Although it may be the first installment made specifically for the brand new consoles, Unity remains a traditional Assassin's Creed game. The setting and atmosphere is cool, but some of the best ideas are marred by bad checkpointing and a story where the historical elements often feel like an afterthought. Assassin's Creed Unity is a solid action game, but a disappointing follow up to Black Flag.
Samurai Warrior 4 is yet another solid entry in the long-running beat-em-up franchise. It offers a few new gameplay tweaks and a different narrative structure, but is largely the same old brawler you've seen countless times. Thankfully, the game's Chronicle Mode helps set this installment apart, making this one of the most memorable Dynasty Warriors spin-off.
Sleeping Dogs: Definitive Edition not only includes an updated version of the 2012 crime thriller, but also packs in all the downloadable content. While a solid collection, this port is marred by inconsistent frame rate, technical problems and a high price tag. We can argue about whether or not this is enough to warrant the $60 asking price, but there's no debate over the quality of Sleeping Dogs as an open-world action experience.
While not as ambitious as recent Marvel or Star Wars tables, South Park: Super-Sweet Pinball is a solid collection with a great sense of humor. The two tables are radically different and the objectives are a lot of fun to complete. Fans of the long-running TV series will get a kick out of the cameos and inside jokes, but everybody else will be left scratching their heads.
Sniper Elite III is a third-person action game with a heavy emphasis on stealth action and sniping. Thankfully the levels are large and the player always feels in control, even in the frequent indoor portions. Gamers looking to run and gun will be disappointed, but everybody else will get a kick out of this solid World War II shooter.
1001 Spikes joins a growing list of retro-themed games made for modern consoles. This PSN release (also available on every other system you own) will test your resolve through a series of increasingly sadistic stages. With deadly obstacles at every step, this is one game that never lets up. But fans of this type of punishment will enjoy the clever level designs and rage-inducing traps. Good luck.
With an emphasis on improved graphics, this PlayStation 4 port is the best Tomb Raider yet. Unfortunately, this Definitive Edition doesn't add enough new content to warrant a second purchase. If you have somehow missed out on Lara's newest adventure, then Tomb Raider: Definitive Edition is a must buy.
Although rough around the edges, Deception IV: The Nightmare Princess gives players a chance to kill people in some of the most brutal ways possible. Fans of wanton violence and Rube Goldberg contraptions will have a bloody good time setting off traps. And with two full games to choose from, this PlayStation 4 port will keep sadistic murderers busy for dozens of hours.
As a multiplayer-focused free-for-all, Starwhal is a lot of fun in short doses. Sadly, the game is too repetitive and the extra modes are bafflingly unbalanced. I can imagine this being a hit with large parties, but solo players need not apply.
While not as polished as other racing simulators, MotoGP 14 does a good job recreating the exciting sport. With a dizzying amount of single-player modes and a worthwhile online component, this game will keep fans of motorcycle racing busy for months to come. Too bad the visuals look so outdated and the career mode lacks variety.
If you can get past the stupid name, you'll find that #killallzombies is an exciting dual-stick shooter with a number of fresh ideas. Sure, you've likely seen this type of zombie game before, but the perk system and constantly changing stage sets this apart from similar titles. It makes a terrible first impression, but #killallzombies ultimately proves to be worth your time.
Lords of the Fallen is both a shameless Dark Souls rip off and a solid action/adventure game. With an easier difficulty and smaller scale, this PlayStation 4 game is a good way to ease people into the challenging sub-genre. On the other hand, the story is underdeveloped and the levels designs are too linear. This new City Interactive release is a real mixed bag.
Originally a homebrew Genesis role-playing game, Pier Solar and the Great Architects has made the leap from 16-bit to the modern age. While the presentation is spot on, the gameplay is marred by combat that seems to favor the enemies. Couple this with obtuse puzzles and an aimless story and you have an adventure game that is good, but doesn't stack up to the best games in the genre.
Another World is one of the most important video games of all time. It started the ball rolling for cinematic action games with emotional stories, and it has never looked better than it does on the PlayStation 4. Sadly, the game's short length and barebones package keeps this from being a must own, but the low asking price and three-way cross-buy may make Another World: 20th Anniversary Edition worth considering.
Blue Estate is a light gun game that doesn't use a light gun. Grab your DualShock 4, because this on-rails shooter uses gyroscope technology to take players through eight exciting stages. Too bad the jokes are awful and the gameplay isn't as accurate as needed, because Blue Estate does a great job of staging action.
From the creator of ToeJam & Earl comes a game about a robot searching for humanity. Doki-Doki Universe has players flying through twenty different planets, all in hopes of finding what makes humans tick. Meet more than a hundred characters and solve missions in this quirk, though terribly shallow, adventure game for the PlayStation 4, PlayStation 3 and PS Vita!
Whispering Willows is an engaging horror-themed graphic adventure starring a likeable hero and a haunted mansion. Unfortunately, the great presentation is undone by a predictable story and simple puzzles. Elena's journey may be full of ghouls and ghosts, but it fails to scare up much excitement.
If you already love Devil May Cry 4, then this brand new special edition is everything you could hope for. It looks great, runs fast and is loaded with playable characters. On the other hand, new players may not be able to overlook some of the game's outdated designs, including fixed camera perspectives and tons of backtracking.
This is not your typical Dynasty Warriors sequel. Empire plays out like a game of Risk, where fast-paced action sequences replace rolling the dice. Unfortunately, the developer doesn't take the novel concept far enough. Fans may enjoy the fast-paced action and emphasis on character building, but everybody else will be left scratching their heads at the outdated graphics and repetitive gameplay.
After the success of MotoGP 14, MXGP: The Official Motocross Videogame left me cold. While the racing mechanics are fine, the boring progression is made worse by a number of questionable design decisions. Worse yet, none of the real world tracks stand out and the graphics aren't very good for a PlayStation 4 game. MXGP is a big disappointment.