A game full of meaningful moments, of quiet contemplation and brutal, savage combat. A game about family, tradition, honour and change that comes at a significant point of change in Sony’s videogame strategy. A more hopeful and less alienating experience than The Last of Us Part II and a step back to a more gentle and inviting form of open world adventure, Ghost of Tsushima is both a celebration of the past and a look towards the future, and is a fitting first party swansong for the PS4.
A more accessible yet still challenging take on the tried and tested Souls-like Action RPG, Nioh adds enough nuance and depth to the formula to make it feel fresh and provide a new challenge for players coming out of the back of last year’s Dark Souls 3. With a compelling story, bright visuals and new and interesting locales to visit, Nioh is a must have for Action RPG fans.
For a fan, this is an essential purchase and it comes with a sense that this nearly 15 year old series is drawing to a logical conclusion. It’s also a great opportunity to not only unpick some of the more convoluted areas of the lore, but look to the future with its reveal of the sumptuous looking Kingdom Hearts 3 engine. It’s a shame that Square didn’t see fit to release a complete collection alongside the forthcoming reissues of the rest of the games in the series; casual fans and newcomers who are interested in getting into the series would do well to hold off til April and pick up both this and the 1.5/2.5 double pack.
At its heart, Dishonored 2 is the game Assassins Creed should be. A lean, focussed stealth experience that can be played as a balls out action game should the desire take you. But despite being a solid experience, there really isn’t enough in this sequel to push the series forward. The two character mechanic isn’t explored as fully as it really could have been and the general aesthetic and mechanics simply feel like more of the same. While it’s well worth a play, Dishonored 2 feels, in some ways, like a missed opportunity.
A sadly barebones “up-res” re release that’s lacking the polish of Capcoms recent Resident Evil remasters and even their Mega Man collection. The games are no less fun, however the second is far and away the best. It’s just a shame that there’s not enough effort gone into this for fans and collectors, and the lack of the Case Zero and West download chapters as well as the fragmented release make the set feel incomplete.