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Odin Sphere: Leifthrasir takes a good game and makes it incrementally better. The tweaks to the overall title, including better inventory management and more emphasis on combat, opens it up to those who weren't enamored with the original. The option is there for those who want to play it as it was originally intended. It provides lots of gameplay time, which is something of a rarity in console titles nowadays, though there will be a few who take offense to the fact that a good chunk of content is recycled a few times. It does all this with a presentation that still manages to impress after all these years. No matter which of the three platforms you own, you owe it to yourself to add Leifthrasir to your library.
The Legend of Heroes: Trails of Cold Steel 2 is a solid and enjoyable sequel. The tone has changed, but the characterization and combat are back in full force. There are a few nagging complaints here and there but nothing that should sour the experience for people who enjoyed the first game. At worst, it feels too familiar in both strengths and weaknesses. Almost every complaint and praise about the first game can be leveled at the second. ToCS2 is not a game for newcomers at all and is only for fans of the first. Likewise, be prepared for a game that leaves as many questions as it answers. It's a more satisfying ending than the first game, but there's still a lot more going on in Erebonia.
As some may have expected, One Piece: Burning Blood is a game for the fans. There's not much here to get newcomers interested in the franchise, and the very limited scope of the campaign doesn't make the different perspectives any better to deal with. While flawed in places, the fighting system is still fun to mess around with, since it seems to have better control over its chaos, and the other modes give the title more substance. Since the presentation matches the source material quite well, One Piece fans will be pleased enough with this game as they continue with one of the longest manga stories ever told.
Shadwen is the kind of game that has the recipe to succeed. The use of time manipulation in a stealth game may make this a title that's intended for those just coming into the genre, but the approach is interesting enough to warrant a look. Bland level design and presentation along with a poor AI system for the guards makes the experience too rudimentary, and the lack of enemy variety can make things feel repetitive rather quickly. Ultimately, Shadwen has potential — but not in this incarnation.
Deus Ex: Mankind Divided is a very strong game that's dragged down by a lackluster plot and weak story structure. If you enjoyed Human Revolution for the gameplay and exploration, you'll find a lot to like here. This is not a story-driven narrative that advances the world of Deus Ex, but anyone who enjoyed Human Revolution will have fun with Mankind Divided.
No Mans Sky would've made an excellent tech demo of something greater yet to come, or as a $20 independent game from a studio trying to find its footing. It certainly doesn't live up to what was once a marquee title during one of Sony's E3 press conferences, and it doesn't come close to justifying its $60 asking price. No Man's Sky had so much potential in delivering a game that compelled and rewarded unbridled exploration. That it fails to do so only makes its shortcomings more striking, and it's disappointing when compared to how the game was described leading up to its release.
Lumo is an enjoyable puzzle platformer. Putting aside the isometric perspective, the challenges feel right, and it's satisfying to solve each one of them. It is enough to offset the humor if you don't get the references, and the challenge lasts long enough without feeling tiresome. Even though the UK players will get the most out of the title since it's tailored to their retro scene, it is still fun for everyone and well worth owning if you're a fan of something different in puzzle platforming.
There are simply too many things working against Mobile Suit Gundam: Extreme VS-Force. The stiffer combat system doesn't work for anything but one-on-one battles, while your AI partners can be rather useless. The story doesn't feel like any attention had been paid to it, and the lack of localization for important parts of a fight certainly hurts things if you aren't keen on replaying stages. Given the lack of online play and some of the bland presentation, it's difficult for even the biggest Gundam fan to get behind this title.
SteamWorld Heist continues the series' tradition of being simple yet compelling. The game may be easy to grasp, but it delivers a nice difficulty boost that feels fair. The aiming system proves to be a great way to add some strategy to the title while also solving the limits of the 2-D perspective. The whole thing is fun to play, and with a good presentation accompanying a great game length, SteamWorld Heist is a worthy addition to any game library.
In the end, JoJo's Bizarre Adventure: Eyes of Heaven can be divisive. The new fighting system is fine, but the lack of depth in moves, a few cumbersome commands, and bad camera make it less fun to work with than the previous title. The campaign is deep and understandable enough that people interested in the lore will gladly go through it, and the character mannerisms and presentation are as authentic as expected. It has a decent versus mode and a weak online mode, but in the end, things balance out just enough for this to be a recommended title for fans looking for more than just a pure fighting game experience.
If you can deal with gratuitous and risqué fan service, then you'll find that Senran Kagura: Shinovi Versus is a good brawler. Even with the lock-on and other camera issues, the combat mechanics are solid offensively but can be bothersome on the defensive side. The story is deeper than expected thanks to the side missions and the ability to play as any student from any faction, so there's plenty of gameplay time to go around. While not exactly a shining example of how to do a 3-D brawler, it is still enjoyable for both anime fans and brawler fans who aren't too demanding.
I Am Setsuna lacks confidence in itself but still tries to stand with the greats. Chrono Trigger was a tremendously ambitious and far-reaching game because iIt ventured across space time and took huge risks with its characters. I Am Setsuna wants to remind you of classic games such as Chrono Trigger but doesn't have the courage to do anything more than that. If I Am Setsuna had been released as a $20 indie title, it would be more understandable, but as a $40 game published by Square Enix, it is found lacking. RPG fans will probably have a fun, if forgettable, time with the game, but there's no need to rush out and buy this one unless you've exhausted your other options first.
Dead Island: Retro Revenge is a short but good game that is fun if you give it a chance. Though the endless runner format can be limiting, the different strategies and the ability to mix up combos and attacks makes this a more skillful brawler. Enemy variety works, and the game is rather accessible for perfectionists in the realm of score hunting as well as those who just want to button-mash. Even though it's not considered a must-buy, Retro Revenge isn't a bad way to spend an afternoon for $4.99.
The Way isn't perfect. The wonky checkpoint system and the underlying feeling that the design was built on artificial padding makes the title feel a bit disingenuous. However, most of the puzzles can be fun because of the powers at your disposal, and the story is gripping enough that you'll want to see things through until the end, even if the game starts to grate. It may not completely capture all of the traits of earlier side-scrolling puzzle platformers, but it's worthy of a look from genre fans.
Star Ocean: Integrity and Faithlessness is the kind of game that is full of potential but needed a lot more development time. The final product is about one-third of the game that it needs to be. The lack of environments, weak combat and bizarre pace makes it difficult to recommend even to die-hard RPG fans. There are a lot of strong individual bits, but they don't gel into a cohesive whole. It might be worth a shot once it comes down in price and if you're aware of the flaws going in. Even fans of the franchise will find this to be a step backward.
The top-down perspective of Broken Bots does enough to catch your attention as the malfunction abilities. Even without any innovative modes at hand, those are enough to make this game worthy of a look, especially at the rather cheap price of $6.99. However, the online issues due to a lack of community and heavy server dependence kill the game, and the single-player mode isn't enough to keep people interested should those aforementioned issues fail to get fixed. It can be a fun title if you know you have a group of friends willing to jump in, but it would be best to pass on this title until the server woes are addressed.
There Came An Echo is more of a proof of concept than a real game. There's a basis for a strong game here, but it really needs to get fleshed out. It's a great proof of concept and an enjoyable experience, but it breaks just too often to be worth playing. Some of the title's weaknesses are the simple gameplay, awkward and fidgety mechanics, and voice orders being too inconsistent to feel natural. The short main story also means it's tough to recommend, despite being an interesting experience. If you're willing to work past some hurdles, there's a fair bit to like here, but it's probably best to wait for a sale.
Monster Hunter Generations is the greatest hits of the Monster Hunter franchise. It's not going to change your mind if you never understood the hype, but if you can easily spend dozens of hours grinding monsters for equipment, be prepared for a lot of sleepless nights. Newcomers will find a lot to like here in terms of gameplay and pure design. If you're ever going to get into the Monster Hunter franchise, Generations is the best place to start.
In the end, Trials of the Blood Dragon is a mess. The platforming is barely passable, and several mechanics feel terrible to use. The biking portions work, but the change in physics systems messes things up just as the game becomes tougher. The presentation is lackluster, and the story tries too hard to top the original game but doesn't manage to achieve the same level of charm. It can be finished off in a relatively short amount of time, but fans of either franchise won't want to bother. Unless you're insanely curious, Trials of the Blood Dragon is best left alone.
There's a very good chance that Pac-Man 256 will become your new guilty pleasure when you want a break from the bigger titles. The premise is as simple as can be, but there are enough changes here to make things intriguing. There are plenty of things to unlock and challenges to conquer, and the grind to get them all and power them up doesn't feel as daunting thanks to the generosity of coins and points being given to you. Most importantly, the sessions are short enough that you can spend a few minutes with it and be done, but that call of "one more round" is enough to keep you glued for hours. Cheap but ultimately satisfying, Pac-Man 256 comes highly recommended.