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Trine 3: The Artifacts of Power becomes a mixed bag, because the core game is actually quite enjoyable despite a handful of growing pains associated with the transition to a fully realised 3D world. The visuals and music deliver as always and it is great to see some more times spent on actually developing the story and fleshing out our three protagonists. However, in giving the heroes a better story, they somehow have even less to do in the game. Perhaps more frustratingly, the story is short and incomplete, making the game feel rushed or like the development team has unannounced DLC planned for down the road.
Until Dawn is a very, very fine game, with a quality, intriguing, and intelligent narrative rolled around the concept of player choice. It's also another example of why Sony is the best blockbuster publisher out there because it's happy to do stuff that breaks away from the safe conventions of expensive games.
Konami would do well in scouting out a new development team to handle the next Yu-Gi-Oh! game. With the last couple being workmanlike but unremarkable efforts, it's difficult to shake the feeling that without an overhaul the star of this particular CCG is only going to fade further. And that would be a pity, because the core card game remains one of the most strategic that we've ever seen.
Lost Dimension is an incredible title, with a constant sense of escalation and drama. It’s the frequent trips to the judgement room that keeps you playing, continuously playing mind games as you try and figure out who needs to be taken out of the team. With the aforementioned traitors being randomised with each play through, Lost Dimension has a truly intimidating replay value to round out what is set to be one of the most under appreciated games this year.
Toy Soldiers: War Chest really nails its toy aesthetic. Whether you have Battlecat running across a bunch of markers, or you blow up overly aggressive My Little Pony look-alikes (which naturally explode into rainbow hearts when defeated), the game is beautifully realised. There's a healthy number of items to unlock, characters to level and modes to play will keep you coming back for more. It's a pity then that it's burdened by some painful attempts to demand players throw in some extra cash for the DLC.
All that aside however, RymdResa is still a fascinating exploration into a facet of gaming which largely remains untouched. Morgondag have created a soothing and contemplative experience which makes the most of its slow pacing, and while I thought I'd get bored easily while drifting aimlessly through space, I managed to sink hours at a time just watching the stars fly by as I slowly but steadily rebuilt the human race. With time and patches, this could be a must play, but as it is I can only cautiously recommend RymdResa as a game with fascinating ideas and inconsistent execution.
Hacknet is a beautiful example of compelling non-linear storytelling. While it is still a game about hacking, it is far more about solving the mystery around Bit's death using the tools he (she?) has given you. Combining an enthralling story with a truly impressive learning curve and a stellar soundtrack, Hacknet is definitely something special.
The Chinese Room has managed to create one of the most insightful, meaningful, and emotional games that we've seen in some time, perhaps forever, and bravo to Sony for taking a real punt with something so completely arthouse.
Duet's narrative may also be hinting at something touching or maybe perhaps a profound truth, but I'm afraid I may be missing the point or overlooking into things. But, as often is such the case with art games, maybe that's precisely the point here.
Sword Art Online: Re: Hollow Fragment is a better game than its Vita predecessor. The team has included the DLC content, improved the quality of the graphics and listened to fan feedback and taken notable strides towards bettering the game's translation. The game itself isn't an especially memorable one, but for fans of the anime, this version at least does them justice.
King's Quest: A Knight to Remember is a great re-introduction to a new King's Quest series. The beautiful scenery, the interesting characters, the unique and fascinating narrative all come together to create a heart-warming title anyone can enjoy. The big question coming out of Chapter 1 however, is whether the rest of the chapters will have harder, more traditional puzzles to complete now that it has introduced newcomers to the series.
But that's another debate for another day. The Vanishing of Ethan Carter is one of the most beautiful games ever developed, and backs its aesthetics up with some of the finest Lovecraftian narratives that we've seen in interactive form. It's a compelling argument for games as art, in other words, and not just because it makes for some awesome digital postcards.
Fairy Fencer F probably will not gain the same kind of following that the more satirical Hyperdimension games have garnered over the years, but it is by all rights a solid effort that manages to surprise in pleasant ways while still providing some familiar mechanics that make the title approachable. The story itself did not do much to burn itself into my memory, but the characters are well written and elevate the overall material with their interactions. JRPG fans who missed this title when it released on PlayStation 3 should absolutely give this PC version a try.
Rare Replay's technical challenges on a handful of games stand as the only aspect that detracts from an otherwise outstanding collection of titles. With titles reaching back as far as 1983 and as recent as 2008, this is one diverse collection that promises a lot of fun around a variety of genres. Thirty games. Thirty bucks. It's pretty tough to top a collection like this.
What impressed me most about Submerged is that it never tries to be more than its concept. It set out to be a simple narrative-driven and emotional experience with a strong environmental message, and it achieves just that. With no unnecessary actions to distract those with limited attention spans it might be perceieved as "dull" by some, but in practice it's a reflective, mature, and artful work, and this here is where games should be going.
As I continued to play, I did notice that I was getting better. And as much as I would like to brag that I was as skillful as I looked, I can almost guarantee that I got a very lucky run on each level as I completed them. At times it can feel like the only way to beat a level is to be lucky so that the placement of levels was randomly placed to be easy. And no matter how much I enjoyed this game, which I did, it was hard to play, because the visuals are so jarring. As such Velocibox is not for the faint hearted, or epileptic.
As myself someone who grew up watching exploitation films, studied them at university, and have generally remained a fan of the kitsch aesthetic, Onechanbara Z2: Chaos is a resounding success as both an example of the genre and a homage to everything that makes it fun. That kitsch style is quite clearly the only thing Tamsoft wanted to achieve in this project, and weighed against that target, it absolutely hits the bullseye. This is a B-grade game in every sense of the word, but it is so ridiculously good, gory, chesty fun that I was truly mesmerised from start through finish.
And so in an odd way it makes Journey the best example of Marxist thinking that we've ever seen. The idea that humans, separated from the need or potential for conflict with one another and placed in a truly egalitarian environment in which there can be no class nor discrimination, would be naturally inclined to work together to their mutual benefit is in many ways innocent and naive, but it's a beautiful thought, and just as Journey is a beautiful game, it has a beautiful heart, and that makes the ending (which I won't spoil, even though you really should have experienced it by now), all the more heart wrenching, but ultimately beautiful.
Red Goddess a great experience. Utilising strong emotions such as joy, fear, and anger could have been done with far less elegance than this, and the act of using them all to investigate and recapture lost memories is a worthy, enjoyable experience.
I shouldn't allow the presentation to bug me, but for Rory McIlroy, it does. Coupled with the limited range of play modes and a relatively shallow range of courses, and I was left with the impression that this game was certainly not EA Sport's focus this year. The core physics and mechanics of Rory McIlroy PGA Tour are quality, and I like golf, so I still give this a passing grade, but it's hard not to wish that there was credible competition for EA in the sport of golf, to spur the publisher out of some of the complacency that is seems to be in.