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It's frustrating that Gal*Gun 2 is obsessed with sex as a plot point, mechanic, and motivator, in spite of everything else it has going for it.
Once you get used to the gameplay loop after the first few missions, different types of Jackals and Titans that sport progressively tougher armor begin to be introduced, but it turns into a bit of a chore after a while. Extinction is just too simple of a game to justify its price tag and didn't hold my interest for the entirety of the campaign or its side activities—which include time trials, your everyday horde mode, and basic multiplayer functionality. It just seems like a project that is too big, yet too small, for the developers at Iron Galaxy, and the times when it does all click together are few and far in between.
There's a lot to like about the approach that's been taken with Regalia. The developers have taken a good story premise and weaved it into a game involving world building, classic text adventures, dungeon crawling, crafting, and social bond-building, as well as all the other fripperies you'd expect to find outside of the field of battle. The problem is that none of those strands are as fully formed as they'd need to be to be able to call the game a real success in any one area.
While these things keep the game from being perfect, however, they don't stop it from being great. Owlboy is a must-play platformer for fans of the genre and of gaming's history in general. It's also a truly wonderful revelation on the PS4, feeling right at home on the console in a way that made me briefly forget at times that the game was a port. Come for the charming art or the offer of some quick hits of nostalgia, but stay for the sublime storytelling and fluid gameplay.
Crisis on the Planet of the Apes shows VR players what it means to be an ape, not only putting them in the role of the fur covered creatures, but also requiring that they move and act like one too. By the end, I felt sufficiently ape-like. Crisis accomplished its goal of immersing me in the role, even if some of the more brilliant ape interactions were one-off moments rather than regularly used mechanics. Sadly, this brilliant immersion is hampered by dull environments, enemy encounters that become boring, and a fairly weak story that requires the films in order to mean much. Even then, the duration of the hour-long experience can be summed up simply by saying “ape escape.” Crisis on the Planet of the Apes creates some interesting new ideas for virtual reality, but it ends up tripping over its own big monkey feet along the way.
Masters of Anima is for those who love to multitask. Ordering various groups of guardians to attack multiple groups of enemies while also moving around, dodging attacks and performing combos can make for a very hectic game. But for those who live for the thrill of a job well done amidst a bunch of chaos, Masters of Anima was made for them. The rest of us will have to suffer through some agonizing deaths on a painful path to better skills before this game really opens up. Appearances can be deceiving, and Master of Anima is certainly a prime example of this phrase.
Infernium attempts to pay homage to older games, and mostly leaves the player alone to discover the world on their own. Problem is, many of the connections between levels only make sense to the developer, and while the game's scares may cause a good jump or two, they are easy to see coming after the first few times. Permadeath is a mechanic few games use these days, but when dying in a game is this agonizing involving multiple loading screens, the player may almost welcome obtaining a game over since it's the last time they'll see that purgatory.
Island Time VR is a delightful escape to a remote tropical island, but this isn't LOST. The secrets of this tiny plot of land can be figured out all too quickly, and there's not enough of an element of random chance to retain interest in repeated playthroughs.
Minit is pure fun from beginning to end, and it's too short for its own good.
Bridge Constructor Stunts is a mobile game that's been ported to just about every platform under the sun. Its 2018 PS4 release is little more than a big screen version of the freemium game that came out on iOS back in 2015. There's an element of fun here, but it's hardly the type of game people bought their PS4s to play. If you've got an inkling of interest in the Bridge Constructor series, might I recommend trying the series for free on mobile, or even the far superior Bridge Constructor Portal? Bridge Constructor Stunts for PS4 just ends up landing on its head.
It's really too bad that MLB The Show 18 launched in its current state. Nearly everything about the game, from how it handles difficulty to making sure every part of baseball feels dynamic, is handled brilliantly and is the result of years of hard work coming together. That amount of polish makes it all the more jarring that Sony has failed to get the online working right after so many iterations of this yearly series. It very well might be the best baseball game ever made, but it has to come with a huge asterisk at the moment.
I started The Raven Remastered with a bit of a soured opinion. Here was this game I had never heard of getting a remaster, it looks like an original Pixar attempt at making human features, and the dialogue is cheesier than the Power Rangers reruns my sons enjoy. I'm so glad I didn't rely upon first impressions, because like Constable Zellner, the game is deeper than it looks and has a story that will keep players guessing. I couldn't ask for much more in a great whodunnit.
The best similitude I can make regarding the remastered version of Titan Quest is that of a game that attempts to sneak into an era that has long passed it by. While a minimal amount of enjoyment can be had listening to the wayfarers and tradesmen across the many worlds that the hero visits, there are too many problems that stem from the game's now ancient design. While titles like Shadow of the Colossus can confidently hold their own in a decade that they were not intended for, it may be a bittersweet sign of the swift progression in the industry that most titles are just not good enough anymore.
Atelier Lydie & Suelle: The Alchemists and the Mysterious Paintings knows what it wants to be, and for the most part, it delivers. Those looking for style and substance will only find the former in abundance, but there's just enough of the latter to keep Lydie and Suelle's adventure interesting enough to explore deeper. Just don't expect to become too invested in any of the game's story or characters. For a world that's built on the notion that the sum can be greater than the whole of its parts, Atelier Lydie & Suelle never becomes more than its addictive gameplay and two-dimensional protagonists, for better or for worse.
For both better and worse, Far Cry 5 is a far cry from those that came before, though it's still a lot of fun to play.
World of Warriors attempts to cast off its past as a mobile title, and in that regard it mostly succeeds. The new control options available thanks to the simple inclusion of a proper input device means that combat is tighter, and combos are easier to pull off. At about $20, though, most people might be inclined to keep playing the mobile version without a killer reason to pay money for something that's free elsewhere. For some, local co-op may be worth the price of admission, but for those without others to play with, the asking price may be a bit too steep at launch.
The Witch and the Hundred Knight 2 improves upon its predecessor, and should appeal to fans of the first game. The story may put some off given its plodding pace and numerous quirky side stories, but most people who are interested in this game likely enjoy exactly that kind of storytelling. New Tochkas and new active abilities for the Hundred Knight give more battle options to players, though the camera angle may create a few missed opportunities to finish a sweet combo or get a surprise attack on enemies. Additional graphics options are a welcome surprise, and ultimately summarize the general feeling of The Witch and the Hundred Knight 2 – improved where it counts.
A Way Out is a true achievement in game design. Not only does it manage to take players on a true journey of emotion, it does so in a way that is only possible through the medium of video games. It manages to do something truly special by making two players to cooperate for an extended amount of time, and the discussions that happen on the couch or over voice chat can be just as revealing as the game itself. Josef Fares and Hazelight have undoubtedly raised the bar for co-op gaming.
But even after all my criticisms with the game, the ending was both surprising and fitting. I won't spoil it, but what I will say is that it reminded me of why I love this franchise so dearly and I would be lying if I said that I didn't get a little emotional. It doesn't stop there though, as Assassin's Creed Rogue is full of small surprises for long-time fans that are better left explored. If anything can be taken from the release of Assassin's Creed Rogue Remastered, it is that the series has come a long way in a short period of time. Unfortunately, Assassin's Creed Rogue is on the wrong side of that timeline.
I don't want to slam Assault Gunners too much, as I'm sure a lot of time and love went into its creation, and the game may certainly be someone's jam. Yet this is just one mecha-anime dream I want no part in.