As someone thoroughly tired and uninterested in anything Musou, I can say without hesitation that Spirit of Sanada did very little in changing my opinion on the genre. Having said that, the focus on telling a tighter, more involved story along with the addition of a variety of RPG elements is a step in the right direction and deserves praise- hopefully pointing towards a renaissance for the genre.
Despite having many of the series' staple complexities stripped away, Shadows of Valentia proves a thoroughly enjoyable adventure. Those who found the Fire Emblem series too intimidating due to its difficulty and overwhelming depth need look no further for their accessible entry point to the franchise.
Trails in the Sky 3 is a departure from its predecessors in more ways than one, and is undoubtedly the weakest of the three titles. However, the foundation of what made the first two titles feel special still remains with charming, multi-layered characters I've fallen in love with all over again, and writing that plays my heartstrings like a god damn fiddle.
Without redefining the foundations of the original, Outlast 2 weaves an intriguing tale- paced expertly through environments that breed a sense of tension and paranoia only the best in the genre can muster.
A Rose in the Twilight is a title with a dreadfully oppressive atmosphere that stars a tragic heroine whose trials and tribulations are heartbreaking to experience. It features solid, albeit sometimes frustrating puzzles and an abundance of backtracking. It's a title with a niche appeal, but to those that can appreciate a dark fairy tale and have the stomach to suffer through some disturbing imagery as well as some obtuse puzzle designs, this might be a flower worth cultivating.
Sexy Brutale is a title with an intriguing premise, backed up by a story well worth experiencing. However, the lackluster characterization and singular, uninteresting solutions to its puzzles hold it back from greatness.
Housing over 180 cubed filled levels to solve at a bargain price ... , it's easy to recommend Bye-Bye Boxboy to anyone who enjoys a good puzzle game.
With some notable flaws and lack of originality, the Ringed City is a bit of a mix bag. Even so, the new areas are fun enough to explore, and the epic final encounter is something that absolutely needs to be experienced by anyone that calls themselves a Souls fan. It's unclear if this truly marks the end of Souls as a series, but if it is, it can rest well knowing it has left an indelible mark in gaming that will never be forgotten.
Chaos Code -New Sign of Catastrophe- is a solid, albeit unremarkable fighter that plays well, and even though it lacks many features I would consider a staple in a modern day fighting game, the budget price point helps to forget what is unaccounted for. However, what can't be ignored is the incredibly small player base where it's a struggle to find a single match online. In a market steeped with excellent titles like Blazblue, Guilty Gear and UNIEL, just that one glaring flaw alone is enough to make it very difficult to recommend.
To the uninitiated to the wild world of Danganronpa, at the bargain price point only $39.99, there is really no excuse for any PS4 owner that isn't severely adverse to the idea of reading to not pick this up. This collection features some of the most exciting and mind-bending adventures I've had the pleasure of reading, and it remains just as it was three years ago, highly recommended.
Atelier Firis is an ambitious entry in the long running series, with many new mechanics and a larger than ever world map to explore. Unfortunately, the inconsistent performance and a poorly implemented alchemy system hinder the overall experience greatly.
Story of Seasons: Trio of Towns appeals more to the younger audience with its simplified mechanics, but it clearly falters in adding enough depth and satisfying progression to make the repetitive day to day cycle feel worthwhile.
Torment: Tides of Numenera impresses where it truly matters.
Nioh is a culmination of some of my favorite mechanics in video games. The incredibly fast paced, twitch based reflex combat of Ninja Gaiden. The meticulous strategy and sense of discovery of Souls and the loot/equipment upgrade system of Diablo. It's as though this was a game made specifically for me. If that wasn't enough, Nioh manages to become more than the sum of its parts as something truly exceptional with an identity of its own – one that I simply can't put down and it has secured a spot as the top contender in my game of the year list thus far.
Tales of Berseria is a direct response to all the fans of the series that felt disappointed with the lackluster Zestiria. With a much more interesting overarching story, a stellar cast of characters and many refinements to the gameplay, Tales of Berseria is easily the best Tales game since Vesperia.
If not for the rather terrible framerates and muddy visuals, Atelier Shallie Plus could have proven a true redemption for what I consider to be the worst game in the series. Still, it is a notable improvement in terms of content, with many more events and playable characters. If you have a high tolerance for poor performing games and feel the need to see everything that transpires in the last episode of the dusk trilogy, do so with a Vita instead of your PS3.
Fate/Extella is a title that has a lot to live up to due to the immense popularity of the Fate series as a whole. However, it doesn’t do much to stray from the typical formula set forth by the countless other musou titles on the market. It sports a serviceable but unremarkable combat engine, along with a story that felt just as disposable as one of the tens of thousands of enemies I left in my wake.
Gravity Rush 2 feels as great to play as it looks. It’s a true fulfillment of a premise with tremendous potential that was previously hindered due to hardware limitations. It’s a massive improvement in every possible aspect from the original and makes a strong statement as my very first pick for a game of the year contender of 2017.
Going into Shantae: Half-Genie Hero as someone who had no experience with the series has left me feeling impressed by the undeniable charm of the titular heroine, and has all but guaranteed that I will be going back to check out the earlier games in the franchise for some more half-genie action.
While Beholder isn’t exactly a title that’s set to shake up the indie scene, the intriguing premise and solid execution makes it well worth seeking out all the same.