Yet, even with its wonky camera and story that sometimes alienates newcomers, Sword Art Online: Lost Song is a solid game. The repetition is countered by the variety of playable characters and interesting dynamic brought on by flight, and the central story is simple yet easy to get into.
Tying all of this together are the beautiful visuals that stand in perfect contrast against the ugliness of corruption and the ash of flames. Just Cause 3 takes place in a fictional Mediterranean country and, just like you probably imagined, it is gorgeous.
Earth Defense Force 4.1: The Shadow of New Despair has some good features. One amazing class, destructible environments, and tons of onscreen enemies sounds like the makings of something great. But the highly repetitive missions, dated graphics, forgettable story, and lack of anything worth sticking around for make the game a largely forgettable experience.
What you essentially have here is a definitive edition of one seriously amazing action RPG. Dragon's Dogma: Dark Arisen manages to live in the same vein as the Souls, sporting the darkness and challenges so many players have come to desire, yet forges an identity all its own.
While these issues can be frustrating, LEGO Marvel's Avengers is a solid addition to the LEGO universe as well as the Marvel one. Its more direct focus does nothing to water down the grand, and often times hilarious, experiences one comes to expect from the franchise. It may not add much that is new, but it is a prime example of why you shouldn't mess too much with a good thing.
The depth of organic interaction, witnessing the world melt seamlessly into itself, makes for a near perfect experience. The Witness is a constant idea just within reach and then, once you grasp it, a new perspective altogether. It won't be quick nor easy to solve, but you can't help but be enraptured by its beauty through every frustration and moment of clarity.
Nitroplus Blasterz – Heroines Infinite Duel plays it too safe, to the point of taking the game's potential and squandering it. The roster is top notch, with all of the heroines being unique and fun to watch tear opponents apart.
In the end, Digimon Story: Cyber Sleuth is a solid game. It suffers from a boring real world and being held back by the PS Vita, but the number of available Digimon, interesting story, and control over monster progression is definitely worthwhile. It may not wow PS4 owners in terms of looks and mission structure, but there is plenty to be enjoyed here.
There is a lot of content to jump into, and a lot of options for how you want to experience that content. Naruto Shippuden: Ultimate Ninja Storm 4 doesn't do too much new in terms of expanding the series, but the feel of the game proves it didn't really need to.
Dying Light: The Following is a treat for anyone into surviving a zombie apocalypse. It takes all of the best parts of Dying Light and manages to use them as a launchpad into something new and fresh.
Even with the lack of an Arcade mode and temporary server issues, though, Street Fighter V manages to shine. At its core, it is a top-notch fighting game with tight mechanics, crisp visuals, and a well-balanced roster.
As you can probably tell by now, Garden Warfare 2 has a lot of good going for it. The studio has taken the great foundation laid out by the previous game and built something magnificent upon it.
All in all, Far Cry Primal is a great entry in the series when it comes down to gameplay alone. The refocus was necessary to rein in the series, introducing a renewed sense of helplessness with more thoughtful engagement.
Automatron manages to take everything that made Fallout 4 great and magnify it. The customization afforded by the robot building, the interesting new weapons, the mysterious adversary, and the hordes of mechanical enemies make for an enjoyable experience throughout that will last well beyond the final quest.
Pulling off a game that offers both an engrossing narrative as well as engaging gameplay is a daunting task that leaves Quantum Break burning the candle on both ends. The gameplay can get exciting at times, with the fast-paced gun battles and gorgeous abilities, but it's clear that wasn't the primary focus for this experience. That isn't necessarily a bad thing – after all, I thoroughly enjoyed both of my playthroughs. However, if you were expecting battle after battle where you bend time to your will, you will be left wanting.
It is a deep experience, entrenched in mystery, and doused in activities and hunts for fans to get into. Bethesda wasn’t lying when they said they had something big in store, and this visit to a faraway land shows that the team went above and beyond.
To spend my final moments here was quite fitting – the darkness laying just beneath a dazzling surface, the vast threads meeting to create either your happy ending or your bittersweet reminders and the adventures small and large that led there. It has been a life well lived, and if there are to be no more adventures, then a villa in Toussaint doesn’t sound like such a bad idea.
If you're looking for a fighter with a solid, interesting roster, then One Piece: Burning Blood is right up your alley. But, if you seek story and new insight from your anime-based games, you will be left wanting.
The biggest takeaway I have from Mighty No. 9 is that it was such a letdown.
When all was said and done, I found myself in a very good place. Being a fan of LEGO games for years, I knew I'd probably enjoy another romp through the tried-and-true with a new set of characters.