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Samurai Warriors 4-II should appeal to fans of the original title and will certainly appeal to Warriors fans that missed the predecessor. While I was disappointed to see the excellent Chronicle Mode of Samurai Warriors 4 sacrificed for a more throwaway Survival one, this new mode is still quite entertaining. However, the real strength in this one is the way the various fascinating stories of fascinating heroes is retold, and as a result of that Samurai Warriors 4-II is one of the best games in the series for some time.
Again I want to emphasise; Etrian Mystery Dungeon is a terrible Etrian Odyssey game, missing the point entirely in what an Etrian Odyssey game is meant to offer. But as a roguelike, it is such a clean, traditional example of the genre that I found it very difficult to put down.
If loads of jump scares or action are your thing, SOMA might disappoint. It takes its time, is even a little self indulgent, but more than anything it wants you to actually think about what's going on. If you are going to come for this one come for the excellent writing, voice acting and atmosphere.
NHL 16 is a solid return to form for a beloved sports franchise. For sports fans, every year brings about new hope for their team. Well this year that hope was realised as NHL 16 provides an outstanding experience both on and off of the ice. There is still room for improvement, but now the title is more than a foundation - it is a full game with a great deal for hockey fans to appreciate.
Velocity 2X is an awesome example of how shoot 'em up and platformer can share a coexistence. For people who find the typical shooter a bit dry and impersonal, the platforming sequences help to instill a sense of character and narrative that is refreshing for the genre. And for platformer veterans, the ability to jump into space adds a new dimension to a genre that often struggles to innovate. The result is a game that offers the best of both worlds while hiding some of their weaknesses.
All up, Curses & Chaos boasts tighter mechanics and an overall more polished presentation than contemporary retro-themed indie games. Although I wish it did a better job of being captivating for more than a stage or two at a time, those exhausted with 2D brawlers ought to give it a go because of its unorthodox gameplay quirks and pulsating atmosphere.
Fans of Command and Conquer will feel right at home here. Act of Aggression feels like a spiritual successor to the series, right down to some of the interface options and the overall pacing. Unfortunately enough time has passed since the last C&C game that I would have liked to see a few more risks taken, because I don't see the newer generation of RTS fans biting with this one.
For now you're not going to find many other games that allow you to take cricket bats to zombies, so that's something.
All in all SMITE offers up a refreshing take on the MOBA genre. It is not a genre I spend a lot of time with, but I can already say that I have found SMITE to be more to my liking than any of the others I have played so far.
Evoland 2 is a great successor to its original counterpart. Using a proper narrative to build on the visual tour through video game history that its predecessor kicked off is a great idea. Even though that narrative isn't quite of a quality we want to see, it's a step forward for the new franchise, and after the bugs are fixed up, Evoland 2 will be a whole lot of simple, but effective, fun.
Yes stealth games aren't for everyone, but The Phantom Pain is so much more than a stealth game. What you are getting with Metal Gear Solid V is hours upon hours of the vision of one of the most creative and artistic directors in video game history.
Super Mario Maker is a remarkable game that only just falls short of what many have been dreaming of for 30-odd years. Anyone, regardless of skill and creative talent, can play and enjoy Super Mario Maker, and that is a rarity for creation tools. All I ever wanted to do back in the day was recreate Super Mario levels with interesting twists. Super Mario Maker encourages me to do so much more and try and be a game designer all by myself. And for that I love it.
Mad Max's greatest strength is in many ways the title's most significant weakness as well. It is immediately familiar, reminding of the Batman titles and Shadow of Mordor - games that I am very much a fan of. Unfortunately on the whole, Mad Max is not as good as those titles either, coming up short in its narrative, controls and combat to create a less engaging overall experience than those titles.
For me personally, the story was the highlight as it provides an excellent summation of the One Piece series as Luffy and his friends manage to overcome incredible odds and share some truly touching moments.
Armello really does a very good job of blending board game mechanics with video game technology to create a fun experience that should appeal to fans of both. The AI could certainly use some tweaking, and this is a problem that is more pronounced at the moment due to the somewhat limited player base that is currently out there. Still, this is yet another great example of the wonderful indie games that help to make the PlayStation 4 so much more than a machine for blockbusters.
Calvino Noir cannot be saved by its mystery storyline or impressive graphics because it is just too flawed on a technical level.
Madden NFL 16 has a bad rap for being nothing more than a yearly money grab. I understand why people say this, even though most years I disagree. This year however, I strongly disagree. There are enough changes in a variety of places that make this the best offering the series has had in several years and should satisfy new fans, yearly players and those who fall somewhere in between.
Mega Man Legacy Collection is a solid collection of games that has a handful of technical issues that I understand being there, though my personal preference would have been to clean them up. The additional content and features do a great job of putting the bow on an already great package. Fans of Mega Man's earliest adventures would do well to check this out, especially given its reasonable price point.
Fans of the original Gears of War will enjoy visiting Sera one more time to play out humanity's last hope against the Locust. The sound and the visuals all receive the requisite upgrades with just a bit of extra story thrown in for those who did not play the game on PC the first time around. But what will really keep you coming back for more is a robust multiplayer that takes some of the best elements of all three games and serves it up in a smooth framerate that makes it a joy to play.
Tales From The Borderlands: Episode 4: Escape Plan Bravo surprised me, avoiding some of the narrative traps that I have seen Telltale Games repeatedly fall into up to this point. Here is hoping that the finale finishes on an equally strong note. If it does, this might just be remembered as the studios' best offering to date.