If you're looking for pure arcade action that's a blast to play locally, Knight Squad is worth checking out. There's a ton of modes to keep things varied, and the chaotic pace is perfect for party play.
Darksiders II: Deathinitive Edition is best as a purchase for those who haven't yet experienced the original version. The game remains a fantastic riff on adventuring conventions perfected by the Zelda series, and that it gets the imitation right is a compliment of the highest order. Still, the graphical upgrade here isn't as noticeable as in other remasters, and the game remains a bit uneven in its performance.
It's bad enough that Overlord: Fellowship of Evil waters down the more substantial gameplay of its predecessors in favor of a generic action-RPG model, but that's actually the least of the game's problems. Technical problems make the framerate and collision detection bigger obstacles than the traps and enemies, and the level design reduces everything to the lowest common denominator. It never gets old hearing the witty dialogue penned by Rhianna Pratchett, and the score is suitably epic and whimsical, but those are two bright spots in an otherwise dreary mess.
If you're already embedded in one of the other great role-playing experiences on Sony's platform, Sorey's adventure is worth looking at as a follow-up. If you're not, this is a great place to start adventuring this fall.
One might call October the "Month of the JRPG" on PlayStation 4. Hot on the heels of Disgaea 5, Dragon Quest Heroes: The World Tree's Woe and the Blight Below is the next must-have title for fans of the genre on Sony's newest console. Unlike other crossover incarnations in the Warriors series, Heroes incorporates enough of the legendary RPG franchise's traditional elements to create a giddy nostalgia trip. Even if you aren't a longtime fan, though, you'll have a chance to get caught up in a whirlwind of solid action-RPG goodness.
NBA Live 16 has a few new modes and features that help elevate it above last year's offering, but that's practically a footnote when you consider how the game flubs some of its basic controls and AI.
If you're a fan of the genre and you've been holding off on Sony's latest console, here's your excuse to move into the next generation of JRPGs.
Afro Samurai 2: Revenge of Kuma Volume 1 is an unpleasant, deeply depressing experience throughout its short running time. Its narrative is incomprehensible melodrama told through sloppy cutscenes and obnoxious monologues. The levels largely feel unfinished, offering only sporadic opportunities for player interaction. And aside from a few decent tunes courtesy of RZA, the audio and visual presentation is appalling in its lack of quality, featuring hideous textures and even uglier models.
It's definitely a shame the animation is so awkward and stiff; it pales in comparison to the visual splendor of the hand-drawn backgrounds, and it's nowhere near as impressive as the graphics of The Shadow of the Templars were in 1996. Still, it'd be an even bigger shame if that put anyone off from experiencing this classically-inspired adventure. This is worth looking into for any fan of the point-and-click genre, and you're not likely to get many more like it on PS4.
Gauntlet: Slayer Edition is still well-worth a play, especially for fans of hack-and-slash action. It's a streamlined dungeon-crawler with easy-to-learn combat and a great selection of time-tested characters. Things may start to feel repetitive after a while, but playing with your friends and taking breaks every couple of levels can help things feel fresh again.
Toy Soldiers: War Chest is a refreshingly simple 3D tower defense game. It blends the strategy of building and upgrading your units with action-packed third-person shooting, and the result is unadulterated mayhem with a lot of visual charm.
OlliOlli 2 is absolutely overflowing with content. It's challenging, addictive, and gorgeous -- an absolute must-have for high score chasers and skate junkies.
Brutally unforgiving but impeccably designed, Invisible, Inc. brings espionage and roguelike elements together in a package that's equal parts cruel and beautiful.
Players looking for a speedy dose of platforming action might be able to find their fix here, but they're going to have to slog through a number of missteps on the way.
Patience is a virtue, and those who have it in spades will likely find the outstanding stage design worth enduring some of the other frustrations.
If you've got enough patience you'll probably be able to mine for the diamonds in the rough - but the easily frustrated should steer far clear.
Funk of Titans wants to draw players in with an outlandish, seemingly arbitrary aesthetic that mixes Greek mythology with funk music. Unfortunately, it fails to go all the way with this theme, and ends up a tedious and surprisingly generic auto-runner.
If you can afford the luxury of paying $1.99 for a few minutes of amusement, maybe Frenchy Bird's your thing. For the rest of us, however, the charming presentation — while a nice break from the usual blandness of these clones — is not nearly enough to justify the asking price. This is the same recycled thing we've seen over and over in the two years since Dong Nguyen had a surprise hit, and it's high time this vapid avian adventure took a permanent vacation.
If you can put up with Alphadia Genesis' liberal use of tired cliches, poor localization, and dissonant presentation, you'll find a fun little JRPG with fast-paced combat and a refreshingly simple customization system. A little more effort on the part of the writers would have gone a long way toward making the narrative and characters less insufferable, but as-is most JRPG fans should be well-versed enough in this banality to look past it and enjoy the game for what it is.
Pier Solar is a labour of love that makes its passion known right from the first scene. It's an absolutely gorgeous title with inspiration from just about every classic Japanese role-playing game released in the late 80's and early 90's. Unfortunately, it drags some artefacts from that era with it, and as a result features conspicuous problems that will get in the way of your fun. If you can ignore the slow battle system, vapid story, and abysmal dialogue, Pier Solar's efforts may win your heart. If you've got no love for this genre, steer clear — this is one for enthusiasts only.