As for the quality of this particular port, it has some issues, like the lack of cross-platform compatibility, along with its PS3, instead of PS4, visuals, yet, as a whole, it's a product of high quality.
Want to experience the original bundle of cartoony wackiness known as Day of the Tentacle, as well as its upgraded, Remastered version? Well, look no further, because this is it. The best iteration of the classic gem of the genre, and a lesson in remasters. As for the question of who should get this, the rule is simple: adventure game haters, the exit door is on the right. The rest, please form a nice line over there and ready those wallets for some purchasing.
If it was only a matter of bug fixes, control adjusting, and overall rebalancing, the final judgment would be much more positive, because, when Blood Alloy: Reborn is at its best, it is truly magnificent, since it seamlessly blends rapid shooting, sword fighting, and platforming, with addictive and challenging high score-chasing - plus it looks and sounds fantastic. Sadly, the problems begin when one realises that there's not really much to do here, with pleasure soon giving way to boredom.
The term "slice-of-life" is no excuse for a lack of plot, a lack of well-developed characters, and a 50% lack of new graphics and tunes. That being said, NekoPara Vol. 2 is probably the best of the three titles so far (but only by a tiny margin), since it actually has a character that's somewhat likeable, because it's slightly more funny and less serious, and due to the fact that it has a more balanced length for what's offered.
Kittens doing cute kitten stuff: funny? Yes. More than five hours of the same thing, though? Not really. Even for the low standards of the visual novel genre, NEKOPARA Vol. 1 is as far away from what a videogame is supposed to be as can be. The plot does not exist, for the simple fact that this is just an excuse to have virtual sex(?) with nekos - but without any sex scenes, unless willing to pay a bunch of money in order to patch this up and get to ogle at some anime coconuts.
Capcom has made a terrible mistake by releasing one of its flagship franchises at full price, but with half the content. Strange as it may seem, however, and even though Street Fighter V currently feels like an Early Access title, it is a worthy purchase because of three things. First, the Japanese developer is truly doing a great job at rapidly updating and fixing some of the stability problems; second, there won't be any need to spend money on any future updates, since all content (apart from some cosmetic elements) will be available for free; and, finally, the actual battles are very enjoyable - simplified without being simplistic, and, thus, catering to both casuals and pros alike.
The voice recognition control scheme is extremely engrossing...but only when it works, with the alternative being an aggravating contextual menu-based system that requires the mouse. The action can be fun…but it mostly feels so hand-holding and tedious that it's like working instead of playing. The only thing of value here is, undoubtedly, the story…but the whole adventure ends so fast that it's impossible to feel any connection to this otherwise well-thought-out sci-fi universe.
Strawberry Vinegar might not be as emotive as the previous creations of Ebi-Hime, but it's entertaining nonetheless. The things that it does well? It's cheerful, well-written, oh so sweet and cute, has some heart-warming scenes, and is full of pictures of food that look so tasty that's it's hard not to experience a bit of stomach rumbling after a couple of minutes. The things that it lacks? Being the harmless easy-going tale that it is, it won't exactly shake the foundations of the genre. It's good… and that's just about it.
Imagine a novel that's little bit funny, a little bit romantic, and that takes an unexpected, yet great dramatic turn. The character cast is interesting, despite being nothing special, the accompanying artwork is pretty but generic, and story is pleasantly short, but it will be hard reading through it more than once, for the simple reason that the writing is subpar. That's the problem with No One But You; it's not "painful" to read, but it's a mundane experience nonetheless.
Anyone who has truly experienced the Great Wide Open will surely appreciate this gem of a survival-themed video game that independent developer The Molasses Flood has created; a gem that provides a world that is as immersive and beautiful as it is dangerous, and that gives new meaning to the term 'Survival of the Fittest.' It should be noted, however, that, as fun as sailing, scavenging, hunting (or running), and crafting is, The Flame in the Flood should be enjoyed as a whole because, while as a game it is flawed, as an experience, it is simply magnificent.
The Incredible Adventures of Van Helsing: Final Cut tries to amalgamate various ideas (many of which are quite original), the gothic setting is cool, the audio-visuals are great despite not being up to par with what the competition offers, and the action is enjoyable besides various unfixed problems, as well as a depressingly low replayability. All this would be just fine if this was about one of the three episodes. Look in the title, though: it says Final Cut; not alpha, not beta, not Early Access - Final. Flaws in episodes I, II, and III, used to be acceptable; not any more.
While the adventures of Van Helsing are far from bad or mediocre, they're certainly far from incredible. Attention was mainly given to quantity, instead of quality, with lots of great ideas not being implemented correctly, gameplay that feels repetitive, and, finally, a replay value that is extremely low when compared to the one found in the genre's big ones. The Incredible Adventures of Van Helsing III can be fun at times, but it's mostly a typical case of "one step forward, two steps back."
Peter Moorhead's creation looks and - besides the lacklustre voice-acting - sounds good, but, in terms of plot, it's terrible; and not just because it's not handled well, but because it doesn't even exist! Murder pretends that it explores the boundaries of morality, free will, conscience, and, perception, when, in reality, it's nothing but a highly self-important product that throws these topics out of the window.
The good? A big world to explore, a vast arsenal of skills, perfect controls, and numerous, adrenalin-pumping bullet hell-esque boss fights. The bad? First, compared to its rivals, the platforming "puzzles" are pretty simplistic, instead of thought-provoking, and, second, the otherwise fantastic boss encounters feel very similar challenge-wise, instead of each one twisting the knife deeper and deeper. Flaws aside, Rabi-Ribi is a cute time sink that will surely please Metroidvania fans - as long as they can stomach the big pile of rabbit manure that this has for a plot.
A world that makes Disneyland feel threatening in comparison, a cast of the most lifeless characters imaginable, a look that is as pretty as it is uninspiring, and a level of challenge that's insulting to the average adventure gamer. In other words: Order of the Thorne: The King's Challenge isn't just mediocre, but mediocre to the point of annoyance! Hopefully, Infamous Quests will not repeat the same mistakes with the next page of this fairytale, Fortress of Fire, and spices things up a bit.
There's no denying that style is an integral part of videogames. The thing is, though, that when 'looking good' becomes the main focus, and throws substance out of the window in the process, things tend to start leaning towards the disappointing side of the scale; and that's the problem with The Deadly Tower of Monsters. While far - very far in fact - from being a terrible piece of software, without the B-Movie aesthetics and the funny narration from the Director and his unfortunate audio technician - which it nails - this is just an action game, and an average one at that.
A stumbling point for many reviewers is that headache-inducing moment when it's hard to decide whether a remastered title should be judged solely on its improvements, or rather on its actual value as a game, upgraded or not. The best course of action is, quite possibly, to do a little bit of both, but mostly focus on the core material, instead of the enhanced "wrapping." Therefore, going back to the previously asked question: is this title worth returning to? For those who loved the original GameCube version, Cubed3's three-step advice is simple: open wallet, give money, and scream for joy, because, although Resident Evil 0 is almost identical to the original, the HD makeover is marvellous. As for the rest: tread carefully, because the heavily chore-ish gameplay overshadows its few good aspects.
Star Wars Battlefront: Battle of Jakku was never supposed to be a major expansion pack and, therefore, it comes as no surprise that it doesn't make any effort to fix the problems of the original release. What it does add is simple: a new world divided between two maps and a new game mode, which, while not bad or anything, both suffer from the same problem of the original maps and game modes, in other words, how similar they all feel - but, hey, at least there's no price tag.
From the wail of a TIE Fighter and the humming of a lightsaber, to the plastic Stormtrooper crotches and Leia's crown braids, everything looks and sounds fantastic. Unfortunately, this wonderful level of detail and immersion offered in Star Wars Battlefront, comes to a screeching halt once it is realised that this is just a half-done, money-grabbing piece of style-over-substance, which is insanely entertaining in short bursts, yet lacks the required depth or amount of content that would make gamers keep coming back for more.
For some, football is just a silly game where 22 men are chasing a ball, while for others it is the Queen of Sports. The same thing applies to motorcycle speedway, which may not be as popular as motocross, supercross, or superbike racing, but it's the most sensational pastime for its fans - apart from the umbrella girls, of course. In other words, those not really in the sport might find FIM Speedway Grand Prix 15 boring, forgettable, and even irritating due to its high level of challenge and attention to protocol. The real problem, though, is that, while it's a fine piece of software that will surely entertain speedway "connoisseurs" with its adrenaline-pumping heats and capturing of the stadium's mood, it is way too light on content to be considered something more than a great weekend rental.