Sword Art Online: Lost Song's story is probably not going to win over non-adherents of the popular anime franchise, but thankfully it's not required to enjoy the rest of what's on offer: a fun, lighthearted and breezy run through well-worn action-RPG territory. Aside from the game's breathtaking flying mechanic, the rest of the mechanics can feel a bit stiff and even dated, but that surely won't be able to dissuade anyone enamored with the addictive quality of beating quests and raiding dungeons.
It's not quite up there with Funatics' other RTS titles, due to a rather weak aesthetic and lack of player agency, but Valhalla Hills still has a lot of randomly-generated fun in store for fans of the genre.
Spelunker World has a few free-to-play irritations, stiff controls and iffy multiplayer, but a certain audience will find its old-school charm and addictive gear system enough reason to revisit the 22-year-old franchise.
Starwhal was built for local multiplayer, and that's where it shines best. Its hilarious flip-and-flop gameplay gets a lot of mileage out of the numerous modes and stages, and the bright neon graphics are delightfully '80s.
Earth Defense Force 4.1: The Shadow of New Despair is amazingly dumb, which is exactly the reason the series became such a cult hit in the first place. The dialogue and voice acting are awful, the sound mixing is abysmal, the graphics would have seemed dated two generations ago and the gameplay is a simple exercise in mindless destruction. But as with all glorious garbage of this nature, there's a certain je ne sais quoi about the way it comes together — or rather, fails to come together — that makes it perfect for multiplayer hilarity. Leave your brain at the door and you'll probably have a good time.
Red Game Without A Great Name has a deceptively simple mechanic at its core, the exact sort that benefits from top-notch level design. Thankfully, the game also has plenty of that, alongside a dynamic "silhouetted" visual style heavily influenced by steampunk.
If you've got a hankering for strategic role-playing and an epic narrative with plenty of player choice, The Banner Saga should become one of your priorities on PS4. The combat, while a little uneven difficulty-wise across the game's campaign, nevertheless manages to hit the sweet spot between simple accessibility and strategic depth. You'd also be hard-pressed to find an indie with as much artistic inspiration: gorgeous character art, painterly backgrounds and an exceptional put to rest the misguided notion that indies can't turn out aesthetic appeal on a limited budget. Sure, it's not always perfect — the game's lack of guidance, difficulty spikes and voice acting may occasionally leave you feeling a little lost and alone — but perhaps that's just in keeping with the unforgiving Norse world that inspired it.
Echoes of Aetheria's dated, cliche-laden narrative and garish overworld sprites are a shame when you consider the rest of what the game has to offer: fun, strategic combat, gorgeous in-battle art and a surprisingly masterful soundtrack. If you can get past some of its less-polished elements, you'll probably have a great time.
Capcom's HD reimagining of Resident Evil 0 is a glorious nostalgia trip back to a brand of survival horror that just doesn't come around anymore in this era of gaming. Sure, that means dealing with a couple of annoyances, like the fixed camera angles and stiff combat, but those who can look past these problems will find a treasure trove of old-fashioned adventuring. Exploring the title's creepy, masterfully detailed environments is nothing short of a joy, and sorting out the harrowing tasks of inventory management and limited resources is tense in just the right way. If you're craving some real retro challenges, or just in the mood for some good atmosphere, Resident Evil 0 is well worth the price of admission.
Klaus is a subversive, ingenious little puzzle platformer that shouldn't be missed by anyone who claims to be a fan of video games. The nods to common tropes in the medium serve as both a bit of cerebral humor and as the basis for some truly inspired bits of level design, and the presentation blends excellent sprite work with flashy film-inspired animation. Minor annoyances, like the touchpad feeling a bit cumbersome and some irritating audio design, shouldn't keep players away from this masterful little piece of gaming love.
Attractio's first-person physics-based puzzles are good enough to stand on their own, which is why it's such a shame that its intrusive and simplistic story undermines their appeal. If you can ignore the obnoxious voice acting and dopey plot long enough to enjoy the satisfying puzzles though, we suggest you do so.
Gravity Rush Remastered attempts to update the 2012 portable original for a 2016 home console experience, and it's mostly successful in doing so. Though some elements feel like relics of its portable past, like comic-book-style cutscenes and a lack of voice acting, there's no denying it's still a hell of an aesthetic accomplishment. Yoshiaki Yamaguchi's gorgeous art style shines through in both the excellent character portraits and the city's uniquely colorful districts, and Kohei Tanaka's lively soundtrack evokes the same sort of childlike whimsy you might expect to find in a Ghibli film. The gameplay can be a bit disorienting with its whirling camera and shift-happy combat, but there's still nothing quite like the sense of freedom you get from soaring around Hekseville's bizarre monsters and creative locales — and it's a feeling of childlike joy that makes Kat's first adventure worth playing in spite of its flaws.
Q*bert Rebooted's Xbox One version is marginally better than the original game - particularly when it comes to the new EDM soundtrack - but it still feels like a cheap mobile title meant to cash in on Q*bert's appearance in "Pixels."
Nitroplus Blasterz: Heroines Infinite Duel is an admirable effort, bringing together characters from a number of visual novels and gaming franchises and pitting them against each other in a solid, energetic brawler. It's a shame that there aren't more interesting modes in which to test your fighting mettle, particularly when the two story modes offered are so dull and impenetrable, but at least there's some good multiplayer fun to be had — just don't get too interested in completely even-handed competition, as I highly suspect there are serious balancing issues at play here. Still, as a lighthearted bit of fun to enjoy with friends online or locally, there's enough colorful, flashy eye candy here to satisfy casual fighter fans.
Digimon Story: Cyber Sleuth isn't a perfect video game interpretation of Bandai Namco's long-running franchise, but it's a huge step in the right direction for fans who have been waiting to see the series get on Pokémon's level. The core gameplay is simple but addictive, making this a perfectly accessible jumping-on point for both casual and hardcore fans of RPGs and Digimon. Artist Suzuhito Yasuda and composer Masafumi Takada grant the game a much-needed memorable audio/visual identity, and the bevy of post-game content means there's more than enough to keep completionists busy for hours on end. A few core elements could still use some tightening up — the interface and dungeons, for example, just aren't up to par with comparable modern-day games — but this should give Digimon fans hope that the game series is finally in the right hands.
Arslan: The Warriors of Legend is an exceptional crossover with the Warriors series, standing just behind last year's Dragon Quest Heroes as the best the franchise has to offer. It wouldn't be surprising if this was the first entry to pull players in with a heavy focus on narrative elements, as its retelling of the 25-episode anime arc is filled with interesting details and lovable characters. It plays well too, brushing off a couple of frustrating technical issues with more of the outrageous hack-and-slash military action players have come to love — including the revival of combat on horseback and a few new elements, such as the over-the-top chain-building Marsdan Rush. Whether you've been a dedicated fan of the anime since the first episode or haven't yet been exposed to the wonders of Arslan, there's a ton to see and enjoy in Koei Tecmo's interpretation of the Crown Prince's kingdom.
Naruto Shippuden: Ultimate Ninja Storm 4 should feel like a love letter to longtime fans, who will adore the enormous roster of 61 characters and breathtakingly beautiful visuals. On the other hand, the game shouldn't be counted out for newcomers, either; while they might not enjoy the hackneyed shonen story elements or lack of tutorials, they'll almost assuredly get a kick out of the hyperactive and highly variable fighting style. CyberConnect2 President Hiroshi Matsuyama said he wanted the game to be built with a long life in mind, and if you're into this brand of no-holds-barred insanity, that's exactly what you'll get out of it.
If you aren't too picky and you're in the mood for some old-school RPG action, Aveyond 4 might just be the lighthearted fun you need. If you're a more discerning customer, however, the game's dated RPG Maker feel, lackluster writing and overall been-there-done-that vibe will put you off.
Assassin's Creed Chronicles: Russia continues the Chronicles series' tradition of stealth mediocrity, offering up a handful of uneventful 2D side-scrolling missions. As usual, the visuals are nice and the mechanics are solid, but assassinating people should never be this tedious.
If you think you have no interest in Plants vs. Zombies: Garden Warfare 2, I implore you to reconsider. Distinctive characters, detailed maps and a lively sense of chaos all add up to one of the finest family-friendly multiplayer experiences on PS4. There's also solo play this time around, and while that suffers a bit from balancing issues, it's nice to be able to squeeze in a little experience-building and item-collecting in between rounds of online action. Overall, though, it's the childlike qualities at the center of GW2 that are the most important — a seemingly limitless energy, a fearlessly goofy aesthetic and a commitment to making playing fun above all else. Sure, you're not going to see this at any serious competitive tournaments, but you will laugh and smile a lot if you round up some friends and family to play with, and that seems to get to the heart of why we play video games in the first place.