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Dreadnought's gameplay is such a powerful experience, and it is a shame that the current population on PlayStation 4 is not what the game deserves. Matchmaking can take anywhere from 5-10 minutes, and even then, I've never had a full 5-on-5 player match without at least one AI controlled ship. Hopefully, the developers can help alleviate the grind at the higher tiers, and look to adjust how the customization system works, opening up purchased items across all classes.
Post Human W.A.R., as I noted, feels like "RTS-lite" and is even reminiscent of a board game sprung to life on my PC. The points system, grid maps, and vibrant nature of the games has me imagining pulling everything out of a box and setting it up on my kitchen table. The general simplicity has a high-level draw, and it offers an appeal of fun for anyone looking to get into something that's not overly violent and has a budding online community to play against. While I think some of the chat features need to be revamped, it's definitely a game newer RTS players could get into. My only real complaint is the lack of heavy substance; since the campaign feels quick and the focus of the game seems to be primarily directed towards online, those looking for a deeper single-player experience may feel left out.
SpellForce 3 is a pretty fantastic game, but it's also pretty large and potentially overwhelming. That's not to say it doesn't create an excellent challenge, but there is quite a bit to pick up and run with for people new to the RTS genre. I feel that given some time, most can become quite adept and will thoroughly enjoy the game. And at the least, the game has some beautiful graphics to admire while you're slaughtering some crazy beast or an enemy army.
Black Mirror attempts to bring a horror-themed point-and-click adventure game to a new audience but is hampered by glaring technical setbacks. On more than one occasion, David had become stuck, only to seemingly slowly rotate himself in place with no way to free yourself. During one of the game's pivotal cutscenes, the game crashed with an alarmingly loud buzzing noise before crashing back to the Xbox home screen. Exploring the eerie mansion and the accompanying ground should be more enjoyable, but the frequent loading screens ruin the experience. If you can overlook these issues, I found the characters and the narrative quite compelling, but at the same time, there is no reason to play through the game multiple times.
Hand of Fate 2 is truly a unique take on the role-playing genre, with randomly designed dungeons based on the cards within your deck. Whether you are testing your luck, disarming traps, earning gold, or fighting against the undead, each challenge feels uniquely designed. The dealer still knows how to get under your skin with jeers and taunts, but the cards are the most prominent highlight of the game. The inclusions of companions add an additional layer to combat, even if they don't rewrite the game mechanics. In fact, you may experience a different narrative based on which companion you bring along with you.
A Hat in Time is a fantastic experience. It's got stuff that anyone of any age can enjoy. I know it reminded me of some of the classic 3D platformers of the mid-to-late 90's, both in general feel and tone. Throw in a goofy-yet-fun story and a wacky cast (with great voice acting to boot), and you'll be able to get anyone interested. While the game is only available on PC at the time of this review, it will be coming to consoles at a later point.
ELEX is a game that suffers from its lofty ambition. It aims for admittedly high goals that are worth aspiring to, but it seemed to have forgotten some key things along the way. The sheer expanse of the world, rich backstory, and a mind-boggling amount of things to see/do in the game are fantastic, but the game suffers from technical issues, absurdly challenging gameplay at times, and a buffet scenario where you just have too much to choose from. The technical issues alone can be frustrating, but when you combine those with incessant deaths at the hands of minor enemies the game starts to really drive the point home that you should play on easy. Be warned though: you'll still face a hard time.
Being a Harmonix title, it only seems fitting that they included a calibration to sync the visuals and audio if you are having difficulties. I applaud the desire to continue releasing games that can be classified in the music genre, as the almost yearly release of Rock Band became quite tiresome. Super Beat Sports shows they can still lead the way in innovation with rhythm-based titles with a colorful and charming spin. I was initially caught off guard on how sharp and clean the visuals look, both in portable mode and when docked.
The Jackbox Party Pack 4 once again shows that innovation can still occur after years of releasing the same type of product. While Fibbage is the only sequel mini-game, the changes included help freshen the experience. The ease of use is the most significant asset to the Jackbox titles, allowing anyone with access to a browser to join the action. While Jackbox Games is undoubtedly going to face some competition in the form of PlayLink titles on PlayStation 4, but the fact you don't have to download apps ahead of time keeps these games on my must-play list for get-togethers.
The Evil Within 2 is quite the surprise, outperforming its predecessor in every category. The lengthy narrative kept me invested, while the open-world nature of Union and the supporting characters help create a much more realized environment. Even then, the game's tension is quite high, and there were a lot more scares than I was expected. The lack of PlayStation 4 Pro support is indeed an odd decision, but hopefully, Bethesda can patch the game sooner rather than later.
RAID: World War II failed to capture the magic that makes the Payday franchise so popular. Although Lion Game Lion has worked on the franchise, this game features disappointing AI, costly technical issues, and other glaring issues. It's not beyond repair, however, if they wish to continue supporting the game long-term, as the gist of running raids with friends online and stealing Naxi treasures is something that is quite appealing. There are basic customization options for characters, but the amount of time it will take to grind proficiencies is disappointing. It is such as shame that I couldn't be more positive on a game that includes FMV sequences with John Cleese.
Bloody Zombies is an enjoyable old-school cooperative brawler with modern conveniences. VR players certainly have an advantage, being able to view levels in their entirety, making it easier to find secrets, but most importantly, they can experience the sense of depth the game has to offer. Players can feed off of each other's combos, juggling enemies in the air for hundreds of hits at a time, something that is sorely missing when trying to save London alone.
Battle Chasers: Nightwar is an insanely good title with classic role-playing game mechanics. The art design and animation are quite unmatched, and it's a pleasure to experience newly discovered areas for that alone. The battle system is more in-depth than most RPGs released today, but it is a shame the sheer amount of grinding you have to do to keep pace with the narrative. I also experience more than a handful crashes and bugs that forced me to quit the game. One, in particular, failed to load the boss for a side mission, not letting me progress any further down the quest chain.
Although I find myself usually not replaying single-player narrative focused titles, I felt compelled to play through Tokyo Dark multiple times (the first playthrough will take around five hours). Maybe it was the inclusion of the alternate endings or the beautiful stylized visuals combined with a dark and intense narrative. The S.P.I.N. system can severely alter how other characters react to you, making you question your every action.
Observer is incredibly solid. It's steeped in narrative and features dark and beautiful environments. It captures the dystopian feel of an uncertain and technologically filled future. And there's certainly enough to spook you or keep you on your toes. No mind interrogation is easy or makes much sense, but you can never fully understand the mind either. Aside from the creepy, intense leaps into other's minds or completing a forensic investigation into a crime scene, much of the story is told through slow exposition. The world is seemingly devoid, and aside from a few places, I never felt pressured or frightened. It was more of a "I'll just keep going this way until something changes." The lack of interactions in the world makes me question a lot of what Lazarski experiences, making it seem like reality is suspect in itself.
Solstice Chronicles: MIA. is a solid twin-stick shooter. I enjoyed the narrative, sequences, and even the sometimes cheesy voice work. I initially wasn't aware that the game provided skill points, in fact I accrued 19 points before I even knew the system existed. My main complaint honestly is the lack of online support, as that was hands down one of the best parts of The Red Solstice.
Hob is a beautiful puzzle action adventure game with an enjoyable sense of discovery. Bringing the world back to life by solving the dungeons was a pleasure, and the painterly quality of the visuals are a treat. The game emphasis exploration over the combat, so the mechanics may feel lacking when compared to other games in the genre. There are plenty of hidden secret for you to find once you complete the main narrative.
The meat of Fictorum lies in the magic casting system and the game's ridiculously, dangerously fun physics. Blowing up buildings and bridges or sending enemies soaring into the sky is just an absolute treat. Throw in a fun story to follow along with on the map screen, and some crazy spells and the game can become quite enjoyable. The only huge concern I might have is the overall challenge of the game and how easy it can be to die. I've jumped onto house debris and managed to die before sliding off since the game interpreted it as me being hit by an object. It can get frustrating to die over and over, but thankfully the game experience is new each time.
Oriental Empires is a solidly built empire strategy game, but I feel it falls short in some key categories.
Destiny 2 is an absolute marvel, outperforming its predecessor in every aspect. The strong cinematic narrative focus is both refreshing and much needed. Destiny 2 respects its fan base time with the way content is structured in each location. The game's sweeping score is simply astonishing, ramping up during key moments, but helps elevate the game's strong atmosphere even just exploring the forests of the European Dead Zone or the oceanic surface of Titan. The game's first raid is both remarkable and uniquely designed, putting less focus on boss encounters, and instead highlights the strong gameplay mechanics and puzzles from the game's designers. Some may be turned off by the consumable nature of mods and shaders but considering by the time you finish the narrative and hit level 20; you'll be overflowing with more shaders than you'll ever use.