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Impressively updated graphical prowess for a unique visual styling isn’t enough to save it from a myriad of cheaply laid gameplay issues. Deadlight’s problem was never its graphics. Its issues are more inherent to the four-year old gameplay design that doesn’t allow the player to feel responsible for getting themselves killed. Handing the player an axe that barely does a thing. Launching them into spike pits they don’t know they need to leap over. And technical issues with platforming that either stick players to walls or drop them into the waiting hungry hordes. Deadlight could have been a good game, and maybe four years ago I would have thought that it was, but players today expect a little bit more intelligent core game design in which death is a teaching moment rather than a cheap trick.
Soul Axiom is an incredibly uneven game that feels disjointed and unpolished. Moments of beauty in its futuristic overworld are only temporary, as half of the game looks completely out of place. It's incredibly disappointing that the game isn't able to come together since some of the puzzles are delightful to figure out. Instead, gamers are left with a puzzle game that's merely okay, and one that is easily passed up when you've got incredible offerings like The Witness on the system.
Guilty Gear Xrd -REVELATOR- will hopefully help usher in a new era of fighting games. One where new players are encouraged to learn what makes the genre special, and feel invited. It's training tools raise the bar at which other fighters are measured to, and it's a real triumph in that regard. Whether you're a veteran or a newcomer, there's a lot to learn here.
Atelier Sophie: The Alchemist of the Mysterious Book is a more relaxed entry in the series, and I enjoyed that particular aspect of it. Unfortunately, it’s also becoming clear just how little the series has grown over a whopping 17 entries, a condition likely due to the annual nature of its sequels. Loot-based open-world games have become immensely popular lately, making the flimsy, cramped levels of Sophie seem all the more dated by comparison. Still, I think series fans will enjoy the more deliberate pace of this entry, while newcomers have the perfect entry point thanks to the lack of a time limit. I won’t lie, though; alongside Neptunia, this is another series that really needs to slow it down with the constant follow-ups and re-releases. I’d love if Gust would take a little break from Atelier and come back in a few years with some fresh ideas.
Blood and Wine takes The Witcher 3 and expands, evolves, and turns conventions on their heads for a fantastic adventure that not only is a must-buy as DLC, but makes The Witcher 3 even more of a must-own game for those that don’t already.
Mirror's Edge Catalyst continues in the series tradition of being a divisive game. If you loved the original Mirror's Edge, you will likely love Catalyst as well. On the other hand, the same issues that some people had with the first game are still present in Catalyst. This doesn't feel like it's going to win over any non-fans of the franchise. Yet, I wouldn't say that is a bad thing. Mirror's Edge Catalyst knows exactly what it is, and more importantly what it is not. It is a stylish platforming game that just so happens to be in the first-person perspective; it is not a shooter, and it is not for everyone. The change to an open-world map was a huge gamble, but it paid off. This is a more-realized version of the original Mirror's Edge, and is a fun game in its own right.
As far as licensed anime fighting games go, this is one that your friends probably won't refuse to play with you. Despite an incomprehensible retelling of the story, the majority of One Piece: Burning Blood is accessible enough to be picked up and learned in a few minutes. The chaotic action really pops with sketchy cartoon visuals — I especially loved the visceral satisfaction of knocking my opponents into background objects and watching the debris fall. This isn't as tight or polished as some of the other stuff out there (Naruto Shippuden's latest installment comes to mind), but it's well-worth a look if you're a One Piece junkie or just a fighting game fan looking for a little anarchic fun.
Oxenfree deals with some heavy topics in just a few hours, and manages to do something genuinely interesting with them. A phenomenal conversation system anchors most of the experience, but there's many mysteries for dedicated players to solve. Oxenfree is a game that rewards players that go the extra mile, and how much you get out of it is directly tied to how much you put in.
Odin Sphere Leifthrasir is an outstanding remaster of a game many JRPG fans missed on PS2. Perhaps its most striking feature is the refreshing availability of information that comes with its fantastic interface, from easy-to-read maps to detailed descriptions of each item that comes your way. There's no denying that Vanillaware's signature style looks its best in crisp HD, and the improvements made to the controls and combat make the game feel fresh and modern. If your fingers are itching for big titles like Final Fantasy XV or Persona 5, consider keeping them busy with Leifthrasir's fast-paced and frantic battles — this is one of the best remasters on PS4, and a can't-miss for JRPG fans if you already let it pass you by in 2007.
MOBA games are now everywhere. Smite has finally made the transition over to the PlayStation 4, and I am happy to say that the transition has gone fairly smoothly. With good presentation, deceptively easy to pick up combat, and great team mechanics, SMITE will be one to invest time and money into. When you find your favorite character, the best thing to do is simply pay to unlock them. With a seemingly solid commitment to not turn this into a pay-to-win franchise, developer Hi-Rez Studios should be proud of this port.
If you’ve never vacationed on Banoi, now might be the prime time to do so, because the island looks better than it ever has before. Just be warned, the helpless locals pretty much want you to do everything for them. For those of us that have played Dead Island before, there’s not much in the Definitive Collection to drag us back. Lack of adding previously missing features like split screen and the inability to import last gen character saves make playing Dead Island again feel more like a chore than an enjoyable experience. With so much else out right now, I am hard pressed to actually want to spend my time on Banoi again, prettier lighting effects or not.
It’s not perfect, but SOMI gets major points for trying something new and exploring mechanics that other games don’t. Maybe it’s time to look a little deeper into the mirror that Retsnom offers and reflect on your own reasons for avoiding indie games.
Anima: Gate of Memories is a crushing disappointment. There are plenty of places where the love Anima Project’s team has for its world is evident, but they’re buried under an avalanche of stunningly poor design choices. Being forced to listen to the terrible voice acting and relentlessly unfunny humor of protagonist Ergo made me wish for his quick and agonizing death — but even he’s not as painful as the game’s punishingly poor level design. Maybe there’s a way to make the world of this tabletop RPG fun and interesting when translated to the video game medium, but the developers sure didn’t find it this time around.
The ultimate disappointment is that Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutants in Manhattan has a solid base. A good game could’ve been made with these combat mechanics, but sadly some abysmal level design makes this 4-hour game a complete chore to play. When an uninspired boss rush level is arguably the best part of the game, then you know something went wrong.
With accessibility to spare, a real commitment to diversity and an infectious sense of innocent fun, Overwatch feels like an important game — the sort that can bridge boundaries in the oft-segmented gaming community. I don't think I'm exaggerating when I say that this may just be the project to revitalize lapsed or disheartened gamers' interest in the medium, or the one to bring new players onboard the FPS wagon.
Homefront: The Revolution fails to stir any real revolution of its own in the genre of first-person open world games. It still has a unique premise with the notion that a unified Korea could ever overtake the United States, but the game is simply adequate. Couple uninspiring gameplay with occasionally broken physics and stupendously idiotic AI, and this is a purchase for fans of the franchise only. Otherwise, just go play Far Cry.
Shadwen makes a lot of smart decisions, and I’ll definitely miss its rewind system in other stealth games, but it never fully comes together as a whole. There’s just not enough enemy variety, and the 15-level campaign grows tiresome as the end nears. Throw in one of the most anticlimactic endings in recent memory, and a lot of the initial goodwill is used up. While far from perfect, there’s still enough ambition here for stealth fans to appreciate, but Shadwen isn’t Agent 47.
Shadow of the Beast hits many right notes for that old-school difficult feeling, even with infinite lives. It's been made more accessible for all walks of players, but that doesn't mean all players are rewarded equally, pushing for practice and building those skills all while giving extra pats to those who tame the beast. It's a rather brilliant method for bringing an old-school difficult game in front of more people.
Defying the odds, id Software has made DOOM not only a relevant series in 2016, but a great one. They've also managed to create three distinct modes that all have their own appeal and feel to them. It's an amazing package, and one that I'll continue to come back to.
I absolutely adore VEV: Viva Ex Vivo‘s concept, which only serves to make me more disappointed in the final release. Exploring these different microscope slides should be exciting, but instead players are left frustrated due to awkward controls and bored by how little there is to do.