I’ve got a lot of love for 88 Heroes and the diverse gameplay experience it constantly delivers. You really never know what to expect each time a new character enters the fray – the game constantly switches up how you have to play, but without sacrificing the enjoyment of the player in the process. As much as I want to give the game an 8.8 score though, there are a few things that hold it back. It’s a fairly short experience and there isn’t a whole lot to come back to after completing it, whilst I did encounter one moment where I wasn’t able to progress because of my hero’s power. Sure, it wasn’t a constant problem, but the one occasion was enough to frustrate. Still, none of those issues stops 88 Heroes offering a great platforming experience. If you want some zany fun with a cast of some of the most anarchic heroes you’ll ever come across, you really need to check it out.
Trove has left me feeling a little torn; whilst I certainly had plenty of fun with the old-school combat mechanics and multiplayer adventuring, it didn’t take too long for the repetitive nature to drag things down. It’s not that there aren’t plenty of things to discover and loot to find, but rather that the gameplay alone didn’t offer enough of an incentive to entice me to stick with the game for the long term and uncover all of these things. For a game which demands hours of your time, that was a bit of a problem for me. It might not be the same for other players though and I have no doubt that Trove’s RPG/world-building hybrid will certainly tick plenty of boxes for other players, but I’ve already found myself moving on to other titles. Still, it’s free to play so there’s no risk to trying the game – just don’t expect to be blown away by what Trove offers.
Chaos Code: New Sign of Catastrophe has a lot to offer fighting fans of all skill calibers thanks to its accessible gameplay, whilst the colourful cast of characters are both memorable and entertaining to play as. However, there’s nothing on offer you wouldn’t have seen before. Don’t expect a myriad of complicated combat mechanics that feel fresh, but rather a tried and tested formula of fighting that doesn’t do anything outside of the norm. That doesn’t mean the game’s bad though, but rather that it’s easily unnoticeable; it’s a shame too, because Chaos Code: New Sign of Catastrophe really offers hours of entertaining fighting fun. If you want a quick, slick fighter to play through, it’s definitely worth checking out – just don’t expect something as invigorating as the likes of ‘Killer Instinct’ or ‘Street Fighter V’.
I have to be clear and say that Unearthing Mars isn’t a bad game, but it certainly isn’t the most engaging of titles you’ll find on Playstation VR. The premise is intriguing though and some aspects of the gameplay are fun; it’s just lacking depth in almost all facets of design. It’s a hell of a lot better than ‘The Martian VR’, but those looking to take an epic expedition to Mars might not find what they’re looking for with Unearthing Mars.
The freedom and easy going nature that LEGO Worlds offers has kept me coming back for more, and I can easily see myself playing the game for a long time to come in the future. Whilst new releases come and go, there’s something about the charming world building and sense of discover that LEGO Worlds offers that I simply can’t get enough of. It’s certainly no ‘Minecraft’ clone, but rather its own enjoyable entity that really manages to embrace the creativity of the LEGO brand. I spent endless hours playing with LEGO as a kid and LEGO Worlds ultimately proves that the bricks still have that strong appeal to me even as an adult. It’s certainly got its fair share of flaws with the repetitive nature of objectives, awkward controls, and sketchy camera, but behind all of those is a great game that’ll certain provide some relief for any gamer’s creative itch.
Styx: Shards of Darkness puts its own unique spin on the stealth genre by giving us an unconventional hero that’s not only incredibly powerful, but very crude too. What’s most important though is that it’s fun to play throughout, offering an adventure that constantly entertains and offers plenty of things for the player to do. It has its flaws with some shoddy climbing controls, poor AI, and lack of diversity with its visual design, but none of these issues trump what Styx: Shards of Darkness does right. If you’re looking for an enjoyable stealth adventure that offers plenty of freedom to the player, it’s certainly worth checking Styx: Shards of Darkness out.
When playing Ghost Recon Wildlands in single player you’ll find it offers an enjoyable action-packed experience that never does anything bad, but can feel a little repetitive at times. It never stops being enjoyable though, whilst the atmospheric surroundings that Bolivia offers will simply astound you at times. However, there are certainly better single player games out right now that I’d recommend over Ghost Recon Wildlands. When you jump into the multiplayer mode though it’s a totally different experience. I’ve mentioned it once already and I’ll say it again – I really think that Ghost Recon Wildlands’ co-op action is some of the best I’ve experienced in any video game. You might be doing the same things as you do in the single player campaign, but when carefully orchestrating these operations with a group of friends it becomes one of the most enthralling multiplayer experiences you’ll have in a video game. It really is that good. If you’re looking for a single player experience there is fun to be had with Ghost Recon Wildlands, but it’s not the game’s strongest point. If you’re looking for some co-op multiplayer action though, you simply NEED to play Ghost Recon Wildlands.
Trulon: The Shadow Engine certainly isn’t a bad game, but the random nature of the battle system and slightly underdeveloped story leaves it falling behind the masses of better RPGs that are out already. I love the vibrant visual style whilst the nods to classic 16-bit RPGs do give it a good amount of personality, but this charming adventure just falls a little short on most other facets of design.
Darknet is another great addition to the Playstation VR catalogue, with the game offering hours of enjoyment hacking your way through countless networks. Whilst it doesn’t really utilise virtual reality in an overly complicated way, the immersion it offers by simply corresponding with the theme of the game is fantastic; the ‘cyber’ vibe is perfectly portrayed when you’ve got this whole network feeling like it’s actually spread out around you. Whether you’re a fan of puzzling or you just want to try something a bit fresh on Playstation VR, I’d definitely recommend giving Darknet a purchase.
There’s no doubting that Berserk and the Band of the Hawk won’t be for everyone – the fact that it’s a Musou game alone will make it a divisive title for gamers. Those who enjoy the games though will find it one of the finest Musou titles to have been released for some time. Everything about ‘Berserk’ works perfectly within the genre, with the series’ brutal combat and massive scale of battles portrayed perfectly in the game. The lack of multiplayer options and the small character roster is a disappointment, but it doesn’t do enough to take anything away from what is otherwise an enthralling experience for both veteran ‘Berserk’ fans and newcomers to the series. There’s hours of savage entertainment to be had with Berserk and the Band of the Hawk and I can’t see myself putting the game down for quite awhile.
I was left surprised by A King’s Tale: Final Fantasy XV. Whilst I didn’t think the game would be bad by any means, I wasn’t expecting it to have as much depth nor be as enjoyable as it was. I really had a lot of fun with it. With its deep combat mechanics, fantastic pixel art, and the bulk of extra content it gives you upon completion, King’s Tale: Final Fantasy XV really has a lot going for it. Whilst it could get a little repetitive over time and the omission of multiplayer is a strange one, the fact that this is a free title more than makes up for it – if it was a paid release though this might’ve been more of a sour point. It probably won’t be for everyone, but those who want an extra dose of ‘Final Fantasy XV’ action ahead of the game’s upcoming DLC release should look no further than A King’s Tale: Final Fantasy XV. It’s a delightful beat ’em up and one that actually has potential to hold its own as a full release with a bit more fleshing out – maybe Square Enix could use this as a starting point for potential ideas with the series in the future… (please release a ‘Final Fantasy VII’ version… please…)
Stories Untold brings back a classic genre with a bang, breaking the conventional mould of simply using words in a text-adventure by offering you a fully interactive setting that alters as you progress through each episode. It’s incredibly clever and also incredibly atmospheric, bringing an experience that manages to not only constantly impress but also creep you out at the same time. Not only is the gameplay tense, but the ‘untold’ stories are great too. I really got absorbed into the experience and my only disappointment was when the whole thing was over. I’ve got a lot of love for Stories Untold and hope this is just the start of something special.
DYSTORIA has plenty going for it with its intriguing sci-fi premise that’s clearly inspired by the classic movies from the 80s, whilst it’s slick neon style and good level design ensures that the game will keep you interested until the end. A lack of variety with the visual style of these levels can make levels difficult to navigate though, whilst the disorientating controls and demanding shooting mechanics brought a lot of frustration too. DYSTORIA is certainly not a bad game and there’s plenty of fun to be had with it, but it didn’t do enough for me to consider it a great game.