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Despite the increase in graphical beauty, neither game is something you should be going back to if you have already played the original. For those who have not yet dipped into Dead Island‘s melee frenzy, this is the best deal you are going to receive, especially considering the ability to tap into One Punch Mode if you find combat monotonous. The extra content and inclusion of a 16-bit throwback sweetens the deal, but the core games remain a repetitive affair of going from point A to point B and leveling up to continue the process until it ends. Given Techland’s recent effort with Dying Light which improved upon the foundation they set in Dead Island, and Deep Silver’s difficulty in finding a home for Dead Island 2, this might become the last release for an underwhelming series.
All in all, Letter Quest: Grimm's Journey Remastered is worth your time and money. While the gameplay is simple and effective, the RPG and customization elements manage to offer an invigorating spin that will attract nearly any gamer.
Ultimately, as with Vanillaware's other titles, Odin Sphere: Leifthrasir is a high quality product. It's quite clear that a tremendous amount of care and consideration went into virtually every component of the game. From the gorgeous visuals and expressive music, to the diverse character affairs and deep combat, to the mountain of game-play systems, content, replay value and sprawling, fully realized game world, this game is brimming with beauty, nuance and detail. It's an excellent gaming experience, and a must for fans of Japanese RPGs and/or action games: or fans of mesmerizing artwork.
Having only been announced and revealed this past March, it’s been a bit of a shame that Kirby hasn’t had the same level of attention that Mario, Link, and Nintendo’s more prominent stable of characters have enjoyed over the years. While Planet Robobot may be a title that has flown a little under-the-radar for some, it nevertheless is a worthwhile addition to the Kirby series, and more than worthwhile to be a part of a 3DS owner’s library. More experience platforming players may want a bit more of a challenge, but for light, breezy fun in a richly-colorful world, by no means should you pass over Kirby: Planet Robobot. More than anything, where else will you get the chance to pilot a transforming, mechanized pink puffball?
There is simply not a lot to like about Homefront: The Revolution. It is hard to divorce this game from the development hell it has been through, which is even acknowledged at the opening of the credits. Having gone from THQ, to Crytek, to now Deep Silver, this was a game plagued by development teams that stopped working before it was finished. Despite all of their work, the game does nothing worthwhile, and isn't something I would recommend to anyone.
As it is right now, Overwatch remains an achievement in multiplayer-only games, offering a dynamic, new playstyle with both interesting characters and an interesting world. While it may lack some slight components, there are more than enough Heroes and maps to make the game worthwhile, whether you're a casual player jumping in for the first time, or a veteran shooter player needing a new experience. More importantly, the gameplay is always fluid and fun — it is hard to find another game in this (or any genre) that is consistently this enjoyable. Overwatch is a master class in the class-based shooting genre and gaming itself.
If you are a Total War fan or if you love strategy games, I can wholeheartedly recommend to give it a try, even if the shift away from a historical setting might make some frown. The gameplay, the flavor and charm of the setting, and the depth of options are definitely worth the effort to move a bit outside of the history comfort zone. On the other hand, if you are a Warhammer fan, I guess you don't really don't need my recommendation, you're most probably already playing it and enjoying the hell out of it.
Developer id Software is able to hit players hard and fast with gameplay that calls back to an era that many may think was left in the past. However, DOOM instead brings the past roaring back to life, and for once makes the phrase "go to Hell" seem like an invitation more than anything else.
Despite the late game bullet hell elements and frustration of certain levels, Soft Body does succeed at the meditative aspect with its clever combination and stacking of gameplay elements as it progresses and usage of simple shapes, color, and sound to create a very pleasing and enjoyable game.
Shadwen is a decent game at best and mediocre at worst. While not bad, it fails to build upon the mechanics it presents. What you do in the third chapter is largely the same as the final chapter: grappling to higher platforms, killing guards, and moving crates to help Lily move forward. Nothing new is presented, and what is already there is never combined in clever ways. About midway through a new enemy type is introduced, one that can only be killed by falling crates or air kills, but even that fails to introduce a significant change to the pace of gameplay. I really like its solution to failing midway through a level, but even that mechanic can’t save an otherwise okay game.
Even with the $5 asking price in North America, I’m hesitant to recommend VEV: Viva Ex Vivo to most. The game can be “beaten” in exactly two hours, and the gameplay felt stale before I had even played 30 minutes. With all that said, the game should be on the shortlist for any prospective PlayStation VR owners. Given the absurdly affordable price and diverse visual environments, VEV already feels more at home as a visual “experience” game than its marketed “arcade shooter” genre.
Since the game isn’t available on the western market, the copy used for this article was kindly provided by Play-Asia. If you want to see more if the game, you can find tons of screenshots here and a video below.
This remaster adds slightly improved graphics and frame rate, trophies and the bells and whistles coming with a modern console release. Arguably, this isn’t an enormous change, but fact is that the original game was already a masterpiece on its own, and Valkyria Chronicles Remastered brings back all that charm. What’s not to love?
Ultimately, Uncharted 4: A Thief's End made me laugh, it made me cry, it made me curse and it make me shout. It made me take a break just to catch my breath, more than once. What more can I ask of a game? This isn't just a swan song for a beloved franchise, but a majestic and emotional symphony of love.
The Park is a great piece of psychological horror, one that doesn't dip into jump scares or excessive grit. Instead it introduces a playable protagonist you can't rely on, in a discomforting situation that smartly paces itself and holds back from excess. For anyone who wants to feel perturbed and have a hard time sleeping immediately afterwards, The Park is definitely for you.
Admittedly I went into Bravely Second: End Layer expecting to be let down, especially after how much I had enjoyed the first game. Despite the issue of sameness mentioned previously, my misgivings for the sequel have mostly been proven misplaced and I'm more than happy to eat crow as I continue to enjoy experiencing the trials and tribulations of this new generation of heroes as they find their place in the world, rescuing it along the way.
The original Skullgirls featured a fantastic fighting system, great characters and music — but not much more. With very little in the way of a single player suite, virtually nothing to unlock or explore and so few features that it was difficult to recommend to anyone except hardcore genre fans content to do nothing but duke it out in versus mode endlessly. Skullgirls 2nd Encore has complimented the meat with potatoes and given the title some substance. Now you get that stellar fighting with lots of modes to explore and plenty to unlock. This is the best version of the one of the most original fighters we've seen in the last decade. So go get it.
In my 10-12 hour time with Corpse Party (and the handful of endings I stumbled upon), I had lost a handful of friends and witnessed a fair amount of frights. More importantly, the twenty year-old game delivered on a captivating ghost story, fit for the most veteran horror-buffs. And while the art style and themes may turn a few people off, the game is a rewarding, terrifying experience that shows the limits of what a well-told story can accomplish in spite of its artstyle’s limitations.
Experience has delivered a resoundingly solid dungeon-crawler that will give any seasoned a JRPG fan a run for their money. Beyond a difficult barrier to entry, players will find rewarding innovation, stunning art, and core mechanics that keep drawing you back. And while this game may not be for everyone, gamers able to notice genre-bending nuance will be able to find something to enjoy.
Despite Star Fox Zero's relatively brief story mode (around 4-5 hours, absent the branching paths), the game remains a great value, with Guard's inclusion giving even more incentive to pick up this title.