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.
Playing through 'The Little Acre' will make for an enjoyable afternoon, but not much past that. The impressive production values are the star here, as the gameplay can't match the amazing amount of polish that has been put into the visuals and audio. Narratively, several ideas are left unexplored, and it rarely touches upon both of the unique settings that the game takes place within. Ultimately, it's an average adventure game that has been put in a gorgeous package.
The successor to 'Hitman GO' manages to perfectly mesh what made that game a mobile hit and what players love about the 'Tomb Raider' series. It's due to this that 'Lara Croft GO' has its own unique identity.
The NBA 2KVR Experience feels more like a proof of concept than a fleshed-out game, and that’s pretty disappointing. Visual Concepts show that they have some good ideas, and could make a more full-fledged offering, but this only touches the edges of what’s possible. It’s more of a tease than anything, which is good for a demo, not a paid product. It’s fun to play for 30 minutes, but don’t expect this to be something that will keep you coming back for more.
'Bethesda Pinball' is easily Zen Studios' most ambitious project yet. They really went all out making sure each table feels like the game it's based upon, but that leads to mixed results when it comes to digital pinball. 'DOOM' is the real standout addition, with the two role-playing game tables getting too overly complicated. While it may not pull off every idea it attempted, I'm glad that Zen Studios isn't afraid to take risks, and that's exactly why this is still a pinball pack that is worth checking out even if it's not the developer's best adaptation.
Almost everything from The Dwarves‘ gameplay to the presentation seems unpolished. It’s a real shame, since there are some good ideas, and the book it’s based upon is ripe for a video game adaptation. The mission objectives are far too rigid, the controls too cumbersome, and ultimately it’s a game that constantly gets in the way of itself. Every moment of enjoyment was quickly followed by bouts of annoyance, and this title clearly needed more time in development.
'Dragon Ball Fusions' delivers a fresh take on one of the most heavily adapted franchises. Not only is the role-playing game unique in that it tells an all-new story, it has a fantastic battle system that has plenty of depth hidden under an easy-to-learn exterior. This is a must-own 3DS title for fans of 'Dragon Ball,' and a good RPG that doesn't have to rely upon nostalgia as a core selling point.
Killing Floor 2 just doesn’t have the variety needed to keep the attention of players. No matter what map is being played, things start to feel eerily similar after the first few hours. It desperately needs a cherry on top of the solid gunplay, and it just isn’t here. Pick it up if you’re desperate for cooperative offerings, but try to play it in short bursts as the monotony sets in rather quickly.
While 'Sword Art Online: Hollow Realization' is definitely a step up from its predecessors, it's still too rough around the edges to really appeal to anyone other than fans of the anime. It fails to take advantage of the unique premise, and an unpolished localization makes the game overly confusing in spots. Hopefully 'Sword Art Online' will get a great game adaptation, but that still hasn't happened yet.
While I still think that the best from Watch Dogs is still to come, Watch Dogs 2 is a solid step up from its predecessor. Getting to be a hacker is phenomenal fun, but the game tends to stumble when it becomes a sub-par third-person shooter. If you’re willing to put up with a story that doesn’t always jive with the light-hearted feel of its characters, then you’ll experience one of the most interesting open-world games in years.
While its final moments aren’t nearly as strong as it begins, Eagle Flight is still one of PlayStation VR’s best titles. Flying around a stylized Paris is breathtaking throughout, and the sense of speed is always thrilling. Be it in either single-player or multiplayer, this is one VR game worth experiencing.
I spent every minute in Small Radios Big Televisions waiting for it to become enjoyable, and then before I knew it the credits had hit. There was no magic moment where everything clicked, nor did the worlds I was viewing ever become something more than just a cool visual. This may be an audiovisual treat, but there's absolutely no substance backing it up.
Raven Software has set a high bar here. Not only is Call of Duty: Modern Warfare Remastered faithful to the original, but it gives it a fresh coat of paint that makes it look just as good as any modern PS4 game.