Author: Jahanzeb Khan

A Legendary Crossover Preserving classic video games can be complicated, especially when the IP is locked behind complicated licensing arrangements with expiry dates. With Marvel films being box office draws and competitive fighting games being massive eSport extravaganzas, it was about time for the complex web of licensing arrangements and character IPs to bring back one of Capcom’s most cherished fighting franchises. This Versus franchise brought characters from their universe together with those from Marvel to create the ultimate crossover. Marvel vs. Capcom Fighting Collection: Arcade Classics is a long overdue modern high-definition remaster and collection of some of the…

A Nostalgic Summer Vacation Experience Natsu-Mon! 20th Century Summer Kid is one of the most unexpected localizations of 2024, announced and released in quick succession with a free demo to boot. The game was already making waves as a popular import among collectors, but it needed a worldwide localization effort, and we’re all better off for it. Cozy games as a video game genre have taken off in recent years, and although we are seeing more of these releases now, they’ve always been a staple of gaming. It’s great to have a video game that allows you to escape and feel…

Felix the Cat Review – A Trip Down Memory Lane Felix the Cat by Konami has a fairly vague title since it’s essentially a compilation of classic games starring the iconic cartoon character. If we’re talking about the true pioneers of cartoons, then Felix was right there alongside Mickey Mouse and Bugs Bunny, laying the early foundation for animated shorts and paving the way for the medium to exist and thrive. Felix is as cheeky as they come, and his magical bag of tricks sets him apart from his peers. Classic Platforming with Felix This compilation includes the original NES…

The Iconic Trilogy Returns: Tomb Raider I-III Remastered During the advent of 3D video games on PC and consoles, Tomb Raider was an instant hit, and its leading protagonist, Lara Croft, became an icon overnight. As a 3D adventure game, it captivated gamers all over the world, resulting in sequels released in short order. Alongside the games, Lara Croft, as a character, transcended media and entertainment, appearing on the covers of gaming and non-gaming magazines alike and becoming a cultural icon inspiring a Hollywood movie franchise. There have been numerous eras for the franchise, but it’s been a while since…

Tekken 8: Elevating the Legacy of 3D Fighting Games to New Heights Tekken 7 has carved an amazing legacy for itself as the undisputed king of 3D fighting games for the better part of the decade. However, it is now time for the franchise to enter a new era, and Tekken 8 does exactly that and more. From the outset, it’s clear that this bigger and bolder sequel is built to last. It honors the foundation of its predecessor while rejuvenating its unique and timeless fighting game formula. This gaming generation has undoubtedly been the best era for fighting games,…

8-Colors Star Guardians + is an innovative outcome of a Game Jam project that utilizes a mere eight colors to create its vibrant pixel aesthetic. This limited palette is surprisingly effective, infusing the character designs with an abundance of personality and imagination. The game’s visual appeal, however, is just the beginning. It introduces a boss-rush RPG format that is equally compelling and well-executed. Exploring the Vibrant Pixel Aesthetic of 8-Colors Star Guardians + So let me just tell you that 8-Colors Star Guardians + is a brief yet enjoyable adventure that you can likely complete in an afternoon. It’s essentially a concept…

When it comes to RPGs, it’s all about the numbers. Long before computers could host video games, people engaged in RPGs using pencils, dice, and their imagination, all revolving around numbers. The enigmatic dice are the architects of the RPG world, even in video games, where fancy graphics coexist with dice-based algorithms under the hood. Some RPGs today prioritize minimalistic graphics, focusing on hardcore numbers and statistics, and Metro Quester fits this mold nicely. Metro Quester: Embracing Hardcore RPG Mechanics In many ways, Metro Quester shares similarities with Dungeon Encounters, a minimalist dungeon-crawling RPG from Square Enix released a few…

2023 was a year of great games, seeing plenty of gaming platforms find their audience. These alternate off-the-ramp avenues were my sanctuary, as I picked up 2023 releases for the Atari 2600 and enjoyed the schedule of cartridge releases for the Evercade. Maybe in 2024, I can talk Azario into having Atari 2600 reviews on Noisy Pixel. 5. Dragon Quest Monsters: The Dark Prince I think this game will see better days once the major patch takes effect, but despite current performance issues, I felt this was a much better Pokémon game than most Pokémon games released in the last…

Granblue Fantasy Versus: Rising – A Next-Gen Upgrade for Fighting Game Fans The cast and world of Granblue Fantasy naturally lent themselves to a fighting game setting when Arc System Works first released Granblue Fantasy Versus on PlayStation 4. With updates and sequels being inevitable, it was time to give the game a major overhaul for PlayStation 5. Granblue Fantasy Versus: Rising is essentially an enhanced and expanded edition of the fighting game for newer hardware, although there’s still a competent PS4 version available if you choose to go that route. However, beyond just superior graphics, this release introduces essential…

Flashback: A Masterpiece of Gaming History Let’s get one thing clear out of the gate: this game right here is not a Flashback game. The original Flashback remains a masterpiece of the medium, deserving preservation and celebration across gaming generations. Its level design, trailblazing graphical style, and organic worldbuilding contribute to its enduring importance. Beyond being a historical curiosity, it offers a gaming experience that stands the test of time. Its legacy should have remained untouched; a sequel was never necessary. Unfortunately, Flashback 2 falls short of expectations and lacks the ceremony of its predecessor’s excellence. Flashback 2: A Disappointing…

It’s hard to believe that Tekken 7 has maintained its position at the forefront of gaming relevance for the better part of a decade. Initially launched in 2015, it not only marked the pinnacle of the franchise but also held its status as the undisputed leader in competitive gaming and eSports. Even now, the game’s relevance and player base remain strong, with most fans eagerly anticipating a graphical upgrade. While many were willing to play Tekken 7 indefinitely and appreciated the game’s updates, it’s now time to prepare for a grander sequel. Tekken 8’s Stunning Visual Upgrade Tekken 8 has…

Mon-Yu is the latest Dungeon RPG (DRPG) developed by Experience, and the game’s subtitle essentially summarizes its core elements: “Defeat Monsters And Acquire Powerful Weapons And Armor. You Might Face Defeats, But Never Surrender. Strive to Grow Stronger. I Have Faith That One Day, Heroes Will Overcome the Devil King.” https://youtu.be/BLi9H8z0JsA In essence, this encapsulates the entire game. It indeed reflects the common features found in most first-person dungeon-crawler RPGs. However, Mon-Yu appears to offer only the bare minimum, giving the impression of cost-effective recycling of assets and systems that the developer already had in their library. The game’s production…

Mortal Kombat has seen its fair share of reboots over the decades, but the latest is making a statement that is more than just an alternate universe or timeline. This here is a complete numerical restart. Boldly titled Mortal Kombat 1, the idea here is to take familiar characters and tropes to create a brand-new story. One where a familiar cast of characters take on new roles and yet retain all the essential tropes. It’s hard to tell who this is for; on one hand, it definitely caters to lifelong fans of the franchise looking for something that is both…

Drawing the line between arcade and simulation for a sports video game can be a tricky affair, and it’s often we get one or the other. There’s certainly a case for simplistic arcade romps, as back in the day, sports games on the SEGA Genesis, namely the NFL games by EA, were all about mass consumer appeal, allowing players of all ages and skill levels to have fun. At the same time, there’s definitely a case for a hyperrealistic sports simulator, accurately capturing the nuances of the real thing with state-of-the-art graphics. Who could forget the technical showcase Madden 2001…

Sometimes it feels as if Mortal Kombat has been rebooted just as many times as Neon Genesis Evangelion, but each reboot comes with a wave of praise as it rejuvenates the series. This largely has to do with giving the lore a fresh start, allowing the characters to feel new again, but more than story and presentation, it’s mostly about fine-tuning the gameplay experience for all players. https://youtu.be/TyU-TQKC_00 This entry in the gory fighting franchise isn’t just any ordinary reboot set in an alternate timeline: this right here is a complete and total reset. Being the reboot of all reboots,…

Street Fighter is a culture, almost a way of life to many, and embodies the notion of competitive gaming. Therefore, launching a new entry in this regal franchise has always been a landmark event. While the release of Street Fighter V in 2016 was met with a lukewarm reception, it eventually evolved into one of the best fighting games when the Champion Edition rolled out. Players may have their preferences, and we’ve seen a few big fighting game releases just in the last couple of years alone, but there isn’t a paradigm shift until a brand-new Street Fighter game signposts…

The Nineties were all about the ‘Tude, and it all started with Sonic the Hedgehog in 1991. Everyone else wanted to be just as cool, and the number of mascot platformers that tried to match Sonic’s vibe included the likes of Awesome Possum, Rocket Knight, Aero the Acrobat, Mr. Nutz, Pulseman, and… well, you get the idea. Among them was a gremlin ninja named Zool, who managed to score a pair of games that were reasonably popular on a little British home computer system called the Amiga. There were ports on other platforms too, but Zool was no doubt a…

True pixel art takes real effort, and its effort can often be difficult to justify, especially when there are far more efficient ways to get the job done. Developing a game can be expensive for even the most indie of game studios, but if a creator has the right game world with a compelling story, then going the extra mile with pixel work that is lovingly and painstakingly crafted is the only way to go. Now to fully animate the artwork with the same amount of vivid fluidity as an anime from the 1980s, it almost sounds too good to…

R-Type is a fascinating shmup franchise with diverse continuities, some even experimenting with different gameplay genres. Apparently, the original R-Type Final on PlayStation 2 was intended to be the final game in the main series, but then this supposed final saga saw a direct sequel of its own in 2021. Now in 2023, we have a third game in R-Type Final 3 Evolved as a PlayStation 5 exclusive.  Now, if you haven’t booted up your copy of R-Type Final 2 for quite some time, you might want to take it for a spin because the last update has quite…

Strider is considered to be an all-time classic, up there as one of the best action platformers ever made, and it was the brainchild of Kouichi Yotsui. Surprisingly, he had no further involvement with the franchise after this groundbreaking release, and he would go on to other ventures. One of these was an arcade game called Cannon Dancer, which was released in some regions under the title of Osman, and it was essentially his vision for a Strider sequel. Left in the arcades without a home release for nearly three decades, this forgotten spiritual successor to Strider is finally available…