Brian Hoss's Reviews
In 2015, it's takes a real statement game to justify excitement in the rhythm game genre. 'Guitar Hero Live' is that statement game. With a New guitar, new gameplay, two distinct modes and a new content delivery method that should see players awash in free, marquee songs, 'Guitar Hero Live' is packed. FreeStyle Games has gone back to the drawing board and returned with both a rock star vision and a streaming music/video gameplay model that ought to attract fans old and new. Alongside the normal AAA titles to look forward this holiday, 'Guitar Hero Live' should be of special interest to home theater enthusiasts on account of the sound quality and the enjoyable novelty and passion to be found in the gameplay and visuals.
I'd have to go back to the PS2 days to find a 'Transformers' game that was as faithful and fun as 'Transformers: Devastation,' and I think 'Devastation' has the edge in both categories. 'Devastation' is a wonderful counter-point to both the checklist openworld games and the endless parade of indies that are flooding the consoles. Not since I first watched the 20th Anniversary Movie DVD has my Transformers nostalgia been so engaged. The game is a must for fans.
'Skylanders SuperChargers' is that game that can make the toys to life concept feel exciting again. It can pull together different family members locally or online, and you better believe it will make players want to get a boat and plane to augment that vehicular fantasy. There is depth and variety, but some areas are much more polished than others. It's an obvious buy for existing fans, but the vehicle dynamic makes it a nice choice for anyone who might want to dip their toes.
'Forza Motorsport 6' is much more evolutionary than it is revolutionary, but it is nevertheless a significant upgrade over 'Forza 5.' Key features, like the Drivatar system, can't be found outside of the franchise, and the stealth feature that looks to have serious legs is the addition of Leagues. 'Forza 6' is more serious, deeper, and more demanding than 'Forza Horizon 2,' but I expect many players will embrace both games while others are polarized. The Stories of Motorsport career mode is a welcome change, but still feels in need of a more major shake-up. Even so, the look and feel of racing in 'Forza 6' in dry or wet, offline or online, makes the game a crown jewel offering for the Xbox One platform, and it's a game that feels teeming with content.
It's possible that the 'N' in 'N++' stands for niche, but within that niche, the game easily bests almost everything a fan could ask for. For me, the co-op test with a next-gen kiddo beat expectations in a way that only winning gameplay can muster. The newest, and best version of a game whose subtitle could be 'Poetry in Motion and Killer bots' is a triumph on the PS4. Only users who absolutely hate everything about platformers should think hard before giving 'N++' a deep look, while everyone else should partake and celebrate the final form of this landmark series.
'Bloodborne' is neither perfect nor is it a slam dunk to suit all kinds of players. It's still an acquired taste, but for those that take the plunge and survive that first crest of difficulty, the ensuing experience is as satisfying as anything on the market today. Furthermore, fans of H.P. Lovecraft have something wonderfully nebulous to enjoy on the PS4. On the Night of the Hunt, one of this generation's great exclusives has arrived. I expect it to withstand the test of years while sustaining the hardcore and newcomers alike.
No matter how many times I cringed at the ugly environments, or was flustered as story details were pushed out in favor of fixing lifts, at the end of the day, I enjoyed 'Resident Evil Revelations 2' so much that I want Capcom to make a number '3' in a similar mold. That really sums it up.
Forget JRPGs, 'Final Fantasy' games alone are enough to form hard lines between various fans. 'Type-0' plays like it's meant to be enjoyed in bite sizes and in marathon sessions, and the story is so much more palatable and enjoyable than what one might expect from the past 15 years. For better and for worse, 'Final Fantasy Type-0 HD' is a hit PSP game reborn. It's been made available for a worldwide audience, and should that audience see past the lingering limitations of the PSP, 'Final Fantasy Type-0 HD' will be held up as a new standard bearer for JRPG gameplay and story.
'DmC: Devil May Cry' was always destined to be the game that wasn't enough like the numbers 1,3 & 4. But with the passage of time, the new Dante and his enjoyable combat can now be considered as their own fun action set, worthy of a hardcore audience. Add in the full offering of DLC (like the playable Virgil), the impressive visual upgrade, and the new modifiers, and 'DmC Devil May Cry: Definitive Edition' is a great pick-up.
'Fahrenheit: Indigo Prophecy Remastered' does exactly what users should expect from a remaster, it shines a light on all of the original game's strengths, which are worth noticing. Likewise, the majority of the original game's failings are back in full force in this restrained remaster. Longtime fans will find a technical and content upgrade worth the purchase price, while new players now have the definitive version to try.
I used to have 'Forza 5' as must-own demo material, though I knew most would not be able to really enjoy the game. 'Forza Horizon 2' is so much more that; it's excellent demo material, it's accessible to play, exhilaratingly fast, but manages to avoid being repetitive. Seeing one of my friend's Drivatars cruising around the European countryside often feels like being issued a challenge, and the ensuing race manages to avoid the grind feeling that plagues most racing games. Get in an Ariel Atom, or an F40, or even a Ford Transit and try not to have fun racing from coast to coast, I dare you.
'Cry Wolf' does an excellent job of concluding and capping a powerful season. (I don't know if there will be a second, but I would like one.) It also managed to instill a much greater desire to replay the whole thing than I was expecting. Even after the last episode's thrilling almost rampage, this was the first time I felt the full weight of playing as Bigby, and I don't know that the character would be proud of the choices I made. That's a good thing for the game, and Telltale must be tremendously proud of what this initially questionable series has achieved.
As stated throughout the review, the visuals are extraordinarily homely. The DS to PC path and price will prohibit most from ever trying the game. The game's beginning, while an improvement on the 1990 version, is like to doom it for many that do try it. But beyond that, it's easy to sink hour after hour into the game, embracing its retouched and demanding challenge while celebrating one of the peaks of the early series. And while I found the PC version ugly but addictive, I can't imagine trying to play such a serious game, hour after hour, on my phone, which means the PC version no one would have asked for serves an important function.
When announced, the idea of playing as the Sheriff in the prequel Fabletown wasn't exactly a homerun. Boiling the tapestry of characters and locales down to a single character's point of view was no sure success, but when playing 'In Sheep's Clothing' the payoff is apparent. Bigby, gruff and reformed, isn't the most righteous of characters, but stepping into his place and trying to redress all of the sick and twisted acts that have accumulated over four episodes, has meant becoming an integral part an engaging narrative, and brings to my mind the exploits of William Munny in 'Unforgiven.' As for the conclusion of 'In Sheep's Clothing,' it somehow makes the wait for the finale interminable and yet the cliffhanger seems like one worthy of great anticipation.
If you've given the franchise a serious try in the past and hated it, the gobs of content in 'Dynasty Warriors 8: Xtreme Legends Complete Edition' likely won't sway you, and the levels are even sadder looking on the PS4 than they were on the PS3. If you were to ever demo the game though, you'd likely get pulled in, suddenly wanting to chain a light strike into a charge attack into a Mosou attack in a Rage state so that you can Rampage while at Attack x 2 so as to demolish, say, Cao Cao's entire personal retinue of officers and soldiers. This is button-mashing with just enough depth to attempt a Zen state and possibly the deepest PS4 title to date. Suddenly, anticipation for that 'Legend of Zelda' 'Hyrule Warriors' game is through the roof.
Though these are not the first 'Star Wars Pinball' tables from Zen Studios, they may be the last. That's a shame as these tables feature some of the studio's best work and are recommend for both casual 'Star Wars' fans and those though that sometimes get the urge to play pinball. These tables play great on the Vita, as even the weaker entry 'Masters of the Force' has some fun design elements, and on the PS4, 'Star Wars Pinball: Heroes Within' reaches its zenith.
For much of my playthrough, I kept thinking that if I had to choose one of the 'Souls' titles to play or recommend, it would be 'Dark Souls.' And yet 'Dark Souls II' was clearly meant to entertain the veteran 'Souls' player with a depth beyond its predecessor. Though parts of the game feel like a poor rehash, everything that make the series thrilling, challenging, and enjoyable is here along with revamped online options that dare to tempt even the most solitary player. Hunting down items, NPCs, bosses, areas, shortcuts- I gorged myself on it all, and continued time on both the PS3 and PC has yet to satiate my desire for the game's particular kind of hurt. Detractors of the series (those that have actually played a title) can be comfortable opting out, but everyone else should see that death is only the beginning, the preparation necessary to live.
With only two months removed from the release of 'The Lego Movie Videogame,' 'Lego The Hobbit' arrives as its own alternate recent movie tie-in. The game seems ripe for all sorts of small quality adjustments, and the de facto relegation of so much of the side content to post story is a bizarre choice. Even with theses qualms, the game delivers a grand 'The Hobbit' experience, that looks good and sounds better on the PS4. In either solo or co-op play, the story and side content is sure to entertain families in equal turns.
Detractors of the second episode are likely to get even more chirpy after playing 'A Crooked Mile,' but I completely welcome the well-focused story, investigative avenues, and the excising of the less compelling, enter a room and click things formula. Bigby and Fabletown have grown into vivid characters worth playing while the series seems to be subtly approaching a critical mass. While it would be luxurious if Telltale would spring for more music tracks and some achievement-worthy objectives, the hope has to be that the final two episodes of the series can maintain the high quality achieved in the second and third episodes.
'Mercenary Kings' may look like a few hours of arcade side-scrolling, but it is in fact much deeper. Early frustrations give way to addiction, and this coming from a player who normally rolls their eyes when faced with each game's crafting system. That enemy that frustrates you with his bullet shield, as precious time ticks away, finds a new reality when you start shooting caustic bullets. Likewise, the boss that hides at the other end of level, is easily tracked with the right mod, and can even be captured with a timely shock bomb. For every problem that 'Mercenary Kings' throws at the player, there is a player-styled solution waiting to be found and executed.