Brian Hoss's Reviews
I went looking for Michael Crichton in 'The Assembly,' but I got stuck on the lowlights. As with many ambitious projects, there is some good stock here. As VR advances, another take 'The Assembly' could realize the promise. What's here, however, just isn't thrilling.
In short bursts, 'No Man's Sky' is amazing, but going deeper, I found only a void. There's a great framework, and an arresting visual style to go with an ease of mobility, but in a short amount of time, I despaired of finding any more interactivity or progression in the all-too-similar horizons and star systems. My search for Nada ended in a whimper.
'LEGO Dimensions' pulls from a lot of fantastic licenses and even gets the player to use actual LEGOs. At the same time, the game strays too far from the proven LEGO formulae for a series veteran, pulling out the meat of the game design without providing enough balance or sense of progression. There are bright things in the future for 'LEGO Dimensions' I'm sure, but the growing pains of early adoption are too harsh for me.
The meekly named 'PlayStation VR Worlds' rarely escapes its origins as brief demonstrations, but it is certainly worth checking out as part of the greater 'PlayStation VR' launch experience. Some of the five experiences bundled here could make for great fully-realized titles, and failing that, this disc version is ready for any time I might want to show 'PS VR' to others. Plus, the game case makes for a smart place to keep the PlayStation VR cleaning cloth.
'Street Fighter V' stops short of being an online-only experience, but players need to want to play online nearly all of the time to get much mileage currently. The roster is impressive, but undercut by the game's insistence that players pre-select a single character before going online. In essence, the fighters are more accessible than what the game modes facilitate, but there's no denying how each human vs human match can be marvelous. With the framework in place, and an incredible fighting system delivering on being a new numbered 'Street Fighter' installment, what's left is for Capcom to deliver on their promised content and feature pipeline.
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.
For a very short time, I enjoyed 'Metal Gear Solid V: Ground Zeroes' as I would any new, exciting, and impressive 'Metal Gear' title. I couldn't help but be fascinated by some of the turns assigned to 'Peace Walker' characters, and that is the game's fundamental issue. The game comes across as premium priced fan service. The PS4 version is doubtlessly better than the PS3 version, but the jump in price from $20 to $30 makes the pretty, fun, and short game only suitable for hardcore fans. Cut the price in half and clean up some of the locked features, and the game's rating would be much higher even without adding more content.
'Deus Ex: Mankind Divided - System Rift' made for a happy surprise and happy return to one of my favorite 2016 games. There is story and gameplay worth having here, but nothing radical like a full-powered Jensen or even new weapons or abilities. Somehow though, 'System Rift' does deliver on content that links the main game with 'Breach.' I'd be happy if the other big DLC, 'A Criminal Past,' can deliver as effectively.
'Zombie Night Terror' makes for a delightful challenge, one that is worth revisiting in the future even after conquering all of the levels. Many of the human characters in the game are in need of grisly end, and zombies are certainly primed for that. The game falls short of excellence, but it's still an easy recommendation for anyone who might enjoy an action-puzzler with zombie b-movie humor.
'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'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.
I enjoyed carving out a hero's path during my time with 'Stories: The Path of Destinies,' and I even entertained a non-gamer with the melodrama inherent to game's branching story. Action game fans will wish for a greater challenge, and everything that the game does well will make players wish that there was more of it.
'Just Cause 3' does a few things that are just ok, but it also does explosions and crazy physics on a big scale very well. By easing up on some of the restrictions typical to openworld games and dialing up Rico's special abilities, 'Just Cause 3' survives its early rough opening to become a worthy diversion for many and an endless playground for others.
Telltale has got something with 'The Wolf Among Us,' a fresh property and stylized noir trappings that should grab a lot of fans despite the lack of zombies. Even so, this first episode feels like a prologue that just gets some characters set up before touching on a mystery. The issues with the 360 version make playing on the PC dreamy by comparison, though the extended time since the game's release may have allowed for some important fixes to all versions.
For every time I've thought, "if only this game had a tight control scheme and consistent physics and scoring," the devs at Roll7 must have been furthering their plot to make 'OlliOlli.' I would never have guessed that I could be addicted to a skateboarding title, and I have some serious concerns that the Vita might not have been designed to support such a replayable (if brutally challenging) game. It might not be much of a looker and many will confuse it at a glance for an iOS title, but the gameplay really trumps such superficial concerns. If anything, they should make a version for the PS3/PS4, and put one of the DualShocks to work.
As an off-shoot title in a genre outside of the series' norms, 'Metal Gear Rising: Revengeance' succeeds, and its challenging core combat is a credit to Platinum Games. While I can't help but wish the game had a longer, better realized campaign, the plethora of assorted side content and value price speak louder than the game's flaws. As a new generation of consoles is upon us, the option of getting one of Platinum Games titles (a 'Metal Gear' no less) on the PC is much appreciated. When the action of 'Metal Gear Rising: Revengeance' is flowing, the game seems so good that I wish Konami would commission a retouched version for the new consoles.
The new 'Killer Instinct' is mired in free-2-play trappings, a lack of content and unnecessary unlock system, is very rough around edges. And yet, the solid and at times pretty fighting twist on 'Street Fighter IV' delivered by the game, is almost a must-own for fighting fans on the new system, which means that long-time fans have no choice but to pony up for 'Ultra Version.' It is almost as though if the game wasn't such a solid fighter, it might been free outright, and the potential (eventuality even) for what has been delivered to sprout a dedicated community, makes buying in now without knowing exact expansion plans and costs a nebulous prospect. Even so, Capcom may find themselves extremely late to the party when they release a fighting game for the Xbox One.
Being an unconventional indie game, 'Her Story' is like to illicit a strong response. The heavy use of FMV is also like to turn many away, and the interface isn't the friendliest. Fortunately, those that do play the game will find a special experience that easily justifies the price. This is definitely a "have you ever played it" kind of enduring title.
As a fresh alternative to meandering $60 games, 'Super Motherload' nails the kind of value proposition offered by good independent games. My towering expectations burned out during one of the many backtracks through the endgame area, and I can't help but wish for more than what the story delivered. But when the game is humming along, the experience is fun and unique among the offerings of Sony's new system. The game's charm, couch multiplayer, and Remote Play support make me treasure its presence on my PS4's hard drive.
Backed by the production values of 'Assassin's Creed IV: Black Flag,' while highlighting some filthy all-too-recent history puts 'Freedom Cry' well above what usually passes for single player DLC. That 'Freedom Cry' also provides a stellar way for those unfamiliar with the franchise to experience the best of its current product, means it's perfect for those who haven't played 'Assassin's Creed IV: Black Flag' at all, which this review score reflects. Even so, Adewale's tale only scratches the surface of what could have been.