DualShockers
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If you are a fan of pixel art or Amiga-style twin-stick shooters, you will probably have a nice time with Tower 57, especially if you are playing with a friend. Unfortunately, if you are playing in single-player, the title's flaws become a lot more noticeable and annoying, leaving me tepid wanting. If the game was polished up a bit more and made its way to a co-op friendly console like the Nintendo Switch, I could recommend it more, but as it stands, Tower 57 is best suited for those I mentioned above.
In the same way that Counter-Strike‘s early days led to it dominating the competitive scene and Minecraft‘s years of beta access led to it becoming a game that defined a generation, PlayerUnknown's Battlegrounds isn't necessarily the first “battle royale” game out there, but it is the one that's leading the charge on making players fight to survive, and it's thrilling in every way.
Overall, L.A. Noire: The VR Case Files is far from a perfect game, but as a virtual reality title I found it to be an ambitious as well as a good first virtual reality title for Rockstar Games. Sure, the game has flaws, but I feel that Rockstar Games has set the bar high for not just facial animations in VR games but in AAA games as a whole and I hope that whatever AAA developer/publisher decides to bring their IPs into VR carefully examines this game. If you own an HTC Vive plus a high-end PC, this is a title you should consider adding to your VR library.
I feel like I've been a bit hard on A Hat in Time when I do find it to be a charming and fun game. I had hoped for some more originality to be seen in the game's mechanics or level design, but the lack thereof doesn't hinder the quality of the experience. Nothing in A Hat in Time is going to change how you think about 3D platformers, but if you know that ahead of time and are still looking for an enjoyable, cute collectaton, there are definitely worse options to choose from.
Nine Parchments, though wielding action RPG elements, works best as a party game. There are chaos and comedy to be had when you have three other friends sharing the screen, combining spells, chucking heals, and being sure not to stand in the fire. All of these mechanics combined with a lighthearted story lend themselves to a laugh-filled-couch-co-op game that should not be played alone.
Floor Kids for Nintendo Switch is not without its faults, thanks to gameplay that puts a little too much faith into in-game exploration. However, it shouldn't be lost in everything else that Floor Kids has to offer, namely a distinguished art style, a fresh take on a genre, and beats to mash it up. If you are a fan of passion projects, Floor Kids is going to be right up your alley.
Observer is a strange experience, punctuated by many "what the" moments. It's a game you have to talk to somebody about, that will make you reflect, and assault your saneness.
Having the chance to once again return to Nippon, I can wholeheartedly say that (after eleven years) Okami HD is still a masterpiece, standing the test of time through two generational console jumps. Put frankly, it is a work of art and a prime example of the ingenuity, creativity, and brilliance key development teams brought to their work on the PlayStation 2. Here's hoping that Okami HD receives the sequel it rightfully deserves.
Overall, Dead Rising 4: Frank's Big Package tends to cater more to casual fans of the zombie genre. As someone who loves the franchise, I cannot say that this game is neither good nor bad. There is plenty of replayability in Frank's Big Package, there is no denying that and while this game is inferior to the original regarding overall quality, the addition of Capcom Heroes as well as refining all the gameplay and combat issues I had with previous installments still made it enjoyable. Dead Rising 4: Frank's Big Package is a game worth playing if you're a fan of the series solely because of the new features, however, regarding the single-player story. it felt more like a one and done for me.
Overall, 2MD VR Football was slightly underwhelming from what I initially was anticipating; however, this game is fun in bits and pieces. If you are looking for a cheap sports game and you just happen to love American football this is the game for you. Not to mention the game is only $12.99 on Steam so if you're looking for a game to test out and memorize the controls of your VR headset this will get the job done.
Tokyo Xanadu eX+ will find that jumping into the series was well worth it. On the other hand, fans who have already played the game will discover a large variety of new events to play through as well as a much-improved battle system than what they remember. I had a great with Tokyo Xanadu eX+ and now I'm left with the new post-game quests that will probably add many more hours to my play time.
In the end, Star Ocean 4: The Last Hope brought me back to a time when I had to sit down and thoroughly shut myself out of the real world and immerse myself into this world — more specifically the star ocean. Exploring space and discovering huge new worlds creates a great playing experience, and with this remastered version this game only looks even better. Even though a few years have passed, Star Ocean 4: The Last Hope is close to the same game I remember, but I appreciated the nostalgic reminder that games are challenging and autosave wasn't always a thing.
Despite the quantity of visual novels readily available for the PlayStation Vita, VA-11 HALL-A easily stands out among the rest for one simple reason: it is mundane. Yet that distinction is something unique and drives the relationships in the game — something you just won't want to rush through. Bolstered by an excellent soundtrack and stylistic art choices, VA-11 HALL-A should be a must-buy for indie lovers and VN junkies alike.
Xenoblade Chronicles 2 is one of those RPGs that I didn't want to end. Luckily, there is enough post-game content to satisfy players looking to sink 100's of hours into more adventures with Rex and the party. However, I can't seem to shake the feeling that I was left with as the end credits rolled. I feel like Xenoblade Chronicles 2 showed me what it's like to go on a real adventure and it happens to be one that I don't think I will ever forget.
Need For Speed Payback is the perfect example of one step forward, two steps back. While the world is more beautiful than any of its predecessors, it feels empty in much the same way that the game does. All of the systems seem to be their own worst enemy. Want to build a car? How are you going to upgrade it? Want to customize its looks? You've got to complete unnecessary challenges. Want to progress the story just to see if it gets better? You've got to make sure your car is the appropriate level. All of these things, combined with an unimaginative and frankly boring story result in a racing game that makes it frustrating to race. While there's still the rush of pushing past second place a few meters before the finish line, that rewarding experience is not due to any innovations that the series has made here and the innovations that make this entry in the series unmemorable and unattractive.
It is a shame to see the series fizzle out like this on 3DS. At this point, I just want Nintendo to bring the game over to the Switch with Mario Party 11, as that may be the breath of fresh air this series desperately needs to stay relevant. If that doesn't work out, then it may be time for Nintendo and Nd Cube to finally put this once great series to rest.
The Sims 4 attempts to bring genuinely happy moments throughout your Sim's lifespan; occasionally, you will even find yourself smirking. However, those moments are quickly bogged down by tedious goals, a terrible HUD and menu navigation, and gameplay that is outright boring. Life events like a date or wedding put less emphasis on the occasion and more on completing monotonous objectives. These goals wouldn't be too dreadful if the commands given to the Sim would actually follow through. However, there were too many times where the Sim would completely ignore what I wanted them to do. All of these gameplay problems are bundled up in a poor performing port that chugs more than it should. The Sims 4 is an unsatisfying experience right from the start.
Gear.Club Unlimited is not a very good game. It's not a bad game by any stretch of the imagination, but not even it's impressive car visuals can save it from being just an incredibly average racing game. It honestly feels like there was no love put into this game. At $49.99 I simply cannot recommend this game at the current price tag. The title still feels like a free-to-play game you would find on the Apple App Store more than a fully fledged game, and frankly, that's all it's worth to me.
Monster of the Deep: Final Fantasy XV has its own virtual reality quirks, but the game is much more than the sum of its parts. Monster of the Deep may be the first PlayStation VR game that I would recommend across the board to anyone with the hardware to play it. However, anyone who has played a good amount of Final Fantasy XV will get more out of the experience than others.
League of War: VR Arena isn't a bad game, so much as it is underbaked. With a lack of diversity in modes or gameplay, the VR game takes interesting core gameplay and seemingly squanders it on a throwaway campaign. With plenty of exciting and fully-fleshed out VR experiences, I'd only recommend League of War: VR Arena to people looking to round out their PlayStation VR library with a tabletop component. And at the $30 price tag, I don't think I could reasonably recommend it to anyone.