Vampyr is an interesting game that walks a fine line between being average and being good. When conversing with NPC’s and going out on investigations, the game is really good. When engaging in combat and trying to move around from one area to another, the game is average at best. It’s unfortunate, because Vampyr shows a lot of promise, and there’s a lot to enjoy in this 15 to 20 hour experience. If you were at all remotely interested in the game leading up to its release, give it a chance. If you were on the fence or just didn’t care, then it’s probably skippable.
Mario Tennis Aces is a fun game if you’re picking this up solely to play with friends or to jump into the online multiplayer. If that’s what you’re looking for, this will be a great addition to your Switch library. I highly recommend skipping the title if you just want it for a single player experience, as you won’t be getting the full experience and will feel slightly disappointed.
Ultimately, Yonder: The Cloud Catcher Chronicles is an enjoyable experience if you’re just looking to jump into a gorgeous looking game and do some exploration and crafting mechanics. I feel that this game would appeal to fans of the Harvest Moon, Story of Seasons, and Stardew Valley games without a doubt. Even though it had an overly complicated crafting and trade system, and no combat at all, the exploration tied to being on this mysterious island and the beautiful art style and graphics used are reason enough to give this game a look.
Valkyria Revolution is going to get a significant amount of hate from the roleplaying game community. Is it justified? I actually don't think so. Even though the battle system is such a radical change from the original games, the graphics are hit or miss in certain areas, and the cutscenes can be down right brutal and quite lengthy, there's still a lot to enjoy. An impressive cast of characters and interesting story, beautiful accompanying soundtrack, fun sphere grid leveling system, and a different take on the battle system more in line with action RPG's. Yes, I purposefully included the battle system in both the positive and negative category. People like myself are going to enjoy it for what it is. Others are going to downright hate it. Revolution pulls back and forth on many different strings, but because of the inconsistency, it's hard to recommend the title to anyone but the diehard fan base and those who already made up their mind on a purchase. I would implore you to try this game for yourself. You may just find that you're like me, after all.
Digimon World: Next Order is going to be the perfect game to satisfy the appetites of the diehard Digimon fan base and community. The game seriously has a lot to offer, and if you invest the time and energy needed to really appreciate everything it has going on, you’ll definitely want to keep coming back for more. A really solid roleplaying game foundation lies underneath the steep learning curve presented to the players, we’re just afraid that particular issue is going to scare off a lot of potential newcomers to the series.
Mekazoo does a lot of things right with the platforming genre, and fans should absolutely give it a try. While we can’t say it is among the best of the best, it certainly is a good game. And in a time period where a lot of games feel very similar, we wish more studios would take a chance with games like Mekazoo. Developer Good Mood Creators has a nice foundation built, and we would love to see what they can do with future releases.
Robinson The Journey is a prime example of where VR technology is going to take us as gamers in the coming years. Unfortunately, controls within a 3D environment are holding back games like Robinson from being great and instead are relegating them to being average at best. That being said, Robinson The Journey is perhaps the best showpiece for gaming on PlayStation VR currently available on the market, and for those that can stomach the controls and motion, it should absolutely be experienced at least one time through.
Aragami is definitely recommended to anyone looking for a game that has a sense of style and stealth to it that are hard to come by these days.
While Dear Esther is still a fine game and one that should probably be experienced by fans of the genre, the fact remains that it is still almost a decade old. Games that have since released, such as Firewatch, The Stanley Parable, Gone Home, and even games like Journey and Abzu, offer so much more than what Dear Esther provides. Even The Chinese Room’s own follow-up, Everybody’s Gone to the Rapture, has more going for it. But don’t let that sway you from experiencing the original walking simulator, and seeing the story that is told on this mysterious island.
Bangkok definitely had a lot going for it. The intricate mazes that the hotel design presents is a fun way to get lost exploring every nook and cranny there is to find. But that still doesn’t take away from the fact that the story and targets just haven’t been as good as the two episodes IO originally released. With two episodes to go, one can only hope that the plan is to finish out the content with an absolute bang.
While Realm of Shadows certainly didn’t hit as hard as some of the first episodes Telltale Games has done in the past, there’s enough here that will leave fans wondering where the story is going and wanting to come back for more.
Aurion: Legacy of the Kori-Odan is certainly not a perfect game, but it’s a great first step for Kiro’o Games. There needs to be more of a focus on the Central African region within the gaming medium, as there are certainly more stories that need to be told and experienced. With this as a great foundation for future projects, I will be eagerly waiting to find out what this team has in store for us next. Fans of the genre should definitely consider picking this up on Steam whenever you’re in the mood for some folklore and something entirely different than roleplaying game fans are used to.
Dark Rose Valkyrie is a great addition to the JRPG fans' library on PlayStation 4. While this game certainly isn't going to be for everyone, it is going to appeal to the diehards who are itching for more Compile Heart games, those looking for a deep system with their next roleplaying game, or anyone looking for a unique mechanic with the traitor and interview system. Playing through Dark Rose Valkyrie has made me extremely excited for Cyberdimension Neptunia: 4 Goddesses Online when it releases in the west this winter.
Fans of the NFL and fans of Madden are going to find a lot of enjoyment with this version. There was some significant editions in the X-Factor players that truly can swing a game in almost any direction if done correctly. But the issues with Face of the Franchise, the lack of any new additions to the base Franchise mode, and some technical glitches here and there which Madden always has still holds this back from being better than anything we’ve ever seen from EA. But like I said, it’s still the best it has been on modern consoles, and I don’t expect to stop playing anytime soon.
Batman: The Telltale Series – Season One is definitely one of my favorites to come out of Telltale Games in recent memory. Known for their ability to tell amazing stories, Telltale Games crafted a world I wanted to physically be invested in as Bruce Wayne to try and make it a better place. The friendships and relationships you can build throughout the five episodes makes this game a real pleasure to play, and I would highly recommend it as a complete package to any fan of Batman or Telltale Games. Unfortunately, certain episodes do have their hiccups when it comes to stability and performance, and that alone is enough to hold it back from being the best game released by Telltale so far. But don’t let the engine’s shortcomings keep you from playing what is otherwise a great fit in the Batman universe.
If you are already a fan of the Fate franchise, this game will absolutely appeal to you. If you’ve never heard of this series before, but you’ve played previous musou style games, this game will also appeal to you. Fate/EXTELLA: The Umbral Star has a lot to offer for fans that enjoy one or both of those scenarios just mentioned. The intense and quick in-your-face style of combat, mixed with the anime art style and graphics, works better than you would think.
Hitman: Episode 5 – Colorado is a great attempt at recapturing the magic that the Paris and Sapienza levels had earlier this year. While not quite on that level, it is a much needed improvement over Marrakesh and Bangkok, and one that will keep players coming back until the final episode is released.
Akiba’s Beat is a strong entry in the series, and one that I absolutely prefer over the previous ones. It’s a shame that the game received such poor critical reception, because I definitely recommend this to anyone looking for an addicting battle system, fun and engaging story, and interesting characters. There are some negatives that can’t be ignored though, such as the amount of backtracking required, the times when the story just falls flat and isn’t as interesting as other portions, and not streamlining other features. All of that aside though, I still found enough enjoyable with Akiba’s Beat, and hopefully the series will continue on and continue to get even better!
Wipeout Omega Collection is a great entry point if you've never played through a game in the franchise before. Wipeout 2048 is the true standout from the collection, with HD and Fury definitely showing a bit of their age. It's sad that nothing new was included in this package, as fans of the series have been eagerly awaiting what's coming next. However, those looking for a true Wipeout experience need look no further. While not as impressive as a brand new title would be using all of today's technology, this is still a great collection to own nonetheless.