Prototype 2 certainly offers a stronger experience than Prototype, but it's still thoroughly outclassed on current gen consoles by Saints Row IV and Infamous: Second Son. At its best, a remaster can be a great reminder of why we loved a game to begin with. Had the Prototype Biohazard Bundle actually been a full upgrade, it would at least show us how far we've come. But given even Prototype 2's mind-boggling technical limitations, this troubled bundle is more of a reminder that mediocrity is still not obsolete.
Worst of all, unlocking the new monsters involves trekking through the tedious campaign over and over again, grinding for experience.
It's not the polishing of the old that makes it worthy of the current gen, but how far the game is willing to present a twist on mythology.
Guild of Dungeoneering is deceptively simple but full of fun.
While remastering Ninja Theory's take on 'Devil May Cry' on current gen consoles felt like giving an underappreciated reinvention the platform it deserved, re-releasing 'Devil May Cry 4' on them is a sobering mirror, showing what the series should be leaving behind as we move forward. It's the kind of throwback that's more important for educational purposes than anything, a rough sketch homage where the series is capable of wild, vibrant ambition. There are those who still prefer the ain't-broke-don't-fix-it approach of the game, and more power to them. They will be pleased by the TLC, But the reboot showed the way forward. The fandom should follow suit.
Even with all the gadgets, all the exhilaration of success, its greatest achievement is in making it feel like it just might not be enough.
In Her Story, an old game mechanic has been put to captivating new use.
Clumsy controls make The Masterplan more gawky than graceful.
The comedic lengths the game goes to make the series's trademark wanton cruelty palatable is impressive.
Neon Struct is a retro stealth experience that is a bit too retro for its own good.
Hatred isn't fun, interesting, or titillating enough to command your time or attention.
Schrodinger's Cat is smarter than the average platformer, but still a pretty average platformer.
Even the zombie material, which is still painfully boring and overdone conceptually, manages a few surprises.
Invisible, Inc. has the right tools and the right talent, but it's not quite the flawless caper it almost was.
Kerbal Space Program is a monumental, exhilarating, and frustrating gaming achievement worthy of admiration.
This 8-bit throwback perfectly emulates the era, for better and for worse.
The part of the game that matters is an impressive romp for anyone whose inner adolescent is looking for a cheap, satisfying, bloody thrill.
The 'Marvel's Avengers: Age of Ultron Pinball' table does its job as far as tying back to its source material, and its got just enough going on to be a passable, welcome addition to the collection, but one can't deny there's more that could've been done to make this one a hell of a lot more super. Still, the fact that every new commercial for the film the happens I end up wanting to play this means the game has done its job well
Nostalgia is its own genre of film, TV, and music these days, which isn't necessarily a good or bad thing, with enough creativity employed. 'Shovel Knight', however, is a better kind of nostalgia, the kind that proves there's still plenty of life in a concept rather than trying to remind an audience the concept was good once. 'Shovel Knight' isn't an attempt to remind us of better games; it IS the better game.
This isn't just a nostalgic copy of the games of the medium's youth, but also a fever dream of what the 8-bit era was capable of.