Khurram Imtiaz's Reviews
Zero Escape: The Nonary Games packs two great mystery visual novels that should provide hours of content with their alternative paths, mind bending puzzles and interesting cast of characters.
Kingdom Hearts series has already received a HD release on the PS3 but the most important change in this recently released HD Collection is the inclusion of 60 FPS, which is a complete game changer for an action RPG. If you haven't played any Kingdom Hearts game, now is the right time to jump into this masterpiece.
Snake Pass might look like a platformer made for kids but it has surprising deep mechanics and requires a lot of skill in order to complete every level while finding every collectible.
The first DLC for Dead Rising 4 is a huge disappointment and offers little to no value for its asking price. Even if you are a diehard fan of the series, I would advice to skip out this DLC completely.
Yooka-Laylee is aimed at the revival of N64-era of Rare platformers and while it succeeds in delivering a similar experience, it also fails to improve on some of the archaic design of the past resulting in a game that is enjoyable but not without some frustrating design flaws. [Khurram Imtiaz separately reviewed the PS4 (8) and Switch (8) versions.]
Cosmic Star Heroine not only pays homage to some of the cult classic JRPGs of the yesteryear, it also provides a compelling experience full of memorable characters and some clever writing that is further boosted by an exemplary battle system.
Dragon Quest Heroes 2 is a much more focused action RPG compared to its predecessor, it starts with an adventure that goes through the main Dragon Quest lore while providing cameos from each of the main cast of characters in the Dragon Quest universe. It is aimed at the fans of the series but even if you aren't a fan, you will enjoy the multitude of characters and hack-and-slash gameplay that manages to avoid the repetitive nature of similar games in this genre.
Outlast 2 is a more gritty take on the survival horror genre. The game features genuinely creepy atmosphere even though it has some design issues with its gameplay that might lead to some frustrating moments, it still remains one of the most frightening game that I have played this year.
Prey is a bold entry in sci-fic genre of first person shooters that takes inspiration from classics like System Shock. Despite a lackluster combat system, the game offers plenty of exciting moments with its brilliantly designed inter-connected world of Talos 1 that is a joy to explore.
Disgaea 5 Complete is a great port that not only bundles all the DLC in one package, it also manages to utilize the potential of the Nintendo Switch hardware to improve the experience from the original release of the game.
Ultra Street Fighter II: The Final Challengers offers a nostalgic trip down the memory lane, featuring the same addictive gameplay from Super Street Fighter II but improving it with remastered visuals. It takes advantage of the hardware features offered by the Switch to offer an experience that makes it the definitive version of Street Fighter II.
RIME takes inspiration from many classics including ICO and Journey to create a unique experience that never feels like it is from an indie developer. It masterfully utilizes visuals and music to create an exceptional adventure.
The third season of The Walking Dead attempts to rejuvenate the formula established by the series by introducing a new cast of characters, and it does succeed with it. Although it is still held back by the same old stiff animations, technical issues and awkward camera transitions, that never let it reach its full potential.
Tekken 7 is mechanically perfect with stylish gameplay and combos that are a joy to execute, however the game lacks in character story content and gameplay modes instead opting to offer a short but highly detailed story mode that focuses on the rivalry between Heihachi and his son Kazuya.
Dirt 4 offers the complete arcade racing experience for the casuals while also providing the hardcore fans with a variety of options that should satisfy them.
Cars 3: Driven To Win is a surprisingly fun game with its simple but tight controls that makes the driving fun. It offers multiple type of gameplay modes including a battle mode. The game also support co-op making it an ideal choice for both kids and adults.
God Wars Future Past attempts to bring some interesting exposition to the Japanese folk stories while proving a fairly robust combat system with some great customization options.
Tokyo Xandu is an attempt from Nihom Falcom to tackle the Persona series. It is a solid RPG on its own although it is hard to draw comparison to the genre it targets here, but it has more than enough unique features to make it stand out on its own.
The Zodiac Age basically takes many of the issues with the original Final Fantasy XII and presents a polished perfect version of them. It is also the first time we can play the International Zodiac Job System version of Final Fantasy XII.
It is rare to see co-op games these days especially one which also fully integrates puzzle aspects into the mix, thankfully Death Squared is aiming to be one of these, and it feels fresh and innovative in the current gaming landscape.