan Wake

Also known as: N/A

Developer: Remedy Entertainment

Alan Wake is a survival horror game that isn't the greatest horror game ever made, but still a very solid Xbox 360 exclusive (in regards to consoles, anyway) title. The idea of using light to repel enemies was a fun aspect that helped add a little suspense to the game. I enjoyed the panic I felt when I was about to die and frantically tried to make it to a light source before the enemies around me finished me off. The story is a little faulty, and I really can’t stand the cop…not in a fun way, but in a “at least give the guy one redeeming quality so I don’t groan whenever his pear-shaped face and broken-glass-glued-onto-a-pinecone attitude make an appearance" way…Yes, that’s a legitimate attitude. I just posted it on the internet, so it’s obviously factual. Complaints aside, Alan Wake is still a pretty charming survival horror game. If you’re looking for a horror game with some personality to it, then Alan Wake is a good game to try. With a few tweaks to everything found here, I feel like Alan Wake could have gone from good to great…but for what it is, it still ain’t too shabby.

Review added: 10/13/2019