Ryan Esler's Reviews
After some frustrating delays, Dontnod more than deliver on the promise displayed in Life is Strange Episode 1.
One of the scariest and most immersive experiences on the Playstation 4 right now. Even with a few lingering plot threads, you'll be haunted by your decision in Until Dawn and talking about them with friends for months to come.
Mad Max is another generic open world game tossed on the ever-growing pile of open world games. Even with its unique setting and stunning visuals, Mad Max is very much a game of fetch quests and tall towers.
The return of Gears of War is a bittersweet one. The updated graphics detract from the original artstyle, but the improved netcode and online features drag Marcus and the gang kicking and screaming in to the next generation. Putting aside the issues with frame rate, it is a smut have for any lancer enthusiast.
In a surprising turn of events, GG&C presents a humour riddled take on gangsters vs zombies. It's snappy and great fun with friends at a low price. It's hard not to pass up an Italian zombie mash-up of Metal Slug.
Never has a game retroactively ruined so many fond childhood memories. If it weren't for the absolutely out of this world soundtrack, THPS 5 would have literally no redeeming features.
Transformers: Devastation is a fully realised and unbelievably accurate adaptation of the autobots. It feels exhilarating to dart about the world and even better to destroy it.
With a campaign that forces you in to the boots of 343I's poster boy rather than allowing you to play as the enigmatic Master Chief, it's hard to really enjoy what guardian's has to offer. With tragic AI and a very underwhelming campaign it's a hard pill to swallow for those who relish in the magnificence of the original trilogy.
Guitar Hero Live tries to rekindle and re-imagine itself on next gen consoles, but early issues with GHTV failing to save data and the stale approach to background environments results in a once unique charm being usurped by chasing a realistic experience.
Star Wars Battlefront is a beautiful recreation of what it is like to be amidst the chaos in the fight against the darkside hampered by a distinct lack of singleplayer content and an absurd season pass.
A piece of art that asks the player to buy in to it's massive cast of characters and fall in love with The Banner Saga's involving story. Finding the perfect route will have players replaying The Banner Saga an endless number of times.
Electronic Super Joy is the epitome of background colour and unique artsyle with lots of variety in the fast paced gameplay. But, even with its short runtime, the sound design is so bad that it's enough to put you off entirely.
Q*Bert rebooted is an unfortunate product of its time, even with the adjustments made to bring it kicking and screaming in to 2016 it still feels like a shallow experience that's short on modes. It also has one of the worst names for a game in existence, ever.
Every facet of Fortified is riddled with charisma, from the witty one liners at the start of rounds to it's unique take on the tower defence genre.
If Naruto Shippuden: Ultimate Ninja Storm 4 was the last entry in CyberConnect2's lengthy relationship with the series it would most certainly be a high note to end on.
It's odd to think that in game in which you never meet any real humans face to face that you never feel alone, and that's part of the magic of Firewatch. Firewatch is a must have for all PS4 owners.
If Street Fighter IV were to be described as looking to the past to understand what made the series so great, Street Fighter V could be described as looking to the future to ensure it stays on top for the years to come, welcoming all the new comers along the way.
Tiny Troopers:Joint Ops is brilliantly captivating. Meant to be played in short bursts, but interesting enough to grab you for prolonged periods. Even the awkward voice acting can't turn you away from the rest of Tiny Trooper's charm.
The Witch and the Hundred Knight: Revival Edition is unreasonably fun with a truly interesting story and cathartic gameplay with enough spice to make you consider the best option for every scenario.
The Flame in the Flood is a trying and calculated experience in which you roll the dice with death. If it was for the bugs and constant crashes it would have been a sleeper hit, but in its current state it's a very hard game to recommend.