The Outerhaven Productions
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Overall, episode 1 of Life is Strange: Before the Storm isn't the strongest entry in the saga – but it's far too early to judge. I'm hoping centering the story on Chloe isn't a poor choice on Deck Nine's behalf, there must be a story to tell without meandering around old locations and looking at random objects strewn across the floor. They've established some great roots here, now they must build on them to take gamers on an emotional rollercoaster.
Madden NFL 18 is near perfection, and I couldn't be happier to continue playing this game.
Nihon Falcom & Nippon Ichi Software has crafted yet another fantastic entry in the Ys series. The same great gameplay and storytelling elements that have become synonymous with the series, along with exceptional graphics. Sure, the top-down view has been replaced but the new 3D graphics help brings the world to life and I enjoyed the voice lines. Combine that with some enjoyable character development and a game that spans over 40+ hour and you got a game that you won't want to put down for a while.
While it might not reach the emotional height's of Nathan Drake's last adventure, The Lost Legacy is a welcome addition to the franchise. It features a compelling story and wonderful cast of characters, illustrating the point that this franchise is far from over. And as always, the visuals Naughty Dog is able to get out of a standard PS4 never cease to amaze.
Mages of Mystralia is not without its shortcomings, but its gameplay is too fun not to recommend. Through the use of an insanely clever system of spell-crafting, there's just the right amount of challenge in combat and puzzle-solving to be had. By pairing a lighthearted adventure with solid gameplay mechanics, there's something here for everyone.
This is what a remake should be.
Even though it's not the Genesis version of Sonic the Hedgehog 2 or Sonic Advance 2, Sonic Mania does a lot of good things right. Christian Whitehead and Simon Thomley put out a beautiful love letter to Sonic fans from the Genesis and Advance eras of Sonic 2D platformers. The nods to all of SEGA's classic titles, the innovative boss fights, the merging of several classic levels, all of it proves that to capture the pure essence of Sonic the Hedgehog, sometimes it is good to simply go back to the basics...
Batman: The Enemy Within returns us to Gotham, and shows that darkness never really goes away. Full of twists, turns, surprise arrivals and cameos, and a deeper relationship system, "The Enigma" gets us very excited for what's coming.
The beauty of Yonder: The Cloud Catcher Chronicles is the player's ability to choose what they want to focus on. Exploring lands full of groffles and magic sprites serves as a refreshing break from other games. Its story and quests are not the most engaging, but the world of Yonder has enough charm that its shortcomings are easy to forgive.
Micro Machines World Series is a game that could have been great but squanders it all with bad controls and a push towards modes that aren't as fun as the racing mode should have been. Maybe if there were some gameplay patches and some more Hasbro themed style levels (Where's my G1 Transformers track guys?) that could make the game somewhat more interesting than the cheap cash in that we're left with today.
A worthy follow-up to the PC release of The Legend of Heroes: Trails in the Sky SC that we received years ago.
All in all, Children of the Zodiarcs is a handsome merging of two beloved game types and one that manages to capture the best of them.
Splatoon 2 is an incredible sequel that brings you new joy while still maintaining the fun and style that made it great. New weapons and Salmon Run make the sequel stand out even more, and this is a must buy for all Switch owners!
Accel World vs Sword Art Online is a hack and slash RPG with a lot of customization, but the game is hurt by its generic good vs evil story and complicated aerial combat systems.
Valkyria Revolution tries so hard to be different, yet it falls on its face. There are so much of what made the original series great in this game, but all of that gets eschewed for a disappointing title unworthy of the name "Valkyria."
God Wars: Future Past is an excellent turn based RPG for fans of the genre. Players will certainly enjoy the story telling through cutscenes and lively cast characters met along the way. And even though battles can become challenging at times, coming back with a new strategy in mind almost always leads to victory. PS Vita owners would definitely get the most out of this game with its handheld version.
Get Even is not a bad game. In fact, there are moments where its storytelling and atmosphere really shine. However, it is held back by its gunplay, stealth, and at times an overly complicated plot. I felt relieved when all the pieces came together and the ultimate mystery revealed itself, but that doesn't excuse the confusion I had during much of the game. Perhaps the complex story could be forgiven if the game was a little more fun. It's unfortunate because there are elements of a good game in Get Even, but ultimately it tries to do too many things and only succeeds at a few of them.
Easily on of the best homages to old-school arcade gaming in quite some time. Easy to pick up, hard to master, but damn if you won't have fun along the way. With some fast-energy tunes, a gorgeous looking world and plenty of frantic action, Nex Machina has me wishing the days of arcade gaming weren't over. The only thing that would make this game even better is the addition of an online co-op mode.
What TEKKEN 7 does isn't all that revolutionary, no pun intended. However, TEKKEN 7 takes a chance by adding some things that may prove to extend its life in not only the Fighting Game Community but also in the casual market as well. A well-crafted story, tournament mode for organizers to utilize and a variety of fighters to choose from, TEKKEN 7 stakes its claim as one of the best fighting games to come out in a year where fighting games are stuck in the public eye.
Although ARMS may not be perfect, it's a really good time playing both online and locally with friends. Its single player offerings are underwhelming, and more story content to experience and the removal or refinement of the three bland mini-games would have pushed ARMS to near perfection.