Valkyria Chronicles Remastered is about as straight of a port as you can get, but that isn't a bad thing. Valkyria Chronicles looked great to begin with, and the visual improvements only help. It's a little disappointing that the mechanics, story and gameplay haven't seen any noteworthy updates, but it's a great port. Fans of the game should be happy to have one of the smoothest-running versions available, and newcomers will find it the best way to experience the cult classic. Throw in the addition of Trophies, and it's a nice package, but it's strictly average as far as HD remasters go.
Severed is a great experience that comes perilously close to overstaying its welcome. The combat is fast and intense, the dungeon exploration is enjoyable, and the visuals are enticing. The combat can become repetitive and is completely dependent on your touch-screen, but by and large, it's a fun and well-made game. As you slash your way through the bizarre monstrosities that populate the land, Severed manages to be engaging without feeling like a roadblock. It won't change the mind of anyone who hates touch-screen gaming, but it's a great example of how it can work, and it's one of the best indie games on the Vita.
Koi is a beautiful but shallow pool. The first impression is strong but as you go on into the game it quickly becomes clear there just isn't much below the surface. The puzzles, story and gameplay are "barely there" enough to work, but without much that develops from the basics. As an experience, it's enjoyable enough, if over a bit too quickly, but as a game, it's pretty lackluster and tough to justify the price tag. It's a shame since there's a lot of potential here, but Koi doesn't manage to realize it.
All in all, Ratchet and Clank is a reboot done right. It captures the same feel of the original game but is bigger, more polished and offers more content.
From the bosses to the traps, Dark Souls III is arguably the best Souls game to date. If Dark Souls III is really the last in the series, it's a worthy send-off for an excellent series.
Nights of the Azure is an acceptable but unexceptional action game. It doesn't do much wrong, but it doesn't do much right, either. The mechanics are just interesting enough to keep your attention, the graphics just appealing enough to make you overlook their flaws, and the story hits its beats with enough regularity to not lose you. Yet the entire experience feels hollow. It's a decent first effort, but you'd be better served by renting or buying the title at a discount.
Samurai Warriors 4: Empires is an interesting addition to the original games. It doesn't necessarily improve upon or replace them but offers a similar-but-different experience. Anyone who's long since burned out on Samurai Warriors 4 probably won't find Empires to be different enough to renew their interest, but newcomers to the genre or those who passed on Samurai Warriors II will find enough to like here. It lacks some of the addictive style of the classic Warriors games but makes up for it with increased tactical depth. It all comes down to defeating thousands of enemies by using absurd magical powers and even more absurd weapons, and that is where Warriors excels.
Trillion: God of Destruction has a boatloads of flaws but still manages to be fun. When you get to the core of the game, the battles against Trillion, it's a lot of fun. It's just that you have to do a lot of busywork to get there, and the battles are about the only engaging part of the gameplay. Otherwise, you're mostly there for the Disgaea-style humor and characters. The game does what it sets out to do, and while it's tough to say it's worth the full $40, the game is about a single really fun boss battle, and it does exactly that — nothing more, nothing less.
Fire Emblem Fates: Birthright is a fantastic addition to the series and easily one of the best Fire Emblem games. The new mechanics and combat changes are almost all for the better, and they go hand in hand with the awesome level design and engaging gameplay. The only real flaws are some lackluster story beats and a rather half-baked system for bringing back child characters, neither of which comes remotely close to souring the game. Fans of the franchise will find a lot to love here, and newcomers should find Birthright to be an excellent place to be introduced to the franchise's strong points.
Day of the Tentacle Remastered is a solid port of an excellent cult classic. The new features are largely for the best, although some annoying bugs drag down the experience. The game has aged relatively well, but the humor is fixed at a specific point in the early '90s. The puzzles are creative and clever, if sometimes obtuse. It's easy to see why Day of the Tentacle is considered one of the SCUMM engine's finest. It's not a game for everyone, but fans of old-school adventure games or Loony Toons-style humor will find a lot to like here. Gamers both young and old should get some laughs out of this quirky classic.
Return to PopoloCrois: A Story of Seasons Fairytale is exactly what it tries to be: an old-school charming JRPG with some farming. It's not particularly ambitious, but it hits a lot of marks and is genuinely enjoyable. The old-school elements may turn off gamers looking for something more modern, but if you give it a shot, the nostalgic delight of the game shines through. Some annoying elements drag down the game, and it's more PopoloCrois than Story of Seasons, but there's nothing that really sours the game as a whole. Old-school RPG fans or those looking for a good game for all ages will find a lot to enjoy, and even the most hard-hearted players may crack a smile at Pietro's adventures.
Far Cry: Primal is an example of how ambition doesn't always translate to success. It's overly familiar and overly safe, and it does little with its concept. In many ways, it feels more primitive (pun intended) than its predecessors. It's still fun in the way that all Far Cry games can be fun, but it brings little to the table. Hunting with the mammoth is cool from a thematic perspective but doesn't translate into particularly engaging gameplay that you haven't seen before in another Far Cry title. At the end of the day, Primal doesn't have enough meat on its bones to be a satisfying entry in the franchise.
Project X Zone 2 is an improvement over the original game in a lot of ways but still maintains some of its fundamental flaws. The core combat and game design have sped up the base gameplay, but it still suffers from an overly slow pace that contributes to the game feeling long and bloated. Fans of the franchises will enjoy the fun crossover elements and engaging experience, but general SRPG fans may find the title too slow to hold their attention. There is a simple and satisfying appeal in seeing Phoenix Wright help Heihachi beat the living daylights out of Metal Face, and at the end of the day, that's what Project X Zone 2 is about.
Unravel is pure charm from start to finish. It's not going to redefine the platformer genre, but it's a wonderfully atmospheric and enjoyable title with solid gameplay and delightful visuals. Sometimes, a heartfelt game is enough to make you smile. A short length and some annoying quibbles detract a bit from the experience, but it never lingers on any one idea for too long. Yarny is one of the most adorable game characters, and his adventure is certainly worth experiencing for gamers of all ages.
The Witness is a masterpiece of game design and an early contender for one of the best titles of the year. Boiled down to the basics, it's just a series of increasingly complex puzzle-mazes, but the presentation and execution are stellar, and the sense of exploration really adds to the game. It captures just the right sense of maddening and enticing to keep you moving forward. Its high price might scare off some gamers, but those who give it a shot will find it to be a worthwhile experience.
Shadow Puppeteer is a fun and simple co-op game. It's dragged down a tad by awkward controls and difficulty spikes. As a single-player game, it's significantly more flawed and should be avoided unless you've got a high tolerance for struggling with controls. For players with a friend who's ready to play co-op, the game can really shine and show off its stronger points. It's not a game for everyone, but for parents and kids, it's an enjoyable experience and well worth a shot.
Final Fantasy Explorers is a poor Monster Hunter clone but still a reasonably fun game. It's a lot of fun to team up with three friends and beat your way through Bombs, Chocobos and Tonberries, even if it ends up feeling repetitive after a while. Those who've cut their teeth on Capcom's beasts will probably find the gameplay too basic, but newcomers to the genre, especially Final Fantasy fans, should find it to be a good introduction to the basics. It's not the best hunting game on the market, but it's one of the most accessible, especially to those used to the slower pace of RPGs.
Sword Art Online: Lost Song is a game for fans of the anime. It relies heavily on players recognizing the story twists and turns and grasping how the anime mechanics translate into gameplay. Without that familiarity with the franchise, the game is a combination of fun, simple combat with the more tedious aspects of an MMO. The online play adds some extra spice to the game but won't keep players coming back unless they're big fans of the show. If you're interested in seeing a different side of Kirito and his pals, there's a fair bit of content here and you'll get the chance to play as some of the lesser-known characters.
Steamworld Dig was a fun romp, but Steamworld Heist shows that Image & Form isn't a one-trick pony. Steamworld Heist is one of the most enjoyable budget RPGs I've ever played. It's accessible, fast-paced and balanced. Only a lackluster story and some minor complaints about the combat hold it back, and neither is more than a minor blemish. If you're at all looking for a handheld take on the tactical RPG genre, you'll have a hard time finding a better example than Steamworld Heist. The $20 price tag might seem high, but Heist is enjoyable enough to justify it.
Bloodborne: The Old Hunters is a solid and enjoyable expansion that adds some much-needed new content to the game in exactly the right places. The addition of extra weapons helps flesh out repeated playthroughs, and the new enemies and new challenges should provide a welcome burst of excitement to those who've long since worn out their runthroughs of chalice dungeons and New Game+. There's a tons of content both remixed and new in The Old Hunters, and it's a delight. The price tag is high, but Bloodborne fans will easily find $20 worth of fun in this new release.