Nick Herber's Reviews
Persona 5 pulled me in immediately, with stylish visuals and music, some fresh ideas on gameplay and of course what always carries this series: characters I truly grow to care for. I struggled to put down the controller for any length of time and I frequently found myself asking 'what if I had chosen to do this instead?'. All clear signs that I was invested in this RPG masterpiece.
I mean, it's a Mario game - right? Nintendo was not going to screw this up, even if some of their entries have been better received than others, the pudgy ex-plumber has been treated with Nintendo with a great deal of care over the years and the whimsical adventures he has gone on resonate with gamers far more often than not. Even with these ridiculous expectations in mind, it is safe to say that Super Mario Odyssey is quite the accomplishment, putting a fantastic exclamation point on what has been a really strong 2017 for both Nintendo and the Switch.
The biggest issue with Guilty Gear Xrd -REVELATOR- is that it is so similar to -SIGN-. We have some new characters and a new narrative, which is always a great thing. However, the core engine and gameplay are almost identical. This makes this latest game in the series feel more akin to an iterative upgrade than a true sequel. As a full priced game, that could prove a difficult pill to swallow for those who already own -SIGN-. As a result, your mileage may vary. That being said, on its own merits, Guilty Gear Xrd -REVELATOR- is a fantastic game and one of the best fighters I have ever played and absolutely worth a look if you get the chance.
What happens when you take an already excellent strategy title, tweaking the little things while adding a new layer of depth? You wind up with an outstanding game that is more of an enhanced game than a true sequel, but no matter what you call it Nobunaga's Ambition: Sphere of Influence - Ascension is an excellent strategy game that once again proves that they can exist on consoles as well as PC's.
We loved Mario Kart 8 when it released. We scored it a nine out of ten and felt that was the start of the Wii U's strongest run. With so few titles released for the Switch so far, I admit I was a bit wary about one of Nintendo's biggest early games being a rehash. Mario Kart 8 Deluxe is more than just some graphic tweaks and a couple of pieces of DLC however, and fans of Nintendo's premier racing franchise will find plenty to like about this new iteration.
It is a fantastic time to be a fighting fan these days, and perhaps no game epitomizes that more than Guilty Gear Xrd: Rev 2. Without a doubt, there is no better 2D fighting game on the market right now. I have covered numerous Guilty Gear titles over the years, and time and again I come away impressed with the amazing visuals, fast action and surprisingly deep combat mechanics. Guilty Gear Xrd: Rev 2 is easily the best of an outstanding bunch. Even referring to it as a 2D fighting game feels just a bit off, with the 2.5D visuals. Mind you, this is not a truly 3D fighter like Tekken, but the gorgeous visuals still move about the field of play in interesting ways that really highlight just how breathtaking the graphics are. The animations are buttery smooth, with tons of color, detail and movement both in the fighters at the forefront of the action and in the imaginative background environments.
I have been a fan of the Dangranonpa games since experiencing the very first episode on my PlayStation Vita. The first game was better than the two subsequent ones in my opinion, but all of them were enjoyable in a dark and twisted kind of way. I expected more of the same with Danganronpa V3: Killing Harmony - a quality adventure game that never quite reaches the heights of the original. So imagine my surprise when this game exceeded my already high expectations and manages to be every bit as memorable as the first game in the series was for me.
Undertale is a fantastic RPG experience. I honestly had no idea what to expect going into it, as I missed playing this the first time around when it came out on PC. It was one of those games I always planned on picking up eventually, just to see if it could live up to the ridiculous hype it had received. So imagine my surprise when it succeeded in meeting, and maybe even exceeding my expectations.
Pinball FX 2 VR is a perfect example of how virtual reality can take an already excellent experience and make it even more fun. I have been a huge fan of the different Zen Studios pinball games in the past, having played them on a variety of differing platforms: PC, Xbox 360, Xbox One, PS3, PS4, Vita... you get the idea. Essentially, the tables are pretty much the same regardless of platform. Here on the Oculus however, we have something different and even more engaging.
Dynasty Warriors: Godseekers is a guilty pleasure for me, but one I have not been able to get enough of. This is a great twist on the traditional Dynasty Warriors formula, and while the game is not flawless, it is the most fun I have had with a title so far in 2017.
Zen Pinball 2: Star Wars Pinball - Rogue One offers us a standalone table instead of a suite of different ones collected around a single theme. Despite only having one table to play, it is an incredibly well-made one that should appease Star Wars fans and pinball fans alike.
Shovel Knight has proven to be one of those games that really just doesn't age. It's hard to believe that the title's been out for a few years now, but the retro visuals, outstanding music and challenging yet addictive gameplay allows it to hold up as time passes. Shovel Knight: Treasure Trove is the definitive version of this title to date as it pulls the first three games into a single package for the newly released Nintendo Switch, and the end result is as much fun as ever.
While Lone Echo is not the first game to take science fiction trappings and add a sense of weightless movement to the proceedings, it is easily the best example to date so far. The story is fantastic, the controls and visuals are completely immersive and is truly one of those games that could only be effectively conveyed with virtual reality.
If you are a fan of Guanzhong's fantastic tale, there is an undeniable charm to Total War: Three Kingdoms that had me smiling from ear to ear on many occasions. First-time encounters with familiar characters, seeing how the developers envisioned a particular location or watching a scene play out differently in the game from the way it went in the book were all fascinating, enjoyable experiences for me that might not resonate the same way with someone who is unfamiliar with the source material.
Disgaea 4 Complete+ is a fantastic game, though its off-beat sense of humor is not going to appeal to everyone. Also, while there are some pretty traditional mechanics in its gameplay, there are some pretty unusual ones too (throwing Prinnies!). This update does not really bring much of anything new to the table in terms of the presentation, but having all of the content and a few design tweaks certainly make for a better, more complete overall experience. If, like me, you have not played Disgaea 4 in a while now, or you never have but enjoy the strategy / RPG genre, there is ample reason to give Disgaea 4 Complete+ a go.
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.
Hot Wheels Unleashed is a fantastic and thoroughly enjoyable arcade racer that brings my childhood imagination to the big screen in thrilling fashion. The visuals are fantastic, there’s plenty of modes and some pretty solid progression elements that kept me coming back for more.
Roguebook is an excellent mashup of collectible card game, with exploration and progression elements that keep the experience fresh for subsequent runs. I was almost immediately hooked, playing with different party combinations and structuring my decks to see if I could make it just a bit further on my next run. And the one after that. And the one after that. I’m going to stop writing now and go back for another run now.
Simply put – I loved my time with Undernauts: Labyrinth of Yomi. This is one of the best dungeon crawlers I have played in a very long time. The story and setting is unique and interesting, progression gives a great sense of ownership over your characters and the overall package from presentation to quality of life make Undernauts: Labyrinth of Yomi one of the most approachable, enjoyable RPG’s I have played in some time.
The game has made an easy transition over to the console from a control standpoint, the variety of characters is truly awesome and I enjoyed the gameplay which felt unique and different to me when compared to similar titles in the genre. Given the fact that SMITE can be tried out for free, I would argue that if you have any interest in the MOBA genre, you owe it to yourself to give this game a try and see. I found the experience loop and the overall gameplay to be quite rewarding, luring me back in time and time again.