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While Road Redemption succeeds in a few ways, there are a lot of ways it doesn't excel. A repetitive campaign, lackluster online play, and difficult progression outweigh the simple quick play mode. Road Redemption may be fun for a short period of time, but it's not something I will find myself going back to play. It's not a bad game, it just doesn't stand out among the array of options available.
Many video games don't age well, but Spyro Reignited Trilogy feels like the game didn't age at all. Toys for Bob applied the fountain of youth to a 20-year old series, and the little purple dragon is just as perky and fired up as ever. Two decades is enough time for even a beloved classic to lose its magic. Toys for Bob took that into account every step of the way, reigniting nostalgia and memory while making the series feel right at home for new players today. Whether you're hopping back in with fond memories of Spyro or taking flight for the first time, Spyro Reignited Trilogy has a charm that will allow everyone to create new memories with this gaming icon.
Omen of Sorrow is a solid game fueled by hardcore knowledge, a cool roster, and fascinating mechanics. I'm looking forward to seeing what's in store for its future.
Tetris Effect does incredible things with Tetris. The ambiance is unbelievable, and the array of modes make the puzzle game perfect for people whether they want an ordinary experience, something low key, or maybe one of the most brutal challenges like the unimaginably fast Classic Master mode. But, there are times when the atmosphere can get too distracting or overwhelming. It also is not for someone hoping for any sort of competitive affair, which is more of an advisory than an actual knock against it. Tetris Effect is a sort of instantly timeless puzzle game that is good about delivering the exact sort of single-player trial you need, when you need it.
Essentially, Steel Rats answers the question it sets out to ask. Cool as it sounds, if you stuck a circular saw on the front wheel of a motorcycle, it might slash the tire, or sever the brake line, or spark through the spokes. As good as Steel Rats is at world-building, it often fails when it lets you take control. Sometimes the answer it finds isn't the answer it needs.
What could possibly be more compelling than a heated, rank-determining battle via the Hello Kitty theme song, after all?
Transpose came completely out of left field and knocked my proverbial socks off. It was a genuine pleasure to play. I went in with virtually no expectations and left feeling like I'd been swept up into something I never realized was even possible in VR. If you're looking for a no-frills puzzle experience that can scratch that Portal itch, look no further. This is the kind of perception-altering title that PSVR owners owe it to themselves to play.
Déraciné is an intriguing PlayStation VR experience that definitely feels like a FromSoftware title. From its air of whimsical mystery to its hard reliance on theme rather than detail for its narrative delivery, well, I could make a Dark Souls joke here, but I figure that ship has sailed elsewhere. However, while Déraciné is worth playing and figuring out for yourself, it's hard to recommend with enthusiasm. While intriguing and mysterious, the storytelling does have fundamental issues that make the overall mystery feel unearned and the tension intangible. The player's “powers” are more scripted than play-oriented, and the play itself is bogged down in searching for objects and placing them where they need to go to move things forward. There are neat ideas here and plenty of VR-flavored awe to be had, but Déraciné won't be standing out like one may have hoped.
If you want a game that captures the fantasy cowboy life, let me point you in a different direction.
For all it aspires to deliver, Mutant Football League is a refreshingly vulgar, entertaining take on a tried and true football formula. While the gameplay leaves something to be desired as far a depth and mechanics are concerned, the commentary and exaggerated presentation helps sand off some of the rougher edges. Over time, however, the charm will begin to fade, as will its overall appeal. Your mileage may vary, depending upon your maturity level.
GRIP: Combat Racing is an impressive arcade racer, one that harkens back to the glory days of racers such as WipEout, while adding its own innovations. Jumping from floor to ceiling to wall and back sounds like it might be too hectic, but GRIP's excellent camera handling ensures that players won't lose track of what they are doing very easily. Four-player split screen, which is an absolute rarity these days, is a much-appreciated inclusion, and ensures that GRIP: Combat Racing will be played by groups for a while to come.
Death Mark is classic, Japanese, video game horror. It's essentially a collection of ghost stories, wrapped up in a mysterious package and enhanced with investigative gameplay and life or death moments that test your logic and ability to pay attention.
Call of Cthulhu is worth playing if you like your Lovecraft. It's worth playing if you like horror in general, too. However, it isn't a must-play, despite having the potential to have established itself as one.
As a new interpretation of this almost decade-old formula, Sinner asks some great questions. When we strip away the exploration of the dungeon crawl and the tension of the storytelling, what's the core of Dark Souls? Risky, challenging, and rewarding encounters with larger than life baddies. Sinner may not be the final answer, unfortunately. It's too derivative, both in enemy and environment design. Sinner focused and simple, but over-complicates things with the sacrifice experiment. It's a step in a new and right direction, but it's only a half step at best.
While Nickelodeon Kart Racers' provides plenty of content and has smart references that integrate well with some very solid racing, the poor visuals and botched battle mode leave plenty to be desired. If you accept the game for what it is there's definitely some fun to be had but its shortcomings are jarring enough to require some substantial blinders.
The target audience for this product are either shameless zealots or complete newcomers. Given that there is no other legitimate source to play both games on a current generation console, either group will ultimately end up satisfied. However, if you are looking for fan service, you'll be gravely disappointed. Imagine that: Konami phoning something in? Why does that sound so familiar?
Red Dead Redemption 2 redefines the open world genre.
Heavy Fire: Red Shadow had the potential to give gamers an updated version of Beach Head 2002 from the heyday of arcades. Unfortunately, an incredibly short campaign, terrible graphics, and a lack of any real challenge all coalesce into an altogether underwhelming product. The $9.99 premium VR mode is so minimal in execution, that even that isn't recommended. If you absolutely love arcade, wave-based shooters, it's probably still best to wait until Heavy Fire: Red Shadow is on a fire sale before plopping down the cash.
Overall, though, it's tough not to recommend My Hero One's Justice all the same. Being able to take these characters out for a spin and re-enact some of their most memorable moments from the story is a treat, and the fighting gameplay itself is just strong enough that it keeps drawing me back in whenever I think I'm done with it for the next few days. It's a solid game that can easily draw in newcomers as well, thanks to the story mode's careful retreading of past plots, too. My Hero One's Justice is a strong introduction to what could easily be the foundation of a valuable fighting franchise for Bandai Namco and a must-own for My Hero Academia fans.
Soulcalibur VI is a solid entry in the long-running fighting franchise. The new Reversal Edge mechanic gives everyone a chance at a comeback, with a balanced risk that their move may backfire on the player who invoked the move. A decent campaign is paired with a beefier custom story mode, to provide for dozens of hours of gameplay, even if most of the cutscenes are more visual novel than actual cutscene. Barebones online options may leave some players wanting more, but getting to the action is as quick as ever because of a sharp focus. Time will tell if these improvements can translate to better sales, but Soulcalibur VI is one game all fighting fans should pick up.