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Nights of Azure is for Gust fans, plain and simple. It's not a bad title by any means, but there are issues that can mar the overall experience. If you're on the fence, wait for a price drop.
Turok: Dinosaur Hunter Remastered is quite literally like finding an old toy you loved as a child, having a nostalgic moment with it when you pick it up, and putting it back down soon after that moment has passed. You're older, you're wiser and you've seen and done more advanced things since the time where that toy meant something to you, so the resonance you feel with it is fleeting at best. Most cherished, hallowed classics of the medium — Megaman, Mario, etc. —are considered as such because they never feel too old, but that isn't the case here. That's where I am with Turok. It's fun for a few hours or so, and going through the levels – especially the speed-run begging tutorial – was like hopping on the old bike and popping wheelies like I was 14 again. It doesn't take long for that feeling to wear off, and due to this, I can only recommend Turok to those who loved the old game so much that they feel compelled to spend money on it again. It's not likely to be worth the twenty-dollar purchase, otherwise. That said, it's still a very fun game and the remastered package is done quite well, so I'm going to grade the game based on the quality of the remastered port, with however bored I became with it notwithstanding.
Galak-Z is a fun game with cool ideas at its core, and I really enjoyed playing through the first couple of Seasons. However, a severe lack of variety -- combined with very little sense of consistent progression -- serves to hold it back from greatness.
As weird as the concept is, the critically-acclaimed mobile game Leo's Fortune makes a surprisingly graceful transition from phone screen to TV screen.
I wanted to like this game, but I just can't. And this is from Dimps, to boot — a company I stand behind as purveyors of some pretty fun stuff. They made all the Dragon Ball Z Budokai games on PS2, and they had a major hand in the development of Street Fighter IV, so I know that they're better than this. There's shades of a good game underneath all the trappings, but said trappings are not just holding this game back from being the best it can be, they're holding it back from being fun. And really, if your game isn't fun, what purpose does it serve?
This game was reviewed on a digital copy provided by the publisher.
So overall, if you're interested in Onechanbara Z2: Chaos, I'd say give it a go. It has some tedious level design such as the repetitive task of clearing multiple rooms, and it doesn't have the most interesting of stories, but the combat mechanics are definitely solid enough to have kept me entertained. It's fun enough that anyone who likes to slice up hordes of enemies and go for high scores will definitely have a good time with it, but anyone expecting a little more out of their package might not feel as satisfied.
Tembo the Elephant starts strong. It seems peppy and fun, with a protagonist you can't help liking. Then, it shifts gears. That change in tactics takes something that stands out and feels unique and makes it feel more like others in its ilk. It's the last thing it needed, since so many of Tembo's moves are shared with other heroes. It's entertaining enough, but doesn't quite define itself as one of the greats.
As someone who's proud to have played most of the world's (in)famous shmups, I have to say that Super Galaxy Squadron EX fails just as often it succeeds. Its seemingly inconsistent hitbox detection, sloppy bullet patterns and random spikes in difficulty tempers the awesome aesthetics, massive choice of ships, and incredibly fantastic soundtrack. It's not the worst shmup I've ever played, by far. However, it all but namedrops its influences, then does a poor job at emulating what made them so much fun. I would only recommend this for people who can't get enough of the genre.
But little moments don't sustain a whole game, and Among the Sleep deals with a real monster — just one it doesn't quite know how to talk about.
Personally, I was happy to have finished the game because I was so worn out by the monotony that I just wanted to stop. If I didn't feel compelled to finish every single level in the campaign for review purposes, I probably wouldn't have bothered seeing the ending. Yet despite everything I've just said, I will say that Gauntlet: Slayer Edition does suffice as a multiplayer experience. It's serviceable enough that, if you and a couple of friends want to get together to play games over some drinks, you're not going to have too bad of a time with this title. It's still a such mindless button masher that I actually preferred playing as the Elf because it's a lot less taxing on the fingers. It's also really not all that fulfilling, especially with the particularly lackluster boss battles, but that doesn't mean that it's an awful title. If all you're looking for is an arcade-styled experience, then Gauntlet: Slayer Edition will fill that void. There's even an Endless mode that you can run through for a mostly uninterrupted experience, and you can head online if you don't mind matchmaking. However, only the most die-hard fans will probably keep playing long after the credits roll, and it's a really short game.
Resident Evil 0 HD Remastered is essentially the same RE0 that I played back in the Gamecube days, a dated but enjoyable RE experience. The HD coat of paint gives the game a 2016 glow that truly impresses, and the modern control scheme improves the experience in ways that cannot sufficiently be explained, but the core game remains intact. I enjoyed my trip back in time, but I don't think there's enough here that would make me want to do it again.
All in all, Paperbound is a fun game. It's got a lot of potential to be a staple for anyone who has friends that come over and play games on a regular basis. But if you're not willing or able to play the game as intended — four-player couch versus only — then you're going to be equal measures bored and frustrated, and painfully so, at that.
While it tells a complex narrative and incorporates some fun new gameplay elements, Assassin's Creed Chronicles: Russia is held back by its inability to maintain static entertainment.
The biggest shame about Need for Speed is that the driving is so satisfying that it makes the fact that the rest of it is so throwaway stand out that much more. This game would have benefited greatly from a mode where you can just get matched with other players and do a bunch of different race types back to back. Instead you're stuck in an online only game with other players who you won't actually be doing any races with. It's got a damn good soundtrack though.
Many believed Hitman would fail as an episodic release. As it turns out, a single massive map full of opportunity more than makes up for the staggered release schedule. Still, it stumbles with unexpected online requirements for a single player game and other technical issues.
Ashes of the Singularity captures the massive scale of war with its impressive mix of gameplay systems, not to mention the tremendous replay value. The downside is that, despite graduating from Early Access, it's obvious that there is much more tweaking and updating to go.
With that said, though, Heaven's Hope is a sufficient little game, with an intriguing, unique story. Add to that the lovingly created scenery and enjoyable dialogue, and these smaller accomplishments almost overcome the game's foibles. Heaven's Hope does absolutely nothing new, but maybe that's all we need from a point and click game. Despite its occasionally frustrating puzzle design, Heaven's Hope is a pleasant time waster for a rainy weekend.
Project X Zone 2 features a large cast of likeable characters and some great visuals and animation, but is hindered slightly by its repetitive gameplay and weak story.
The game used in this review was a digital copy supplied by the publisher.