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If you were a fan of N+, then you've probably already bought N++. If you're a fan of challenging but rewarding platformers, then you should buy this game. If you think you might like a game that rewards perseverance, then you should also buy this game. If you don't like a challenge, or have terrible reflexes, then you probably should still buy N++ to improve your skills.
Combined with no challenge to its climbing, other than a few misdirections that effectively punish you with the tedium of having to go backwards, the game misses the mark on taking its promising and, at least, baseline effective parts and turning them into something as strong as Shadow of the Colossus. Even if you were to remove that comparison, the game stumbles to create a consistent experience on its own. And at some point, it would be fair to argue that the comparison is being a little generous.
However, despite the major frame-rate drops and the repetitive quests and gameplay, Sword Art Online Re: Hollow Fragment is fairly entertaining, thanks to a fast-paced combat system and a large amount of weapons and skills to pick from. If you haven't already tried it on the PS Vita, the PS4 version might be worth your time, especially since it is literally half the price of the Vita version. But, if you do already own in on the Vita, I think it would be wise to pass on this new version.
The Swindle is a game that many will end up playing for months to come. The gameplay is the perfect combination of stealth and action, and its difficulty, while brutal, is satisfying. Size Five Games, and publisher Curve Digital, have created an addictive game that needs to be played by anyone who loves a good challenge. Throw in cross-buy and cross-save compatibility, and you'll never leave your house without The Swindle in pocket.
King's Quest Chapter 1: A Knight to Remember is brilliant. The Odd Gentlemen have managed to modernize a classic, retaining much of what makes the originals so beloved, yet not making it feel outdated for modern gamers, even if we do have to deal with a bit of backtracking.
But, despite the occasional jarring conversations or the surprisingly calm reactions to horrific events, Life is Strange: Episode 4 is able to deliver some intense emotional blows, while at the same time begin to wrap up some key mysteries and keep the entire adventure highly exciting. This is one of the best episodes in the season, and it alone can be listed as a reason to buy Life is Strange if you haven't already taken the plunge.
Journey is minimalist to allow you to fill in those gaps with your own emotion and experience — to apply your personal situation and make the story your own. It's a simple beauty, but one that shines brightly and now has the opportunity to be played by millions more thanks to its stunning upgrade to PS4, with beautiful lighting and environments that impress. Whether you've played Journey before, or never had the opportunity, do yourself a favor and make your way to the top of the mountain on PS4. You may find more on the way to the peak than you expected at the outset.
But those disappointing moments are ultimately rare. Hatoful Boyfriend earns almost everything else it does. Like those fantastical and ridiculous movies and novels, it demonstrates an ability to rise above its base, absurd concepts and weaves several stories that last. It's much more than it seems, and begs for you to play it and discover its depth.
However, despite the occasionally poor animations and the poor handling of the passage of time, Telltale's Game of Thrones: Episode 5 – A Nest of Vipers presents its players with some stressful, tough choices, and uses QTEs in an fun way. It will be exciting to see where the last episode will take House Forrester, and whether they will meet their downfall or their saving grace.
From out of nowhere, Game Freak has surprised everyone with a fun platformer that is not only inspired from the classics such as Sonic, Mario, Yoshi, and more, but manages to combine them in new and refreshing ways. Tembo has attitude, but unlike Sonic, he doesn't speak. He can jump and stomp enemies, but unlike Mario, Tembo doesn't die in a measly one or two hits. Tembo can also hover for a few moments and ground pound, but unlike Yoshi, he doesn't look like a child's play toy while doing so. These things and more make Tembo one badass elephant indeed.
If the PlayStation 4 wasn't filled with far better action games, then Onechanbara Z2: Chaos could be cautiously recommended. Sadly, there are much better games available on the system with fleshed out battle systems that put this to shame. Onechanbara Z2: Chaos isn't a terrible game, it just manages to be mediocre in almost every aspect.
The Fall takes inspiration from all the right games, merging Metroid-style platforming and atmosphere with Dark Souls difficulty and Portal writing. Its deep and thoughtful explorations into the technicalities of AI are intelligent and surprisingly thought provoking. It's unfortunately hindered by clunky mechanics and overly complicated puzzles that often border on the obtuse when it comes to the specifics required to finish them. Google will be your best friend when playing through this, but try and avoid cheating or giving up entirely; solving The Fall's conundrums is actually somewhat worth the hassle for once, proving to be a creative and rewarding challenge that shows creativity and promise.
However, despite the new content, it would be tough to tell players of Blood Ties that The Nightmare Princess is worth its $50 price tag, seeing as its repetitive, core gameplay is exactly the same, and the environments are still a bit bland. If, on the other hand, you are a newcomer to the series, its unique and strategic style of gameplay makes The Nightmare Princess somewhat of a novelty, and quite possibly worth your time.
The Vanishing of Ethan Carter sets out to achieve a very specific goal and despite some slight missteps along the way, it largely succeeds in offering players a sense of spectral wonder through simplistic gameplay and stunning visuals, all wrapped in a well written mystery that leaves its mark.
I think it's pretty clear that unless you are a massive fan of the Godzilla movies, you should probably stay away from Bandai Namco's Godzilla. While it does have a lot of fan service, it really doesn't have much else besides clunky gameplay, horrible visuals, and repetitive gameplay. Maybe try going back and playing Godzilla: Destroy All Monsters Melee for a decent Godzilla experience?
Not as light on content as its predecessors, the core mechanics of Skullgirls continues to work beautifully on almost every level. Staggeringly good animation dolls up its unforgiving control scheme, while the bonkers roster provides innumerable strategies and play styles. It's brutish welcome is certain to dissuade many newcomers with unrelenting AI and unnecessarily obscure move lists, but those that make it past the opening trials will be rewarded with one of the most unique and charming 2D fighters in a long time.
Despite the limited number of courses to play on and the limited number of golfers to choose from, Rory McIlroy PGA Tour is still worth buying. Each course is visually breathtaking, and the various gameplay styles and game modes allow for completely different game experiences each time you play. If you're a golf fan, or if you just want to look at gorgeous scenery, then you might want to check out Rory McIlroy PGA Tour.
With no real major upgrades to what was already a great game when originally released, this would be a tough sell at full price. Thankfully, God of War III Remastered is only $40, and that price point is quite a bit easier to swallow. If you've never played a God of War game before, and you either don't have a PS3 or don't want to play the previous games, you won't really know what's going on as it picks up towards the end of the anthology, but the story plays a secondary role to the gory action anyway. This still remains the best entry in the series to date. Pick it up if you want to see Kratos at his greatest.
Simply put, Rocket League is one of the best titles on PlayStation 4. It manages to flawlessly blend fast-paced racing with a sport that is familiar to millions. The depth is there to keep players coming back for years to come, and Psyonix has done a masterful job in creating one of the best multiplayer experiences yet.
But, looking past the identical campaigns, the bland environments, and the poor graphics, J-Stars Victory VS+ is actually a fairly enjoyable game. With its fast-paced combat, large cast of Shonen Jump characters, and strategic card system, J-Stars can offer hours of solo or multiplayer fun. If you want a game with decent combat, it might be a good idea to check J-Stars out. However, if graphics are important to you, you might want to take a pass on this one.