Content from Last 48hrs

Onimusha 2: Samurai's Destiny This one is supposed to be the fan favorite but I think I actually liked the first one better. Onimusha 2 is longer, bigger, and more ambitious for sure. Especially in its storytelling. It's probably a better game for it overall but I just really liked how short and sweet the first one was. The story is very minimalistic and it has that Spencer Mansion kind of layout where you're running around the same area for the entire game, going back and forth as you unlock new sections. Onimusha 2 is more linear in that sense: you're going through a sequence of mostly linear areas and while you do revisit some (and even revisit some sections from the first game, which I thought was pretty cool), most of them are a one and done kinda deal. It also kinda tones down the horror more than I would've liked. Hell, horror isn't even the right term. It's really more of a spooky atmosphere, which is something I always appreciate. So seeing even that getting toned down was disappointing. Onimusha 1 is very much Feudal Japan Resident Evil but this one feels way closer to just being a sword action game with some demonic stuff in it. At that point, it's basically Devil May Cry without the stylish combat. It also has a bigger focus on story but it has the story of a Japanese action game from 2002, so... yeah... One thing Oni 2 has going for it is a companion system where you can give gifts to some characters and it affects which story route you end up on. So some sections will play out differently depending on which character you have the best relationship with. I think the sections where these companions are playable will vary as well because I only played as one side-character in my playthrough in that one area but other areas had some chests that the protagonist couldn't open. So I'll definitely be doing more runs to see what else can happen. So yeah, it didn't blow me away as much as the original did but it did surprise me a little bit. I really hope they won't wait another 6 years to remaster Onimusha 3. We're halfway there at this point, two games done out of four. Might as well commit. Unless the new Onimusha is an early 2026 release, there should be plenty of time to remaster Onimusha 3 before it comes out. Jean Reno is down, so that's not an issue! After that they can remaster Dawn of Dreams whenever but imho they really need to get Oni 3 out before the new game.

The Invincible This is a game with good elements that just can't seem to get out of its own way. The story is compelling, the environments are gorgeous, and it's clear there was a ton of attention to detail through the entire thing, but everything about interacting with the game is absolutely miserable. All you do is walk and interact with set points, but the walking is too slow (there's a run but you can only do it for about three seconds before running out of stamina), the objectives are poorly communicated, and the whole thing overstays its welcome by half. I want to like this game, but I just can't. Grade: D+ PS: It is very pretty though. (Spoiler tags just for big images.)

I have finally finished Khazan. And yikes. Ultimately I ended up knocking it down to 'easy' and yet even with that extra help, I'd argue that's the hardest soulslike I've ever played. The final boss was all sorts of ridiculous and both exhilarating and frustrating in equal measure. It's done. I can spend time with my children once again, finally start a new book and maybe even start a new videogame. What a time to be alive. If I had to give it a rating (using my own system) I'd give it a 4/5, which is 'Great', although I'd add that for the sort of person who enjoys these games, I think it's basically a must play; just maybe knock it down to 'easy' where it feels much closer to a traditional From game in terms of raw difficulty, although even then, I'd argue it's harder than anything From has produced, even Sekiro.