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Dark Souls III leaves the PC space the same way the original came in. The gameplay remains challenging but much more refined, with a faster combat system and a bevy of options. It comes in with a very beautiful presentation on both visual and aural fronts, besting the consoles in frame rate and other effects due to the platform's scalability options. However, the various crashes can be bothersome, and the temporary fixes rob the game of either player choice or graphical fidelity - depending on which fix is chosen - something that is made more annoying due to the lack of forthcoming patch news. Still, the game remains a great example of how to accomplish a finale, and once the issues are ironed out, Dark Souls III is another near-masterpiece in the genre.
Koi is a beautiful but shallow pool. The first impression is strong but as you go on into the game it quickly becomes clear there just isn't much below the surface. The puzzles, story and gameplay are "barely there" enough to work, but without much that develops from the basics. As an experience, it's enjoyable enough, if over a bit too quickly, but as a game, it's pretty lackluster and tough to justify the price tag. It's a shame since there's a lot of potential here, but Koi doesn't manage to realize it.
Though it is by no means the definitive version of the title, Skullgirls: 2nd Encore is a great fighting game for the Vita. The fighting and presentation are excellent, and there are plenty of modes to sink your teeth into if you're tired of getting pummeled by the online community. Though it has some excellent teaching tools for those who want to understand the nuances of the system and characters, the blurred text makes that a more daunting task when compared to the home consoles and PC. Sitting at the upper echelon of fighting games on the portable, this title belongs on your Vita's memory card.
In the end, Dungelot: Shattered Lands is a surprise. It seems simple on the surface, but the numerous game mechanics make for quite a deep game. The difficulty level means you'll spend a good deal of time grinding to get stronger, but conquering the dungeons is satisfying since you'll open up a few other scenarios prior to making another dungeon run. Those looking for a casual but challenging roguelike should try out Dungelot.
The Witch and the Hundred Knight: Revival Edition is a difficult game to like. It has a battle system that is challenging but boring to use since it fails to take advantage of the gameplay mechanics. It has a decent story that is bogged down by uninteresting and unlikeable characters. It also doesn't have much for older players who want to find an excuse to return to the game. If you don't mind the quirks and rough attempts at humor, then you may enjoy The Witch and the Hundred Knight.
All in all, Ratchet and Clank is a reboot done right. It captures the same feel of the original game but is bigger, more polished and offers more content.
In the end, Slain! is very much a game that employs style over substance. It gets the look down, and the music fits in nicely. While the platforming is passable, the combat feels half-baked. Combine that with a myriad of bugs both big and small, and the game disappoints all around. While the hope is that the developers get some patches in soon to improve things, it's very difficult to recommend Slain! in its current state to anyone when there are plenty of better alternatives.
Though there are a good number of shooters on the PC, you should definitely pick up Stardust Galaxy Warriors if you're a genre fan.
Shadow Complex Remastered remains a fun title. The gameplay remains faithful to the Metroidvania formula, warts and all, while the addition of partial 3-D fighting makes it feel fresh compared to its contemporaries. It comes in at a good length and has some nice time trial challenges to give it more legs once the various campaign endings have been exhausted. It could've used some more improvements in the presentation section, but genre fans will enjoy this title while holding out hope that someday, Chair will finally develop a sequel.
From the bosses to the traps, Dark Souls III is arguably the best Souls game to date. If Dark Souls III is really the last in the series, it's a worthy send-off for an excellent series.
Android Assault Cactus is a brilliant addition to the PS4 library. Whether you're playing solo or with friends, the action is solid, and the different variations to the androids make experimentation fun. There are a good number of modes, and the various options can give the game some legs. The presentation of the visuals and audio is top-notch, and that's made more impressive since this title was developed by three people. Android Assault Cactus is something that should be experienced by anyone who loves action in an almost pure form.
Nights of the Azure is an acceptable but unexceptional action game. It doesn't do much wrong, but it doesn't do much right, either. The mechanics are just interesting enough to keep your attention, the graphics just appealing enough to make you overlook their flaws, and the story hits its beats with enough regularity to not lose you. Yet the entire experience feels hollow. It's a decent first effort, but you'd be better served by renting or buying the title at a discount.
EA Sports UFC 2 is a perfect example of how to capitalize on a mostly solid start. Even though it could still use additional improvements, the fighting system remains solid, and the tweaks make it more accessible to those who aren't well versed in fighting games. The presentation has been improved to make it even more impressive on all fronts, but the amount of modes give the game some longevity beyond online play. It isn't perfect, but it certainly is one of the better representations of an MMA game, so fighting fans of all types should check it out.
As a game, Quantum Break is solid. There's a good balance between the shooting and exploration sections, and while some people may dislike the simplicity of the core shooting, the time-related powers augment it enough to make it fun. As a TV show, it does a good job of staying interesting without wearing out its welcome. As a whole, the story nicely melds together both pieces, and the different avenues the tale takes gives you a reason to replay it. Quantum Break is another excellent game from Remedy, and it belongs on the shelves of all adventure game fans.
Zamarian gets some kudos for trying to use the tube format since it's still a rarity in the genre. Other than that, it doesn't do anything all that well. The controls are too squirrely to make you feel like you have any mastery over them, and the game doesn't break away from its mobile roots to embrace the advantages of the more versatile platform. The shooting feels uninspired until you reach the boss fights, which can be more of a confusing mess than something enjoyable. With an all-around mediocre presentation, Zamarian's only real saving grace is the $4.99 price tag. Even then, it's difficult to recommend this title unless you're desperate for a slightly different kind of shooter.
Samurai Warriors 4: Empires is an interesting addition to the original games. It doesn't necessarily improve upon or replace them but offers a similar-but-different experience. Anyone who's long since burned out on Samurai Warriors 4 probably won't find Empires to be different enough to renew their interest, but newcomers to the genre or those who passed on Samurai Warriors II will find enough to like here. It lacks some of the addictive style of the classic Warriors games but makes up for it with increased tactical depth. It all comes down to defeating thousands of enemies by using absurd magical powers and even more absurd weapons, and that is where Warriors excels.
I'm also probably going to head back into Tom Clancy's The Division in the weeks or months to come as more content emerges and bugs get fixed. Ubisoft has something with serious potential, and it'll be intriguing to see what shape this world takes. I also want to see what stuff awaits in unexplored corners of the Dark Zone. That's really it.
Trillion: God of Destruction has a boatloads of flaws but still manages to be fun. When you get to the core of the game, the battles against Trillion, it's a lot of fun. It's just that you have to do a lot of busywork to get there, and the battles are about the only engaging part of the gameplay. Otherwise, you're mostly there for the Disgaea-style humor and characters. The game does what it sets out to do, and while it's tough to say it's worth the full $40, the game is about a single really fun boss battle, and it does exactly that — nothing more, nothing less.
In the end, E.T. Armies is nothing really special. The gunplay is fine so long as you're content with using a limited amount of weaponry against some brainless AI. The story is passable if you're OK with a presentation that's not exactly up to snuff. Without a real multiplayer community to extend the life of the game, E.T. Armies is overly dependent on the campaign maintaining players' interest in the title. It's a good effort from the studio, but it's not the best choice if you're jonesing for some FPS fun.
In the end, Fortified is a decent tower defense game. The classes add some variety, and the shooting is fine, but the tower defense portion could use more work. It plays well with others, but there isn't much balance available for the solo player, especially since XP progression can become a grind. Coupled with an average presentation, it's decent fun with buddies but not something worth pursuing if you're looking to play solo.