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While not the most novice-friendly racing game, those who put the hours into Codemasters' latest F1 title will find it a worthwhile endeavor. The on-track action is great, and the level of customization is rarely seen even in other simulations. Unfortunately, a lot of the finer racing concepts aren't introduced well and the gigantic R&D tree can be overwhelming when first seen during the career mode. If players can get past that, they'll have a blast.
Telltale's Guardians of the Galaxy has been circumventing my expectations ever since the crew killed Thanos in the very first episode, and that trend continued here. I really have no clue where the series will go next, and that leaves me excited. I'm more than happy to be along for the ride with Star Lord and his ragtag crew.
Rock of Ages 2: Bigger & Boulder is smart, funny, and quirky in all the best ways. It was a big surprise to get a sequel to the 2011 PSN game, but I'm happy it did. Although I wish more effort would have been put into making the boss battles feel climactic and challenging, rather than tacked-on additions, the meat of the experience is an exciting and stylish tower defense game with a unique premise. I can't name another game that lets you squish the likes of Van Gogh , Henry VIII, and Medusa with a boulder that's rolled through numerous famous works of art. Allowing for four people to get in on the Monty Python-styled action both locally and online is just the feather in the cap of Atlas' adventure as he flees from God.
If imitation is the sincerest form of flattery, then ChromaGun is one of the most lovingly crafted manifestos I've ever seen. It effortlessly parallels the world of Portal, while injecting more than enough originality to be able to stand on its own. It may not quite meet the gold standard that was established by Valve's masterpiece, but I can't help but wonder how much more impressive it might have felt, if ChromaGun had actually pre-dated Portal. While certainly not reinventing the wheel, this is an experience that will surely satiate any puzzle fiend, searching for a more colorful way to embrace their inner tester.
My comparison to Scary Movie may have been a wrong one. There's more sophistication here than that. Instead, I'll say that Thimbleweed Park is the Cabin in the Woods of point-and-click graphic adventure games. Its self-referential awareness of its own existence belies a level of thought and planning that simple parodies do not. It leans into the sins of the past, and comes out all the better for it. This isn't a modern day triple-A title, but if you want a taste of why the Ron Gilbert classics are so beloved by many longtime gamers, Thimbleweed Park is a window into the past that shouldn't be missed.
White Day: A Labyrinth Named School is worth checking out if you're into horror games. While the main story is a bit simplistic, and it is far too easy to overlook a key item resulting in unnecessary time spent back-tracking, White Day has a perfectly terrifying ambiance. A campaign length of 8-12 hours is also justified by its $29.99 USD asking price. Sure, some of White Day‘s mechanics may be stuck in the past, but there's a certain charm in being limited in the number of saves you can have, and experiencing new and exclusive horrors at higher difficulty levels.
As a remake, Kiwami is a triumphant success. Not only is it leaps and bounds more playable than the PS2 original, the additional scenes help flesh out character motivations. This all makes the story of Kiryu's rise feel more special, and it's a perfect continuation for those who recently played Yakuza 0. There are some disappointments, though, as just roaming around Kamurocho feels like a step backwards from previous games that featured multiple cities to explore, but that's just an unfortunate side-effect of being a remake of a much-less ambitious title. The new bells and whistles make Yakuza Kiwami a worthwhile time no matter if you've played the original or not.
Observer is brilliant in dozens of ways, yet deeply flawed in just as many. The quality of its story ranges from a confusing mess to some of the best written characters of this generation. The game's biggest issue is its inconsistency on when and where to deliver its moments of horror. There was little to keep me going besides the next opportunity to speak to a troubled citizen of futuristic Krakow's most interesting building block.
This closing chapter isn't perfect, and some low-quality textures can be distracting on PlayStation 4, but it does manage to put a bow on one of gaming's greatest stories.
Uncharted: The Lost Legacy is a fun addition to the consistently solid Uncharted franchise. While this entry may be quite a bit shorter than the main numbered games, that doesn't mean the key components that constitute an Uncharted game aren't just as present. Indeed, you'll rarely see a game with this high of production values for only $39.99. Uncharted: The Lost Legacy is a tight, action-packed adventure in India, and a trip well worth taking.
Madden NFL 18 is an impressive leap forward for the series. Not only is Longshot an ambitious and fantastically told story, it's one that isn't limited to pre-existing football fans. There's also more ways to enjoy the game than ever before, as there are several play styles that will mold the game into either a more realistic or arcade-like experience depending on what the user desires. EA Tiburon has set a new high bar for the series, that they'll have to work towards reaching every year going forward. For now, though, NFL fans can enjoy one of the best sports games that Electronic Arts has ever put out.
As someone who played way too much of the original, Nidhogg 2 is a let-down. Like the original, it's still a lot of fun to play locally, but it fails to really excel in the areas where Nidhogg faltered before. The online play currently ranges from bad to broken, and that's a huge hit for a game that's built around playing with friends. The single-player arcade mode isn't enjoyable to play, and feels thrown in order to fulfill a checklist. It's simply lacking in areas that'd make it a more appealing party game than the original. There are still flashes of brilliance that remind me why I loved Nidhogg, but the sequel never clicked for me in the same way. Hopefully some patches will add this into my online rotation, but right now I'm left underwhelmed.
In the end, whether you prefer to whittle your hours away building the city of your dreams with unlimited resources, or chase down trophies as you build your way toward things more deliberately, I don't think you'll find a superior sim anywhere on PS4.
There's a lot to love in Agents of Mayhem, which makes the pitfalls harder to swallow. An imaginative story and cast of characters is burdened by an uninspired and soulless open-world. Exciting character combat gets pushed out of the limelight by notable slowdown and other bugs that inhibit gameplay. In a day where open-world games are evolving and giving players a lot more depth, meaning, and life, Agents of Mayhem feels like a step backwards. Volition ought to consider either abandoning or stepping up the open-world if they decide to continue the franchise.
Despite closing weaker than it starts, there's a lot to like about Matterfall‘s unique blend of platforming and shooting. It's great to see Housemarque trying something new, and besides some tricky controls, they nail most of their ideas flawlessly. PlayStation 4 owners can safely rack this up as yet another Housemarque gem.
Overall, Sonic Mania succeeds a lot more than it stumbles.
In terms of exciting moments and fun, varied competitive combat, LawBreakers has a great lock on what makes players want to play, both from the fast-paced competitive side and the specialized character side. While it could do with more in the way of tutorials to teach players how to play, it does an excellent job of balancing each match to feel immediate and competitive, while also keeping the cadence that makes some of the slower multiplayer games more fun to play. It's inexpensive launch price and promise never to tread the waters of microtransactions help to sell a game that is easy to pick up and fun to play, but has enough nuance to keep players coming back for a long time.
ICEY is a biting commentary on the entire medium of games. Beneath a solid 2D action game lies one of the most interesting titles I've had the pleasure of playing. It's a game that isn't afraid to take risks, and managed to constantly surprise me despite pulling off the ridiculous several times prior. Everyone who considers themselves a “gamer,” should play ICEY, and then sit down to think about its message.
Sudden Strike 4's issues are a real downer, as they get in the way of what is an otherwise well put-together challenge.
There are a lot of great ideas found within Graceful Explosion Machine, and I can't wait to see how they're build upon in future games. I never got the itch to better my scores after completing a level (some sort of unlockable structure would've helped), but I found myself enjoying the challenge that Vertex Pop had on offer more often than not. Occasionally it veers into being more frustrating than fun, but the joy of finally beating a level you failed several times before is worth those bouts of annoyance.