OnlySP's Reviews
The best way to summarize DBFZ is that it is Dragon Ball in its purest form. The game is ridiculous and odd, but filled with decades of lore that fits right in with its faithful graphics. DBFZ's challenge and accessibility are only matched by its commitment to a proper adaptation that will appeal to both the oldest and newest of fans. The beginning hours of the story is where the game's biggest flaws can be found, which ultimately hurt the game's chances of keeping players hooked. DBFZ has so much beneath this thin surface though, so players who are turned off upon their first hour with the game should really give it another go. The story will always be an annoyance, but this is a small gripe in a game filled to the brim with exceptional content. DBFZ is a Super Saiyan experience and essential for anyone who has memories from the anime—present or past. Those who are not fans will still find a fantastic game, but a bit of research and patience may be needed to fully grasp what is, without a doubt, the greatest Dragon Ball game ever released.
Not all games are going to be winners, just as not all games will be losers. Some raise the bar for the industry while others lower it, and some do not move the bar at all. Spellforce 3 is one of those titles that does nothing to improve or diminish the standard. The gameplay is intricate in some areas and flat in others, the story is irrelevant, the audio is well-executed but not inventive, and the graphics are superb. The game is by no means a flop, but it is not a title people will be praising for years to come. In short, Spellforce 3 is worth a look, but not for the USD$50.00 price tag.
Dynamic Pixels seems to have begun with a simple, brilliant concept, but struggled to make a cohesive game out of it. The AI neighbour and skewed environment are both wonderfully executed pieces of game design, but every other aspect of the project is flawed, making for a fundamentally unenjoyable experience. In some languages, "hello" also means "goodbye", and the latter is more apt here; no matter what horrors lay within the basement, they are not worth persevering through the horror of playing this game.
Regardless of astonishing graphics and audio, Battlefront II misses the mark in more ways than not. The gameplay is a mixed experience. Combat is fluid and immersive, but ultimately frustrating due to mind-numbing grinds that can see users playing on autopilot. The game’s narrative starts off strong, but turns into a typical fable in which good conquers evil, highlighting EA’s inability to completely follow through on its promises. Lastly, the utter lack of content makes the title degenerate into repetitive monotony, despite the popularity of two of its major multiplayer modes. Battlefront II has all the potential to be a great title, but EA’s greedy fingers and lackadaisical attitude taint it beyond recognition. Gone are the days of the original Star Wars: Battlefront franchise in which single-players and multiplayers could get endless enjoyment out of each game. The result is an unhappy fanbase that will eventually hurt EA’s bottom line due to lack of confidence in the company. Until that time, EA will continue to push out barely-passable nonsense that masquerades as a AAA title, such as Star Wars: Battlefront II.
Wolfenstein II: The New Colossus is a stand-out, weird shooter, even if the game never becomes innovative enough to be extraordinary. The title functions excellently as a sequel and will provide a good 13-hour experience, but remains conservative in its gameplay, if not its politics. However, as a stand-alone experience, Wolfenstein II is a thoroughly entertaining FPS. The shooting holds up, the upgrade system encourages different forms of play, and at no point does the game feel like a grind. Wolfenstein II is smart to continue using the stealth mechanic from its predecessor, even though the system is still too unforgiving in its design. The big hurdle for many will be the heightened, unrealistic quality of the characters and the world, but if players can handle the oddness, they will be rewarded with some touching human moments in an insane, backwards world.
Assassin’s Creed: Origins is not perfect, but it does return the franchise to a less tarnished status. While the game does not necessarily wash away the taint that stains Ubisoft’s reputation after Unity’s negative feedback, it does improve the overall stigma. The story immerses and intrigues, the characters are believable, and the bugs are tiny and negligible. As with most AAA titles, the graphics and audio are well-suited for modern consoles and PCs, and the gameplay is addicting enough to keep players interested. While the target-lock system is finnicky at best, the rest of the game’s aspects more than make up for that mild irritation. The two-year break between entries seems to have done Ubisoft well. Hopefully, the company will continue to stick to a quality over quantity model.
Regardless of a few minor errors, Odyssey is an absolute joy to play through. Bowser's latest attempt at kidnapping Peach is an interesting one, but the adventure does not stop after the credits roll. In fact, the game's offerings seemingly have no end, and sets a new bar for Mario's 3D ventures: one that stands much higher than anyone could have expected. Creativity and pure joy shine in Odyssey, and they do so in a way that will be looked to by developers, artists, and gamers for a long time to come.
A deal with the Devil starts the story of Cuphead, and at times the gameplay can make the player feel as if they are in hell, yet the graphics speak to a time long past, revitalized by Studio MDHR. While the future of the title seemed uncertain at times, and the decision to go beyond a simple litany of boss battles to more of a true platformer in 2015 pushed the developers to their limits, the end result has truly taken the industry by storm. Those gamers who were smitten by the title at first sight and have waited years to see the release as well as those who have heard of the game by word of mouth or simple happy accidents should all be impressed and pleased with this result. Inherently difficult games can lose players if the rest of the production also falls flat, but no such problem can be found here. A simple narrative premise and the quintessential "easy to learn, hard to master" gameplay find a happy marriage, tied together by rich visuals and a snappy soundtrack that make every minute in the game unique. No shame should be felt in restarting levels countless times, or needing to take a breath before going on. Cuphead was not made in a day. Thus, players need not finish in one. In fact, the title is best taken in small doses, in sections and boss fights, simmering and sipped like a fine meal made by a very fine chef. The magic of the title is to be appreciated, not rushed through, and all the elements combine for an experience long in the making that will remain in the mind as fondly as the era that players are transported to when a cup makes a deal with the Devil and a soul is on the line.
Despite the lack of cohesion between these elements, Hellblade: Senua’s Sacrifice is a grand achievement. The game development community will surely look to the performance of the game’s sales to decide whether the shorter, lower-budget Triple A game is a viable proposition. However, the game’s quality provides a solid case for Ninja Theory’s experiment being a success.
The game is lifeless, with anime stereotypes coming and going without any impact. The effete princess. The stoic soldier. The spunky one. A conflicted villain whose arc doubly disappoints by taking the entire course of the game to play out a single face turn. After all, if he had left the axis of evil sooner, the game could not recycle his boss fight three times. Honestly, criticising Revolution for resorting to overused cliches is an insult to better JRPGs that use anime stereotypes wonderfully. So much is worth commenting on as a lesson of what-not-to-do, but the above critique is more than enough. Valkyria Revolution is a dull action game, a wafer-thin war story, and a mishandling of the franchise: disappointing whether one played the previous games or not. Gamers know that Sega has so much more to offer, even if the series might now be buried for good thanks to this spin-off. Instead of revitalising a beloved property, Revolution is a snafu.
The strong choice-based interactive narrative, clever writing, comic-grungy art style, and haunting/setting-and-situation-appropriate music culminate in a masterpiece of a season worth every penny of the admission fee. Every choice and the consequences they have on each character, particularly Clementine, is laid out to players at the end of the season finale in a beautiful tribute to those lost, those still alive, and those still needing to be found that should not be missed. Telltale has truly embarked on a new frontier in the gaming industry with this remarkable third season.
All-in-all, Injustice 2 is a polished experience, one that highlights the professional and well-practiced craft of NetherRealm Studios. The developer takes their Mortal Kombat experience and gives Injustice 2 all they have in their arsenal. Astonishing graphics, flexible mechanics, quality story, and fitting audio make Injustice 2 riveting and addicting. If NetherRealm continues to put forth this much effort into future titles, such as any possible upcoming Mortal Kombat installments, the company will achieve heights far greater than they already have. Players who love fighting games and DC Comics fans will find coming across a better game almost impossible. The game’s well-rounded roster and fresh Gear System cater to different playstyles, and the ever-changing Multiverse, along with upcoming DLC, will keep Injustice 2’s heart beating for quite some time.
From OnlySP’s first impressions of the demo, Prey stood out as, perhaps, one of the best games of the year. Though the title does contain glitches that should not be expected after release and the progressive values of the narrative may unintentionally complicate the message the game espouses, Prey stands up to scrutiny. The stellar aspects of the game outweigh the negatives by a large margin. Fantastic writing, intelligent casting, comfortably difficult combat, and several bits of innovative game development make Prey thoroughly enjoyable and, undoubtedly, one of the better games that 2017 has produced thus far.
Mass Effect: Andromeda succeeds in realizing BioWare's vision to make players feel like a Pathfinder making their way through the unknown. From the characters and plot, to the galaxy map and open planets, the studio uses a familiar set of ingredients to craft a new adventure that still bears the flavor of Commander Shepard and the Normandy. This game is an instance where, more than ever, the game genuinely gets better the more one plays. While not a perfect sequel, with issues that need to be addressed, both technically in the now and narratively in the future, BioWare has created a strong opening to a new story that is worthy of the Mass Effect mantle, while also forging a fresh path through the shadows of legend.
A game that received quite a bit of hype before its release, Ghost Recon: Wildlands may be the jewel Ubisoft needs to reignite the passion fans of the company feel towards its products. After some grumbling caused by the deteriorating quality of the Assassin's Creed games, Ubisoft needs a little more buzz surrounding it, and if the company keeps producing games as decent and immersive as Wildlands, a chance exists for them to regain their home run status. With high quality graphics and audio, a passable story, and smooth gameplay, it may be safe to assume Ubisoft is going back to producing quality over quantity.
Despite its few rather minor flaws, For Honor provides a new experience for both experienced gamers and those new to the genre. With exceptional graphics and mostly-superior audio quality wedded to an immersive and dynamic gameplay experience, Ubisoft Montreal’s recent fighting game with hack-and-slash elements grants hours of addictive virtual warfare. Whether looking to sit back and relax with a few friends or play it solo, For Honor is a bloody and thrilling addition to Ubisoft’s repertoire.
As for the extras, players are most likely to run through ‘Blood Ties’ only once or twice, (depending on whether you have a shiny new PSVR), while ‘Lara’s Nightmare’ has limited appeal, and co-op Endurance mode, while great, may force you reconsider some long-standing friendships if you play it for too long. However, this all just icing…Wait, no, the DLC is the icing. This 20 Year Celebration is the cherry on an already delicious birthday cake for one of gaming’s most iconic, enduring, and beloved series. Happy Birthday, Lara! Here’s hoping you don’t have to reinvent yourself again for your 30th anniversary!
The Coaltion has a bright future ahead of itself with the Gears of War franchise.
But your immediate problem is not an angry client who did not receive his plasma cutter on time; a ship crash lands on your property. Inside is one broken robot and two surprises that throw your entire view of the world into chaos. Police immediately surround the area and close in to disintegrate you — you have seen too much. An EVP grenade falls from… you’re not sure where, overloading the circuits of the police and yourself. What follows is a surprising turn of events that sends you on an impromptu investigation to explore different parts of the city to help a small band of rebel robots whose primary function is to discover “the truth.”
Virginia is a Rubik’s cube for your senses. The game masterfully provides you with a constant desire to explore and investigate, but can make you feel claustrophobic with its imposing soundtrack and jarring jump cuts. This is a game that takes its potentially biggest weakness and turns it into its greatest strength.