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Dead Rising 4 was already a highly enjoyable game when it released last year, but Frank's Big Package really takes it to the next level. While not all of the DLC is a home run, the tweaks to the main game are all a net positive. The new Capcom Heroes mode is also a blast, and basically turns Dead Rising into a crossover musou title. Frank's Big Package may look completely ridiculous, but it'll leave you pleased in all of the right ways.
The Walking Dead Collection easily achieves its goal of being the best way to experiences the bulk of Clementine's journey. The most appealing part of the package is the graphically enhanced version of the first season, and it winds up being a joy to play thanks to how well the design has stood the test of time. Whether you're curious of the series or a returning for a second go, there's a lot to like about this well crafted collection.
That is simply the best way to describe the game—it just doesn't work. Besides a clever story that reveals itself every so often and an eerie atmosphere that is perfect for this type of game, Black Mirror is a missed opportunity to truly modernize the 2003 original. I feel like the game hasn't learned anything from the likes of Tales From The Borderlands or Life Is Strange in the same way that Planet of the Apes: Last Frontier has. It feels like a game that is purposefully ignoring its competition in an era where Andy Serkis and other filmmakers have made it a point to get into the story-focused, adventure game genre. Black Mirror, unlike the Netflix show with the same name, refuses to trek into the future, instead resulting in a game that feels stuck in the past.
The highlight of Batman: The Enemy Within‘s third episode is definitely the interactions with Catwoman, but it also does a great job of moving the story forward. The overall picture is becoming increasingly clear, and the episode ends with a fantastic cliffhanger that left me on edge. The wait for episode four will be rough, but I'm excited to get out of this mess that Bruce Wayne finds himself in.
Planet of the Apes: Last Frontier features a story that manages to excite and get players invested in despite it not going too deep into the lives of both apes and humans. It's also an important experiment in storytelling, and one that largely winds up being successful. Hopefully this leads to more titles that aren't afraid to challenge the established ideas of interactive narrative.
L.A. Noire remains the best detective game around. Combing crime scenes, interrogating suspects, and catching them in lies with evidence to back up accusations is just as rewarding as ever. This port has allowed the game to age a little better than the original, however, it doesn't look like a massive upgrade was made in terms of graphics. The included photo mode is also welcome, but it has some odd limitations that may prove frustrating. Still, if you missed the original, or want the entire experience all over again in up to 4K resolution, then it's worth the asking price of $39.99.
Every time I put on the VR headset, I'm reminded of just how incredible virtual reality is. A similar awe catches hold of me with games like Skyrim. It's still hard to comprehend that Skyrim, a game from 2011 not originally designed for virtual reality, is now PlayStation VR's killer app. Marrying these two ideas seemed like an impossible feat, but Bethesda pulled it off. Skyrim VR is anything but a simple port to virtual reality. It is lovingly crafted with care and attention to make one of the biggest and most memorable VR experiences since the platform first launched. Skyrim VR isn't just a must-experience for PSVR owners; it's a reason to buy the headset.
It's undeniably a weird package, but Monster of the Deep: Final Fantasy XV manages to make its eccentricities work for it, rather than against it. Not only is it the best fishing game I've played in virtual reality, but it's also a true delight for Final Fantasy fans. Getting to see these iconic characters and creatures in a new way is simply fascinating, and it has me delighted at the prospect of future Final Fantasy virtual reality titles.
Defiant Development is a Dungeon Master getting better at their craft, taking us through a series of campaign filled with new mysteries, twists, turns, and mechanics. Not content with jut polishing up the formula of the original game, Hand of Fate 2 takes a step forward and defines what a sequel should be. Improvements abound, challenges await, and every single failure begets the promise of a bigger success, if you'd chance your fate in the cards.
VR experiences don't need to be complex or lengthy, but the depth of League of War: VR Arena is virtually non-existent. It tries to espouse a sense of strategy, but the execution is so simplistic that it becomes all too easy to win (or sometimes lose) completely by accident by spamming the field with units. League of War is literally just a game of spawning units onto a bland tabletop battlefield. It's designed well and the VR works, but more than a year on from the PSVR launch, a game needs to do something more than simply work to impress as a virtual reality experience.
Far From Noise is an important showcase that games should work within their limitations. A single developer like George Batchelor can never make something that'll rival Uncharted in scope or scale, but here he's managed to work within boundaries to make something all the more profound. Smart writing and design can go a long way, and Far From Noise manages to go many places while never leaving the edge of a cliff.
On one side of the coin, Outcast: Second Contact is a warranted revisit of a beloved title. It has a fantastically well-constructed narrative that's a genuine treat to delve in to. However, on the other side of the coin are the terrible combat controls, embarrassingly low-fidelity voiceovers and a bland, bug riddled world design. Being retro is no excuse for recklessly disregarding the quality of the end product. This may be one of those nostalgic experiences that are better left dead and buried in the past.
Besides the HD visuals, Ben 10 feels like a licensed title from a decade ago. Most of the game is comprised of inoffensive mediocrity, and rarely is there anything that feels inspired. Kids will likely have some fun smashing around levels as their favorite characters from the show, but there's simply too little content for it to keep attention spans occupied for too long.
If you enjoy turn-based RPGs with quirky characters and a generally lighthearted story, then you'll likely enjoy Demon Gaze II. There's a very strange fan-service mode in the maintenance performed on the demons, but other than that this is a safe bet for fans of the genre. Planning when to demonize your demons can make all the difference between domination and utter defeat, and the challenge level shouldn't put anyone off at the normal level. An active imagination is required to enjoy the little actual action displayed on-screen, and the dungeon graphics are terribly simplistic. But there is a lot of story and plenty of battling to keep most RPG players busy for dozens of hours before the Revolutionist Party seizes victory.
If you are looking for a game you can pick up and put down in short spurts, then Tokyo Tattoo Girls might just be perfect for you. There is a good strategy system to be found here, just really nothing else. The story is almost nonexistent and there really aren't enough options here to build upon the strategy, or give you something to break it up a bit. If you are OK with the lack of options and just want to take over Tokyo and look at some nicely detailed tattoos, then Tokyo Tattoo Girls should be on your radar. Just don't expect much more outside of that, because there isn't anything.
Some strong art direction and great puzzle design helps Max: The Curse of Brotherhood manage to be worth the time of PlayStation 4 owners.
The Star Wars authenticity can be felt throughout, but blatantly predatory microtransactions are a blight, force choking the life out of what is otherwise one of my favorite games this year.
It is known how much I adore LEGO games, but these last two have been glitch-filled messes. I can't recommend this one at all, even to those who loved the first one, until TT Games puts out a hefty patch to resolve these glitches. LEGO Marvel Super Heroes 2 isn't unplayable by any stretch, but it's a downright frustrating adventure with these game-breaking issues. Ye have been warned.
There's a really fun time management cooking game here, but without environment changes, kitchen upgrades, or additional toppings, Dead Hungry's creative and frenetic gameplay quickly grows as stale as the flesh of those it seeks to feed. It seems like it would have been easy to add some kind of economy and progression system to the game, in addition to communicating what the actual requirements are, but instead we're left with the value meal. The VR integration is fantastic, and the idea is sound, but the execution of this hectic time management experience hits the bare minimum requirements, rather than creating a compelling progression that begs for repeat play.
Stifled is an exercise in taking a great idea and applying it to a worn out genre. The indie horror tropes bleed through, despite a unique initial premise. Mumbling under my breath to be able to see barely plays into the narrative, and no scare ever got me to scream out loud, so it didn't quite have the intended effect, seeming more like a gimmick by the end. The tired horror ideas became quickly obvious when VR and mic audio are not used. Gimmicks are the only legs that Stifled has to stand on, and when the novelty of them wears out, there's only a tried and dull horror experience underneath.