Overall Headmaster is a solid experience for testing out the PS VR’s functionality but at its core, the mechanic isn’t sustainable. The game even warns you not to play for too long to avoid any strain, and the frustration of not-quite-perfect tracking can leave mission failures feeling imposed rather than earned. The story threading through the game is entertaining and did make me chuckle a few times, but I’m not sure it’s enough to keep me invested. It’s a unique use of the hardware to be sure, but it might not quite be there yet.
Honestly, I’m disappointed that The Technomancer couldn’t deliver. I want to like it so much! The seeds of an excellent game are there, but they just haven’t been tended to a level that really needs to be played. Hopefully Spiders will patch the game to improve some of the difficulty wall issues and this will become a more enjoyable experience, but I don’t think it’s a must-play for now. Overall it feels like an atmospheric step forward for the developer, but a mechanical trip backwards. Until that gets sorted, the red planet can wait.
At its core, God Eater 2 has the capacity to be an engaging game. The combat is deep enough that you could have fun trying out all the different weapon and character combos over the course of its story missions, as well as the extra content added as part of the Rage Burst edition. If you’re a fan of this grind-heavy style of RPG, it’s a good holdover until one of the AAA series release a new title. Just be forewarned that you’re going to be wading through a lot of cliché nonsense in the game’s vestigial storyline to get there. If you can handle that, more power to you… But this reviewer will be moving on to newer, better-dressed things.
At the end of the day, current-gen console Battleship feels like a weird fit. While it’s great to have the new Clash at Sea mode to spice things up, it just feels awkward on console. Playing against a human opponent will require either PlayStation Plus or Xbox Live Gold, unless you play local multiplayer – and how or why is that a thing? The entire point of Battleship is that you are face to face with your opponent and cannot see their ship layout. Relying on good sportsmanship not to peek is an unnecessary complication. In all honesty, I think this game makes more sense on a portable device or mobile phone, both for convenience and the basic logic of the game itself. Even at around $20 AUD, it doesn’t seem worth the expense for a new mode alone.
With a total of five episodes releasing over the coming weeks, Orwell’s story has not yet come to a close. Based on the first two instalments however, I can happily recommend this for anyone that loves to dig into a layered story – or just wants to snoop around in somebody else’s emails.
The in-combat effects and camera work really make what could be a relatively basic combat cycle into something that feels dynamic and empowering every time you get to button-mash to truly kick the stuffing out of a goon's face.