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I suspect a chunk of Harvest Moon's veterans will skip Story of Seasons on account of its general resemblance to prior entries, but that would be a real gaffe since Story of Seasons is one of the finest iterations in years. While it lacks the outright ambition present in Natsume's recent interpretation of the franchise, it utterly nails the atmosphere and offers impeccable trimmings that just might win over fans experiencing barnyard burnout. It goes without saying that those uninitiated in the ways of life on the virtual ranch had best brace themselves for hundreds of hours to be sapped away
Paperbound is an incredibly fun game that gives a gravitational spin on the same kind of competitive insanity that inspires Smash Bros. or Towerfall. Its amazingly simple aesthetics work well, and the simple nature of the game means anybody can pick it up and have a crack at it.
As a spiritual successor to some of my favourite RPGs of all time, Pillars of Eternity does those games justice with its ultra-traditional story, presentation and mechanics. But I recommend other people check it out as well, as it offers a sprawling world to explore, and a fantastic cast of companions to interact with, making it the perfect example of a retro genre done right.
Xenoblade Chronicles 3D doesn't really belong on the Nintendo 3DS. In fact, Nintendo would have been better off going the other way and doing a "HD" version for the Wii U in the lead up to the next Monolith Software release on that console. But, that aside, this is a classic game, and having that experience on the go is not a bad bonus reason to purchase the New Nintendo 3DS.
Overall L.A Cops is okay, if you don't go in with high expectations. And there's potential in the mix for the developers to patch things up and provide more consistent experience. Even with those requisite patches the game will be limited, but then at $15 it's not asking you to bankrupt yourself to try it out.
Capcom are very lucky. It's rare to have a formula that works so well. From the episodic formats, (not to mention the brilliantly produced "previously on" and "next time on" segments), to the strong enough gameplay, there's enough content here for a lot of people to enjoy. I am disappointed about the features that have taken a step back, however if you're looking for a solid, single player, B-grade horror game, this is where to go.
[This episode] was my least favourite in the series so far. I assume it will become a very important part of the narrative, but its highlights are few enough and far enough in between with the promise of more to come that it comes away somewhat less than its predecessors.
Combat aside, Bloodborne is a visionary work by a visionary artist. Intense in both theme and application, it's a gory concession to the tastes of the modern mainstream player, while maintaining the spirit and uncompromising narrative that was the hallmark of the Souls games at their finest. But this is far more consistent in that application than those games, making it From Software's finest work to date.
While it only lasted a handful of hours, The Assignment ended up being a refreshing counterpart to The Evil Within, rather than being labeled as 'just more of the same'. It's an excellent take on the original formula, blending the old with the new, and while it does end on a cliffhanger, I can only hope that it all comes together in the second DLC.
Toukiden is an artful, intelligent Monster Hunter 'clone,' and Koei Tecmo is on to a winner with this franchise.
The reality is that Mario Party 10 isn't a classic game, and it certainly does have any meat or lasting value to it beyond being the most casual of party games that you pop out for a quick bash once in a while. But that Amiibo integration is pure gold, and short of Square Enix following up on the Wii's Fortune Street (or Boom Street, depending on where you live), this will be the best digital board game released on the Wii U during its life.
Multiplayer is, of course, the main reason that you buy into a Battlefield game, and it's generally enjoyable, even if it doesn't do anything to revolutionise the genre. However, both Activision and EA, and every other FPS developer that aspires to become the top dog franchise, needs to learn that if they are going to persist in putting single player narratives into their games, then they need to do a far better job. Telling a good story is not about throwing in more explosions. It's about understanding the context that the story is being created within, and then doing something with that context. That's art. That's what separates Battlefield: Hardline from a genuinely intelligent game like Spec Ops: The Line.
You get loads of content in the game, and in following the tradition of recent Koei Tecmo games there is loads of character customisation options. Bladestorm has a unique flavour, and it's one that takes a while to really settle in. But, once you get into its rhythm it has just the right mix of history and fantasy elements so that it does respect to one of the most fascinating periods of historical conflict, while letting you have some fun with it too.
It's odd that Square Enix would look at a PSP game and think to remake it for the PlayStation 4, but I'm glad it happened. It's a thematically rich game that more than compensates for the visual weaknesses that are a hold over from the original hardware it was developed for. Throw in a tight and entertaining combat system and you've got a great JRPG for the PlayStation 4 - a genre that is currently in short supply on the platform.
I don't have kids, nor do I plan on having any for a very long time, but something about Shelter brought out my parental instinct to protect children. It was emotional when they were taken away from me - as was it emotional when they grew up and left the nest. It's a nice touch that they've allowed you to look at the family tree, and see the generations that lived before the lynx that you're currently in control of. It's just a shame that the gameplay is so generic. It doesn't take long for one generation cubs to grow up, and so the impact of what happens to them is then diluted from the minimal time that you'll spend with them. And as much as I loved looking off on the beautiful horizon, everything else made me want to get out as quickly as possible.
From the opening cut scene through to the various platforming puzzles, Shiftlings feels like more than just a simple platformer with a gimmick. Instead of inserting a joke and then going about the level design like it never happened, here the joke is very integral part of the experience.
DmC might have been better received had it been built under a different name - at the very least it might have escaped some scrutiny from fans of the original games. That being said, what DmC does provide works well and this latest iteration is the best reason to give the game a chance if you have not yet done so.
There's a lot to like about White Night, if for no other reason than it genuinely is different and these is real potential for this to spin out into a franchise if the development team can do a better job of rationalising the noir elements and figuring out the solution to a frustrating Easter egg hunt in the dark. The underlying vision alone makes it worth a look, but it's not going to be quite remembered as the same innovative experience as those pioneering horror games it references back to.
Helldivers offers plenty of challenges and a great excuse to play with others, and that is when the game is at its best. There is a nice campaign built around the carnage that offers a sense of accomplishment, too, that makes the difficulty worthwhile.
I still had more fun than not when playing Dragon Ball Xenoverse. This was a great direction for the story and the RPG elements that give a sense of progression are certainly welcome. There is still room for improvement as some small tweaks to the in-city travel and chaotic combat would go a long ways towards improving the product as a whole, but the game we have now is still one that I easily sunk a lot of hours into.