3DS

Experimentation has been a common ethos in The Legend of Zelda series. Whether it’s by introducing the third dimension in Ocarina of Time, changing the structure of exploration in The Wind Waker, or shaping the gameplay according to the peculiarities of each console with Phantom Hourglass and Skyward Sword, Nintendo is always demonstrating a clear desire to evolve the franchise …

Professor Layton and the Azran Legacy is the sixth and hitherto last game in the series to feature the archaeologist Hershel Layton as the protagonist. It is, however, an uneven game that tries to offer more freedom to the player at the expense of pacing and narrative focus. The story begins when Layton receives a letter from an esteemed professor …

With a fascinating story that, unfortunately, far overstays its welcome, Bravely Default is a good JRPG that tries to revitalize its classic genre by offering a less frustrating gameplay experience. The game opens with a great tragedy in the world of Luxendarc. After a terrible earthquake, the small village of Norende disappears from the map, giving way to a gigantic …

Dragon Quest VIII: Journey of the Cursed King is a competent but ultimately safe JRPG, failing to explore the few new things it brings to the table. It’s a simple JRPG that offers a bland story that never makes up for the by-the-books gameplay of the franchise. The plot follows an unnamed hero – he serves as our male avatar …

Monster Hunter 4 Ultimate is Monster Hunter at its best. Containing an unpretentious but well-written story, and a lot of new bosses, equipment, and locations, the game’s only problem is that it has been built around too many luck-based systems. In Monster Hunter 4, the player controls an avatar completely devoid of personality, whose function is merely to represent them …

Rhythm Thief & The Emperor’s Treasure is a game that offers musical minigames punctuating an adventure about an art thief. Despite this interesting premise, however, the game suffers from a poor selection of minigames and a story with serious problems of structure and cohesion. The story revolves around Raphael, a young thief who, accompanied by his dog Fondue, wears a …

Fragments of the Forgotten Past is an excellent entry in the Dragon Quest franchise (maybe even the best), offering a multitude of complex, touching, and tragic short stories. It certainly can be accused of overstaying its welcome, and its gameplay is too easy for its own good, but Dragon Quest VII still manages to shine by the force of its …

Despite being the remake of Fire Emblem Gaiden, one of the series’ first installments, Fire Emblem Echoes: Shadows of Valentia has the best story since Path of Radiance, developing relevant discussions and tragic characters in a well-constructed narrative. However, it also brings back from Gaiden some uninspired level design alongside some problematic gameplay changes, making it one of the most …

Fire Emblem Fates: Conquest is a much better game than its counterpart, Birthright. With a more engaging story and some unique, complex stages, the game manages to maintain the usual quality of Nintendo’s tactical RPG franchise. Fates’ protagonist is called Corrin. The character, despite having their own personality, functions as an avatar for the player, who can modify their name, …

Fire Emblem Fates is divided into two titles: Birthright and Conquest, with a DLC called Revelation. Birthright, however, serves as a terrible example to justify such division, making some problematic changes to the series’ classic gameplay structure while offering a narrative that is not only shallow but also ridiculously stretched – like butter scraped over too much bread – to …