Reviews by Kyle Stepp

Kaizou Chounin Shubibinman 3: Ikai no Princess review

It's just another day in modern Tokyo. A cute schoolgirl (or schoolboy, if you're so inclined to choose) is walking down a metallic pathway, when suddenly, robotic ape/lizard hybrids leap from nowhere, only to be slashed in twain with your…

espiga · October 3, 2010

Staff PC HG exclusive

Final Fantasy XIV review

Should you have the patience to overcome these initial hardships, you'll find that Final Fantasy XIV has the potential to be a very enjoyable game, despite how detractors simply say it's a Final Fantasy XI clone with shinier graphics…

Kyle Stepp · September 30, 2010

Reader PC

Final Fantasy XI review

Meet Espiga. For a year and a half, this young lady served as my avatar in the vast, expansive world of Vana'diel, the setting of Final Fantasy XI. Given the option to begin as one of six classes--the same six the party in the original…

espiga · September 6, 2010

Staff Wii HG exclusive

Valhalla Knights: Eldar Saga review

It's unfortunate, too, because underneath all the crap lies the framework for what could be a very good game. You have your typical classes such as fighter, mage, and priest, who each have their own experience levels. You're free to change…

Kyle Stepp · March 16, 2010

Staff Wii HG exclusive

Shiren the Wanderer review

As you press on through one dungeon after another, you'll find yourself caught up in a charming storyline that delves into not only into Shiren's past, but the history of the small village that he's chosen as his base of operations. Taken…

Kyle Stepp · February 16, 2010

Reader DS HG exclusive

Phantasy Star Ø review

Allow me to make one thing perfectly clear: Phantasy Star Ø is Phantasy Star Online, only it's not. ...Okay, so that wasn't clear at all. What Phantasy Star Ø is not, however, is a prequel to Alis Landale's grand Sega Master System…

espiga · February 5, 2010

Staff PSP HG exclusive

Mana Khemia: Student Alliance review

As Vayne arrives at the academy for the first time, the first thing you may notice is that the graphics are blurry, low-res 3D that look like someone popped a PS1 game in their PS2 and turned on texture smoothing. You may also notice just…

Kyle Stepp · April 4, 2009

Staff PC HG exclusive

Lightning Warrior Raidy review

But if you're expecting an amazing, old-school crawler experience like Wizardry or the more recent Etrian Odyssey like I was, well... This isn't it. Lightning Warrior Raidy is littered with a ton of flaws that make it a hard recommendation…

Kyle Stepp · November 6, 2008

Reader Xbox 360 HG exclusive

Castle Crashers review

Castle Crashers begins with your knight of choice doing what knights do best: rocking out. Of course, not all goes to plan when a nerfarious wizard busts on the scene, stealing the castle's magical crystal and running off with the hot…

espiga · September 27, 2008

Reader PlayStation 2 HG exclusive

Namco X Capcom review

The majority of strategy RPGs have one major factor in common: they all tell touching stories of war-torn lands. Be it the powerful, albeit poorly-translated tale of Final Fantasy Tactics; the personable adventures in the Fire Emblem…

espiga · July 23, 2008

Reader DS HG exclusive

Final Fantasy: Crystal Chronicles - Ring of Fates review

One time, I had a girlfriend. Together, we would laugh at the hated characters living among our nerdosphere. Star Wars was treated to a Jar Jar Binks hate-fest. Metal Gear Solid received the Raiden treatment. Even the fairy Navi of Zelda…

espiga · July 15, 2008

Reader Turbografx-CD HG exclusive

Ys III: Wanderers From Ys review

In the world of gaming, there's always been one thing that I've noticed: nearly every series seems to have a black sheep of sorts, hated among the masses because of how different it is. Where would the gaming world be without Super Mario…

espiga · June 20, 2008

Staff PlayStation 2 HG exclusive

.hack Part 3: Outbreak review

Throughout all of time, new innovations and new ideas are constantly being thrust upon us. One such idea, the advent of the internet, completely changed how we communicate with each other... And like all innovations, there are good uses…

Kyle Stepp · December 21, 2007

Staff Xbox 360 HG exclusive

Beowulf: The Game review

It doesn't help that the soldiers that follow you around are about as intelligent as the nicely bumpmapped rocks you'll constantly be wandering over. They constantly run out and bash the crap out of anything they start to see... even if…

Kyle Stepp · December 10, 2007

Staff PlayStation 2 HG exclusive

Wild Arms 5 review

If ever there were an argument for the existence of the silent protagonist in an RPG, Wild Arms V's main character Dean would be it. Whereas most RPGs will have characters with at least a handful of surprising lines, Wild Arms V seems…

Kyle Stepp · November 18, 2007

Staff PSP HG exclusive

Final Fantasy Tactics: The War of the Lions review

Those of you familiar with the original Tactics will recognize the name of that story. The War of the Lions is no sequel to it, but rather an enhanced port of its original PlayStation counterpart, and from the very instant you select "New…

Kyle Stepp · October 30, 2007

Staff PlayStation 3 HG exclusive

Folklore review

You see, unlike in other action RPGs, you don't have a sword that you replace over time. Instead, the Folks that you absorb are your weapons. Each Folk you absorb gives you a new ability, be it a flamethrowing badass' ability to throw a…

Kyle Stepp · October 12, 2007

Staff Xbox 360 HG exclusive

Two Worlds review

In the single-player campaign, you play as a mercenary whose main goal is to save his sister. Early in the game, you're approached by a black-clad warrior and told to find the Goat's Cave south of the small village your quest begins in. I…

Kyle Stepp · September 22, 2007

Staff SNES HG exclusive

Rudra no Hihou review

Rudra no Hihou is a powerful game capable of being one of Squaresoft's best. It'll give you a rare challenge like barely any RPG since has been able to accomplish. It'll give you beautiful graphics, some of the best on the SNES. It'll give…

Kyle Stepp · September 14, 2007

Staff GameCube HG exclusive

Fire Emblem: Path of Radiance review

Imagine how difficult Ike's very own journey would become should he lose his dear sister Mist in the thick of a heated battle. It's a feeling that becomes negligible with a reset, but without it, it adds to the gameplay as a whole, thanks…

Kyle Stepp · September 7, 2007