Karl Smart's Reviews
Resident Evil 2 is much more than a HD update that so many people thought it would be. Just like Resident Evil when it was brought back for the Gamecube, things have been changed around enough to make the game fresh and exciting, even for those Resident Evil diehards who have played the original to death.
Just Cause 4 is just more of the same. The physics engine that has been around since Just Cause 2 is still fun to see in action, but that's about it. There is nothing new about Just Cause 4 that makes it stand out from other entries in the Just Cause series. The Extreme Weather system that was meant to make a huge difference in Just Cause 4 just isn't used enough for me to care, and outside of things going BOOM, the game just seems like more of the same.
Hands down MARVEL Spider-Man is one of the BEST games I have played all year. Within moments of swinging out into the streets of New York I was hooked. From there the game took me on a wild ride that I wished would not stop. Loaded with references to other Spider-Man games, the movies, TV show, Cartoons and of course the comics; MARVEL Spider-Man is the ultimate comic book video game if not 2018 Game of the Year… Fight me!!
We Happy Few is a game that promises to be one hell of a good story drive ride from start to finish, but what we got was something that is so full of bugs and crash issues that it completely ruin the experience. Frankly We Happy Few needed to spend more time in development than it does being played. When something like this starts on Kickstarter, sometimes it just need to stay there. We Happy Few’s story is a highlight and should be an animated film more than a less-then-playable video game.
Yakuza kiwami 2 shows exactly what happens when a good story meets good gameplay… Perfection. You’ll spend hours of your life playing the main game, then another half of your life just doing the exciting and awesome side missions and distraction events. Any game that makes taking a piss into an action filled experience deserves the highest of praise.
Sonic Mania Plus is the best Sonic game of modern times, quite possibly the best Sonic game of all time. With all the right things in place with the original release, then adding two new characters and remixing levels to add a new level of challenge, Sonic Mania Plus is a must have game.
Street Fighter 30th Anniversary Collection is exactly what was promised: A celebration of the arcade culture that made Street Fighter great. However, there feels like there was a lock of effort put forth in the selection of the version of each game placed in the collection. Going with the base bones versions when people know there are much better versions out there to play just isn't good enough for the hardcore fans who will buy this game on day one.
Sorry SEGA fans, but this collection doesn't feel like anything more than a cheap cash in.
Challenging puzzles framed with one of the most recognizable serial killers in film history mixed with cute graphics would be a weird mix, but it works. Friday the 13th: Killer Puzzle is a great experience that makes you want to give it one more go to get that sweet kill instead of turning you away in frustration when you miss that final character.
Pure Farming 2018 is a "as the box describes" experience. If you love farming, or want to learn about farming, then Pure Farming 2018 is going to be perfect for you. Heck, if you want an afternoon of doing next to nothing, then this also works for you. But unless you have the passion for farming, it's hard to recommend Pure Farming 2018 as a video game.
Dragon Ball FighterZ looks pretty as hell, almost as good as the anime these days. However the game has a serious balancing issue, the company has a serious greed issue. Overall the more you play the game, the less you're going to like it unless you enjoy grinding against people who will combo lock you into hell. Single player gets boring quickly, leaving a terrible online experience. Expect this game to disappear into the next dimension when the next flashy anime style fighting game arrives.
Dead Rising 4 is a great game, and this expanded edition only makes it all the more greater. The addition of Capcom Heroes and Super Ultra Dead Rising 4 Mini Golf are just icing on the cake when it comes to this zombie splat fest. Some audio and graphics issues do hurt the game near the end of it all, but overall Frank does have a great Big Package.
Friday The 13th is a game of amazing frame work. For a game that revolves around the slasher killer and victim dynamic, it falls short due to just being about one killer and one movie franchise. If there were more slasher legends and more locations based on other film franchises, then you'd have a truly killer game; but at this time we just have another dud of a reboot.
Marvel vs Capcom Infinite tried so hard to be Marvel vs Capcom 2, one of the best entries into the franchise, but ends up falling short in terms of roster, character depth and gameplay. A lot of interference by Marvel's overlord: The Mouse; leading to a lot of fan favorites and X-Men characters being left out of the line up. The story, for what it is, isn't anything near the depth and interest that other games like Tekken 7 and Injustice 2 have done this year. Capcom was once the innovator and leading name in fighting games. While the Fighting Game Community might get some mileage out of the title, the casual player has already moved onto the game that does the Marvel vs Capcom formula right: Dragon Ball FighterZ
Agents of Mayhem should be a good game, however it seems like Deep Silver wanted to do another Saints Row game and did things that way instead. Unlike when Capcom did this with Resident Evil and created the great Devil May Cry series, Deep Silver just made a Saints Row game with a different label on it. You'd think that after so many games in that series that we would get something different, but we didn't.
Micro Machines World Series is a game that could have been great but squanders it all with bad controls and a push towards modes that aren't as fun as the racing mode should have been. Maybe if there were some gameplay patches and some more Hasbro themed style levels (Where's my G1 Transformers track guys?) that could make the game somewhat more interesting than the cheap cash in that we're left with today.
Injustice 2 is a fine game. It's basic enough for newcomers to pick up and play but still has depth for experienced players to explore. The story mode is the best in the fighting game genre and really warrants more. However the whole experience is crushed by an experiment to bring mobile game style random bullshit into console games and ultimately makes the game forgettable once something else comes along.
Saban's Mighty Morphin' Power Rangers: Mega Battle is a cheap cash in and the price reflects it. However the game is so bad that it's not worth buying. My recommendation is wait for it to hit one of those PS+ or Games with Gold free game deals and then maybe think about it.
Dragon Ball Fusions is a wish forfilment to some degree. While it gives us the concept of being able to fuse any character we want, the rest of the game doesn't live up to that one mechanic. Personally I blame the release of it on the Nintendo 3DS as it limited the other aspects of the game in order to pull off the main mechanic. The game is still fun to play, if not easy to abuse. Dragon Ball Fusions is a game that is going to cater to the casual Dragon Ball fan and the hardcore alike, but the hardcores might not like the overall package once the thrill of fan service wears off.
While it is nice to see the portable titles make their way to home consoles, you can tell that this was just another distraction from the bigger issue for Kingdom Harts fans. While this game does fill that hole in the collection nicely, it's not really worth a full retail price, or even a slightly lesser discounted price. These side stories aren't going to give us any huge insight into the game series and is completely skippable. While it is an enjoyable romp if you do buy it, this is a game I'd recommended for hardcore fans only.