Zombie Army Trilogy is an enjoyable co-operative shooter that's a lot of fun when played with others. Unfortunately, it runs out of steam all too quickly, giving you a severe dose of déjà-vu once you realise that you're playing very similar encounters, with only the backdrop changing. As a result, you'll have had enough of shooting zombies in the noggin well before you reach the end of its campaign, and while you'll look back fondly on the early hours that you spent with this title, you'll wonder if it was really worth bringing it back from the dead on the PS4.
Pillar should be applauded for its hand painted art style and atmospheric soundtrack, though ultimately it doesn't deliver on the promise of its unique setup. While the gameplay ties into various personality traits in some interesting ways, the puzzles are nowhere near challenging enough, allowing you to power through most of what this title has to offer in just a few hours. As a result, unless you have a penchant for unique indie titles, you won't need to take a test to work out that this probably isn't the game for you.
Unmechanical: Extended's hands-off approach works wonders in the gameplay department, and the well designed puzzles – which are testing without being frustrating – make this something of a surprise treat. It would have been nice if the experience was a little longer, and we're a bit agitated that it doesn't come to a decent conclusion, but the personality throughout every aspect of its artistic design helps to overcome these modest shortcomings. As a result, if you're up for a puzzle game – but are normally turned off by more complex entries in the genre – then this is well worth beaming into your collection.
Secret Ponchos feels like a glimpse of what could go on to be a great game. Its comic book art style looks good, and the actual game plays well – but the slim roster of characters and stages mean that you'll quickly burn through what's on offer. With only alternative costumes available to buy at launch, the hope is that more content will be added further down the line. For now, though, unless you're already a PlayStation Plus subscriber, you're better off hanging up your six shooters.
While Far Cry 4 doesn't feel like a major upgrade over its predecessor – except on the graphical front – the series still manages to retain its crown as the finest open world first-person shooter. The introduction of player choice to the narrative is great, but the lack of an interesting story makes this addition feel like a step forward followed by a step back. It's fortunate, then, that the game's negatives are eclipsed by its sublime sandbox gameplay.
Escape Goat 2 is a great puzzle platformer that never sign posts the way. It believes that you're smart enough to work things out for yourself, and thanks to some really clever level design, continually trains you so that you're ready for the challenges ahead. While many will lack the patience for the trials within, those willing to butt heads with its puzzles will get a lot from this challenging but fun title.
Flockers is a fun Lemmings throwback that provides a decent challenge. While the trial and error heavy gameplay will certainly put some off, those willing to engage their brains and reflexes will have a good time herding their flock through some downright dastardly levels – even if the experience is marred with occasional control niggles. Yes, the package is a little bit bare bones, and the gameplay never really mixes things up too much – but at this price, it isn't something that you can really bleat about.
Crude, sexist, and borderline racist, Blue Estate aims low in search of laughs – and still misses the target by a mile. Even fans of the source material will be disappointed as it fails to capture the spirit of the comic, instead squandering its roster of interesting characters in the worst possible way. Should you manage to cut through its juvenile veneer, you'll actually find a competent rail shooter – the problem is that the complete lack of originality will ensure that your interest will derail well short of its destination.
As in life, patience is also a virtue in Sniper Elite III. Those willing to spend their time slowly crawling into position, waiting for that perfect shot, will find an engaging experience that encourages experimentation through its enormous levels. While the needlessly graphic killcam certainly won't be to everyone's tastes, you'll be hard pressed to find a more enjoyable representation of sniping elsewhere. As a result, even in the face of its general lack of polish, annoying bugs, and laughable story, there's still enough good stuff here to recommend pulling the purchase trigger.
Less game and more interactive story, your enjoyment of Murdered: Soul Suspect will be directly proportional to how much you buy into the tale that it tells. Those looking for a title with engaging gameplay will be sorely disappointed by the lack of challenge, boring stealth, and hunt the clue investigations. But if you can overlook its shortcomings and throw yourself headlong into the fiction, you might just find a detective yarn with a supernatural twist that'll keep you engaged until justice is done.
Wolfenstein: The New Order is a surprisingly strong shooter that aspires to be more than its premise should allow. While it can only do so much with its cliché magnet of a story, and its graphics don't hold up to close inspection at times, it's easy to overlook these shortcomings in the face of everything else that it does well. As a result, the inspired but disturbing world, excellent roster of characters, and exhilarating action make it very easy to recommend this over-the-top rampage.
The Amazing Spider-Man 2 is stuck so far in the shadow of better superhero games that it's difficult to see anything which makes it stand out from the crowd. While the traversal of the open world remains really enjoyable – in spite of some shortcomings – the rest of the release comes off as an inferior copy. While there's nothing horribly wrong with the experience, there's just not enough here to recommend it, especially when there are more engaging and polished experiences readily available.
Titan Attacks is a seriously addictive spin on a classic video game formula that'll keep you playing beyond your first run through its one hundred stages. From the upgrade system – which at first glance appears to be a minor inclusion, but quickly reveals hidden depths – to the combo counter that encourages you to play intelligently, every mechanic is part of a greater gameplay jigsaw that makes this homage worth invading the PlayStation Store for.
Star Wars Pinball: Heroes Within not only contains some of the best Star Wars tables that Zen Studios has produced, but also some of the best that it's released full-stop. While the Zen Pinball 2 wrapping is still the same – for all of the good and the bad that that brings – it's clear that lessons have been learned from previous designs. This change of approach has brought the studio back from the dark side, as it's managed to make tables that are first and foremost fun to play, while still finding a way to apply some digital gloss.
In the pantheon of LEGO games, LEGO The Hobbit isn't the worst by a long shot – but the formula's certainly getting tired. While the decision to release the game with only two-thirds of the story complete is an odd one, there's still more than enough content to keep you occupied for a good while, and the presentation is still as charming as ever.
While the controls take a little getting used to, the crazy art style and musical levels more than compensate, and are worth the price of admission alone. If you also take into account the discounted price point, massive amount of variety, and local multiplayer, then it's impossible not to recommend this dream package to anyone with even a passing interest in the side-scrolling genre.
Doki-Doki Universe is a unique and quirky timewaster that unfortunately runs out of steam due to a lack of challenge and variety in its gameplay. While the colourful characters and brilliant art style keep it off the scrap heap, those craving a more involved experience would be better off summoning a different title to add to their collection.
After its enjoyable outings on previous platforms, Zen Pinball 2 has arrived on the PS4 in good form. Assuming that you can get past the inflexible purchasing options and cut through the sometimes overwhelming digital gloss, you'll find a flipping fun game with an addictive core at its steel-coated centre.
The mere mention of thatgamecompany will always elicit a reaction among gamers. Whether you see the studio's output as games, art, or a bit of both, it's hard to deny that the developer delivers unique experiences that will challenge your view of what games can be. More of an interactive experience, flOw won't float everyone's boat, but if you can overlook its shortcomings and immerse yourself in its world, then you'll be able to see why this indie hit rose to the surface when so many others sank without a trace.
Escape Plan has broken free of the shackles of the Vita and tunnelled onto the PS4 with a surprising degree of success. The touch controls are mostly gone, but the button prompts that replace them result in a more precise and less frustrating experience. If you haven't played the title before, then this pleasant port offers the perfect opportunity to experience the wonderfully surreal first-party exclusive on a big screen. And if you've already spent time behind bars, then at least through the power of cross-buy your second spell in the slammer will be on the house.