Overall, Final Fantasy XII: The Zodiac Age is mostly a triumph. The few issues that do exist aren't enough to detract from the overall quality of the underlying game, and most of the updates, upgrades and tweaks really work in the game's favor. For too long, Square Enix has let one of their most compelling and ambitious games languish while lesser titles received multiple and unnecessary re-releases.
When you get right down to it, there isn't much that needs to be said about this game. After five entries in the franchise, spanning ten years and three different systems, you know if Uncharted is your kind of game. If you're new to the series, this isn't the place to start.
If you love bullet hell shoot 'em ups and have the patience to master your moves, there's a lot of bang for your buck here, especially if you owned the original Sine Mora; anyone who bought the original version can upgrade to EX for free. The campaign is short, but there's plenty of replay value in the various alternate modes for people looking to push themselves in pursuit of the leaderboard glory or just waste some time with a buddy.
If you're a newcomer to Resident Evil, this is not the place to start. Go with this year's Resident Evil 7 if you're looking for something innovative, modern and terrifying. If pure action is what you're after, the remastered editions of Resident Evil 4 and 5 are much easier recommendations.
With the exception of some questionable choices regarding microtransactions, Destiny 2 is a game that improves upon the original considerably, in every key area. This is, without question, Bungie's best work yet.
Slightly Mad Studios seems to have aspirations towards this being the next big thing in e-sports racing, and while they've got the foundation to do that, key elements of the game will need to be addressed. In a genre starving for fresh blood, Project Cars 2 is a welcome addition, but also a currently incomplete one..
Hob is definitely a game that is larger than the sum of its parts, which come together almost perfectly to create a truly singular adventure. Hob not have the AAA budget and polish of the franchises it draws inspiration from, but it has lots of heart and something to say, which is impressive for a game without a single spoken word.
It really is a shame that Gundam Versus has so many technical problems.
Detention likely will not win over many people who aren't already fans of either survival horror or adventure games, and that's a damn shame. While the game has some pacing issues, and a few puzzles can only be described as having illogical solutions you'll mostly come to simply through attrition, this game is a triumph.
It could best be summed up as "Inglourious Basterds meets Fast and Furious" – a multicultural group of irreverent, colorful characters on a globetrotting quest to ruin Hitler's day, week and life in a fantastic revenge fantasy setting.
The shooting is solid, the graphics are fine, the sound design and musical score are acceptable if uninspired, and yet the game is significantly less than the sum of its parts. At its best it is proof that Activision's stable of developers has run out of ideas, returning to World War II for no other reason than they didn't know where else to go.
There's not much to Save the Ninja Clan, but there doesn't really need to be. It's simple, fast, brutal and great fun in short bursts, without any of the baggage that comes from other games in the genre.
Ultimate Chicken Horse is a simple game isn't the kind of game you pick up and play every night, as it benefits most from fresh bouts of sadistic creativity, but for the $20 price tag, it's one of the best pick-up-and-play party games you'll find on the PS4.
While the audio visual overhaul is definitely welcome, it really is a shame that some of the aspects of the game did not receive any modernization, because for as unique and engaging as Okami still is, it often feels like a game trapped in the past, preventing it from being as good as it could be. Ultimately it's worth the ride, especially if you've passed on previous chances to play it.
Were Strikers Edge any more expensive than it is, it would be difficult to recommend. There's not a ton of content here, and it's not the kind of game that is going to keep you engaged for hours a day. For [its low price], however, it doesn't need to be.
Shadow of the Colossus isn't just a successful remake of a beloved game. It has set a new bar for what a remake should be in the first place, and left me optimistic, for the first time ever, about the prospect of revisiting old games on new systems. This is how every remake should be.
I've enjoyed the freedom to make my own decisions and mistakes, the challenge, the complexity, the attention to detail. It's been one hell of a ride.
On the strength of its gameplay, combined with the general lack of racing games for PS4, it's also now the best game in the genre that you can own on this platform, if barely.
Indie games have shown the value of smaller studios making unique games beholden only to their vision and not the economic constraints of AAA development, and Demimonde's Octahedron now stands shoulder to shoulder with the best of them, thanks to an amazing soundtrack, creative level design and presentation, and singular vision.
If you're hard up for some old school 2D platforming, and willing to put up with some notable shortcomings, Shiny might do the trick