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7 Days to Die has a compelling premise, but it withers within minutes. The gameplay here is fundamentally not fun, and having to deal with technical issues every few seconds becomes extremely grating. The multiplayer injects a little entertainment, if only because you'll be observing the release's shoddiness with others. In all, this is a bit of a rotter.
It would be unfair to dismiss Romance of the Three Kingdoms XIII as yet another niche instalment in Koei's ageing series of war sims. There is real depth to city management and a refined complexity to the relationship system, bolstered by a welcome sense of fun. Some minor technical issues mar the battle scenes, but this is such a solid package overall that it's hard to grumble. There isn't much competition, but this is still the best strategy game on the PS4.
Asemblance delivers an intriguing narrative based around a time looping mechanic, and makes a lot out of very little. The game may not have many environments to explore, but each one is carefully layered and crafted to allow the story to emerge at whatever pace you're able to keep up with. It helps that the title has genuinely interesting – and, oftentimes, unnerving – ideas, which, when paired with the menacing music, makes for an engaging experience.
Just because it employs the same font as a competing title doesn't mean that Professional Farmer 2017 comes anywhere close. This is a lousy, cynical game which has just one positive to its name: it's made us appreciate Farming Simulator 15 that little bit more.
Resident Evil 5 is a confounding game: it can be criticised for both mirroring its predecessor too closely and also for changing too much. When all's said and done, though, it's a decent romp that's brilliant when it's not bewildering – and when you consider the sheer amount of content included for the asking price, it's worth a punt. Plus, you get to punch a boulder.
The role-playing genre has come a long way since 1991, but that doesn't mean Adventures of Mana should be cast aside. The simplicity of its gameplay makes it a nice portable snack, and as a faithful remake of a Game Boy title, it's hard to fault – just don't expect to get too excited over this dusty old quest.
Furi excels when you're in the heat of the moment, fighting for survival against great looking boss characters. Super responsive controls elevate the action, and a fantastic soundtrack only adds to the brilliant rush that the game's capable of providing - it's just a shame that everything outside of the crisp combat doesn't quite measure up. When Furi's on point, it looks, sounds, and feels incredible, but a little too often, it struggles to maintain its intensity.
So far, its been a great year for turn based strategy games on PlayStation 4, and SteamWorld Heist has added further to the bounty. With its addictive and accessible gameplay, not only is it the perfect title for players of any skill level to test their metal, but you'll also have such a good time playing it that you'll quickly forget it isn't the direct sequel to SteamWorld Dig that you may have been hoping for.
The Technomancer offers up a couple of highs and a few too many lows. Its approach to open ended gameplay is appreciated and its combat is fun enough for the first ten hours, but the game eventually loses steam and its story is nothing worth shouting about. To make matters worse, technical problems harm the experience to the point where you'll find it hard to care about the characters during what are supposed to be emotional scenes. There's certainly something here for forgiving RPG fans, but for everyone else, we can only advise caution when it comes to this rough Martian adventure.
Integrity and Faithlessness is a much faster game than previous Star Ocean entries, but it sacrifices narrative and contextual depth for it. There are a few interesting but unsuccessful design choices here which let the game down, but it mostly makes up for its shortcomings with a frenetic battle system, excellent character design, and a standout soundtrack. It's a little bit vague, and it's a little bit shallow, but there's still plenty of fun to be had in tri-Ace's latest, and for newcomers, it's by far the most approachable entry in the series.
Prison Architect is a fantastic simulation game. Its clever systems combine in interesting and intuitive ways to create an experience which is tense, challenging, and engaging. Niggling control issues aside, the title is a terrific example of how a traditionally PC-only genre should be ported to consoles.
Umbrella Corps is a brain-dead mess of good ideas gone wrong. It partially hides its flaws underneath a veneer of pretty graphics and promising gameplay concepts, but it can't hold up under its own weight in execution. Patches may iron out some of our grievances, but conflicting mechanics, dumb level design choices, balancing issues, technical problems, and shallow content plague this shambling title to the core, ensuring a quick burial with single-player missions that are a mere afterthought. This isn't just a bad Resident Evil game, but a disappointing multiplayer shooter; a spin-off that feels like little more than a lazy cash grab.
The simple presentation and controls allow anyone to pick up a controller and know what to do, while the addition of power-ups and objectives provide a little more depth for die-hard fans to explore. More creative use of upgrades would've been nice, and as with all endless runners, the appeal will wear off relatively quickly. However, this is a strong outing for Pac-Man that's perfect for short bursts, or, just as likely, one-more-go marathons.
Dino Dini's Kick Off Revival doesn't attempt to compete with FIFA and that's fine. There's a place on the market for simpler, old school sports games that rely on arcade fun rather than authenticity. But this reboot of the franchise is actually a step backwards for the series in some ways, and the lack of a tutorial or help of any kind results in the learning curve being more of a learning brick wall. There's nothing wrong with being difficult to master, but the game is difficult to pick up and play too, and the rewards too few to justify the effort. Kick Off Revival can be okay in short bursts, but the sheer weight of issues with the game make it hard to recommend to anybody other than fans of the original Kick Off games. And even they will likely be disappointed.
N.E.R.O. intrigues as an interactive visual novel, but it fails in its attempts to be a game. The puzzles here are laughably easy, and they subsequently get in the way of the storytelling. There are some beautiful cutscenes and an interesting story here, but they're too often impeded by unenjoyable gameplay.
While it fulfils its promise of delivering a much needed edge to the saturated zombie horror scene, Deadlight: Director's Cut is sadly hampered by its clunky combat system and recycled puzzles. Existing players may feel compelled to delve back into the experience as its visuals feel noticeably refined and its survival mode – although flawed – can be addictive in small doses. But although it's brimming with fresh ideas and possesses a compelling atmosphere, it isn't able to stand tall as it rests on a ground of flawed fundamentals.
Mighty No. 9 appears to be caught in two minds about whether it wants to make a Mega Man-style game for novices or veterans, and that indecision unfortunately prevents it from being anything close to mighty. Combine the release's well-meaning but misguided attempts at accessibility with sub-par graphics, puzzles, and an insane difficulty spike towards the end, and you end up with a title that's not very mega at all.
Trials of the Blood Dragon is massively disappointing. Its story is muddled and confusing, its jokes fall flat, and its gameplay is frustrating. Fantastic presentation and well-tuned motorbike physics don't make up for what is ultimately a failed experiment.
CD Projekt Red has released three masterpieces within the space of a year. Alongside Hearts of Stone, Blood and Wine ensures that The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt is, without question, the role-playing game to beat going forward. Toussaint provides a gorgeous new location that's a joy to explore, and the sun-soaked land houses enough engrossing content to put many fully priced retail releases to shame. Geralt's last hurrah is a pleasure to experience; a fitting end to a stunning achievement.
It may be brief, but Oxenfree has elements of greatness and stands out as an excellent example of video game storytelling. It's also a beautiful and intriguing game that draws you in from the very start and makes you want to see just how deep the rabbit hole goes. Unfortunately, the situational narrative is let down slightly in the final third where it confuses even itself and fails to merge with the far stronger and more prominent social narrative.