Batman: Arkham Knight is an awesome game that's held back by some forced design decisions. It's brimming with detail, polished to a fault, and has some of the best gaming moments of the year. The improved combat and predator systems are worth the cost of entry, and a lot of the core combat mechanics are still the best in the genre. Unfortunately, it's held back by a somewhat weak Batmobile mechanic and a lackluster plot. There is still tons to like here, and fans of the previous Arkham games will find a lot to love. It's a fitting end to the trilogy, and it's a great sendoff to the Rocksteady Batman games.
Shovel Knight is a modern classic that takes the 2-D platforming genre and modernizes it. There are minor complaints here and there, but they're easily overlooked when you're having so much fun playing the game. The PlayStation 4 version runs perfectly, and since it's a cross-buy with the Vita version, it helps to make it feel well worth the $14.99 price tag. If you're a fan of Mega Man-style platformers or are looking for something that's both challenging and fair, Shovel Knight is a worthy purchase.
The low price point and episodic release of Resident Evil: Revelations 2 don't hide its status as a budget title. It has its strengths, including some pretty cool monster design and fun puzzles, but by and large, almost everything it does has been done better by another RE title. RE fans will enjoy themselves, but otherwise, there isn't a ton to boost Revelations 2 above its predecessor. It's not a bad game, but it lacks any real strengths. The Raid mode is the meat of the game, but it can only hold one's interest for so long.
It says a lot for The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt that, warts and all, it's absolutely one of the most full-featured, fun and top-notch RPGs I've ever played. For every moment of frustration, there are 10 that make it all worthwhile. The story, characters and world are simply enjoyable, and it's a clear example of what an RPG should be. There's so much to do, and almost all of it is interesting. You could ignore the main plot, just do the monster-hunting side-quests, and still get your money's worth from the game, and that's one of the highest recommendations I can give. If you're an RPG fan, you owe it to yourself to give The Witcher 3 a shot. It rivals the best that Bethesda and Bioware have to offer, and you'll be hard-pressed to find a better RPG this year.
Story of Seasons is a solid entry into the Bokujou Monogatari franchise. It doesn't reinvent the wheel, but it's full of content, and almost all of it is fun. It has a few flaws, and poor optimization and a slow early-game progression curve drag down the experience. Once you past that, though, it's just plain fun. Whether you're wooing bachelors, raising parrots or planting crops, you have a near-infinite amount of stuff to do. It can get a bit grindy at times, but there's nothing more rewarding than selling your farmed tomatoes and watching the cash roll in. Story of Seasons is easily the best of the Harvest Moon games available on the 3DS, and it's a great entry for fans and newcomers alike. It isn't for everyone, but if you're looking to till soil instead of kill monsters, Story of Seasons is a great candidate.
With all of its content and features, Devil Survivor 2: Record Breaker is the definitive version of the game. It's a well-made strategy-RPG that fans of the genre will enjoy. The Triangulum arc is a significant addition to any already lengthy game. In the long run, though, most of the new features are not worth buying the game on its own. If you're a fan of the original Devil Survivor 2 and want to re-experience the original or if you're a newcomer, it's a fantastic purchase. Those in it just for the new Triangulum arc may want to wait for a price drop, since the arc alone isn't meaty enough for a full $50 purchase.
DmC: Definitive Edition lives up to the name. Almost every change is for the better, and while there are a few things to quibble about, it's rare to think of a single port that has had such a significant impact on the core gameplay. It's clear that Ninja Theory worked out the best way to try to address user complaints. Add in the bundled DLC, and the title is even a good experience for those who played through the original. Definitive Edition doesn't quite live up to the heights of the earlier titles in the franchise or recent entries like Bayonetta, but it's a solid action game.
Etrian Mystery Dungeon is a solid game that conveys the strengths of both franchises involved. It has the tactical and brutal combat and exploration of Shiren the Wanderer and the character-building and style of Etrian Odyssey. Only a few things, like awkward AI design, hold back the game. The problems are annoying but can be reasonably worked past, especially once you understand the game mechanics. If you're a fan of both franchises, you'll find a lot to like here, and it's a great starting point for fans of one to get into the other. It doesn't break new ground for either franchise, but it's a simple, fun and addictive synthesis of both.
Bladestorm: Nightmare is a game with a limited audience. RTS fans will find it too simplistic, and Warriors fans will find the pace to be too slow. It doesn't hit the correct buttons to competently fill either role. The Nightmare-exclusive additions are almost all positive and well-implemented, but they're a thin coat of paint on an increasingly dated product. The game lacks any punch, and it has too many problems for its strengths to shine through. If you're desperate for a RTS on consoles or were a fan of the original, then give this a shot, but most fans will get more enjoyment out of playing as Joan of Arc in Warriors Orochi 3.
Bloodborne is easily an early contender for game of the year, and it's the best PS4 exclusive to date. It captures the immensely strong design of Dark Souls and mixes it with high-intensity combat. The new setting and mechanics keep the title feeling fresh even while it retains many familiar aspects from the Souls games. Some minor problems, such as an occasionally poor frame rate, lightly tarnish the experience. Bloodborne is a must-have for any gamer who isn't afraid to die. The intense, fast-paced gameplay and grim world combine to create an experience that's both familiar and distinctive. It's time to die all over again.
Final Fantasy Type-0 HD is a hard game to judge. As a PSP title, it's impressive and contains a bunch of content that clearly pushed the tiny system to its limits. However, released four years later as a full-priced $60 console title, it's lacking. It's still a solid game, but it demands that you remember its roots and overlook some of its foibles. A lackluster HD remastering doesn't make that any easier. The poor visuals and low-quality visual upgrade make this feel like a low-effort port. Despite that, it's a fun game with a fast-paced and exciting combat system and a boatload of things to do, although it's held back by a weak plot and some awkward design decisions. Despite the game's many rough edges, Final Fantasy fans will find much to like here, and it's a solid game for anyone who wants an action-RPG for the PS4.
Dragon Ball Xenoverse is a great game for fans of the franchise. It captures a lot of the style of the show and provides a bunch of content. The create-a-character feature adds a ton of replay value. It's not a game for anyone who's not a fan, but it doesn't try to be. It's mostly held back by a lack of polish in some critical places. With some stronger level design and some additional tweaks to the combat system, it would've been amazing. Instead, it has enough weak points that you must struggle past to reach the fun parts. The core gameplay isn't strong enough to reach anyone who isn't a fan, but DBZ fans will be quite happy with the final game, warts and all.
Evolve has rare highs hidden amongst tedious lows. When the title hits its stride, it is easy to see why it was designed in this way. Hunting down and killing a Monster or successfully overwhelming Hunters through clever hit-and-run attacks is amazing. Unfortunately, far too often, the game devolves into long, boring periods of wandering around followed by brief, intense moments of excitement. It might be a realistic depiction of hunting, but it doesn't make for engaging multiplayer gameplay. Playing with friends helps alleviate some of that, but it also means Evolve isn't something you can pick up and casually play. Add in some balance issues and a general lack of content, and Evolve is a difficult game to recommend. There's a very fun core game here, but it's so buried that most players won't find it.
At the end of the day, Monster Hunter 4 Ultimate doesn't reinvent the wheel. It has more content, more polish, and more of the same gameplay that people love. It isn't going to convert anyone who disliked the formula, but it might bring newcomers into the fold. The series is difficult to learn but rewarding to master. The title may stick to its guns a tad too closely, but if you like Monster Hunter or Monster Hunter-style games, Monster Hunter 4 Ultimate gives you exactly what you're looking for, and it does it well.
Dying Light is easy to write off as a Dead Island knockoff, but it is anything but. It has a completely different feel, with intense mobility and speed mixing with far more deadly enemies. It's also more tightly designed and more fun to play and is an overall improvement over Dead Island in almost every way. It still has its flaws, and it doesn't reinvent the genre, but it's just fun. The poor mission structure and occasionally bad zombie design can lead to frustration, but the satisfaction of dropping onto a zombie's head wrench-first makes it all worth the trouble.
Citizens of Earth is a little rough around the edges, but it definitely has heart. The great humor is balanced out by an incredibly fun combat system with a ton of variety. Some lackluster dungeon design and somewhat tedious backtracking really drag down the gameplay. For every moment of frustration, there are two cool battles or laugh-out-loud jokes. It's got some serious RPG chops, too, so if you're a fan of lighthearted RPGs, you'll enjoy Citizens of Earth.
Tales of Hearts R is a solid and enjoyable JRPG, especially for a portable offering. It has a number of flaws, both on its own merits and in comparisons to its bedfellows, but it's still an enjoyable JRPG romp. It suffers from poor pacing and is generally unexceptional. If you're a JRPG fan looking for a Vita game, it's one of the better JRPGs available for the system. If you're a Tales fan, it's worth your time even if it is weaker than its console counterparts.
Persona Q is an interesting fusion of two of Atlus' larger franchises. The dungeons are fun to explore, the battles are fun to fight, and it certainly feels like it carries the strengths of both games. Yet It is just awkward enough that it won't be a true replacement for Etrian Odyssey V or Persona V. It's a great introduction to both franchises for fans who've tried one and not the other, and on its own merits, it's a reasonably fun dungeon-crawler. A remarkably low difficulty level and some awkward design choices really hold back the game.
Samurai Warriors 4 continues Omega Force's long streak of high-quality Warriors titles. It isn't as exceptionally good as Hyrule Warriors and veers a bit too heavily into button-mashing for its own good, but it remains a fun game to play. The combat is fast, frantic and fun, and the variety of combat and characters helps the game stay fresh. The Chronicle mode is one of my favorite bonus modes in a Warriors game and is a lot of fun to play. If you found Dynasty Warriors 8 too slow or Warriors Orochi 3 too crowded, Samurai Warriors 4 is the game for you.
Grand Theft Auto V for the PlayStation 4 is easily the best version of the game available at the moment. At the end of the day, it is still functionally the same game as before, with most of the same flaws and strengths. Some new features expand the gameplay a bit, including a very cool first-person mode, but nothing here will change anyone's opinion of the franchise. Some minor technical flaws, including an inconsistent frame rate, drag down the game a little, but it's largely a step up from the last-gen versions. It's bigger, prettier and smoother, but it's still GTA5.