Nick Herber's Reviews
Cobra Kai: The Karate Kid Saga Continues is a pretty average overall all beat-‘em-up game with lackluster presentation that gets an assist from varied characters, a split narrative that encourages replay and a solid sense of RPG-lite progression kept me going longer than I probably would have otherwise. There’s a decent brawler here that fans of the Karate Kid property will probably enjoy, but I do hope a future patch can smooth out some of those rough edges in the core combat.
G.I. Joe: Operation Blackout is a perfectly serviceable shooter, even if it is not a complex one. The story, the lack of rpg / progression elements and not having a cover system make this more of an arcade-y shooter while you work through the different missions. The characters themselves are the star of the show, and they did a great job in stirring up my nostalgia for the series, even if the rest of the game is solid while doing very little to stand out.
Ski Jumping Pro VR offers bite-sized fun at a slightly higher price point than I can recommend. Even knowing that, what we have here is a slightly better than average effort that provides an enjoyable, if brief, VR experience.
Doctor Who: The Edge Of Time is a solid virtual reality adventure offering that probably could have stood a bit more content, slightly faster movement options and maybe a few more chances taken along the way. All of those things being said, fans of the series should find a whole lot to like about the performances and presentation, and even those who have not followed the exploits of the Doctor will probably enjoy the adventure as well.
To its credit, Bow to Blood: Last Captain Standing is a unique kind of game that plays well in virtual reality. While the concept has a bit of that current battle royal craze in its blood, it reminds me more of a cutthroat reality show. There are some missed opportunities in making it single-player only, and a lack of meaningful progression means that there is not a ton of reason to come back over and over again. That being said, I enjoyed the core gameplay and could appreciate the thoughtfulness of the strategy elements, even if in the end the overall package is just a bit shallower than I would have liked.
There are a lot of moments where Black Mirror is pushing just on the verge of being a really solid adventure game, but those moments are too few and far between, hampered by technical issues and sloppy controls. The story is a good one, and those who are willing to wrestle with these shortcomings in favor of an interesting narrative will likely enjoy their time with Black Mirror, but in the end it is a barely better than average title.
To its credit, Creeping Terror has something of a unique premise in presenting the usual hide-from-the-horror gameplay in a 2D perspective. Unfortunately just about everything else that the game has to offer is pretty much what I expected from the genre.
Look, by no means is Loading Human: Chapter 1 a great game. There is some potential there, and the use of VR elevates an otherwise very average adventure title. I enjoyed the premise and it reminded me of one of the reasons I was interested in virtual reality in the first place - because VR can help to make more personal, relatable stories. However, that being said, Loading Human: Chapter 1 has too many rough edges to completely overlook.
There really is no other way around it, so I'll be blunt: King's Quest Chapter 4: Snow Place Like Home is the weakest entry in the series to date. More numerous puzzles replace the previously clever ones, substituting quantity for quality and while the narrative itself continues to remain charming, overall my decisions felt as though they lacked some of the punch found in earlier entries.
Solar Shifter EX is a solid shooting game more often than not with excellent visuals but a camera system that does the title no favors in the end. The experience is a decent one for fans of the shmup genre, but Solar Shifter EX is nowhere close to being one of the best shooters have to offer.
Acorn Assault: Rodent Revolution is a fun little title that at its asking price provides a good time for those looking for a tactics game without the need to study an entire encyclopedia of knowledge just to play. The rules are simple but fun, and the premise is silly but entertaining. There are certainly worse things in the world. However, those elements of charm and simplicity give way to a feeling of repetition by the game's end, and the joy of the first hour gives way to something that holds few surprises or rewards for your persistence.
Audio Arena is a fairly simple game offered at a budget price that makes it fair value for what you are getting. It is a nice little rhythm game that does feel a little gimmicky, but still delivers on what it sets out to do in creating a somewhat casual yet still challenging action experience.
The Town of Light is a fascinating if unsettling story that is seen through the eyes of a sixteen year old girl. The visual style is unique if not fantastic, with a thick atmosphere that is held back by limited gameplay. This is an adventure game that can fall into the walking simulator category for the most part, which allows you to explore - but at a pace that is going to be too slow for some gamers. There is some payoff here however, for the patient who are willing to survive not just the tale, but some technical challenges along the way as well.
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.
No one is going to mistake AeternoBlade II for a AAA effort due to its writing, voice acting and visuals, and that is okay if you are a fan of the Metroidvania genre enough to focus in on the gameplay. Here the gameplay is merely average by and large, though the time lapse / recording element is a really great twist that does elevate the experience a little. The ideas seem to be there, but the polish is lacking and there are better examples of the genre out there to be had.
There is a target audience for Sniper Elite V2 Remastered - but it is something of a narrow one. If you are late to the Sniper series, having only played it on the current generation of systems and are curious what came before, this is an excellent way to go back and experience an earlier release in the series. That being said, if you are not a fan of the Sniper games or you already own the original, there is probably not enough reason to go back to the well yet again here. There are some improvements to be had here, but not enough to really differentiate this updated version dramatically from its prior release.
Dick Wilde 2 is a decently made game that really does nothing new. If you enjoy these kinds of wave / rail shooters in virtual reality, odds are you will enjoy your time spent with Dick Wilde 2. However, for those looking for deeper mechanics or a more engaging story, you will likely find this to be a shallow adventure that you are done with in relatively short order. Dick Wilde 2 does what it sets out to do rather well, just set your expectations accordingly if you are looking for anything more than a goofy arcade shooter.
SNK Heroines: Tag Team Frenzy has some really great franchises to draw from (I have been playing various SNK fighting games for years, and immediately felt familiarity with the cast of characters), and it has arguably the most accessible fighting mechanics of any game to date, but the fanservice and modes really only go so far. SNK Heroines: Tag Team Frenzy has a nice, fast combat system in place that makes local play with friends zany and entertaining, but the modes themselves and modest number of characters probably are not meaty enough to encourage me to spend a ton of the time with the title either. I've gone through and beaten the story mode several times just so I can see the various interactions and endings, but outside of trying to unlock a few more items, I am not sure the hook here is going to be enough to keep me coming back on a regular basis unless I have a few people over looking to play a quick, accessible fighting game.
Perception is a tough one to review, because it is a relatively short game that is at its core very similar to a lot of other action/horror titles out there. However, a clever mechanic combined with a very cool visual style helps to creates some excellent atmosphere that had me holding my breath on multiple occasions. In the end these smart design choices help to elevate Perception above the sea of also-ran titles in the genre, even if it never really quite realizes its potential.
Euclidean is an interesting idea, but one that relies heavily on the Oculus Rift to make it more engaging than it would otherwise be. Cool concepts and unique visuals help to prop up what is otherwise a somewhat simple, shallow experience.