Lifeless Planet's stark simplicity belies its heartfelt message. Its environmental blandness countered by a compelling story
Fairy Fencer F: Advent Dark Force added much needed and requested changes, but not everything seems to have been addressed with this re-release. The different paths you are able to take add more depth to the already well told story. Compile Hearts has once again crafted some great characters and a good combat system that allows you to customize your own move sets and attacks. It’s just a shame that the game’s graphics haven’t been improved from its initial release and don’t even get me started on those terrible side quests.
Adr1ft has a great concept behind it, but like many others it fails to execute it quite right. The game's lack of urgency makes it hard to believe that I'm struggling to survive in the vastness of space. It's bare bones gameplay may be fun for most,but its lack of interaction and simply drifting through the vastness of space is just simply boring. It can be beautiful to look at and its score is delightful when it's there. Adr1ft just doesn't bring enough to the table to make it a great outer space survival experience.
Assault Suit Leynos is a fun game and a decent remake of a title that a lot of people may not have even heard of. It oozes with retroness with its great soundtrack, character designs, and overall feel. It’s just unfortunate that its exploitable boss fights and confusing controls (which will take you the entire hour length of the game to learn how to use) hold it back. Keeping a game’s purity is always a plus in my book, but the lack of content once finished will make you question the $19.99 price tag.
With its enjoyable narrative and fun quests, The Technomancer is certainly worth playing, even with its bland visuals.
Star Ocean: Integrity and Faithlessness excels in areas like combat and crafting but not in narrative or characterization. It has enough gameplay options to bring any JRPG fan to the table, but not everyone will leave content.
Guilty Gear Xrd -REVELATOR- is easily the king of fighting games released up to this point, at least in this generation. It's not only accessible for new players but keeps the hardcore players satisfied as well. Arc System Works has outdone themselves with their fantastic art and animations. The additions of new and old characters are welcome to the already vast and unique lineup of fighters and it's awesome and daring story mode is what makes -REVELATOR- my favorite fighting game to come along this generation.
It may sound like i'm being too hard on Anima: Gates of Memories but the truth is I actually enjoyed it quite a bit. After getting used to the camera and the awkward lock-on system I found a lot to enjoy, and the Arcane Tower hides many secrets and additional side quests to expand your playtime. Gates of Memories’ fantastic world building made me want to invest in the actual pen and paper game; in fact, I’ve already gone ahead and ordered one of the books. The great boss fights and incredible music brings its mystical locations to life even though some of them can be bland.
Trillion: God of Destruction is an SRPG that probably should have been a visual novel. Its great character design, and top notch writing are held back by constant micromanagement. Worse still by a combat system that's hard to comprehend, and isn’t even fun when you do. Come for the art, don’t stay for the gameplay.
Nights of Azure is an example a very decent game that could have been great given more time and money.
Post-pandemic New York City is a terrifying vision, but it's not one that you'll likely want to leave for some time.
Firewatch really gets you thinking, plays on your emotions, and delivers a unique experience that stays with you long after the final credits roll.
Varied and fun to play, Shadow of New Despair captures the intensity and feel of 70's and 80's monster/sci-fi movies, though its difficulty curve is sometimes hard to swallow.
Filled with action, Just Cause 3 offers a massive and realized world with engrossing scenes inspired by works like those from Michael Bay. Skill development aside, this sequel delivers on all fronts.
A superb second chapter with a fantastic storyline, great characters and compelling combat system.
A brilliant expansion to an already unmissable gaming experience.
Despite some minor issues, Darksiders II: Deathinitive Edition is a great PS4 re-release of an already fantastic action-adventure romp.
An improvement over last year's WWE 2K15, 2K16 still isn't perfect but it introduces a brilliant roster, an immersive Showcase mode, and plenty of match types to get hot and sweaty with.
A stunning expansion to a fantastic game, Hearts of Stone builds expertly on the Witcher universe by introducing a compelling story and memorable battles.
A thought-provoking journey that creates tension with its brilliant audio work, SOMA lacks some of the jump scares found in other survival horror games, but offers new ideas that keep you totally immersed.