Feral Rites ends up coming across as a budget Bloody Roar beat-'em-up that's not actually budget priced and clocks in around 10 hours. If it was multiplayer (another base issue with VR) and had a more encapsulating setting, I would be more on board with it. The cartoony, arcade brawler subgenre isn't as prevalent as it once was, and I saw flashes of classics like Fighting Force in this project that brought a fleeting smile to my face.
Nearly every Dragon Quest has added something unique to the gaming landscape as a whole, but Dragon Quest VII: Fragments of the Forgotten Past is one of the best of the lot. As an RPG, VII simply begs to be played, though not necessarily on 3DS if you can swing it (or dig it out of a box somewhere).
How much you enjoy Dead Rising hinges entirely on your acceptance of this principle. As someone who doesn't mind playing games over and over until I perfect them, I like the idea of adding some form of urgency, and feel like in most sessions I have ample time to meander without missing out on much. By that same token I also prefer the leniency of the sequels, and enjoy replaying them more often. It's a give and take, but Dead Rising is worth the squeeze and still holds up after all this time.
It's icky at times, but Madden 17 is definitely a step up. If you skipped a year, now is probably the time to come back around. Coming back around? Kind of like the Ravens, who have an open path to the playoffs again with a healthy Flacco. You heard it here first, folks.
Aurion: Legacy of the Kori-Odan is staggering for an inaugural effort.
The actual affair of playing hockey is more exciting than it's been in years.
Capcom could just keep making these with different time periods in new regions and I'd keep playing them. As long as it employs a good writing crew and delivers satisfying scenarios, I'm in. Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney - Spirit of Justice, you made this aspiring lawyer's day.
Despite its flaws I can recommend Hearthstone: One Night in Karazhan, and every other solo adventure to date for that matter. Even if Blizzard hasn't innovated as much as it has in the past with Medivh and friends, it's still one of the best card games on the market, and the miniature stories that each one entails manage to simultaneously capture the spirit of Warcraft in a patented lighthearted way.
When the zombies mode returns, it'll be in Infinity Ward's capable hands with the Spaceland storyline in Infinite Warfare, and I just might get my wish. But for now, the book on Black Ops III has been closed. Although it had one bumpy DLC chapter, things are pretty encouraging overall. If you want to grab the season pass or the inevitable Game of the Year Edition, you can do it without shame.
The Final Station ends up being a linear game in the end, but this short train is worth riding at least once.
Keep in mind that even though you're not battling "one million troops" at once, Attack on Titan still sticks to tried-and-true Omega Force sensibilities. It has light RPG elements, but it's still a hack-and-slash, and those of you who aren't down with Warriors games will probably get bored after several hours.
One of the most marquee franchises in 4X history returns, with modern advancements and all 10 races from the original.
A space explorer and his alien dog wade through a mysterious planet with a dark secret.
The fact that Phantom Brave holds up over 12 years later on PC is a testament to NIS' conventions sticking and working.
King of Fighters XIV falls somewhere between XII and XIII. It's not exactly bare-bones and the roster is mighty, but the gaudy presentation and by-the-book story is distracting, and takes away a lot of the uniqueness of the series.
There really isn't a whole lot more to say about Worms W.M.D. If you've skipped over the last few Worms games but pine for the nostalgic feeling of ripping apart cute little critters across a gigantic map with precision bank shots, you'll be able to relive those memories here. Especially so if you love Armageddon, which this one is trying hard to emulate.
Deus Ex: Mankind Divided doesn't succeed in making me care about the plight of humans and augs, but it still pulled me into its compelling cloak-and-dagger world where people in capes can turn invisible and shoot balls of lightning out of their arm. Oh, and your aug doctor looks just like Prince, so it's in the running for GOTY.
I was holding out hope for Metroid Prime: Federation Force, but at this point, there are so many other dungeon crawlers that are worth your time. Just like Hunters on the original DS, the main questline of Federation will probably fade out of the limelight over time and become a whisper in hardcore Metroid crowds -- though I can see Blast Ball having longer legs.
It's tough to describe how amazing Inversus feels on paper, but once you pick it up for the first time you'll understand. The economy of bullets, sneaky homegrown tactics, a slight concession for solo players, and a robust multiplayer component with an array of maps? It's a no-brainer.
If I paid money for Hitman with just two packs to go (USA and Japan), I wouldn't feel slighted even if Bangkok and Marrakesh are weaker than the others. Diced up or whole, this can of blood-soaked tomatoes serves up so many experiences that aren't offered just about anywhere else outside of the original entries.