Digitally Downloaded
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XCOM has once again proven that it is a powerhouse when it comes to tactical gameplay. Every decision counts and with permadeath is makes every decision even more powerful. Luckily game saving is encouraged, and if you forget to save manually there are copious auto-saves to fall back on. I do question if a sequel was warranted over something that brings freshness into the series, as if you enjoyed Enemy Unknown there's not all that much different added to XCOM 2. But then more of a good thing is good when it's this good, right?
It's not an earth-shattering work of art. Its narrative relies heavily on players having grown up with roguelikes and pixel graphics in their RPGs. Its systems are complex but rewarding. What Siralim is, ultimately, is a great deal of fun for a very select audience, and it gets there because it straddles the line between being something authentic, and something that understands that some design elements are best left in the past.
There is an almost unbridled energy to the Naruto show and manga that translates over to the video game medium very effectively. The combat is not the deepest, but there is nuance to learn and master and the story and set pieces help to deliver on that frantic energy the show is known for.
Even with the permadeath, the normal campaign can be finished easily in a matter of hours. This isn't a game with an incredible amount of content, and it's possible to see everything there is on offer after a couple of runs. The replay value is a little low since the base game is quite simple once you've figured out what the hieroglyphs mean, and there's just not enough depth to warrant repeated playthroughs. That being said though, Hieroglyphika is a fun distraction with lots of original ideas which brings the sense of wonder back into roguelikes.
I did enjoy this experience it was a change of pace from all the violent games that come out these days. The story could have used a little more work and if it did I feel it would almost have been better suited as an animated film, as the core themes that the game explores are a little inhibited by the need to throw "gameplay" in to the mix as well.
A few new wrinkles such as the team-up attacks and the really cool audio part of the presentation are quite welcome, and I think these superhero games lend themselves to the TT Games better than most genres due to the large number of unique skills. It's reliable fun, but we keep saying this - TT Games needs to start bringing some genuinely original new ways of looking at LEGO, or the scores will start to fall as people get very tired of doing the same thing over and over again.
The Coma: Cutting Class is an excellent example of using the horror genre to reflect on real-world fears and social issues. The environment and the art style work well together to create a tense experience, yet this tension however is lost with a somewhat simple approach to game design, a shame to what is a quality horror game.
Unfortunately Attractio fails to deliver on some of its potential. The theme could have been better explored and the rough edges on the control detract from the inherent fun of the puzzles. More than anything else, however, is that Attractio doesn't do anything to progress its genre. Portal-style first-person puzzle/ exploration games are everywhere these days. Where this might have stood out half a decade ago, now it's just one of an awful many, delivering not much more than unfulfilled potential.
In most other regards Arslan is a fairly standard Warriors experience, but between the strong, epic, narrative, gorgeous setting, and the varied bunch of really enjoyable characters there is more than enough here to justify its place among Koei Tecmo's growing stable of licensed work. Even those who haven never had anything to do with Arslan before can get right into this one, and given that the game was developed as part of a cross-media initiative to try and develop the franchise globally, I can't see this being anything but a resounding success in that goal.
[T]here are issues in Final Fantasy Explorers, but the qualities that it does have that meant I couldn't put it down overrode all of those.
It makes a good transition from PC to console, but Rebel Galaxy was far too vapid and uninspired to be a really stand out game in the first place. While that means it's not terrible, it's also a complete waste of what the far reaches of outer space offers for creative narrative, and this is deeply disappointing.
Sometimes you can wonder to yourself, "How on earth did they come up with this stuff?" and to the modern developer the type of unrealistic setting this game has to offer might not be the way to go. We need to remember that games are games, they don't have to be realistic, and the pure escapism that Turok offered all those years ago is, you have to feel, something of a dying art. It's fast paced arcade shooter style is a ton of fun, and considering the types of leaps and bounds it brought to the FPS genre, it's no wonder that it managed to succeed all those years ago.
I never thought I'd like a puzzle game this much, and I can't believe a game that isn't a JRPG is a game of the year contender to me. Jon Blow and Thekla have really created something special here, and while it has been a very long wait (I hope that the next one doesn't take eight years to complete...), the long development time has been used to good effect. The Witness is so much more than puzzles in an open world. It is itself an enigma and puzzle, and something far greater than the sum of its individual parts.
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Supporting a good, albeit simple narrative between the four protagonists, Croixleur Sigma provides a solid, fast-paced, three dimensional roguelike brawler experience. It sits on the right side of challenging, has a vibrant art style, and has plenty of content, making it a superb title to keep sitting on the PlayStation 4 for quick bouts of action.
You know what you're getting from it, but by the end of it, if you play enough games in this genre, you will probably be itching to play something a little more creative.
Zombie Vikings is basic brawler, but it's a basic brawler done right, and is quite funny in the process. And, really, that's all most people are looking for from this genre. There are far better examples out there of it, but as a Sunday afternoon killer, this one is nonetheless almost as worthy as Thor himself.
Far bigger in scope than any of its predecessors, Megadimension Neptunia VII has nevertheless managed to retain its focus over what fans enjoy about the series most; its humour and its fan service. This game should be enough to get people who have waned on the series back into the fold, thanks to the additional characters, vastly improved graphics engine, and expanded plot and combat system. It won't be enough to get the series removed from Gametrailer's list of franchises that need to die, but to be honest I don't think Neptune gives a toss.
There is plenty of fun to be had here with friends, but just make sure your expectations are in line with what you will be getting here. It is fun for a while, and well made for what it is, but for a game that relies so intensely on the multiplayer action, it's just not quite up there with the best in the genre.