The gameplay is exactly what one would expect from Ultimate Ninja Storm 4, as it offers up simplified, yet satisfying, fighting.
Night in the Woods might get messy with its broad strokes, but it's the fine details that make the game so special.
Halo Wars 2 isn't afraid to mess with the standard RTS formula, and it's a better game because of it.
Judging by how Ubisoft has handled support for past multiplayer games (like Rainbow Six Siege), I’m confident that some of For Honor‘s issues will get rectified down the line. Gameplay can be tweaked, matchmaking enhanced, and better modes can all be added over time. However, as the game stands right now it’s more of a proof of concept than a fully realized idea. There’s a great base to build upon mechanically, but it’s too rough around the edges to shine as bright as it should.
Nothing is redeeming about Joe’s Diner. It’s a poor execution of a dull idea and one of the worst games released on PlayStation 4.
While the racing certainly doesn’t hold a candle to a game like Burnout Paradise, it felt like a refreshing throwback to the racers I enjoyed in the 90s.
Nioh is a game of highs and lows. It’s a tremendous blast when the combat gets to shine, but it often gets the spotlight after hours of tedium. Instead of crafting a tight 20-hour experience like Ninja Gaiden, Team Ninja has opted to create a title that had me constantly grinding. It’s a flawed experience that really has no respect for the player’s time, but one that I’m ultimately glad to have experienced.
Even though it's not as great as it could be and drags on, role-playing game fans will still find that Dynasty Warriors: Godseekers is well worth their time.
Resident Evil 7 biohazard isn’t without its flaws, but it’s absolutely the sequel that Capcom had to make in order to make the series relevant again.
While it still suffers from the same flaws as its predecessors, Yakuza 0 is a great reminder why Sega's series is so special.
The Flame in the Flood is an incredibly charming survival game. Even those that don't tend to love the harsh genre will enjoy the visual flair and fantastic soundtrack on offer. There's also several different options to make the game more difficult or easier (checkpoints can be added) depending on how much of a challenge you want. Whether players actually complete their trip will come down to their determination, but they'll have a good time, even if the rafting session ends a bit early due to a wolf attack.
Considering the amount of content that Hatsune Miku: Project DIVA Future Tone offers, it really had the potential to be a standout game. Instead, it’s only a paradise for hardcore fans as anyone else will likely grow tired of going through the extremely long tracklist. There’s very few hooks to grab the player’s attention, and unless you love the high score grind then there really isn’t much here. No story is being told like in Elite Beat Agents, and there’s not the slightest sense of progression as in Guitar Hero. Give Future Tone a go if you’re a Miku fan, but don’t be surprised if you find out that bigger isn’t always better.
The Walking Dead: A New Frontier's second episode has stronger moments than the debut, but also treads too much familiar ground by reusing story beats that Telltale has already explored.
The first episode of The Walking Dead: A New Frontier is the strong start that the series desperately needed.
Wild Guns: Reloaded is a decent way to experience the SNES classic, but it’s brought down by some rather odd design choices. The new characters are difficult to use and are probably best left for die-hard players, leaving newcomers to feel left out. No additions have been made from a design standpoint to make the game more accessible, and it’s too difficult for its own good. Check it out if you’re already a fan, but this is a severely disappointing package otherwise.
There is nothing more satisfying than when a developer learns from their past mistakes, and WayForward has finally refined the Shantae experience. Shantae: Half-Genie Hero is the belly dancing heroine’s best adventure yet, and doesn’t suffer from any huge leaps in difficulties like previous titles. While there are parts that will feel a bit too familiar for series veterans (certainly there has to be other characters that exist in Shantae’s world), it’s a highly polished title that provides plenty of fun from start to finish.
It’s a fun way to celebrate Marvel vs. Capcom‘s past, while looking forward to the future next year.
'I Expect You To Die' is a must-have puzzle game for PlayStation VR owners. It's one of the most polished titles available for the headset, and really shows how the medium can open up new ideas for developers. It takes the light-hearted interactions that made 'Job Simulator' a blast to play, but gives the player a greater purpose by having them solve brilliantly crafted puzzles. The only disappointment is that the experience ends a bit too quickly, but thankfully it looks like more is on the way (either in the form of a sequel or DLC) if the game's credits are to be believed.
Drive!Drive!Drive! provides a fresh idea in a very established genre that doesn’t often see them anymore. While it’s easy to dismiss the track-switching action as a gimmick, it actually adds a whole different dimension to racing. There’s a lot to like here, and any racing fans that are growing tired of seemingly playing the same games repeatedly will want to check this one out.
'The Last Guardian' is filled with bouts of frustration, but it's also proof that gaming is the most powerful medium for creators. I got to experience a genuine bond with Trico over the course of the game, and that can't be replicated elsewhere as it's dependent on actual interaction. Ueda's third title as a director is filled with flaws and some straight-up bad design in spots, but it manages to overcome its shortcomings to be something truly special.