Eric Albuen

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Puzzle & Dragons is an odd beast. The game taps into my love of puzzle games and an appreciation for awesome artwork. Still, the mobile original’s never-ending grind and constant prompting to spend to build a better team makes playing less of a delight and more of a chore. Without the pressure of stamina and with a definitive beginning and end, Puzzle & Dragons Z + Puzzle & Dragons: Super Mario Bros. Edition avoids those pitfalls and plays into the concept’s strengths. Still, is it worth investing $30 in an experience so similar to a free-to-play phone game? READ MORE

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Attack on Titan has proved itself to be a popular anime and manga. With success both in Japan and with Western audiences, a game adaptation was inevitably. 3DS title Attack on Titan: Humanity in Chains released in Japan in 2013, and has finally made its way to the West. Taking advantage of the 3DS’s local wireless and online play, is Humanity in Chains able to capture the exciting story and battles of the series? READ MORE

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Brawlers seem to be in short supply as of late. Aside from Super Smash Bros., the lack of new entries has left me wondering when other consoles will provide something of the sort. While it’s not Smash, Paperbound, the new game from a small team at Dissident Logic, can fill that void for PS4 and PC players in the meantime. READ MORE

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Intelligent Systems has had a pretty good strategy game track record. With many successful and multiple entries in both the Fire Emblem and Advance Wars series under its belt, the company took a chance in adding another strategy game to the mix. Does Code Name S.T.E.A.M. do enough to shake up the formula and add another excellent game to its repertoire? READ MORE

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Like clockwork, NIS America releases niche titles that, for the most part, will go under the radar, but manage to catch the eye of a few. A year after the success of The Guided Fate Paradox, a sequel makes its way onto North American PS3s. The roguelike formula seems to be working well, and with Haruhi Suzumiya artist Noizi Ito once again at the helm of creating characters once again, The Awakened Fate Ultimatum hopes to keep players hooked. READ MORE