Wccftech's Reviews
2017 is the year the Sonic franchise stops running from itself. Sonic Mania and Sonic Forces celebrate different eras, but they both take the same shameless “all-in” approach. Sonic Forces is a confident game, serving up a story and stages that go for broke, while dodging the pitfalls of the past. As long as you're not a hardline 3D Sonic hater, this earnest, entertaining adventure is worth a spin.
DOOM on Nintendo Switch runs a fantastically fun, playable version of our favorite console shooter, but it can't be denied that optimizations and the lower framerate make for a less pretty, slightly rougher version of the game. Despite that, if you want a handheld version of DOOM, I still can't help but recommend it. It plays well for the most part and is still loads of fun and a refreshing experience, even a year and a half later.
Forget the big number 'II' on the title; Demon Gaze II is very much a standalone title that tones down some of Experience Inc.'s more complex systems to create a dungeon RPG that's both accessible for newcomers with some devilishly challenging endgame content once you think you've mastered the experience.
Need for Speed Payback is a well-designed sandbox that's at its most entertaining when you ignore what's supposed to be the core of the game. The story is dud, and the game's Ultimate Team-inspired upgrade system is an attempt to force a square peg into a round hole, but there's no denying tearing down desert roads at 180 mph in a souped-up 1965 Mustang is a blast. Need for Speed Payback is a fun joyride, but it doesn't quite hold up over the long haul.
Deadbeat Heroes is a fun co-op beat ‘em up with a lot going for it and a strong sense of style, as well as a sense of humor. While it's not the best brawler I've played lately, I believe that with some refinements, a sequel could be fantastic.
The .hack//G.U. Last Recode remaster is a more than worthy way to experience the original PlayStation 2 releases, offering several enhancements which improve the experience considerably and a real closure with the new Reconnection volume. The enhancements, however, do little to improve the stiffness of the experience, the repetitive dungeon design, and the slow story pace, making .hack//G.U. Last Recode a must buy only for fans of the series. Newcomers, however, may still find something to like in the games, as the story, albeit slowly paced, is quite interesting, and the world well fleshed out.
Summon Night 6: Lost Borders might be a contender for one of the most cringe-worthy dubs in recent JRPG's, but don't let the audio choices fool you. There's still a solid strategy RPG filled with cameos that fans of the long-running series can fully appreciate.
Wolfenstein: The New Colossus subverts the old-school shooter tradition by featuring an incredible cast of characters with varied personalities in a world that makes you want to explore more and more of the society it features. The gameplay is very engaging, though can sometimes outstay its welcome at parts with a mixture of levels that range from the extremely interesting to dull and repetitive. Whatever its flaws, Wolfenstein is a great game that's well worth playing and will keep you coming back for more as you purge the US of Nazis.
Ironically, AER Memories of Old doesn't leave much of a lasting impression. It feels like a prototype you might show a publisher to convince them to fund a full game. What's here is charming, but it feels underbaked compared to the games it patterns itself after. If you're looking for a laid-back Zelda-like adventure and don't mind spending $15 for a single play session, AER Memories of Old is a pleasant-enough distraction, just don't expect to be swept off your feet.
Overall, besides the aforementioned lack of instant assassinations in some cases, I do have a lingering concern regarding the depth and variety of content, an important aspect of games belonging to the open world genre. Ubisoft stated that it would always be meaningful, but I still have to check whether this will actually be the case. Other than that, though, Assassin's Creed Origins is looking great so far.
Super Mario Odyssey is the best 3D Mario game. It just is. Level design, the way Mario moves and jumps, collectibles, it's all just… Practically perfect. This is the Mario game I've been wanting for so long, and I already know I'm going straight for 100% completion.
Nights of Azure 2 had the potential of being much better than the original game, but it fails to build upon some of its best features, such as the character development and interaction. The experience offered is thus slightly worse. The game can still be enjoyable with its fast-paced battle system, humorous interactions, and plenty of fanservice, but the low challenge level, bad dungeon design, and underwhelming story make it difficult to stay engaged for a long time. A missed opportunity.
Although it might not be as strong as Episode One, it builds in confidence and understands exactly what we want out of this story. Sad, happy, heartwarming and heartbreaking, Episode Two is an emotional experience.
In addition to poor audio and visual qualities, including large re-use of assets, Empyre is let down by the poor world and character building. Sadly, in addition to this are poor audio and visual qualities. Sadly, I can't say much positive about the game, besides it having an interesting setting and a decent combat system, neither of which are used as well as they could be.
Megaton Rainfall is, in more ways than one, the perfect superhero simulator, making players understand that special powers can do way more harm than good. With a short but very sweet campaign, an engaging story, and a good gameplay variety, Megaton Rainfall is a new take on the arcade shooter genre that no fan of the genre should pass on.
Gran Turismo Sport is a good game, and yet, it's still a disappointment. Given this series' pedigree, good simply isn't good enough. GT Sport still brings it on the track, but its lack of content can't be ignored, and you can't give the game top marks in world where Forza Motorsport 7 and Project CARS 2 exist. If you're a diehard fan of Sony's series or really into online racing, GT Sport is worth a shot. If you just want the best racing sim out there, you may want to kick some more tires.
Although it tries a little too hard and fails to capture of the horror tropes, The Evil Within 2 is a great, imaginative game with enough tension that you won't mind the lack of horror.
Fire Emblem Warriors on 3DS isn't a bad experience at all, but any gamer with the option of purchasing the Switch version instead would be foolish to pick this up. The lower character count, vastly downgraded graphics and less ergonomic design of the 3DS all factor together to make this a less-worthwhile version of a game that only dedicated Fire Emblem or Dynasty Warriors fans should buy, even in its best state.
Dungeons 3 has taken the series to its highest point yet. While overbearing on the forced comedy, it can be genuinely funny. Most of all, though, it's addictive. Dungeons 3 features incredibly polished gameplay with great visuals and audio and the wide variety within the campaigns 20 missions never gets boring.
ELEX is pretty much the gaming incarnation of a mixed bag. While exploring the massive world of Magalan is an enjoyable experience and the lore easily pulls players in with lots of interesting quests, the mediocre combat, poor companions AI and severe balance issues prevent it from securing a spot in the ever more crowded RPG limelight.