This game, like its predecessor, is very niche and very serious, but it’s a very worthy and very intelligent complement to last year’s Nobunaga’s Ambition.
You have to be a rally game fan to enjoy WRC 6 much, but if you are, then I suspect you’ll appreciate the authenticity the game offers that other, more general interest rally gamers, like Dirt, do not offer.
For its flaws Aragami is my kind of stealth game, and I had a good time with it. After spending a bit more time studying Japanese literature, and perhaps a couple of field trips to Japanese castles, graveyards and shrines to really understand how Japanese storytelling should look and feel, I really think an Aragami 2 could be something special.
I love how well-made Hatsune Miku: VR Future Live is. I love how stunning Miku is when she’s dancing around in VR. I love being able to put myself right in the middle of her concerts. For a traditional Miku game, I’ve got Project Diva X and Future Tone. That’s more than enough Miku gaming to last me months, if not years more. And now, courtesy of Virtual Reality, I have a completely different Miku experience to enjoy.
Simple as it might look, but Yomawari is a remarkably complex game that aims to be something far loftier than most attempts at interactive horror. Its intensity is in its subtleties, and the way it is constructed makes it a masterclass in the aesthetics and theming of one of the most important art traditions to have ever come from Japanese culture.
I want Mario Party to get its mojo back. The development teams behind the games need to understand why it was so entertaining back in the day; yes, it had minigames, but those minigames were made entertaining because you were playing a glorified Snakes & Ladders game at the same time, with all the hilarity that comes when a friend rolls their dice and has the misfortune of landing on a snake. Sadly, Mario Party: Star Rush is the latest game that fails to realise that simple truth behind the appeal of the franchise.
Classy in tone and hugely interesting in design, this is a game that is worth supporting simply on that basis; there's some elements that don't work as well as they should, but then that's the consequence of experimentation. What is important is that the game is deeply playable, very creative, and hugely entertaining as a result.
Zenith’s gameplay issues don’t stop it from being a very workable system in a very entertaining genre. If it was devoid of its plot (or, better yet, with a more interesting narrative), I’d actually be arguing that it’s an enjoyable little game. However, the relentlessly juvenile attempts at humour never let up, and I didn’t laugh once. I think that says all that needs to be said about Zenith’s fundamental issues.
Rise of the Tomb Raider is frustrating on one level because it’s so completely in thrall of the blockbuster system that you can feel the creative frustration on several levels through the game, from its storytelling through level design. That frustration has resulted in a blockbuster that almost breaks free of its limitations at times, and it’s certainly an enjoyable game. It’s just that it would be interesting to see what the developers could come up with if they had a more limited budget (and thus lower sales expectations, allowing them to go after a more specific audience with a more focused game).
Mount & Blade Warband is a really entertaining premise, and one that’s quite unique to boot. An RPG that is more about building an army and then leading it into battle is in many ways so much more interesting than an RPG where you’re in control of a one-man army and in pursuit of personal power. I only hope that the release of this game, now, means that there is more Mount & Blade coming, because there really is nothing else like it out there.
While I certainly respect Minecraft, I prefer Dragon Quest Builders. It doesn’t offer the sheer depth that Minecraft does, of course, and there will be no “educational edition” of the game being sold into schools, as there is with Minecraft. What it is, however, is a down-to-earth and genuinely entertaining little game that shares far, far more in common with its JRPG roots than even the game itself wants to admit. And as a long-suffering Dragon Quest fan, that makes Builders special indeed.
EA Sports’ premier title remains the most refined and well-produced sports game out there. There’s something for every sports game fan in there, and the overall package is of immense overall value.
More than anything, the pacing of Sega Hard Girls is so incredibly spot on. It’s a game that’s easy to play for short bursts of time, as missions and dungeons tend to be compact, and there aren’t the long cut scenes to sit through.
While I don’t think Criminal Girls 2 goes anywhere near far enough to be the extreme Sadean experience that it clearly wants to be, at least we have a game that achieves something down that path.
It’s a simple, and entirely appropriate confidence in the quality of the work that led the developers to craft such a lengthy quest back in 2000, and it remains every bit as worthy today.
In the end, Metroid Prime: Federation Force is a limited game that fails to do justice to its source material.
For now Star Hammer continues to be one very fine introduction of a new franchise that is well worth paying attention to. The experience might feel a little unusual to people who are less familiar with the kind of strategy games that were previously exclusive to PCs, but I strongly recommend that people take the time to adjust to what Star Hammer offers, because once it gets its hooks in, it’s unbelievably rewarding.
While Hatsune Miku: Project Diva X isn’t as brilliant as Future Tone, nothing is, and the core rhythm game action is faultless. An inspiring, entertaining soundtrack, coupled with stunning characters, costumes, and choreography makes this essential. Not just for Miku fans, but for anyone who enjoys fun. And you enjoy fun, right?
You'll be genuinely challenged by what's on offer in A.O.T, and there is most definitely a strong sense of satisfaction from slicing through the monstrous titans. Given that this is the first attempt at a very different kind of game for Koei Tecmo, I'd say that Attack on Titan franchise is in good hands going forward.
Really the appeal of Assetto Corsa is in taking control of Lamborghinis and Ferraris and racing around tracks that are really beautiful for high precision cars that have good acceleration built into them. It's far more focused on what it does well than many other racing games, and unfortunately the overall package suffers a little as a consequence, but I just can't get over how much I accelerating out of corners in this one.