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For as much as 'White Night' brings to the table on an innovative standpoint, it equally misses the mark by failing to ensure gameplay isn't hampered by wonky camera angles and de-evolved save mechanics. Still, the noir setting, visuals, and clever puzzles to solve, coupled with a generally creepy back-story, makes 'White Night' at least a minor point of interest to genre fans (both those of survival horror and the 1930s hardboiled detective).
No matter how many times I cringed at the ugly environments, or was flustered as story details were pushed out in favor of fixing lifts, at the end of the day, I enjoyed 'Resident Evil Revelations 2' so much that I want Capcom to make a number '3' in a similar mold. That really sums it up.
As a whole, 'Battlefield Hardline' manages to reinvent 'Battlefield' as a goofy cop drama, and as a successful one, though its ambitions and advancements are few. It does, however, succeed in freshness, a much-needed course correct away from its grim wartime roots into something far more likely to warrant repeat binge viewing ahead of the next season--er, game, even beyond its ever-lively multiplayer.
'Sid Meier's Starships' is not a quick cash-in completely devoid of creative merit, but nor is it a fitting companion for one of the best strategy titles of last year. At best it is good for a few hours of moderate strategy, although it's probably better played on a mobile device. Still, there are far better strategy games available for mobile, and cheaper than $15 as well.
'Hotline Miami 2: Wrong Number' is a love-it or hate-it kind of game. I guess that's not completely true, as in my case I both love it and hate it. The gameplay can be addictive, especially for those who stick with it. It can also be exasperating to the point of anger and despair. Its imperfections often threaten to destroy its delicate balance, but this one may appeal to lovers of the high difficulty.
Forget JRPGs, 'Final Fantasy' games alone are enough to form hard lines between various fans. 'Type-0' plays like it's meant to be enjoyed in bite sizes and in marathon sessions, and the story is so much more palatable and enjoyable than what one might expect from the past 15 years. For better and for worse, 'Final Fantasy Type-0 HD' is a hit PSP game reborn. It's been made available for a worldwide audience, and should that audience see past the lingering limitations of the PSP, 'Final Fantasy Type-0 HD' will be held up as a new standard bearer for JRPG gameplay and story.
'Ori and the Blind Forest' isn't just a great platformer, it's a work of art. It oozes style and charm and has an accessible and touching story. Games like this don't come along every day. Despite its brevity, $20 is well worth the experience.
I'm not convinced that 'Judgment' is a step forward for 'Resident Evil Revelations 2'. It does have a little bit of exploration, but the puzzles are slowing it down. I kind of wish we could cut out the Claire/Moira segments and just play as Barry/Natalia, but perhaps Claire will redeem herself in the next episode.
I am generally not a fan of mobile games as they currently exist, fraught as they are with paywalls and repetitive gameplay. 'République' has established itself as not just an exception to that trend but a very strong and thought-provoking game in its own right, and is even better now on the PC with its facelift. It is bookish but not boring, influenced but not derivative. If you like games that make you think, not just with their puzzles but with their script, you probably won't regret 'République.'
'DmC: Devil May Cry' was always destined to be the game that wasn't enough like the numbers 1,3 & 4. But with the passage of time, the new Dante and his enjoyable combat can now be considered as their own fun action set, worthy of a hardcore audience. Add in the full offering of DLC (like the playable Virgil), the impressive visual upgrade, and the new modifiers, and 'DmC Devil May Cry: Definitive Edition' is a great pick-up.
'Resident Evil Revelations 2' is making modest progress with 'Contemplation'. The ending in particular makes me feel like we're getting somewhere. A lot of the persistent 'Resident Evil' issues are still hanging around, but as more of the game becomes visible, more of its merits are surfacing at the same time. So far, so good.
The script has its moments, but I was more interested in 'Life Is Strange's approach to decisions than I was in its dialogue. The seed is there for many of the characters though, and I think with the right narrative they can grow into something much more complex. The second episode ought to be here soon, and I am looking forward to finding out. [OpenCritic note: Mild spoilers for the first episode are contained in this review.]
The dearth of narrative momentum or any characterization whatsoever is the most severe flaw of 'The Bright Lord'. I didn't mind returning to Mordor for a few hours, but the constant stream of timed missions and lack of real content or story means that I'll be forgetting what happened pretty quickly. This is season pass content so if you liked the original enough to commit to the pass, you might as well get your money's worth. If not, there's no need to pick it up.
While 'There Came an Echo' has its problems, some of which seriously detract from its merits, I did enjoy my time with it. I can't recommend it wholeheartedly, as it is quite thin on content and most players will probably put it away after less than a half-dozen hours. It is more than a tech demo with pretty window dressing (although the tech is great). I sincerely hope it is successful and Iridium takes it to the next level, as there is a lot of fun to be had with its mechanics.
'Total War: Attila' plays well for the most part, as it lives up to the series' deep and enjoyable standards, but doesn't feel like a leap forward. It is a complex, demanding, and often difficult strategy title, and all of these are to its credit. Playing as the Huns does have its own nuance, while the accompanying historic scenarios help fill out the era. 'Attila' is not chock full of innovation and neither are technical achievements dazzling, but it does sport a reasonable price point at release, somewhere in between an expansion and full retail.
'Resident Evil Revelations 2 Penal Colony' is a promising, but ultimately flawed first episode for Capcom's new series. Aside from its visual issues, there are some questionable design and publishing decisions: why is the game episodic, seeing as how each episode is already completed? Why doesn't it have online co-op for the campaign? Why didn't they wait to release it until Raid's co-op was ready? Still, at $5, that 'Resident Evil' charm is there, and you could do worse for survival horror than 'Penal Colony'.
'Hand of Fate' is the kind of deviously addictive game that doesn't come along very often. It is innovative, easy to learn, and rewarding. It is also complex and punishing, but keep in mind that you'll never lose any of your cards permanently - if the dealer defeats you, you only lose progress against the current boss, and can restart anytime. The deck-building is fiendish fun, and all those hours spent fighting in the 'Arkham' games pays real dividends here. The real-time combat lets the player make their own luck in many situations. At launch, 'Hand of Fate' has some noticeable problems on the technical side, but is still a great play, especially for card fans disappointed by this year's Magic.
Gearbox has taken great care with their treatment of these RTS classics, going so far as to hire on some of the original developers to assist with their work. The visuals are a clear stand-out, but the classic gameplay still shines through in 'Homeworld Remastered Collection.' For enthusiasts who have been struggling to find a suitable medium on which to play 'Homeworld', this is the perfect gift of nostalgia and modern gaming sensibilities. For those who are inexperienced with the series and have any interest in the RTS genre, this compilation will keep you entertained for quite some time.
The prison theme is under-represented in games, and a welcome change from the more oversaturated motifs we're often subject to (war, I'm looking at you). 'The Escapists' does have a lot of good ideas. It can't quite deliver on many of them due to a slow interface, weird AI and other design choices. It's a charming indie game that is welcome on the Xbox One but falls short overall.
There's little reason to recommend 'Alphadia Genesis' to anyone. While both the Wii U and Steam are a bit lacking in JRPG content at the moment, 'Alphadia Genesis skews to close towards mediocre and frustrating to safely scratch the JRPG itch. More and more JRPGS are being released on the Steam platform every week, while the Wii U is getting a nice backlog of classic games with the Virtual Console. With so many other, better options available, 'Alphadia Genesis isn't worth your time or your money.