Overall Fractured Worlds does have some good additions, but the core hook will have limited appeal and the performance issues unique to it badly need ironing out. ... Motörhead: Through the Ages, on the other hand, looks as if it's had more care and attention put into it.
Vanquish does have its problems, but very few of them are tied to the PC port, which incidentally makes this version the best one by default. It's B-movie nonsense at its best, with a science fiction setting, and very cool action sequences. It could definitely do with a bit more variety in enemies at times and it's a little on the short side, but it's still a great romp seven years later.
While Way of the Hado feels tacked on and ultimately a pointless gimmick, this is still a great version of Street Fighter II and currently the best way to experience the classic game on today's hardware. The additions to the main game are minor at best for the astonishing price tag, with Evil Ryu and Violent Ken just being amped up clones of existing fighters, but it still plays like the classic arcade fighter. Just don't expect anything revolutionary.
Bugs and a weak narrative aside, The Surge is a much more confident take on the emerging Soul-like gameplay style. It takes the known tropes of being challenging and having progression dependent on learning attack patterns while adjusting your play style to accommodate, but it also has some fresh ideas that not only make perfect sense, but could shape future games. It's nice to see a developer give a gameplay style a second shot and Deck13 have almost nailed it here.
If you've beaten it and are looking for a fresh challenge, go for it. If not, beat the main game first before deciding.
I really tried with Strafe, spending a good six hours with it and getting only as far as the fourth level before dying. I liked the overall tone, and the gunplay is solid fun, but really this is one of the more punishing Rogue-Lites out there, with a high skill ceiling that sets you right back to the beginning once you die without any meaningful progression unless you somehow find the key to a teleporter. A lot to admire, but for most it'll seem utterly impenetrable.
Honestly, the best way to experience Puyo Puyo Tetris is to gather some friends and play a local multiplayer session. There's a plethora of modes available and it's a blast to have people play each and every one of them. Despite single player and Online ranked matches being utterly relentless, Puyo Puyo Tetris is still a fun party game with a wholehearted recommendation nonetheless.
It's an odd complaint, but Flinthook really does feel like a high-calibre platformer trapped within the confines of a popular genre. It's a blast to play and I don't even mind just how punishing it can get at times, but the interest wains as soon as death occurred. It took me straight out of the zone when playing and when the game doesn't have much to it beyond the gameplay, it's a bit of a downer. The foundations are there, but really the curtains don't match the décor.
A piece of DLC that for fans will signal closure for the lore and single-player offerings – for the time being at least. It has some of the best moments that the franchise has to offer, some not-so great moments, and indeed some throwbacks to key parts of the series. Until the time comes when Hidetaka Miyazaki wishes to return to this beloved franchise, this heralds the season finale with much more confidence than the previous DLC. Praise the Sun!
Structurally, Blaster Master Zero is a significant step forward for the franchise, but provided you are actively avoiding getting hit, the game is just too easy. Mildly more interesting when driving around in a tank than gunning down mutants on foot, it’s probably a great entry point to the series for more inexperienced gamers. It’s just a shame that this reintroduction doesn’t provide much of a challenge.
Persona 5 stole my heart. It was impossible to believe that the best game of the already venerated series was still to come, and yet somehow everything works wonderfully. I’d rather the dialogue didn’t pad things out as much as it did, but I was captivated from beginning to end, while it successfully brought back mechanics long thought out-dated, and introduced smart changes for the better. An essential RPG for 2017 that you should not miss out on.
Hollow Knight is well-crafted and beautiful to look at, with an elegance that is found in few games. From exploring the world to interacting with characters and fighting the minions found within, it kept me on my toes throughout. It’s far from the most original though, perhaps taking too much inspiration from similar titles, but with a little tiny tweak in the controls, it could be a sleeper hit.
It's not Adam's finest hour and certainly a time he should probably forget.
While the original game was a fabulous romp, the Treasure Trove collection is more than worthy of investing some time into. Anyone who already has the original will obtain the upgraded package for free, but if bought separately, each of the three released campaigns should keep you entertained with great platforming that’s full of charm. With more stuff coming in the next year, the Shovel Knight: Treasure Trove is worth its weight in gold.
If you're looking to move beyond the most obvious of the Nintendo Switch's launch line-up, you could do far worse than to invest in the Joy-Con and Snipperclips bundle. It captures the essence of the likes of Overcooked!, but with a clear emphasis on using shapes to solve the physics puzzles. Yes, there is a limited amount of content and that hampers the appeal somewhat, but it's a great icebreaker at house parties.
There’s a lot to like about Forma.8. While it does invoke the style of some other titles, it has enough charm and character to stand out. Its gameplay is unorthodox, yet mostly rewarding, and it doesn’t outstay its welcome. Sometimes the logic of the task at hand is not obvious and it took me a short few hours to get the Platinum Trophy on PS4, but while it lasts it’s an enjoyable romp.
When theHunter: Call of the Wild works properly, it’s still going to be a game that only those with the patience of a saint would enjoy. It’s very slow, full of barriers, and isn’t very exciting. That’s not to say it’s not completely without merit as it’s a stunner to look at and there are rare occasions where everything comes together to make a compelling experience. Just note that those rare occasions are few and far between.
Do not dismiss Nioh as just another knockoff; it's so much more than that. By taking some inspiration from others, Team Ninja do prove with a rich combat system and solid foundation that they have the ability to surprise and innovate. The vast majority of the game is a pleasure to play, despite the fact that death is around every corner. There's a lot I've not even touched upon in this review, simply because it's better experienced than told. For Koei Tecmo at least, all the effort was well worth it.
Aside from the visual downgrade and lack of coop, Poochy & Yoshi’s Woolly World is a faithfully recreation of the Wii U original for the 3DS. It is still a vibrant and appealing game, especially suited for younger children. For older gamers, hunting all the collectables for 100% completion is where the game gets challenging. Coming to handheld devices has hurt the game somewhat though.
Dragon Quest VIII: Journey of the Cursed King truly stands the test of time. Having this PS2 classic on the 3DS, despite its slightly inferior presentation, is a mind boggling feat. Each new gameplay addition or tweak is smart, not taking anything away from the original vision. It helps that the basis for this version was one of the better instalments of the franchise, but Square Enix could have easily just have ported it over and be done with it. If you don’t mind the slight presentation downgrades, this is the definitive version of a modern classic.