Wccftech's Reviews
All in all, I quite like UNDYING. Sure, it's got some issues, and the localisation is a mixed bag at the best of times. The critical gameplay instructions have been anglicised well for the most part - it can sometimes be a little obscure what your next objective is, but it's rare. The script fares less well, with the original Chinese names being mentioned a few times in the same sentence as the English ones and voice acting not always following the script. Minor in the grand scheme, as it genuinely looks and sounds good, going for a comic book style, almost like The Strolling Deceased.
With its roguelite take on the base game's formula, engaging story, decent amount of new content and excellent accessibility, God of War Ragnarok: Valhalla is a great expansion that is worthy of any God of War's fans time. The focus on combat may turn some players off, but it's only a minor issue in an expansion that could have been easily sold as paid DLC.
Avatar: Frontiers of Pandora is a remarkable achievement in many ways, bringing a cinematic world to life on a massive, technically-impressive scale like few games have done before. Unfortunately, limited, frustrating combat means the game isn’t always that fun to play once you bump into the RDA. Avatar: Frontiers of Pandora’s world is worth experiencing if you’re a fan of James Cameron’s movies, but as the franchise often reminds us, sky people ruin beautiful things.
The Lamplighters League is an interesting and ambitious, albeit flawed, tactical adventure which invokes the fantastical elements of Indiana Jones (plus you're fighting Nazi's). The blow by blow gameplay is well developed and features interesting and varied characters, in both gameplay and narrative, but is let down by a large amount of repetition. A few technical flaws also let the game down in a market where stronger competition has already done the game thing. It's a decent game, and you could have a good time with it, but one to pick up on discount.
There's plenty of content for those seeking to shell out the cash, however, and that's the best part. Granblue Fantasy Versus Rising offers plenty of content for both its single-player and multiplayer components to justify its price tag and its new mechanics and highly refined visuals are just a beautiful sight to behold.
With the great amount of love for the setting that was poured into the game evident from every line of dialogue and every little detail, Warhammer 40,000: Rogue Trader is one of the best games based on the universe created by Games Workshop, and a solid tactical turn-based role-playing game that can provide hundreds of hours of fun.
Parking Tycoon: Business Simulator is exactly what you expect it to be. It's a functional "quick" simulation game in the same vein as so many releasing now. It's not bad, but with a very narrow focus, it loses steam incredibly quickly. With a reliance on time-wasting to pad the playtime, this is one that you could pick up cheaply and enjoy.
Forza Motorsport is a strong return to form for the core Forza series, with exceptional visuals, outstanding racing and what is a strong game throughout. While lacking in tracks, which is noticable, this is still a game worth recommending.
A weak campaign with an unsatisfactory cliffhanger resolution, a Zombies map that's little more than rebranded DMZ, and a selection of multiplayer maps taken straight from Modern Warfare II (2009), Modern Warfare III barely stands up on its own merits, especially if you've thrown countless hours into last year's entry and have plenty to carry forward.
Super Mario RPG is a lovingly-crafted remake that retains the original’s peculiar off-brand charm, appealing combat, and varied level design while subtly tinkering with numerous elements to make the game more palatable for modern players.
The narrative remains compelling, the characters charming, the presentation slick and the solid tactical rounds the package well, making the game an engaging experience from beginning to end. The game's low challenge level, however, and the established status of the Phantom Thieves limits its appeal to die-hard fans of the series.
The Dead Island 2 Haus DLC is a very small expansion that doesn't bring anything substantially new to the experience. Its brevity prevents it from overstaying its welcome, but the additionl of a cool crossbow weapon is not enough to get most players to return to Hell-A so soon.
In short, The Invincible is a relatively comfortable experience that I could recommend to fans of thrillers and science fiction. I don't think it could be scratching an itch for horror fans specifically because it certainly doesn't have much going for it when it comes to cosmic horror. Still, its twists and turns can leave an impact on those seeking a psychological thriller, especially with the kind of questions it poses at the end.
While another trip to Sotenbori is always worth the price of admission, Joryu's brief trip away comes at a high price: respecting the player's time in Like a Dragon Gaiden.
Tales of Arise: Beyond the Dawn feels like a missed opportunity. While the story held some potential, it doesn't go beyond passable at best, its uneven pacing and the lack of meaningful gameplay additions making the whole experience feel dull at times. As such, only die hard fans of the base game will find some value in what is, essentially, an extended prologue with limited appeal.
Cities: Skylines 2 is a very good city builder with a few marked improvements over its predecessor and is huge in scale. It is, however, let down in (arguably unfair) comparison with the original due to the countless free content (and paid DLC) that went into that, making this feel comparatively light.
Star Ocean: The Second Story R is, hands down, the best entry in the series, and one of the best remakes ever made. With the excellent combat reworking, massive slew of quality of life improvements and impressive 2D-HD visuals that make the game's simple yet engaging story and charming characters even more enjoyable, Gemdrops has set a very high bar for classic JRPGs remakes that will be very difficult to top.
WarioWare: Move It! is a touch too clever for its own good, taking a concept that’s best when kept simple and drowning it in fussy unreliable motion controls and overelaborate microgames. There are still some flashes of that old anarchic fun here, but even those who have loved past WarioWare games may find this vacation-themed entry a bad trip.
Sonic Superstars doesn't do much to wow players when it comes to 2D stage design or mechanics. Still, the new gameplay features it brings to the table are fun enough for a decent experience for all kinds of players. While this game is quite safe in its approach, it still can be a decent time for everyone involved.
EA Sports UFC 5 doles out impressive blood-soaked Frostbite visuals and a double-dose of M-rated attitude, but don’t let the new swagger sway you. While the action remains satisfying enough, it hasn’t evolved in any significant way, and a lack of compelling content continues to be an issue for the series. UFC 5 may deliver the razzle dazzle, but it needs to work on its fundamentals.