They [who?] say that the third time’s the charm. Does that work with ports too? PHANTOM BRAVE was the third game from Nippon Ichi Software in a line of loosely-related Strategy RPGs. Though DISGAEA would end up taking center stage (with multiple sequels and spin-offs), the other two games in that early PS2 era (which include Phantom Brave and LA PUCELLE) have...

I’ve spoken before about the hazards of being a die-hard gaming generalist — someone so preoccupied with new experiences that he or she rarely unearths the rich, creamy stuff at the end of a game. It’s the pits, really. As a rule, today’s games bloom like onions, and when you chronically peel only the first few layers, you’re often getting the most shallow,...

If you’re among the VALKYRIA CHRONICLES fans who felt burned by Sega’s decision to publish the game’s sequel exclusively on the PSP, you’re going to have to learn to deal with it. Famitsu confirmed this week that the third game in the series will arrive next year as another PSP exclusive. But you shouldn’t feel burned. In fact, you should embrace the second...