DarkZero's Reviews
Ultimately this is a game that should cheer most up, even from the dullest of moods, and possibly make them feel a bit tingly in the process – due to the near saccharin levels of sheer cuteness on screen at all times. You could almost call it the video game equivalent of an ASMR video – but a lot less creepy and weird.
Life with Destiny continues to be a vast range of meaningless numbers set up in a small but complex maze that breaks players will to fight before a way out is found. The core gunplay mechanic may be genre leading, but the wrapper that surrounds it continues to be irreparably broken.
Overall, Chariot is a game that is deliberately slow-paced and also demands patience. The game's charming aesthetic is appreciable to everyone, but the gameplay may be too slow a burn for people used to faster physics-based games. For those with enough patience, however, there is plenty of content and cute visuals to reward diligent players.
It's more exciting to play with a friend, as playing solo spoils some of the magic that comes with games aimed for a group of people, but either way, Lara Croft and the Temple of Osiris is a good game for anyone into arcade twin-stick action, platforming and fun, but unpretentious, puzzles.
Despite the lack of tightening up the original game's flaws, the PS4 version of Akiba's Trip is without question the definitive version, thanks to a smoother graphical performance and a few other extras to round out the already robust package.
Tales from the Borderlands: Episode One – Zer0 Sum is a brilliant start to the season, showcasing a strong cast of characters, speedy pacing, while managing to sustain the Borderlands tropes without hurting what people like about the cinematic adventure genre.
Lego Batman 3: Beyond Gotham is another solid and humorous jump into the world of Lego and the DC universe. It has issues, such as sloppy AI and a sluggish start, but that aside, the game is packed with references pouring out of its ears.
FIFA still has the style and the flair of bringing an authentic looking presentation, but if you want great football on the pitch, then there is only one choice this year, Pro Evolution Soccer 2015.
As of this writing, Ubisoft has created a live blog that promises to address all of the technical issues that is plaguing their high profile game. Considering their misplaced priorities, however, they hardly deserve a pass for releasing Assassin's Creed Unity in the miserable shape that it's in, which damages both this decent entry in the series as well as the very AC brand itself.
I had high praise for Valkyria Chronicles when it first came out on PlayStation 3. Even now, I feel that Valkyria Chronicles is a game that deserves to be played by everyone. It's innovative, refreshing and blends different mechanics from other genres exceptionally well.
This year's Football Manager game feels a bit like the current state of Manchester United. The series has previously brought meaningful and well thought out advancements to improve the game, but this year the impact on the game comes across less aspiring and more awkward, as the company strives to make the most complete management experience a player can have, even if this means bringing along some of the boring parts of the job as well.
If it wasn't clear from my introduction, then it should be now. Samurai Warriors 4 is Omega Force taking the series forward by recalculating its understanding of the franchise and adapting it to be better at what it does best – supplying none stop badassery, frantic, fast action with improved mechanics to the core gameplay and plenty of content to explore, which in turn shifts the title for best entry in any Warriors game to date into this warlord's castle.
There is potential in the future for the franchise to grow its ambitions, but as it stands, Lords of the Fallen is a title I can see people forgetting once Bloodborne arrives, but until then, Harkyn's adventure is worth a view for anyone wanting something to slow down their craving for death until February comes around.
While The Evil Within won't make as big of an impact on the medium of video games as its spiritual predecessor, there's a few design choices that hold the experience back and the story is more on the side of "what the hell" than offering a satisfying tale, it's still a great game for a trip back to that atmospheric, tense, semi old-school horror that manages to stand out in this current age, because big budget action horrors aren't created anymore and no one creates an action horror like the father of the genre, Shinji Mikami.
Legend of Grimrock 2 uses the same coy smiles to entice you to explore its world, and while the core game remains as good as ever, the success of its evolution depends greatly on whether that is compelling enough reason for you to do so.
It won't blow your socks off mechanically, but people looking to just pick a car and drive in an exotic location without any complications will find fun here, it's just a huge shame that Driveclub could have done with more work before being released in its the current state.
Endless Legend offers one of the more refreshing entries in the genre, and it will destroy your sense of time and disrupt your sleeping pattern. This should be a sign to anyone that Endless Legend is not only a successful turn-based strategy title, but also a great game.
Some fans will find things to like about Ancient Space, but its gameplay isn't as infinite as the depths of space that surrounds us.
Defense Grid 2 is more Defense Grid, meaning that this is one of the better entries in the genre that you can currently pick up on Steam. It brings back everything fans liked about the first title, while coming up with mechanics that ease the stress of failure that can come with the genre.
What it ultimately comes down to is this: Although it suffers from some of Phoenix Online Studios' usual technical issues, Gabriel Knight: Sins of the Fathers 20th Anniversary Edition is a perfectly valid way to experience one of the best point & click adventure games of the 90s.