Deadly Premonition 2: A Blessing in Disguise

Also known as: N/A

Developer: TOYBOX

While it was flawed, I absolutely fell in love with the original Deadly Premonition and gladly looked past those flaws to play through it on various platforms. As years went by, I wound up not being the only one in love with that game and it managed to get a pretty sizeable cult following…enough where a sequel was eventually announced and developed. To say that I was over the moon about that announcement was an understatement. I can actually remember where I was when I first heard that Deadly Premonition was getting a sequel, which is huge since I can barely remember what I ate for dinner last night - yes, I was that thrilled with the announcement. I was hoping that the sequel would be similar to the original game, but with plenty of improvements so that the series could get the praise that I always wanted it to get…unfortunately, while I like Deadly Premonition 2, that just isn't the case. Instead of simply taking the formula of Deadly Premonition, tweaking and improving on all of the game's faults, and inserting a new story, it feels like TOYBOX tried to reinvent the wheel instead…and it feels like they removed much of what made the original game so charming in the process. There's still a few quirky characters and side quests here, and the game manages to be genuinely funny while also providing the player with a dark, warped story at the same time…but this game just feels inferior to the original in nearly every way. I'm happy that we got another story with FBI agent Francis York Morgan. The story itself is good and made playing through the game worthwhile for me…and I'll likely play through this game again at some point…but unfortunately, I just can't recommend Deadly Premonition 2 unless you're a big fan of the original game and don't mind dealing with some poor gameplay mechanics in order to see a good story. I do hope a Deadly Premonition 3 comes out at some point, and I really hope that TOYBOX can learn from its mistakes and give this series some gameplay to match its fantastic storytelling. It's just a shame that this wasn't the game to do that.

Review added: 09/21/2022

Demolish Derby Nitro-Battle: Driving Car Games 2022 Deluxe Driver 

Also known as: N/A

Developer: INSTAMARKETINGANDGAME

Demolish Debry Nitro…or should I use its full name? Demolish Derby Nitro-Battle: Driving Car Games 2022 Deluxe Driver…or should I use it's REAL full name? Don't Buy This Dumpster Fire of a Game Unless You'd Like to Feel Dead Inside 2022 Super Awful Deluxe Driver 2022. Yeah, they put two 2022's in the real title of the game. What a bunch of weirdos. Anyway, whoever developed this game clearly does not speak English fluently. Not everyone speaks English in the world, so that's understandable. What's not understandable is how this game got published in English with so many mis-spelled words. Even if English isn't your first language, if you're going to release it in English, at least get a proof-reader before you publish it. When you fail a mission and you see "You loose" on the screen, it’s hard to decide if you should laugh at the poor spelling or cry over the fact that you spent money on this garbage. The gameplay isn't any better than the grammar. If you can't spell words correctly, then I don't really have faith that you're typing in the game code correctly when you programmed it, either. I'm not sure if I've ever played a game where I can play a stage the EXACT SAME WAY each time…and "loose" on the first try, and get a perfect, 3-star rating on the second try. By exact same thing, I mean, hold down the gas button and don't steer. I also missed my objective completely on one stage and got a perfect, passing rating. Anyway, this is an absolutely terrible game. There isn't a demolition derby at all… it's just doing "stunt" objectives and racing…and the racing didn't seem to be anything but me racing against myself. I generally get a kick out of bad, stinky games…but Demolish Derby Nitro doesn't just stink, it's rancid. It's like a skunk-farting-in-a-septic-tank kind of putrid stench that I honestly don't think that anyone can enjoy. Be warned. If you purchase this game, then you definitely "loose."

Review added: 12/05/2022

Dr. Fetus' Mean Meat Machine

Also known as: N/A

Developer: Team Meat

Dr. Robotnik's Mean Bean Machine is one of my favorite Genesis games, and the Puyo Puyo games are potentially my favorite games in the puzzle genre. So, when I saw that the folks that made Super Meat Boy were making a puzzle game that mixed the fun of the Puyo Puyo games with the difficulty and constant respawning from Super Meat Boy, I was immediately interested. The end result, while not for everybody, is fine for what it is. Basically, if you're a Puyo Puyo fan looking for more difficulty, then you'll likely appreciate what you find here. Instead of simply matching up globs of meat, you're forced to avoid hazards and sometimes adjust your destination on the fly if, say, the globs that you plan to match suddenly get mowed out of the way by a swinging sawblade. If you're a Puyo Puyo novice, or don’t really want any extra difficulty tossed into your matching puzzle games, then Mean Meat Machine will likely be a bit too much for you. Still, if you're a glutton for punishment and enjoy the Puyo Puyo franchise, then Dr. Fetus' Mean Meat Machine is a solid puzzle game. For everyone else, despite being a well-made game, the difficulty may be enough to repel them away.

Review added: 12/11/2023

Dragon Quest Monsters: The Dark Prince

Also known as: Dragon Quest Monsters 3: Mazoku no Ouji to Elf no Tabi (Japan)

Developer: Armmor Project

I really enjoyed The Dark Prince, the latest game in the Dragon Quest Monsters sub-series of games, but I also consider it a case of me being able to look past plenty of flaws to enjoy my time spent here anyway. If you want an idea of how Dragon Quest Monsters plays, think of it as a combination of the Pokemon and Shin Megami Tensei games. Like in those games, your goal is collect various creatures to fight for you, then send them into battle. And like in the Shin Megami Tensei games, you can also fuse monsters together to ensure that your team is always strong enough to battle enemies in each area that you enter, which gets increasingly difficult as you advance on in the game. That part can be fun. What drags the game down a bit, in my opinion, is both the story and the lack of any real difficulty. The story provides the ability to choose dialogue options…but not really. It can be frustrating when you pick a choice and the game lets you know that regardless of that choice, that instead, you'll be doing exactly what the game wants you to do. If you're just going to have a linear path, that's fine, but then don't provide dialogue options that make players feel like they're useless. The story itself also felt like it lacked much depth…but in fairness, it feels like gameplay was the number one concern here and the story was a distant second. The gameplay is fine for what it is, but my one complaint is what I mentioned earlier - this game is too easy. Most people will cruise through this game…and once you beat it, then metal slimes pop up more frequently, allowing you to easily max out levels for your monsters to compete online against other trainers who are also maxed out. If you like Dragon Quest side-series games, then you'll find enough with the Dark Prince to be happy with your purchase. If you're a fan of Pokemon or Shin Megami Tensei and were hoping for a solid alternative game, you also may find enjoyment here. As long as you don't expect it to be flawless, you'll likely have some fun.

Review added: 12/31/2023

Dragon Quest Treasures

Also known as: N/A

Developer: TOSE

From what I've played, the Dragon Quest offshoots are never the greatest games in the world, nor do they match the quality of games in the regular Dragon Quest series, but they do always seem to be fun for what they are, flaws and all. The concept of Dragon Quest Treasures is that you control two children, with the ability to switch between the two whenever you're back at camp, and the goal is to just explore this new land that you've found yourself in, recruit monsters to join your cause, and dig up as much treasure as you can find. Aside from basic treasure, which is mostly items or statues of characters from previous Dragon Quest games (like a Dhoulmagus statue from Dragon Quest VIII, for example) you're also tasked to obtain specific treasures to advance the game. You'll watch your gang having a hideout in shambles to having a hideout that's so full of treasure that there are literally waterfalls of gold pouring down in various areas. While I definitely enjoyed my time playing Dragon Quest Treasures, I also can't deny that after a dozen hours or so, when I had explored enough to have all areas of the map visible and all railways stations restored, the gameplay did begin to feel a little repetitive. Still, even with the repetition, I still found myself going back and digging for more treasure even after I had beaten the game and saw the credits roll. If you're a fan of the Dragon Quest franchise, and are looking for an enjoyable action RPG that's a little on the easy side, then this is a good game for you. Dragon Quest Treasures won't likely blow anyone away, but I do think that it's charming enough where it could garner a decent-sized fanbase amongst those who give it a chance.

Review added: 11/13/2023