Marcus Estrada
Omega Quintet is a game at battle with itself. On one end, its multifaceted battle system has the potential to make JRPG fans drool. The same is true of the excellent PVS editor which will satisfy fans waiting for anything of this sort to make its way west. On the other hand, its graphics in no way push the PS4 (and some aspects look downright ancient) and all this complexity seems to be at the cost of an awesome storyline
There's nothing quite as rewarding as a good Metroidvania and Ori and the Blind Forest proves itself to be classified as one. Giant, sprawling landscapes hide tons of goodies just waiting to be collected once you've gained some new skills.
Hyperdevotion Noire: Goddess Black Heart offers great gameplay with the unfortunate caveat that you’ll need to waste more time than expected waiting on enemies to enjoy it.
Wacky is the word which first comes to mind when reading about Roundabout, and it's the lasting impression players will have even after they've stopped spinning. The mechanic of driving a limo which never quits revolving is utter nonsense but is actually a tremendously fun gameplay challenge.
Despite effectively being a game from 2011, Hyperdimension Neptunia Re;Birth 2 still provides an enjoyable experience today.
NEKOPARA is a light and fluffy visual novel that fans of catgirls will enjoy their time with.
Rollers of the Realm presents a lovely concept that follows through with its aims, although not to the degree that some players may be expecting. Yes, it offers pinball play, but not the kind you'd get at an actual arcade. It's quite nuanced and based on selecting the right ball per circumstance. It also only samples from the RPG platter rather than going all in, but the result is mostly charming. With a bit more polish and tweaking, Rollers of the Realm would stand out for more than its genre mixing.
This may sound strange, but TRI offers a zen-like experience. Its mostly empty areas provide players with full control over handling every problem.
At its core, Surgeon Simulator: A&E Anniversary Edition on PS4 is still effectively the same game as it was on PC, just with a few more additions. The biggest change is going from far too precise keyboard controls to still somewhat precise controller support.
Dance Central began as a simple game with engaging, realistic dance-based play when it first launched. Since then, there has been a devoted effort to keep the series going — but with little innovation.
At first blush, Runers might not seem like anything special. This initial impression is far from the truth.
Infinity Runner has a fun, unique concept that isn't utilized to the fullest. Dodging obstacles would be more rewarding if the difficulty ramped up alongside story mode.
The strongest aspect of Richard & Alice is how it manages to tell an engaging story in a fairly compact amount of time. Although players start out as total strangers to the duo, they find themselves quickly interested by their plight.
Those who already have friends playing have even less reason not to jump in. As far as MMORPGs go, Final Fantasy XIV: A Realm Reborn is at the top of its class.
The Blackwell series has spanned eight years and as such has developed a devoted following. Blackwell Epiphany had a lot to live up to and could have easily faltered.
Much of Putty Squad's design decisions seemed steeped in the early '90s. Beyond actual platforming, you've got stars to collect as well as special stickers.
There is so much to love about Cloudbuilt that it's a shame it has a handful of issues that dampen the experience. Freerunning games are few and far between and it's definitely one of the more exciting, skill-based platforming titles out there.
Playing Luftrausers is like jumping back to a time when the only requirement for a good game was to be fun. Thanks to varied battles, customizable planes, and challenges, it manages to improve on the classic formula of simple and addictive entertainment.
The weirdest thing about Windforge is that it is full of potential but chips away at it due to its unpolished nature. Slightly unorthodox controls, menus with a bit more clicking required than necessary, and less than optimal building conditions tone down what could easily be a critically acclaimed experience.
Year Walk is a surprising game. The name reveals little and leaves you room to fill in what exactly is going on and why for much of the journey.