In the end, my vengeance did little more than beget more pain in the city I made mine. Mafia III took me through a grand tale of loss and, in the end, after all of my macho escapades, I was left more empty, realizing no amount of killing could change what was done. For that reason, Mafia III is not a game to be missed by anyone.
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.
While others may be trying to come for the throne, this old dog certainly picked up some new tricks to keep itself in the fight and show everyone how it's done..
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.
Galak-Z took the simple, addictive gameplay of an arcade space shooter and built something wonderful out of it. A simple game to get into with an underlying complexity that never gets in the way of the fun of the game.
This is a world that has seen an unfathomable change and walking through this empty world that still has elements of life lingering around is a unique experience that I doubt you will get anywhere else this year.
All in all, Rare Replay is a great package. 30 amazing games spanning a beloved studio's history, a low price, amazing extras that take fans behind the scenes, and a wonderful musical to kick things off make for the best collection of gaming goodness released in a long time.
Overall, Phantom Breaker: Battlegrounds Overdrive is a really fun game, filled with fast-paced, side-scrolling beat 'em up action. It brings gamers back to days spent in arcades pumping quarters into machines.
Among the four expansions Destiny has had so far, this definitely ranks among the best showing the the developers have only continued to learn as the game grows.
As I pulled myself away from Tekken 7 to write this review, I was left torn. It gets so many things right, with its combat that feels like a substantial improvement over its predecessors and a solid roster that includes Akuma, one of my favorite fighting game characters of all time.
I'll be honest. I expected to come out of Agents of Mayhem wishing that Volition simply made Saints Row V instead. But now? Now I'm looking forward to what other trouble this budding agency can get itself into, and that's saying something.
I will say that the end left me with hope for what comes next. The story will definitely pick up if my decisions were anything to go by, and that left me with a bittersweet smile as I watched the credits roll.
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.
All in all, God Eater Resurrection is a solid game, fun and showing a surprising amount of depth in both its story and mechanics. If you’ve been looking for a good monster hunting experience and don’t have a Nintendo 3DS, this is definitely a game you’ll want to check out.
In the end, Dragon Ball Xenoverse 2 ends up in an odd way. The combat, mechanics, and visuals are definitely better than its predecessor, as is Conton City and its myriad of quests.
It’s great to see how far the games have come in terms of managing all those damn menus, presenting an experience that is true to the source material, and figuring out how to take the combat system and make it fun and fluid. But in the end, it feels a bit too safe.
If you can deal with a headache here and there, you have something special waiting for you in Absolver. It really is a fun experience once you get the hang of its complexities. But, if you're easily dismayed by issues in a game that requires precision, you may want to hold back, at least for now. I for one will be jumping back in, there are more martial arts for me to learn.
Still, I must recommend this game, as what it does is very important. To take something like psychosis and give it not only a voice, but a clear picture is not an easy task, yet Ninja Theory has succeeded.
Don't get me wrong, Titan Souls isn't a bad game, it's just noticeably lacking. If players are just looking for tough, often short, battles that involve one hit kills, then this is the perfect game.
It's clear to see that the team at Tango Gameworks had some solid ideas for how inject a bit more of that eeriness that helped flesh out The Evil Within, unfortunately the game gets in the way of itself. The Assignment is a change of course that shows the developers are willing to deliver a new experience to fans, but the cost may have been a bit too high in the end.