Chalgyr's Game Room
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When a game tries to blend several different influences into its DNA, you run the risk of that game suffering from an identity crisis. To be honest, I thought that might be a concern for Gigantic, a new free-to-play multiplayer game on both PC and Xbox One. I am happy to say that while there are some issues, Gigantic actually does a really nice job of carving out its own niche in a genre that has been heavily diluted of late.
Cardboard Utopia’s Children of Zodiarcs is the next “Final Fantasy Tactics” that you’ve been waiting for. While there may not be classes for your characters to switch between, dive into a world based on dice rolls and the luck of the draw as a group of children try to survive by stealing from the rich in order to buy enough food to survive.
While I have long been a fan of the Telltale video games, Minecraft: Story Mode was probably my least favorite of their full season offerings to date. It got off to a slow start with a property that seemed somewhat ill-fitting to a narrative-heavy game. However, to its credit, I thought Story Mode got stronger near the end, finding some solid footing during the final chapter. I was hoping that momentum would carry over to Season Two, but Minecraft: Story Mode Season Two - Episode 1: Hero in Residence reminds me a lot of the first episode in the initial season's installment.
There are a lot of issues that people can be divided on: music, politics, flavors of jellybeans, and of course also ruling a country. Fallen Legion takes this principle a little further by dividing what could be considered a “split storyline” game between a Vita and PS4 version, each with a different main character and storyline, but identical play styles. While there are many things to be divided on, one thing is for certain: Fallen Legion brings a fresh yet nostalgic breath into the gaming scene.
“If what is currently available is any indication of the final product, Antihero is going to be good.” I’m happy to say that this statement from my preview stands. Having just released, Antihero simultaneously places you in the role of being a Master Thief and the leader of a guild as they take to the streets in order to both make it theirs and remove any competition that dares to get in the way.
There are so many Final Fantasy titles with their own followings that it is impossible to say which ones are the best and the worst, but Final Fantasy XII: The Zodiac Age allows us to revisit one of the more popular titles in the series that has aged pretty well since its initial PlayStation 2 release.
Yonder is an important title because it proves that you don't need conflict, violence or combat in order to bring about a good adventuring experience. Everything that your avatar will see or do brings about a peaceful experience as you think things through and get creative in order to move forward. Need to make a bridge? Mine some stone or cut a tree (that is perhaps the most violent thing you'll do) to make the required bridge. Don't know how? Take the long way around and look for someone to teach you!
It is no secret that I love Elite: Dangerous; I have covered it quite extensively since we first got our hands on the preview in 2014 and ever since I have been utterly hooked. Now, after what seems to me is a lifetime of waiting (it wasn't), Elite: Dangerous is now available on the PlayStation 4 and it is every bit as glorious as the other platforms and in regard to the consoles, it is far, far superior than its Xbox counterpart. With HOTAS peripheral support on the PlayStation 4, Elite: Dangerous is absolutely the game to show that space sims not only work on console, but they excel there.
Released in Japan in 2015, now coming to North America is another installment in the Xanadu series, Tokyo Xanadu. Tokyo Xanadu follows the adventures of Kou Tokisaka, as he fights the supernatural labyrinths that are appearing in the city of Morimiya. With interesting characters, a good storyline, and a really solid soundtrack, there was a lot I liked about Tokyo Xanadu, despite some of its flaws.
While there are some technical hiccups that occur here, The Golf Club 2 still offers the best round of play available on any platform currently. If you can look past those concerns, fans of the sport should find a great deal to enjoy about this latest offering in the series.
Death Squared tries to do a lot of different things, and for the most part it succeeds. It wants to be a single player game, but it wants to be a party game as well. Death Squared tries to be approachable to newcomers, but it wants to have puzzles that will bend even the most puzzle-solving mind. In trying to be all of these things, Death Squared does just enough to stand out from the puzzle crowd and merit notice, even if it is not the most original title.
It is pretty easy to spot the inspirations behind the title Oceanhorn: Monster of Uncharted Seas. This is a game that has found its way onto just about every platform available now, and of all of them the Switch seems like a suitably comfortable home, lending itself nicely to the pick-up-and-play mentality that Nintendo has been pushing for its hybrid home and portable console. It is a fun game that kind of feels like a portable Zelda title, even though Oceanhorn would have benefited from taking a few more chances along the way to better establish its own identity.
Black the Fall by Sand Sailor Studios is one of the better platformers that I've played in a while. With both Nick and myself having previewed it at various stages of development I'm both confident and happy to say that the final product has been worth the seemingly long development time.
There comes a point in one's life where they simply have to accept the facts. Danganronpa is a prime example of this as it continues to raise the bar on each subsequent entry. Thinking that the first title had set the bar for insanity, craziness and the darkness that mankind is capable of, it wasn't long before the second game released and passed it and Another Episode that dark trend. Having only recently played the first two entries through the PS4 release of Reload:1 and Reload:2, I wasn't sure how these tales could get any darker.
There have been a handful of excellent RPG/strategy games that have released so far in 2017, and God Wars: Future Past hangs in there with a nice mix of old school sensibilities with some modern touches that make it an enjoyable adventure until the end.
Perception is a tough one to review, because it is a relatively short game that is at its core very similar to a lot of other action/horror titles out there. However, a clever mechanic combined with a very cool visual style helps to creates some excellent atmosphere that had me holding my breath on multiple occasions. In the end these smart design choices help to elevate Perception above the sea of also-ran titles in the genre, even if it never really quite realizes its potential.
Superdimension Neptune vs. Sega Hardgirls is the latest installment in the Neptunia franchise making its way to PC. As a cross-over between the Sega Hardgirls and Neptunia franchises, we see IF finally taking a spotlight role. Drawing from the Neptunia format with revamped combat and exploration, be prepared for a pleasant surprise on the classic Neptunia system.
It is disgusting how addictive this game is. As with every game in this franchise, Farming Simulator 18 should really be called Farming Equipment Driver 18 since pretty much all you do is drive in as straight of a line as possible with various farming equipment to grow crops and make money. Like I said, this game should not be this addictive, but true to the franchise's history, Farming Simulator 18 on the 3DS proves that the formula of slow moving accomplishment can be successfully ported onto a handheld in a slimmer, slightly less visually detailed package.
Ys Origin was originally released for PC in 2012, and has finally received a PS4/PSVita port this year. Created as a prequel to the other Ys games, Ys Origin takes place roughly 700 years before the events of Ys I and provides backstory of the world. With a story that will draw in new and veteran players alike, with a simple yet effective combat system and a stellar soundtrack, Ys Origin definitely demonstrates a quality product.
I have historically been extremely critical of the Warhammer/Warhammer 40k franchise so when I first learned of Total War: Warhammer I was a bit skeptical. I love the Total War series and with the exception of Total War: Attila they have produced some of the best strategy titles to date. Attila was not bad, just not up to par with previous titles and that, along with the abysmally bad pile of Warhammer crap that has come out in recent years, had me seriously concerned for the franchise. Fortunately Total War: Warhammer is actually really, very good. So good that it almost washes the bad taste of over a dozen horrible Warhammer/Warhammer 40k titles out of my mouth.