Nick Herber's Reviews
Synth Riders is an excellent rhythm game, with a strong selection of songs and fantastic visuals that really drew me into the experience. The variety of modes and difficulty customizations make this the kind of game that is easy for people to pick up and play, but also provides a gameplay loop that keeps you coming back for improved performances. The lack of online multiplayer is one of the few bummers here, but the overall package is too good to pass up on.
Streets of Rage 4: Mr. X Nightmare is a fairly priced bit of DLC that is the perfect reason for people who played this title a year ago to pick the game back up again. All three new characters play differently from one another, providing a satisfying variety as you pound your way through hapless bad guys once again. The Survival mode also exceeded my expectations and has that addictive ‘one more time’ feel to it.
Orcs Must Die! 3 is a welcome addition to consoles. Tower defense is one of my favorite genres, and there are not a lot of great games representing the genre on consoles. Orcs Must Die! 3 is a pretty great game. It’s vibrant and funny, with the right combination of strategy and action that kept me coming back for more. A bit more content and variety would have been appreciated, but what is here was still very enjoyable.
Sniper Ghost Warrior Contracts 2 is not a AAA title, and it lacks a bit of the polish that comes with that, especially where the environmental interactions and some of the visuals are concerned. That being said, Sniper Ghost Warrior Contracts 2 gets it right where it matters most – the sniping gameplay. Scouting out for that perfect shot when you connect with it is incredibly satisfying. That gameplay loop of making money, improving your gear and skills and trying things from a different angle was a lot of fun, even with some of its rough edges.
There is a great deal to like about Samurai Warriors 5. The new art style is incredibly appealing, the progression elements make for a compelling gameplay loop and the focus on characters has made the narrative more interesting than ever. The series feels less niche than it has been in the past, with a handful of different modes to encourage replay, even if the combat itself still remains pretty simple by and large.
Sniper Elite VR pulls you in with flashy kill shots and some interesting presentation around the actual process of sniping. The PSVR’s tracking is not as precise as this title needs at times, but that is more a limitation of the hardware than the developers. Stage design makes sense, even if it perhaps seems a bit simplified when compared to the last couple of entries in the Sniper Elite series, and stealth feels a bit barren without any kind of melee options. These quibbles however are relatively minor in the big picture of what this title delivers. Sniper Elite VR is intense, immersive and simply put – a whole lot of fun.
ENDER LILIES: Quietus of the Knights doesn’t necessarily bring a lot new to the table, but it does a great job of mashing up the principles of Soulsborne and Metroidvania games into a hauntingly beautiful 2D action experience. Certainly there were moments of frustration – this is not the hardest game I’ve ever played, but ENDER LILIES: Quietus of the Knights certainly is not easy either. It has a very distinctive aesthetic that really appealed to me though as I continued to unravel Lily’s mystery while exploring this unique world.
If The Dungeon of Naheulbeuk: The Amulet of Chaos was content just to tell a goofy story with a bunch of charming humor, it would have been a pretty solid offering. However, this is also a very solid tactics / RPG hybrid that offers a really fresh take on a very familiar genre. The humor and the pacing of the combat probably won’t appeal to everyone, but consider me a huge fan as I hope from some continued hijinks in a future sequel.
Empire of Angels IV is a nice enough strategy game that does just enough for me to enjoy it, even if I did find myself sometimes wishing for a bit more meat on the bones. A cleaner translation, items / equipment, and a more interesting combination of characters and narrative would have helped elevate the entire package. What we still have is a fundamentally sound, relatively easy SRPG that can be enjoyed over a couple of dozen hours or so.
Wingspan is an interesting game. There is a good deal of strategy to it, and a lot of depth to the gameplay. It is certainly a more relaxing, less directly competitive type of game than many of them out there, making it one I particularly enjoy in the evenings when I am trying to wind down. Being based on a boardgame, there is an element of random luck in there that can subvert even the best strategies, but careful planning can certainly help pave the path to a win. All in all, Wingspan is a charming game that strategy fans should enjoy.
Chivalry 2 works on most fronts, and certain where it is needed the most – bloody, visceral combat. To that end, the hackfest that is Chivalry 2’s meat and potatoes delivers a lot of fun for both casual players and those who want to dedicate their time into digging deeper into the gameplay mechanics. The progression system and maps are both quite good, even if I’d have liked to see a few more options with both. All in all though, Chivalry’s carnage-filled gameplay is just a whole lot of fun.
The Ninja Gaiden: Master Collection is a fun trio of games that will challenge most action fans while providing plenty of gore and flashy combat. There are times the games remind us that this series kicked off in the mid 2000’s, with camera angles that can still aggravate and a narrative that has not aged particularly well. Thankfully the combat is as fast and fun as ever, despite not really adding any extras to fully round it out as an actual collection.
Song of Horror deals with elements of terror and adventure-like puzzle solving pretty effectively. The pacing is a bit uneven, but the overall story is an interesting one and the game works well as a whole despite a handful of rough spots. Fans of the slow burn horror genre should enjoy their trip through the manor, but those hoping for a more action-oriented experience like Resident Evil may come away somewhat disappointed.
One could perhaps fault the roster size or number of modes Guilty Gear -Strive- brings to the table, but this is a case of quality over quantity and to that end the title excels. As a long-standing fan of fighting games, I can confidently say that Guilty Gear -Strive- is my current favorite in the genre. The presentation is excellent all of the way around, the characters are nicely varied, the combat is fluid and most of all it is just a great deal of fun to play.
All in all, REKT! High Octane Stunts feels like an old-school arcade game. It is a bit of a misnomer to call it a racing game, despite having a car in it. At its core, REKT is all about the stunts and points, and while the game handles well and delivers on that promise, the number of environments and differences in unlocked cars are somewhat limited. There are not a lot of modes here either. What is there is great deal of fun for a time, but REKT! High Octane Stunts’ overall content is somewhat lacking.
Capcom Arcade Stadium is a large collection of action games that shooter, beat-‘em-up and fighting fans are bound to enjoy. The emulation is solid and the various features that are part of the wrapper help to pull the entire package together. Quibbles include some similar titles that add repetition to the library and perhaps the way that the packages are purchased – but they are the most minor of concerns compared to what is an overall excellent collection.
By and large, I really enjoyed Hood: Outlaws & Legends. The game’s setting and structure are interesting and an expertly executed heist is very rewarding, especially when you get to unlock some new progression items for your characters during the early levels of gameplay. Unfortunately there are still plenty of rough edges, from questionable enemy AI, class imbalances and uneven matchmaking that combine with relatively shallow content that could give Hood: Outlaws & Legends a somewhat short shelf-life if the developers don’t address those concerns.
R-Type Final 2 wears its classic shoot-‘em-up trappings on its sleeve. This was a game funded by fans of the series, and they should be happy with what’s here as R-Type Final 2 absolutely feels like a part of the venerable series. It may not be the most approachable game though, for those who don’t have nostalgic love for the series or sometimes find the genre inaccessible. There are different difficulty settings, but on any level – you will die a lot as it really does boil down to your persistence and your willingness to memorize the stages.
Star Wars Pinball VR provides a pretty good bang for its buck, given that there are eight total tables and two of them are brand new. Some table layouts and thematic choices will resonate with people differently, but as a whole the package is quite enjoyable. The presentation is fantastic, both of the new tables are well-made and Star Wars Pinball VR gives me hope we will see even more virtual reality pinball from the wizards at Zen Studios in the future.
ALTDEUS: Beyond Chronos is a fun adventure and a really interesting use of virtual reality. That being said, the visual novel genre and its notoriously slow pacing is not going to be for everyone. For better or for worse, the genre has a bit of a stigma with gamers for not necessarily being much of an actual game and ALTDEUS: Beyond Chronos won’t do anything to change that perspective. Thankfully though, the branching paths and generally interesting narrative add plenty of reason for fans of the genre to give this science fiction adventure a go and experience it with the twist that the PSVR provides.