09 | December | 2012 | "DESTROY ALL FANBOYS!"

Platform: PS3/PS Vita

Developer: VBlank Entertainment, Inc.

Publisher: VBlank Entertainment, Inc.

# of Players: 1

ESRB Rating: T (Teen)

Score: A+ (100%)

Ironically, one of the best games of the year is a completely retro throwback that would have been one of the best 8-bit games ever made had it been slapped into a cartridge. But it’s not even available on any physical media at all – it’s a download-only game that’s currently a PC and PSN exclusive (that’s also coming to other console platforms soon enough). If you’re well versed in classic gaming and plenty of 80’s and 90’s pop culture history, Retro City Rampage will be one of the best gifts you can give yourself or someone else who’s going to appreciate the megaton count of in-jokes, references and completely off the wall humor the game delivers. The first five minutes will have you hooked, but the amazing thing about RCR is how much it crams into each cut scene and the resulting gameplay chaos that often ensues from the act of merely trying to progress in the often hilarious story mode.

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Platform: Nintendo DS

Developer: Success

Publisher: Atlus

# of Players: 1

Rating: E10+ (Everyone 10+)

Official Site

Score: A (95%)

(Note: while I’m buried in a few other reviews and working on some new site stuff, here’s an old review to peruse. This previously “lost” review was written LONG before the PSN Wizardry games from XSEED and Wizardry Online were announced, but I decided not to alter anything mostly because I’m surprised this turned up in a folder packed with stuff I thought was gone for good – enjoy!)

Since no US publisher seems to even be thinking about reviving the classic Wizardry franchise anytime soon, Atlus has pretty much taken up the mantle of “publisher of Wizardry-like gameplay experiences” on the Nintendo DS. Some of you might be asking “Hey! what about that excellent 2001 PlayStation 2 game, Wizardry: Tale of the Forsaken Land, huh?” However, that game (great as it was) wasn’t at all related to the eight Sir-Tech PC games. Other than a few console remakes of the first seven games scattered over an assortment of Japanese consoles and a few handheld version the numerous Japanese-developed Wizardry games are their own bird (and yes, it would have been grand to see them localized in English), but that’s another subject for another time. Anyway, thanks to titles such as the two Etrian Odyssey games (which can be seen as spiritual successors to Sir-Tech’s original games) and now The Dark Spire, developed by Success, Atlus will absolutely make you do a happy dance if you love your RPGs old-school tough yet completely user-friendly.

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