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There's an enjoyable core gameplay loop at the heart of nDreams' latest VR outing, but there simply isn't enough content here to allow you to delve any deeper than the surface level. We certainly had fun with Shooty Fruity, but with only enough levels to support four hours of fun, you may want to look a bit more upmarket with your next grocery shop.
Tokyo Xanadu eX+ is a wonderful way to spend several hours thanks to a delightfully fun combat system. The standard JRPG storyline means everything feels very familiar, but it's not all bad. Overall, the game's nothing special -- certainly not to look at -- but there's at least plenty of content here, and the title does a decent job of keeping things fresh.
What we're left with is a multiplayer game that still has the ability to delight and surprise, but perhaps lacks some finishing touches to make it truly great. With online play a bit of a mess and a limited number of modes, Gang Beasts isn't short of issues, but just about gets away with it due to a solid core idea that, with friends, can be uproariously entertaining. If you're after a new title for gaming nights with buddies, or indeed, the Christmas party, you can do far worse than this.
Final Fantasy XV: Episode Ignis is the most impactful character episode yet, and it's easily the most essential. Those already invested in Final Fantasy XV should find a lot to like in terms of additional story elements, and Ignis' flashy, fast, and fluid fighting style keeps enemy encounters engaging. Here's hoping that future episodes build upon what this latest scenario gets right.
Resident Evil 7: Biohazard's End of Zoe expansion offers the kind of tongue-in-cheek silliness only Capcom's survival horror franchise can provide. Played straight with some pretty serious stakes, the DLC still manages to be downright stupid all at the same time. It's a wonderful send-off for one of 2017's greats.
It's hard to complain about an additional two hours of Resident Evil 7: Biohazard – especially when it's free. There's some fun lore for fans to soak up here, and some pretty tense scenarios, too. While it never really has anything to rival the main game's best bits, it's worth the bandwidth for Redfield's masterfully manicured mane alone.
Star Ocean: The Last Hope straddles the line between highs and lows – it's both exhilarating and bombastic in equal measure, even though its story never reaches the same euphoria as its predecessor. It makes up for this with a tactical and action-packed combat system, interesting crew management system, tons of content, and a marvellous remaster job that has the game running beautifully on both PS4 and PS4 Pro.
A party title with great visuals, sound, and gameplay, Ultimate Chicken Horse is a great combination of conniving strategy and frantic platforming. With plenty of modes to play, maps to customise, and unlocks to go for, Clever Endeavour Games' PS4 debut is as good for your wallet as it is for your sofa. An essential for any get together, the game's well-tuned mechanics lead to pure animania.
A Hat in Time excels with an overwhelming charm in its writing and art direction that overcomes any missteps in these areas. Its core, smooth mechanics also benefit from promising ideas, but none of them prevent the game from being pulled into a wormhole of mediocre level design and objectives. The potential for phenomenal platforming and exploration is here, but for every positive, there seems to be a negative in A Hat in Time.
Okami is a joy to play and delivers not just a great adventure but along the way actually boosts your sense of well-being as you bring life to the plants, people, and flowers of the world. This is a thoroughbred classic game that deserves to be experienced by as wide an audience as possible; if you missed it before then this new HD version is the best way to experience such an engaging game – don't miss it this time.
Aside from some more inventive level design and a couple of new bells and whistles to keep you occupied, LocoRoco 2 Remastered is more of the same, which in our book is no bad thing. There's little here that will surprise you, but it does just as good a job as the first game in providing a simple, grin-inducing few hours. We've rather enjoyed revisiting both titles this year, and we think fans old and new will still get a lot of fun out of them. Games as jovial as this one don't come around very often these days, so if you're after something light, you'll have a ball.
Destiny 2: Curse of Osiris is ultimately more Destiny 2 for those who want it, and that would be fine if it wasn't stuffed with so much squandered potential. For its asking price, there's no reason not to expect more from this first expansion. The story missions range from okay to insultingly dull, and the one truly interesting concept that Bungie introduces -- the Infinite Forest -- ends up being little more than a tedious shooting gallery. The most frustrating part of all this is that the developer has been here before, and it still insists on repeating the same mistakes all over again.
Mike Posner was a few years early: all he needed was to set a high score in Invector to show Avicii that he's cool. This is a hyperactive rhythm game, which is perhaps defined more by its presentation and soundtrack than its simplistic underlying gameplay. It's good fun, though, and playing it will make you feel cool – even if it's only for a fleeting second. There's something to be said for empowerment like that.
Though Dead Rising 4: Frank's Big Package has noticeably distanced itself from its predecessors - a move likely to alienate series fans - Capcom's latest is still a damn fun game that doesn't take itself too seriously. Its Christmas setting benefits the game's character as a whole, and the wacky weapons and great gunplay, coupled with the new exo suit, ensure that combat is as punchy and enjoyable as ever, and while there is a feeling that it lacks identity, it certainly doesn't lack comedy. Frank West has risen again, and while he isn't as recognisable as his former self, he's been revamped in style.
Bethesda's really tried to make DOOM work in virtual reality, but despite supporting all three of PlayStation VR's control options, it doesn't really feel like the title was designed with any of them in mind. That said, if you can ignore the flaws with whichever peripheral you choose, then the over-the-top action of id Software's series transfers well, and this is arguably one of the better looking virtual reality titles to date. It's a little on the short side, but the price point reflects that, and the gunplay is still as intense as it's ever been.
While this game is a good addition to the existing lore of the Planet of the Apes franchise, it offers little in terms of actual gameplay. The plot of the game is strong, but it's just not enough to totally carry the experience. Final Frontier feels like a valiant attempt at storytelling in a new environment, but it just doesn't quite stick the landing.
We really wanted to like Black Mirror more than we did, but a few too many technical hitches put a cap on our enjoyment. This mystery is absolutely one worth solving thanks to the captivating plot and engaging characters, but be prepared to wrestle with poor controls, glitches, and frequent load times.
With a solid progression system that means no defeat has to be too punishing and every attempt gets you a little further, Sky Force Reloaded is a 'one more try' shooter. Building up your ship from a pathetic husk to a monstrous killing machine is satisfying and fun, but it's a slight shame that the game is let down at times by bland environments and all too familiar enemy types.
The wonky motion tracking and cumbersome menus may leave you reeling, but Monster of the Deep: Final Fantasy XV is not the gimmicky gag that many expected it to be. This is a hearty package with a surprising amount of meat on its bones, and it's a feast for the eyes in PlayStation VR. Cut corners like 2D cut-scenes do break the immersion somewhat, but relative to expectations, this is way better than it has any right to be.
Episode 3: Fractured Mask doesn't quite hit the same highs as its immediate predecessor, but the tangled web that Telltale's cast in Batman: The Enemy Within is getting increasingly intriguing with each episode. This particular instalment may pump the brakes slightly in order to include necessary setup for the impending finale, but it feels meaningful, and the scenes with Selina and Bruce are particularly engaging.