The 2D action was the best part of the original ActRaiser, and it’s still the best part in ActRaiser Renaissance. The other gameplay modules certainly have been greatly expanded and fleshed out to the point it changes the entire experience, and sometimes at the expense of the player’s enjoyment, due to the new systems requiring absurdly long and frequent tutorials. No matter what though, the music is pure fury.
For its price, Crysis Remastered Trilogy is a bargain for first person shooter maniacs. The only issue is that the collection is incomplete, since the Warhead DLC is missing from the first game, and all multiplayer modes have been gutted. It’s understandable that the multiplayer modes may not have been possible to preserve, but to lose single player DLC seems wasteful.
Demon Turf is the kind of game that wears its flaws on its sleeve, but everything in it comes together, and works that it becomes hard to not get sucked into the gameplay. Platforming and making progress is engrossing when the gameplay facilitates a rhythm to the level design and gaps; and this title revels in it.
With a story that is cheekily woven into the gameplay, rock solid action, air-tight controls to compliment an amazing gallery of enemies, level design, and weapons; Dusk has it all. The only problem with Dusk is the craven sensation felt when the game ends. There are few horror themed shooters that have the unbelievable rush that Dusk offers.
Eidos-Montréal proved in their Deus Ex games that they are masters of environmental story telling, and in Marvel’s Guardians of the Galaxy, the developers go all out.
Even without post-game rewards, Metroid Dread is a thrilling entry for the series, and for the Metroidvania sub-genre. It may not have the biggest and most cryptic world, or the best soundtrack, but it’s one of the best paced and varied examples on offer. It introduces new ideas to the series, while putting a new spin on tired concepts; pulling it off confidently with a beautiful presentation.
Most gamers will come for the balls to the wall, bone breaking, violent kung-fu action and adventure. Some may come for the mini-games and retro video games. No matter who plays Lost Judgment; everyone will stay for the dramatic, thrilling story and characters.
Flynn: Son of Crimson is likely to get swallowed up in the ocean of similar action platformers. It’s not a bad game, just a violently forgettable one. A dry piece of toast that sat out for too long, and has long since gone cold. Some players may find comfort with it, but most will be bored by it.
This change in priorities is felt through out the entirety of the game. While Oddworld: Soulstorm is no means a bad game, it’s a profoundly misguided one that fails to capture what made its progenitor so wonderful. For a remake to make such a drastic change to the original, Oddworld Inhabitants missed the opportunity to include the original Abe’s Exodus as a bonus unlockable feature.
A Juggler’s Tale is very short, but worth playing once. It has decent visuals, clever puzzles, and the story is original. There are even a few moments where the game reaches greatness, and almost goes beyond expectations; before it swiftly lands back on its feet. The game just does not go far enough with its concept, and will leave gamers feeling hungry.
There is an audience out there for something like Struggling. The variety of set-pieces do show an attempt to break up the monotony of fumbling, but the journey is much too long. Trial and error scenarios are too frequent due to the gameplay, and the real struggle is having the patience to redo many simple tasks.
Coming back to the reaper’s game with this scope and grand vision has proven to be a risk for Square Enix that sadly has not paid off. Sales may not have met expectations for the venerable publisher and this would mean that Neo: The World Ends with You could be the last reaper’s game ever. It is a shame because this bold title has proven to be one of the best action RPGs that Square Enix has ever made and is highly recommended.
The great irony of Skyward Sword is that Nintendo struggled to make it have motion controls as refined as possible and in the end it made it a worse experience. Only when a traditional control scheme was implemented and the game took on a less patronizing game design philosophy is when players can appreciate Skyward Sword‘s finer aspects.
Final Fantasy XIII is one of the weakest Final Fantasy games ever made, but it isn’t without its merits. The only aspect that is legitimately impressive on all fronts is its graphics. Square Enix was unafraid to let the money burn on screen, and every cent is on fire with how much effort was put into making this one of the best looking games of its generation.
Life is Strange: True Colors still feels like a low budget and rushed episodic released adventure game. The premise is not fully realized, and it never reaches its full potential. For a full priced game, there is not enough substance; and the best parts in this package are a short RPG and a decent port of Arkanoid.
The puzzles cannot be brute forced, and hitting a wall is a large part of the intended gameplay experience. Dual Affect did their homework, and they know their classic survival horror very well. Their confidence in puzzle design and aesthetics make them a worthy successor to the classics that defined the genre.
While it may not please everyone, No More Heroes III offers a completely new experience unlike any hack and slash before it.
This could have been like a Sonic Mania, but for Alex Kidd; instead of a celebration of what made Alex so great, this feels like a eulogy of why he died. The original game is borderline a blank canvas for potential, almost anything could have been done. But other than the beautiful pixel art, it is the same.
It may be remembered for becoming the arena multiplayer game, Quake began as an incredible successor to Doom. With Quake Remastered, gamers can finally realize just how important Quake is, and how it’s still a boomer shooter masterpiece.
Xeno Crisis has its heart in the right place, but is too stingy with offering enough content to make it worth the absurd asking price of $19.99 USD. It’s a slick looking retro style action game, but one that aspires to be something very basic. If it wasn’t so utterly repetitive, it could easily be considered a classic.