It's not a question of if the player will die in Sundered. They will lose the struggle against the Eldritch horrors that call its world home, and it ultimately comes down to the core theme of resist or embrace. Will the player embrace the challenge, or resist it by giving up? That'll ultimately come down to how much perseverance a person has, but those that do see the adventure out will be rewarded with more glimpses into a gorgeous world and some incredibly tense combat exchanges.
It's been a while since I've so thoroughly enjoyed a learning curve in a racing game. Tiny Trax hides a highly challenging racer behind its charming presentation, and I've enjoyed going from nearly being lapped to occasionally winning races. The only thing that really holds the game back is a lack of content and options, as there are only three cups of tracks to master, but FuturLab definitely has a winner in the gameplay department.
From the opening stages to its thrilling conclusion, every single moment within SUPERHOT is a memorable one. Even a year removed from its initial release, its innovations are unmatched. Even those that aren't typically a fan of the genre owe it to themselves to check out one of the finest games released in years.
I feel like every gamer should find a way to play SUPERHOT VR, but they should really look to play the Rift or Vive versions if they can. While it still provided some of the coolest moments I've ever experienced in a game on PlayStation VR, it also provided some of the most frustrating ones. It's truly a masterpiece that is marred by being on a platform that just isn't technically up to the task. It's a showcase of not only what is so great about virtual reality, but also how it's still a piece of technology that isn't quite all there yet.
Despite a few technical issues, Fallen Legion: Flames of Rebellion offers up a satisfying role-playing experience.
Fallen Legion: Sins of an Empire doesn't manage to nail all of its ideas, but it manages to make enough of them stick for it to be a worthwhile title for role-playing game fans. Developer YummyYummyTummy didn't play it safe, and has implemented some fantastic ideas here. It's just that some repetitive level design, and a flat story, manages to drag the game down in its back half.
After playing That's You!, I'm really looking forward to what PlayLink will have to offer in the future. Sony really has the potential to create some fantastic games going forward, and Wish Studios have created a game that'll join my social rotation (as long as I can convince my friends to download the app). It's a great proof of concept as to why mobile and console gaming can complement each other, and don't always need to be separated.
Milestone S.r.l. is one of the most consistent racing game developers, and Moto GP 17 is yet another success for Italian studio. The thrills of cutting a tight turn close and overtaking an opponent are replicated faithfully, and the racing provides plenty of fun. It may lack any distinctive feature that helps it truly stand out from the pack, but fans of motorcycle racing can't go wrong here.
Any fans of Reki Kawahara's work should definitely check out Accel World VS Sword Art Online. Not only is it the best playing Sword Art Online to date, it also has a great story that links the two world directly together. It all culminates in a fantastic twist ending that managed to finally get me invested in the world of SAO, which is something the previous games failed to do. It's also helped tremendously by the addition of Accel World characters, as they immediately caught my attention.
Codemasters is typically a developer that prioritizes polish, so it's especially jarring to see Micro Machines World Series lacking features and decent online play. The matchmaking is currently a mess, ranked play is currently inaccessible for many, and there's no semblance of a campaign to keep players busy while the online is being worked on. It's too bad since there are moments of fun sprinkled within the frustrating online sessions, but more often than not I walked away unsatisfied. This could get fixed into a solid game, but players should be cautious until an overhaul occurs.
Not everything Danganronpa Another Episode: Ultra Despair Girls attempts to do is a success, but it's definitely worth playing for anyone already invested in the series. The gunplay might not rival Titanfall 2, but the different bullet-types make combat feel more akin to a solving a puzzle. Much like the story it tells, it's far from perfect, but there are enough good ideas to make it a worthwhile endeavor.
Those expecting the same level of depth and strategy as Valkyria Chronicles will likely end up disappointed by this spin-off. When judged on its own, though, Valkyria Revolution delivers an interesting narrative and some solid, if unspectacular, action. It's too bad that the game never truly hits a stride, as missions are rarely memorable, and ultimately a lot of interesting ideas never get fully fleshed out.
As someone who spent way too many quarters as a kid trying to top the high scores of others, I'm glad I don't have to constantly put money into Nex Machina. Eugene Jarvis and Housemarque have come together to create one of the best playing twin-stick shooters ever made. While I do wish there was more content (I can only hope this gets the same amount of support as Resogun did) , there are enough difficulties that I'll still be learning the intricacies for several months to come.
Star Trek: Bridge Crew feels like the next step for cooperative gaming.
Few fighting games have had the longevity of the Tekken series, but Tekken 7 manages to both refine and add new wrinkles to an already solid formula. Wonky online issues aside, this is the best the series has looked in a decade.
Despite wasting a wonderful setting and story setup, Cladun Returns still manages to be a triumphant comeback for Nippon Ichi Software. The game's fast-paced brand of dungeon crawling separates it from its competition, and the game is only beginning once the story wraps up. There's enough content here to keep players entertained for months if the game grabs players, although those looking for more structure will end up disappointed.
Despite never playing the PC version of Polarity, I couldn't quite shake the feeling that I had seen everything that the Ultimate Edition had to offer. While the puzzles are all well thought out, there isn't anything that'll be remotely challenging for gamers that have completed Antichamber or Portal. The lack of complexity is paired with a disappointingly short experience that brings absolutely nothing new to the table for first-person puzzle games. It's not bad, but it's certainly forgettable.
Players won't find a satisfying story in The Walking Dead: A New Frontier - Episode 5: From The Gallows, just disappointment from their time being wasted.
The Final Challengers isn't the deluxe reissue that it should've been, but it's still a solid enough version of Street Fighter II that lends itself well to portable play.
Friday the 13th: The Game shouldn't have been released in the sad state it currently is in. From glitches that make players invincible to terrible matchmaking that had me waiting over 10 minutes to get into a room, it's putting it nicely to call the end product a mess. It's really heartbreaking to see since there are still positives that mange to shine through if one can look past the galling lack of polish. The core gameplay, when it works properly, can be fun when played with friends, and there are some refreshing ideas underneath the jank. Several months from now it may become the multiplayer hit it strives to be, but right now it's an embarrassing release that can't be recommended.