Odin Sphere: Leifthrasir takes a good game and makes it incrementally better. The tweaks to the overall title, including better inventory management and more emphasis on combat, opens it up to those who weren't enamored with the original. The option is there for those who want to play it as it was originally intended. It provides lots of gameplay time, which is something of a rarity in console titles nowadays, though there will be a few who take offense to the fact that a good chunk of content is recycled a few times. It does all this with a presentation that still manages to impress after all these years. No matter which of the three platforms you own, you owe it to yourself to add Leifthrasir to your library.
As some may have expected, One Piece: Burning Blood is a game for the fans. There's not much here to get newcomers interested in the franchise, and the very limited scope of the campaign doesn't make the different perspectives any better to deal with. While flawed in places, the fighting system is still fun to mess around with, since it seems to have better control over its chaos, and the other modes give the title more substance. Since the presentation matches the source material quite well, One Piece fans will be pleased enough with this game as they continue with one of the longest manga stories ever told.
Shadwen is the kind of game that has the recipe to succeed. The use of time manipulation in a stealth game may make this a title that's intended for those just coming into the genre, but the approach is interesting enough to warrant a look. Bland level design and presentation along with a poor AI system for the guards makes the experience too rudimentary, and the lack of enemy variety can make things feel repetitive rather quickly. Ultimately, Shadwen has potential — but not in this incarnation.
Lumo is an enjoyable puzzle platformer. Putting aside the isometric perspective, the challenges feel right, and it's satisfying to solve each one of them. It is enough to offset the humor if you don't get the references, and the challenge lasts long enough without feeling tiresome. Even though the UK players will get the most out of the title since it's tailored to their retro scene, it is still fun for everyone and well worth owning if you're a fan of something different in puzzle platforming.
There are simply too many things working against Mobile Suit Gundam: Extreme VS-Force. The stiffer combat system doesn't work for anything but one-on-one battles, while your AI partners can be rather useless. The story doesn't feel like any attention had been paid to it, and the lack of localization for important parts of a fight certainly hurts things if you aren't keen on replaying stages. Given the lack of online play and some of the bland presentation, it's difficult for even the biggest Gundam fan to get behind this title.
SteamWorld Heist continues the series' tradition of being simple yet compelling. The game may be easy to grasp, but it delivers a nice difficulty boost that feels fair. The aiming system proves to be a great way to add some strategy to the title while also solving the limits of the 2-D perspective. The whole thing is fun to play, and with a good presentation accompanying a great game length, SteamWorld Heist is a worthy addition to any game library.
In the end, JoJo's Bizarre Adventure: Eyes of Heaven can be divisive. The new fighting system is fine, but the lack of depth in moves, a few cumbersome commands, and bad camera make it less fun to work with than the previous title. The campaign is deep and understandable enough that people interested in the lore will gladly go through it, and the character mannerisms and presentation are as authentic as expected. It has a decent versus mode and a weak online mode, but in the end, things balance out just enough for this to be a recommended title for fans looking for more than just a pure fighting game experience.
If you can deal with gratuitous and risqué fan service, then you'll find that Senran Kagura: Shinovi Versus is a good brawler. Even with the lock-on and other camera issues, the combat mechanics are solid offensively but can be bothersome on the defensive side. The story is deeper than expected thanks to the side missions and the ability to play as any student from any faction, so there's plenty of gameplay time to go around. While not exactly a shining example of how to do a 3-D brawler, it is still enjoyable for both anime fans and brawler fans who aren't too demanding.
Dead Island: Retro Revenge is a short but good game that is fun if you give it a chance. Though the endless runner format can be limiting, the different strategies and the ability to mix up combos and attacks makes this a more skillful brawler. Enemy variety works, and the game is rather accessible for perfectionists in the realm of score hunting as well as those who just want to button-mash. Even though it's not considered a must-buy, Retro Revenge isn't a bad way to spend an afternoon for $4.99.
The Way isn't perfect. The wonky checkpoint system and the underlying feeling that the design was built on artificial padding makes the title feel a bit disingenuous. However, most of the puzzles can be fun because of the powers at your disposal, and the story is gripping enough that you'll want to see things through until the end, even if the game starts to grate. It may not completely capture all of the traits of earlier side-scrolling puzzle platformers, but it's worthy of a look from genre fans.
The top-down perspective of Broken Bots does enough to catch your attention as the malfunction abilities. Even without any innovative modes at hand, those are enough to make this game worthy of a look, especially at the rather cheap price of $6.99. However, the online issues due to a lack of community and heavy server dependence kill the game, and the single-player mode isn't enough to keep people interested should those aforementioned issues fail to get fixed. It can be a fun title if you know you have a group of friends willing to jump in, but it would be best to pass on this title until the server woes are addressed.
In the end, Trials of the Blood Dragon is a mess. The platforming is barely passable, and several mechanics feel terrible to use. The biking portions work, but the change in physics systems messes things up just as the game becomes tougher. The presentation is lackluster, and the story tries too hard to top the original game but doesn't manage to achieve the same level of charm. It can be finished off in a relatively short amount of time, but fans of either franchise won't want to bother. Unless you're insanely curious, Trials of the Blood Dragon is best left alone.
There's a very good chance that Pac-Man 256 will become your new guilty pleasure when you want a break from the bigger titles. The premise is as simple as can be, but there are enough changes here to make things intriguing. There are plenty of things to unlock and challenges to conquer, and the grind to get them all and power them up doesn't feel as daunting thanks to the generosity of coins and points being given to you. Most importantly, the sessions are short enough that you can spend a few minutes with it and be done, but that call of "one more round" is enough to keep you glued for hours. Cheap but ultimately satisfying, Pac-Man 256 comes highly recommended.
In the end, Fenix Furia does enough of the right things to put it on the radar of precision platforming game fans. The infinite dashing and jumping give the game an interesting wrinkle, and the addition of different minigames as rewards for accomplishing tough goals is a nice touch. There's a good sense of progression as far as some levels go, though it takes quite a bit of time before real changes come into play. The slightly floaty feel and the bosses can put a damper on the game, especially with the latter throwing in mechanics that you only use during these fights. It is solid enough for genre fans but requires much more patience and understanding from newcomers who are just getting introduced to endless deaths via platforming.
Your enjoyment of The Technomancer is going to depend on whether you're willing to overlook the things it doesn't do so well. The story is fascinating, but you have to deal with characters that are dull and not worth remembering. The combat system is rather deep, but you'll have to be much more proficient due to the lack of intelligence displayed by your AI companions. Finally, overall dull look and bad audio choices detract from the elements that genuinely look good, such as the skin on each character. Like Spiders Studio's previous works, The Technomancer will find an audience among those who don't mind sampling from the ambitious French house, but others may want to play other available action RPGs before trying this title..
In the end, The Solus Project is a fascinating game that is more about exploration than survival. Even if you aren't grabbing every scrap of paper and reading every carving, the story is gripping and the desolate world is something you can't help but want to explore. The surprises are great, and the game looks and sounds excellent. It would've been nice if the game placed less of an emphasis on the survival elements, especially since what's here won't satisfy fans of the genre, but as a whole, this is a game that's worth checking out for those who don't mind forgoing combat.
Your enjoyment of Mirror's Edge: Catalyst will depend greatly on how willing you are to accept its flaws. The load times can be a pain to deal with, there's not much of an inclination to take on side-quests, and the combat doesn't seem to have improved much from the first game, despite the abandonment of firearms. At the same time, the idea of a platforming-heavy, first-person game remains intriguing, and your moves and the layout of the city make the running aspect one of the more legitimately enjoyable parts of the title. Though it may not appeal to all players, those looking for something a bit different will enjoy one more go-round in Faith's shoes.
Ultimately, the objectives in Alienation aren't anything special, but the good shooting mechanics and abundance of things to do make up for that. The loot and XP systems will keep players addicted, while the campaign length is just right. It could've used more weapon variety and local co-op, but overall, Alienation is a dependable addition.
As a stand-alone title, MegaTagmension Blanc + Neptune vs. Zombies does well for itself. The story may be silly, but it is enjoyable enough thanks to the characters. The combat has been refined to be more flexible, and the inclusion of multiplayer increases the game's longevity since the mode can still be played with no one around. As a spiritual sequel to Hyperdimension Neptunia U: Action Unleashed, however, the game is a bit of a letdown. Short fighting sessions, a lack of side-quests, and fewer enemies to fight against means the campaign is more of a visual novel that's broken up with little bits of action. Overall, MegaTagmension Blanc + Neptune vs. Zombies is fine, but Hyperdimension Neptunia U is stronger for those who want to play with these characters in a more action-oriented setting.
Sora is an experience worth checking out if you're grown bored of the standard bullet hell formula. The juggling of three different weapons sets and dash ability make this more involving than other shooters, while the difficulty level makes you pay attention to strategies, especially if you've lost your edge because other titles offer unlimited continues. With a presentation that is mostly good, Sora is a title that shooter fans should definitely check out.