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New players will have to work to get up to speed, as much as the game tries to help them out, but hardcore puck nuts will find themselves going deep into overtime with this one. The almost overwhelming numbers of ways that the game can be played means that it's one that will definitely keep you going way past the finals.
Without the support of virtual reality, it would be hard to recommend Bloody Zombies as anything outright different from any other beat 'em up game. Does it need virtual reality? No, it could have just been another digital brawler, albeit one full of personality. Does it benefit from virtual reality? Absolutely, and without it, my score would be lower. VR lends a unique perspective and gives players real gameplay reasons to want to put on the headset instead of just playing on a TV. Thought of as a virtual reality game with the ability for couch co-op via the TV, Bloody Zombies is a fun brawler that has both unique implications for its own genre and VR. That kind of evolution of games and platforms is just what video games need to grow.
Ys VIII isn't Adol's typical adventure, but it's so well-crafted (aside from chatty characters) from its combat down to its methods of exploration and side mission variety. It may take a bit longer for newcomers than long-time fans to take the bait, but once you're reeled in, you will be hooked. You'll need to be hooked, because even with a crit-path strategy for completion, it will easily take over 40 hours to get through the mystery of the Isle of Seiren. Fortunately, any action-RPG fan, even those who disliked the Ys series in the past, will find plenty to lure them in and keep them on the line.
Despite feeling hesitant going into Before the Storm, Deck Nine Games' rendition of Arcadia Bay quickly reminded me of why I loved the series and its characters in the first place. Any fears of this being a cash-in on a beloved game melted away, and I was able to fully enjoy Awake without any second thoughts. I'm excited to see where Chloe and Rachel's story goes from here, even if I already know how tragic it ultimately ends.
Knack 2 is an improvement on the first game in every way possible. Mark Cerny and his team have proven that they can take criticism, iterate on it, and then give players even more for their money than was expected.
Editor's Note: If you intend to play Don't Knock Twice without PSVR, take a point or two off of the final score. The flat-screen version is inferior to the virtual reality version.
While Absolver is up and down in a lot of places, the game just doesn't come together well. There's something about the underlying design that makes it feel disjointed. Most of this comes from the quasi-open world aspect, but the ridiculous level of grinding involved and the disconnected PvP mode makes Absolver feel like a game that's at war with itself. It certainly has the potential to be great though, with more of a focus on interweaving the PvE and PvP content as well as some expansions to the tight and narrow world of Adal and a very much needed mini-map system.
Ark: Survival Evolved has a bunch of interesting ideas. But by attempting to be a jack-of-all-trades, it doesn't really feel like it has mastered any particular element. This doesn't mean there isn't fun to be had in the ARK; if you enjoy the brutal survival mechanics on offer here, then you will likely spend many dozens, if not hundreds, of hours in the quite lengthy grind as you conquer the primitive world. For many people, however, the time required to really enjoy what's shown on the cover art may prove too insurmountable.
If you do like the narrative or can see fit to skip it, I think you'll have a much better time than I did.
Obduction houses not one, but many vibrant, lush, and mysterious worlds in a package that seems to be made for old Myst fans like myself. The balance of symbiotic nature of environment, narrative, and puzzle design means that Obduction constantly feels riveting and natural. It's a delight to experience a modern game with that classic Cyan design, but the technical issues detract from the experience far too much, even going as far as artificially increasing the time it takes to complete some puzzles. I managed to really enjoy the experience that was crafted, but it wasn't without a fair amount of annoyance at little optimization problems that make Obduction far from perfect.
For all of its promise, Dead Alliance falls frustratingly short of its full potential.
My initial impression of Sparc had me raving about how it was the best game I've ever played in VR. I've since come down from that initial high, and while I do have some concerns about the amount of content, it remains one of the best experiences I've had on PlayStation VR. It's absolutely enthralling, and while you may look like a tremendous dork while playing it (I've seen footage of me playing and it's not a pretty sight), you feel like the coolest person in the world as you're barely managing to dodge balls at the last second.
Songbringer is a worthwhile game to play if you're a fan of the action-adventure genre. Overall it's well made, looks nice, and the word seeds make the game fun and offers a sort of replayability most action-adventure games cannot. It's a bit unfortunate that the wonky combat makes some encounters more frustrating than they need to be, but other than that Songbringer is a well-crafted experience.
I was happy to find that Rabi-Ribi was, on the whole, a totally unexpected and delightful discovery for me on PS4. While I wasn't enthused by what I initially saw in trailers and such, I found myself happily proven wrong by the actual content.
Over 20 years since it initially released,Windjammers is finally getting its chance to shine as a competitive game. It's got the accessibility and depth to deliver memorable play sessions, and while the online play can sometimes be disappointing, I'm largely left impressed. Few multiplayer games have made me scream (and make some strange primal noises during the heat of the action) like Windjammers, and it's simply a blast when played with friends.
With a low barrier to entry and a high skill ceiling, charming design, and reasons to play for a long time, Everybody's Golf really is golf for everybody. What? You were expecting a hole-in-one pun?
Unlocking the various story branches to trigger the different endings provides a sense of puzzling to proceedings that adds some welcome depth but while the trimmings have been given a new feel and the varied cast of characters provides some new attraction, Warriors All-Stars is unlikely to draw many new players in. That won't matter to those with any interest in the game though, as this is exactly what they will have been hoping for since the game was first announced. In short – and I'm sorry to use this, but it fits the bill – fans of the series will absolutely love it.
Pillars of Eternity was certainly crafted with PC in mind, but it's no less an enjoyable experience on console.
My hang-ups with the aiming aside, the PlayStation 4 version of Resident Evil Revelations is the best version of the survival horror outing. The problem is that it's 2017. It's been over five years since Revelations (or I guess it was technically "Revelaitons" then) released on Nintendo 3DS, and what was once a technical marvel is an outdated-looking title on current consoles. Capcom has done a nice job cleaning it up, but it's still ultimately a handheld title that was designed to be viewed on a 240p screen. That won't matter to the die hard Resident Evil fans who plan on picking up the same game for the third time, but it's becoming harder to recommend to newcomers as time passes.
Nearly two years have passed since Undertale originally released, and it still manages to be an incredibly fresh experience. Every battle is a unique puzzle that the player has to solve, and it's impossible to count how many times I laughed at the bad jokes of Sans. I'll never see all that the game has to offer, but that's okay. I'd rather make friends than destroy them.