Paulmichael Contreras's Reviews
Dark Souls Remastered is a great trip back to Lordran. While the original game may be showing its age, and various mechanics have been improved in later entries, this may be a trip down memory lane worth the asking price of $39.99 USD for fans of the innovative original. New players to the franchise could do much worse to start here, since the smoothness of the action ensures that each death is due to their own lack of skill and nothing else. This is certainly the best way to experience Dark Souls on console.
Wizard of Legend has a certain charm that many roguelike fans will fall for. With 144 relics to find, and almost as many arcana, the staggering number of potential combat combinations is impressive. The procedurally-generated levels mean no two playthroughs are the same, however, options for replaying a particularly cool layout are slim. Some people may not like the difficulty level, but then again roguelikes are often tough for a reason, to keep players coming back to prove themselves. It may be a bit repetitive in spots, but for those looking to challenge themselves, Wizard of Legend is the latest roguelike to pick up, and for only $15.99 to boot ($14.39 for PS Plus members).
Megadimension Neptunia VIIR is recommended for fans of the original. But tacked-on VR scenes won't do much for those looking for new and exciting experiences. The new tweaks to some systems help to give players more tactical options, but this is essentially the same game that launched in 2016, in a prettier package. For the diehard Neptunia fanatics, that'll be all they need to buy in. However, for $20 less, the original release is available sans VR play and without slight graphics upgrades.
Trailblazers certainly paints its own trail in the arcade racing genre, something we don't really see very often. Splitscreen support for up to four players is ambitious as well. An actual story mode with an interesting cast of characters provides a bit of extra, unexpected entertainment, as well. Online may be a ghost town, as with many smaller releases, but couch co-op/competition is where the most fun is sure to be had. A lack of arcade racing features, such as powerups, means that it leans heavily on its paint theme, which may bore some after a bit. But for a quick splitscreen showdown, Trailblazers is easy to get into and not too heavy on the wallet at around $30 USD.
Guns of Icarus Alliance will appeal to those who love working on teams. A good selection of ammunition and ability modifiers can help to craft a personalized loadout, even if the class selection of players feels limited. While the presentation is a bit generic, it will please steampunk fans. A metagame that runs constantly helps to make even a small match feel like part of something bigger. Still, a small selection of character classes makes one wonder what else could be done with the fantastic idea of battleships in the air, and an already small player population might mean there won't be many battles in just a few months' time. At just $14.99 USD, however, Guns of Icarus Alliance is recommended for those who want a different kind of co-op experience.
God of War is an epic reboot of an epic franchise. The evolution of Kratos could have gone horribly wrong. Instead, Santa Monica Studio has given the franchise the treatment it deserves. This new narrative tone has heart, and serves to make Kratos much more relatable in his new role as protector, while remaining as brutal as past installments. Reworked and improved combat options make for an enjoyable and customizable experience, and phenomenal audiovisual performance ensures that each trip to the mythical lands before the Vikings is a wonderfully grisly experience. God of War is a must-buy experience well worth the wait.
Masters of Anima is for those who love to multitask. Ordering various groups of guardians to attack multiple groups of enemies while also moving around, dodging attacks and performing combos can make for a very hectic game. But for those who live for the thrill of a job well done amidst a bunch of chaos, Masters of Anima was made for them. The rest of us will have to suffer through some agonizing deaths on a painful path to better skills before this game really opens up. Appearances can be deceiving, and Master of Anima is certainly a prime example of this phrase.
Infernium attempts to pay homage to older games, and mostly leaves the player alone to discover the world on their own. Problem is, many of the connections between levels only make sense to the developer, and while the game's scares may cause a good jump or two, they are easy to see coming after the first few times. Permadeath is a mechanic few games use these days, but when dying in a game is this agonizing involving multiple loading screens, the player may almost welcome obtaining a game over since it's the last time they'll see that purgatory.
World of Warriors attempts to cast off its past as a mobile title, and in that regard it mostly succeeds. The new control options available thanks to the simple inclusion of a proper input device means that combat is tighter, and combos are easier to pull off. At about $20, though, most people might be inclined to keep playing the mobile version without a killer reason to pay money for something that's free elsewhere. For some, local co-op may be worth the price of admission, but for those without others to play with, the asking price may be a bit too steep at launch.
The Witch and the Hundred Knight 2 improves upon its predecessor, and should appeal to fans of the first game. The story may put some off given its plodding pace and numerous quirky side stories, but most people who are interested in this game likely enjoy exactly that kind of storytelling. New Tochkas and new active abilities for the Hundred Knight give more battle options to players, though the camera angle may create a few missed opportunities to finish a sweet combo or get a surprise attack on enemies. Additional graphics options are a welcome surprise, and ultimately summarize the general feeling of The Witch and the Hundred Knight 2 – improved where it counts.
Surviving Mars isn't simply SimCity set on our red neighbor Mars. It's a resource management game with a heavy emphasis on survival, involving lots of death and brutal mechanics. At the same time, its systems are designed to teach the player how best to strategize and learn from past mistakes. A potential play time of 100+ hours to see each mystery play out also ensures a ton of entertainment return on a meager investment of ~$40 USD. For those who love the city-sim genre, this is a no-brainer.
DJMax Respect continues in the series' tradition of offering a challenging rhythm game that is packed with content. Seeing a lot of classic songs from earlier games on the big screen is sure to please many fans. Still, people who have never tried the franchise will likely feel a bit overwhelmed, because there is not much in the way of help for those who are getting their feet wet in the DJMax series. Progression in the Missions mode will remain slow for those players, unless they have the intuition to practice songs in the arcade mode. DJMax Respect is the culmination of over a decade of rhythm action, and deserves a look for series and genre fans.
Armored Warfare is a decent tank game, but whether it can retain any semblance of longevity on a console flanked with free-to-play games remains to be seen. While World of Tanks may remain the king of tank games simply due to an already entrenched player base, Armored Warfare is a good match for those who prefer a slightly more arcade-like experience. Since the game is free to play, those interested should definitely give it a download.
For those looking for a fun party game, Frantics fits the bill nicely. It's not the deepest game out there, but then again this is targeting the casual demographic.
Gravel is a nice change of pace from the simulation-heavy racing games available elsewhere in the industry. While decidedly light on content outside of the main campaign and devoid of any real multiplayer options to speak of, the most important part of any racing game, the driving, is consistently fun. Soaring through the skies in multi-ton behemoths or nimble boxer engine Porsches is always a good time, and for capturing that, Milestone deserves praise. But a half-hearted career mode should've stuck with a traditional setup, as opposed to the phoned-in fake television series that we ended up playing. Still, for those aching to race on open courses or jump around in dirt tracks around the world, Gravel is right up your alley, and for slightly less than some of the competition ($49.99 USD) to boot.
Immortal Redneck is ultimately a simple, fun game that is hard to master. Constantly replaying the same pyramid in order to progress sounds repetitive on the surface, but randomizing various key aspects changes things up enough to ensure the trip stays varied. Tongue-in-cheek humor with some of the weapons, but especially on literal objects such as the skill tree, help to dial down some of the frustrations of grabbing the occasional bad random scroll. All of this is packaged up in a sleek, cheap ($19.99) download and buttery-smooth, consistent frame rate that keeps the action going. Immortal Redneck is a good buy for those looking for a challenging arcade shooter that keeps things fresh.
Guilt Battle Arena is a fun distraction for a little while. Naturally, this party game is also a lot more fun played with friends and/or family. Having only one bullet is a nifty gimmick which can introduce some level of strategy to the madness that unfolds, too. Modifiers and an assortment of game modes help to increase the title's longevity, but there isn't a whole lot of content to speak of, including one of the shortest campaigns we've ever seen.
Lost Sphear has all the makings of a classic RPG, along with some of the trappings expected with the genre. The presentation will take many gamers back to the golden age of RPGs, with menus galore, a charming art style, and intense soundtrack. The graphics may feel a bit too basic for those who have gotten used to the likes of Final Fantasy and its grandiose aspirations, but Lost Sphear is not lacking in small details, whether that's the motions of a cook as he receives a much-wanted ingredient, or the headshake of a character as they are exasperated at their colleague's response. Indeed, Lost Sphear checks all the right boxes for those looking for a traditional RPG they can get lost in for the next 30 or more hours.
Albert & Otto is a decent puzzle platformer with some interesting ideas. It's a bit rough around the edges, but hopefully this has set the stage for some refinement if a second episode is ever created. Check out Albert & Otto if you desire a short but intriguing puzzler and can power through some awkward platforming.
Okami HD was great on the PS3, but is even better on the PS4. This may finally be the definitive version of the game. Motion controls have been dropped, but then again they didn't really feel like they belonged in the first place. Sure, this is essentially the same game for a third packaging, but if you missed the remaster, and especially if you never played the original game, Okami HD cannot come any more highly recommended.