As a Total War game, Total War: Warhammer comes off as being a bit confined in terms of bounds, yet varied within said bounds. Boasting a lot of options, it is a genuinely enjoyable experience as it does take advantage of its licence. As a Warhammer title, it is a solid and enjoyable experience even if it's quite clear a lot was filed off either to make it work as a game or for future DLC. As a whole? It's a good new direction for the series to head in, and, hopefully, will let it expand beyond the confines of history into new, fantastical realms.
MegaTagmension has grown by quite a few bounds, yet still hasn't addressed the core issue that plagued its predecessor. As a portable game in which things can be handled in bite-sized pieces, some of this is excusable and fits well, but only because the game was designed with short bursts of play in mind. While the story is fun to experience, for the more dedicated gamer, there are superior choices out there in volumes.
There is nothing wrong with Romance of the Three Kingdoms XIII. Just as before, for those new to the genre, it will be a daunting order made more so by the increased diplomatic focus, yet to those whom are already initiated, it will be a pleasing game to curl up to for those looking for a more action-focused, and less family-murdery, Crusader Kings II. Either way, it will be divisive, but its quality also undeniable.
Make no mistake, Fairy Fencer F: Advent Dark Force is a big step up, and its changes are good ones. Even if it will cost more upon release, should you seek to get involved with the original, this is the entry to do it with. However, the stitch-marks where things were added in after the finished game are quite clear and unhidden. On the whole, though, it is a welcome improvement over the base title.
Wiping away the Star Ocean part off of Star Ocean : Integrity and Faithlessness, this is actually pretty decent. It's a standard fantasy RPG that tried out some new ideas, did well in some, faltered at others, but came out easily on the fun side. However, remembering what series this title is actually in, it feels more like the development crew tried to read off of the Tales' series homework notes, but didn't manage to fully copy them down. Their competence saves it from failure, but it feels like they were trying to copy from another series and didn't really try to give it the distinct Star Ocean feel it should have. Decent, enjoyable, but not a "true" Star Ocean.
This is good. Consider this an "optimistic" good, since The Girl and the Robot has shown some clear potential and can rocket uphill as opposed to a "failed to live up to promises" good. This is worth checking out for its moments of 'Ma,' and is certainly enjoyable, but the moments it spends away from letting its atmosphere breath, and, instead, tries to ramp up the challenge and breaks that atmosphere, feel painful. What it does right it does great, and, hopefully, there will be a sequel for this title. Those who do not care for such things, however, there simply isn't anything else to really enjoy beyond some decent cel-shaded graphics.
There is no doubt to its quality, yet it falls to the hurdle of its own title: Part 4. When taken altogether, the game comes off as drastically different; on its own it is simply a well-written and engaging title, if also sadly short and a bit annoying at times. For those interested in the series, it is best to start with Part 1 & 2 for the same reason it's not a great idea start reading a book from chapter 20.
This may be a bit harsh, but, at the end of the day, positives in favour of Anno 2205 are hard to come by, while shortcomings are abundant. Everything about it feels like a sleazy, cheap, cash-in title made by a company seeking to wring the final few coins out of a franchise it doesn't care about than a legitimate attempt at a game. It feels like the developers simply slapped on some pretty graphics in the hopes of fooling people, marked the price up to off-set the lack of an online shop, then kicked it out the door to sucker people into paying far more than they would have otherwise for such a boring and underwhelming title.
There's nothing in KARAKARA resembling actual 'gameplay,' therefore, there is not much that can really be done for those who aren't exactly interested in experiencing a kinetic visual novel. In conclusion, it all boils down to the story, which is… well, it's nothing special.
On the whole, saying something bad about The Reaper's Due is simply a dishonest stance outside of a few things. There isn't some glaring flaw or shortcoming, some aspect that feels like a punch to the gut, or something that feels super frustrating, just nothing that strikes to the level where playing without it feels like an entirely different experience. It's got all upsides, just not some major upside to make it stand out as more desirable even among its fellow Crusader Kings II expansion peers. Those that want deeper mechanics to the plagues and other things will want this, while others won't be crippling themselves by ignoring it.
In the end, Europa Universalis IV: Rights of Man simply doesn't deliver the stunning shock that would make one cry out that it is a must-buy. That, however, makes it in no way a weak expansion either. In fact, this is more where expansions of this kind should be; which is to say a good thing which will be missed out on even though it does not shake the foundations of the core game's foundations.
Princess Maker 2 Refine is still capable of evoking feelings of caring, the ability to watch her grow from a child to an adult is engaging, the multitude of potential outcomes adds in a lot of replayability, and other such things means that it's a notch above basic shovelware. However, 'notch above shovelware' isn't quite the same as 'good,' but it is worth a recommendation to those whom can stand the games many, many flaws as the reward is certainly half-decent.
Honestly, as a book, Muv-Luv is fairly solid with a decent idea and capable writers backing it up. It doesn't reach its full conclusion but that's because there is a third game waiting in the wings, and the provided endings are just fine. About the only 'real' complaint that can be had is that its duel-story style can end up feeling needlessly taxing at times, resulting in irritation instead of enjoyment.
Ultimately, Dragon Age: Inquisition suffers from a very simple problem. It has enough things like graphical prowess and decent combat and the like to be passable. If the Dragon Age name hadn't been attached to this project it seems doubtful it would have been green-lit. Those looking for a better resolution to the story won't find it in here, and, ultimately, it feels like little more than a polished cash-in than an attempt to build or expand.
Ultimately, Koihime Enbu is meant for a specific audience; fans of Koihime Musou who desired a fighting game. Genre fans may enjoy the title, too, as it does boast a solid combat system and some good distinction to set itself apart from "Generic Fist Punching Guy Fighter #82" due to using weapons, special moves, and the tactics bar - but it's not going to suddenly be drawing in crowds en masse.
Attack on Titan has, arguably, the best possible flaw: a desire for more of it! With some fast-paced and outright enjoyable fighting, the game is an outright joy. The story won't hold much surprise for fans, but, at the same time, it's still a good one. The question really isn't so much 'Is it enjoyable?' but 'Is it long enough to justify a purchase?' Sadly, the answer isn't clear enough of a yes, but almost everything else is very solid and well-made.
Honestly, the biggest draw for people in Crusader Kings II: Monks & Mystics will be the addition of secret societies and cults. They're a great addition and can certainly be worth it, but the feature can certainly not be worth it to someone uninterested with the features it brings. It will make every-day life more enjoyable and interesting, but it won't be some massive shake-up for those who aren't interested in what the cults and societies have to offer.
At the heart, the best thing about a co-op experience is just being able to sit down with a bunch of people and have fun fighting off a massive horde of monsters, and Warhammer: The End Times -Vermintide scratches that itch beautifully. It's just that going beyond that is a pain. Other than recombining and upgrading gear, here's little reason to play solo, between a relatively unimportant story and the random gear drops. Vermintide shines with friends; it's a bit too dangerous to go alone, so take three!
For those looking to enhance their EUIV experience to the max, Mandate of Heaven is certainly one of the more 'core' expansions. With some nice and unique changes for the Far East, it will be very promising for those seeking to play as one of those nations. However, people focused on the more Western nations won't get too much out of this beyond a few baseline modifications that really aren't worth the price of the expansion in and of themselves.
Honestly, it's really not bad. While the attempt at a greater story is nice and the new maps are welcome, it's just that it's not really worth talking about unless someone is already invested in the base game. The story is thin, there aren't really all that many new mechanics (two new weapon types is about it), and the rat killing is just as fun as ever. Think of it like seconds at a meal. Nice if the meal was enjoyable, but someone isn't going to suddenly change their mind on the quality if they weren't interested before.