Whenever I get a new game I often try to give it 30-60 minutes of play time to garner some initial impressions and try to decide whether or not I'd play it sooner or later. Back when I maintained an active blog I would write posts of these initial impressions for the various games.

Since I kind of miss doing that, I'll be doing so in this thread and invite other interested parties in doing so too. I'll start with this week's new titles once I get time to try them out.

Shutshimi - WiiU

• Very easy to misread the title.
• Watched a trailer and it looked like a silly arcade shooter, which I love.
• Started it off. Each wave is about 10 seconds.
• After each wave, you have 10 seconds to pick a power-up/weapon for the next wave.
• Power-ups give no indication as to their effects.
• Bosses appear every five waves and are on a timer, but don't regenerate health.
• Starting around wave 50, survival depends more on luck in having the right weapon/power-up (especially the fishbowl shield).
• The further you go, the more the fake difficulty piles up.
• NO CONTINUES?! This isn't the NES era!
• Started off decent, but the more I played the more angry it made me.
• It may be better with multiple people, but it's local only.

Verdict: More like SHITshimi. I'm not even going to bother keeping this one. Save your money.

Nitroplus Blasterz: Heroines Infinite Duel - PS4

• Another niche fighter that I'm surprised they localized. But hey, it's got Saber!
• Just looking at the manual or loading screen, you can see why Super Sonico's chest is censored on the physical game cover.
• Nice intro movie. Highlights the cast and what title each of the playable characters are from, including the two DLC fighters.
• Interesting mechanic in that it shows which support characters are recommended for who you choose.
• Nicely fluid controls, picked 'em up quickly with some time in training mode.
• This game's training mode has one of the best features ever: The option to change characters without going back to the selection menu!
• This has got some of the easiest "Use certain move X number of times" trophies I've seen. Only 3 times as opposed to 100 in other games.
• Interesting variety of characters overall. I find it amusing that Sonico is both playable and a support character.
• None of the trophies are online. Yes!

Verdict: Very fun fighter and I expect to play it through to completion. Sadly, like many other fighters I play these days, there likely won't much incentive to revisit it after getting the Platinum trophy.

Played through To the Moon this morning, but since I'd already seen three people do Let's Plays of it, there weren't many new "initial" impressions other than the feel of experiencing the game for myself vs. watching someone else play it. All I can say is, GO PLAY IT!

Megadimension Neptunia VII - PS4

• Ah, the Neptunia series. The gameplay on some of them is hit and miss but the character interactions and humor are great if you're familiar with video game history.
• Each game in the series tends to give a trophy just for actually launching the title and starting a New Game, then asking how many reviewers actually got that one.
• Trippy opening movie. I can already tell that the new human characters are parodies of Bamco, Capcom, Squeenix, and Konami.
• Immediately downloading the JP voices. Many of the English voices in the series are either sub-par or all sound the same.
• Can't beat an opening movie where giant robots are fighting. Though they did get lazy and not include subtitles when using the JP voices.
• Interestingly enough, the title is actually three separate games rolled into one story.
• Wow! Definitely impressed with the new backgrounds during events. Just the sakura blossoms in the first cutscene evoke a, "I'd sleep here," vibe.
• Now who'd be lucky enough to find a discarded Dreamcast in an alley?
• Nice to see that the battle system isn't a re-hash of what was used in the previous game and the Vita remakes.
• Loving the new soundtrack.
• A lot of the fourth-wall breaking humor also references real-life events related to the series, including the most-recent character polls.
• One thing that'll make this game harder than the others is leveling up no longer provides full healing.

Verdict: Looking forward to playing this, but since I did just finish a Neptunia game it won't be played through right away.

I just now noticed and fixed the typo in the thread title.

Alphadia - 3DS Digital

• The other Kemco RPGs I've played on 3DS, Grinsia and Chronus Arc, have both been very good. Ironically I haven't yet played through the more-closely related Alphadia Genesis on WiiU yet.
• No opening movie, just jumps right into the title screen. I could listen to this title theme for a while.
• Based on the intro text, this does appear to be in the same universe as Alphadia Genesis, but at a much later date.
• Insert your Pokemon or Evil Dead jokes here. The main character's name is Ash!
• Much like Final Fantasy II, the first battle is unwinnable.
• Nice, straightforward turn-based battle system. Looks like a dash of some Grandia elements thrown in due to elemental skills leveling up too.
• Remember how in early RPGs characters would walk in place? Happens on this and it's pretty funny to watch.
• Another rare RPG where the hero actually as an intact family (sort of).
• The plot intro also reminds me a lot of Star Wars Episode IV.
• Simple elemental system too.

Verdict: I feel like this will be like the others: Not a masterpiece of an RPG but definitely enjoyable. I'm going to check how it relates to Alphadia Genesis and play that one first if it indeed takes place first.

I also downloaded and tried the demo for Mercenaries Saga 2, a 3DS digital SRPG, but it didn't convince me to go for the full version despite the $5 price tag.

Mitsurugi Kamui hikae - PS4 Digital

• That is not a typo. The 'h' is lowercase in the official game title.
• Somewhat bought this on impulse due to 1. Japanese schoolgirl samurai and 2. The main character reminds me of Kamui from Arcana Heart and she is friggin' awesome!
• Surprisingly small file size for a PS4 download. ~120 MB
• 1 screen showing the makers and then thrown right into the title screen? I miss such quick loading from the SNES era.
• The tutorial is quick and easy, though an option to change the controller mapping and having a lock-on button would be nice.
• Fighting's nice and fluid though. One nice thing is the combo counter only resets if you take a hit rather than over time.
• Being able to pause and upgrade/save at any time is nice, too.
• The lack of lock-on makes it tricky to hit bosses after a series of dodging, but it could be worse.

Verdict: Fun little hack-n-slash title and admittedly feels very similar to Croixleur Sigma. I don't think it'll take long to play through.

Don't you mean "whenever I get a new anime game"?

No, because not all of them are. Looking at Fire Emblem: Fates and possibly a word puzzle game recently released on 3DS and WiiU as the next entries.

Word Puzzles by POWGI - 3DS Digital

• One of the primary marketing points of the game is that it supports every current amiibo. But I bought it since I enjoy word puzzles in general and haven't had a decent word puzzle game on my 3DS since finishing Crosswords Plus.
• Six different puzzle types with 60 or 120 sets of puzzles in each type. This should last a while.
• The amiibo puzzles simply create a puzzle based on the name the amiibo was registered with or its owner's name.
• Word Maze: Trace through letters to spell out words and cover the grid.
• Mix-ups: An anagram puzzle but with multiple words at once.
• One Word: An entire word search grid where you have to find a single word. Definitely tough when the grid is large.
• Word Flower: A set of 6-letter words where the 3rd and 4th letter are in the center of the "flower" and you have to pick the 12t+2nd and 5th+6th letters for each one. Pretty clever.
• Circles: A Venn Diagram where three words share a common letter. You have to figure out the letter and spell out the words.
• Crossovers: Crossword puzzles missing one letter. Pick each missing letter then use those to solve the clue.

Verdict: This will be a good one to pick up and work on bit by bit. Not bad for $10.

I think this is a really cool idea!

I've been getting back into my backlog a ton recently, and I still get new games occasionally. Initial impressions are fun, and they're also fun to read about and watch videos on.

Fire Emblem Fates: Special Edition - 3DS

• Two things I noticed about the intro movie: The 3D effects on are fantastic. But, sadly, no sign of the classic Fire Emblem fanfare in the music in there.
• One change from Awakening: You can download the DLC right away rather than having to progress to a certain point in the story. I'd assumed the latter but, since I started the game on the train, couldn't download anything.
• Character creation seems a bit more limited this time around, but has a pretty good UI. Went with a male Corrin with slight appearance adjustment but didn't change the name.
• The prologue is a nice bait and switch. But, given the marketing behind the game, the twist has no impact since every ad for the game spoiled the situation.
• The Dragon Vein system will hopefully be as cool as its potential allows.
• Nice to see some variety in some of the character classes as your first healer can also wield throwing knives.
• The first couple of chapters are mostly tutorial while setting up the story with the game making no attempt to hide the fact that the King of Nohr is obviously evil.
• Had to stop at the start of chapter 3, but I won't be surprised if the entire setup is just a trap.
• Planning to take the Birthright path first, but I'm hoping that even things in Hoshido aren't as straightforward as they appear.

Verdict: So many good games on my 3DS right now. This and PXZ2 alone will result in hundreds of hours of time while others languish. I plan to beat PXZ2 first though.

Sadame - 3DS Digital

• The first impulse buy of the week. Basically it's an overhead action RPG based on Japanese lore.
• No intro movie prior to the title screen, and it looks like the game doesn't support 3D effects, but that often isn't a big loss.
• Four character classes: Samurai, Ninja, Monk, and Rogue. I'll start with Samurai, whose sprite admittedly reminds me a little of Duran from Seiken Densetsu 3.
• No default names for the characters and no difficulty selection at first.
• Movement is simple: Got a life bar, stamina bar for dashing, and two separate MP meters. 3 attack buttons + a dash button. Hold L and press buttons for one spell type, and R+buttons for the other.
• Can already tell this is not going to be a button masher. Repeatedly press the same button and you won't complete a full combo.
• The game's not kidding when it throws you into the action. A dozen enemies along on the first battle area.
• Pretty linear levels, but there are plenty of things to break.
• Along with the other meters, there's a shield meter (at least for the samurai) that slowly regenerates. You don't take actual damage until it's depleted.
• Experience and items aren't fully acquired until the end of an area.
• I'll just say a LOT of customization options open up for the character.

Verdict: Not a bad start. This will be another good one to pick up and play in small chunks when taking a break from other titles.

REPLAY: VHS is not dead - WiiU Digital

• The second impulse buy of the week. It shares a few mechanics with Braid, which is what got me interested.
• Another one that gets you into the title screen right away.
• The opening movie is simple: A guy renting some VHS classics gets struck by lightning, which magically charges his tapes and remote to send him into the TV. Logic!
• First couple of areas are tutorials we'll likely never see again.
• Interesting mechanic as you have to choose all of one character's actions before rewinding and switching over. The character you used will repeat the previous action while the one in control now moves.
• Looks like some of these gold medal times are going to be crazy to meet.
• The first few levels are nicely straightforward to adjust to the mechanics, though the first bonus level shows what to really expect.
• Not much else to say. This is a game that's easier to understand if you see it in action.

Verdict: Like Sadame, a good one to poke through bit by bit every so often.

Got 3 new titles throughout the week but waited to try them out until after finishing LEGO Marvel's Avengers. I'll be trying them out throughout the day.

The Witch and the Hundred Knight: Revival Edition - PS4

• I was on the fence about getting the original version for quite a while, then the remake got announced so I got it on a friend's recommendation.
• I did read up on the trophy lists for the two versions and, other than the ones for the endings, they're actually quite different.
• No intro movie, so why the hell did it take so long just to load the title screen? Nice title theme though.
• Well, the initial conversation in the game certainly explains the title.
• The Self-Assertion system reminds me of the various response choices in Golden Sun 3, only making a lot more sense.
• Battle system is looking like an action RPG. Simple start but I'm still just in the tutorial.
• Raiding is going to be pretty fun.
• The initial tutorials are a good first impression of the basic mechanics.

Verdict: I think it'll be worth playing. The unique mechanics turn it into something more than a typical ARPG. Only real complaint is it has the worst load times I've seen on a PS4 title.

Playstation All-Stars Battle Royale - PS3

• Got it new for $10 and it has Kat from Gravity Rush as a DLC character, so why not?
• Gotta download a 1GB update file first though... But while that happened I unpacked and got my iPad set up.
• The intro movie felt both nice to see the characters fighting each other, but also lazy because they're up against a background that resembles the PS3 start-up screen.
• Nice of the game to offer a tutorial the first time you boot it up.
• Tutorial was nice and quick. Unfortunately I think load times are going to be a negative for this too.
• Funny enough, my muscle memory from Smash Bros. isn't a hinderance with the different controls and attack methods.
• Messed around on various modes. Unlocked some trophies. Tried out Arcade mode.

Verdict: It's okay.

Final Fantasy Record Keeper - iOS

• Once I got my new iPad set up, this was the first thing I downloaded.
• Ah, got chills running down my spine hearing that classic prelude theme.
• Got an original character as the main OC, but I'll bet he won't stay in the party long once the roster increases.
• No surprise the tutorial dungeon is FF7. Only downside is it's all battles and no exploration.
• Nice, simple interface. So long as the screen is responsive I won't mind all touchscreen controls for these games.
• Yeah, it would have been very trollish if the game allowed you to die in the tutorial dungeon.
• Surprised Cloud wasn't the first classic hero to be unlocked. Looks like he's second though.

Verdict: This game is playing to all of my nostalgia. And it's working!

Parascientific Escape: Cruise in the Distant Seas - 3DS Digital

• This week's impulse buy. Haven't played a type of game like this since Zero Escape: Virtue's Last Reward. Decided to get it after watching the trailer.
• When I went to download, I thought it was $15, but it's only $5.
• Been getting a lot of games localized by Circle lately. They do good stuff.
• No intro movie, straight to the title screen. Nice piano title theme too.
• The titular cruise ship's name is the Idinaloq. Once played a PC STG of the same name that was pretty good.
• 3D effects actually work on this game. They aren't all that hot though.
• The heroine receives anonymous letter inviting her onto a sea cruise. What could possibly go wrong?
• The intro scenes aren't too long and you're placed into the first escape nice and quickly.
• Simple interface and easy to pick up.
• I'd like to finish the first escape sequence but there isn't a way to save the game during conversations, so I've stopped for the time being after meeting Merja.

Verdict: If translation errors are the worst thing to expect, this will end up being a very nice mystery.

Alphadia Genesis 2 - iOS

• I enjoyed the first game and this was on sale for 50% off, so I grabbed it.
• Was also hoping to get Alphadia 2, but it's only available on iOS on iPhones, not iPads.
• Had to update both iOS and the game before I actually got started...
• The games I've played in the series have given 6 party members, but only seeing 5 in the intro movie, so this may be different.
• Two things are common in every game in the series: The title theme (also the world map in the 1st game) and Enah. This has a nice violin arrangement of the title theme.
• Several more options than previous games, including adjusting the encounter rate. Will be super useful.
• Can generally say the graphics are nicely improved over the previous game too.
• Additional features in the battle system, too. The Boost Slots are an interesting touch.

Verdict: Since this is the only iOS game I have so far that isn't endless, it'll be the first one I actually beat.

Phew. Last one for today! Some friends recommended more iOS games, but I have enough for now.

Love Live! School Idol Festival - iOS

• Several friends in my RP group are huge fans of the series and heavily recommended this. I've only seen the movie, but it is a nice series.
• Updates needed, but the download screen isn't blank and much cuter than AG2's.
• Be warned: The music is VERY catchy.
• Have to choose a team lead? Drew randomly from my top 3 characters and Nico won.
• "Hi, I know we just hired you, so we're going to have you put on a Live Show right away!" <-- That's one way to get into the action.
• A touchscreen rhythm game with 9 icons?! Oh man, finding the best hand position is going to be weird.
• Funny enough, team building and upgrading are similar to FFRK, only more random and better-explained here.

Verdict: Another good thing that this has finite stamina.