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With infinite ammo guns that need no reloading, Tower of Guns is an immensely satisfying (albeit brief) gaming experience that is as engaging to play, as it is stunning to look at.
Sonia Blade is looking a little weathered, and Johnny Cage now has silver hair. But they break bones more effectively than ever before. Like its two veteran heroes, Mortal Kombat X is grown and matured into everything that it wanted to be. It's not perfect and has some thematic inconsistencies that let it down, but it is a gorily beautiful game, and as far as I'm aware, it's the first one to have exploding testicles.
Overall, Blue Estate is a fun little shooter that has a sense of humour, but ends too soon. I did enjoy the game but also did feel that it got a little too repetitive. If you're a fan of on rail shooters this is sure to please. If not, it still might be worth a whirl, since it is priced appropriately for what it offers.
But to let the technical issues affect your opinion of Omega Quintet is to miss the point. This isn't a blockbuster. This is, effectively, an independent game from a small, creative team. And it's a massive success at being that. It's a deep JRPG mixed with both satire and humour, it's something you haven't seen before, and most importantly: it's fun. Real, genuine fun. Buy it.
Boxboy! is confident, assured programming. It's brave to make a puzzle game in which players control a box with two little slits for eyes. It requires the confidence of the entire development team that they're going to be able to imbue character into the experience despite the minimalism, and that the level design and puzzles would be interesting enough in their own right to maintain the player's interest. HAL has succeed in doing just that, and the Boxboy! development team was justified in their confidence.
For people who enjoy getting into the multiplayer side of the Souls experience, it's worth nothing that Dark Souls 2: Scholar of the First Sin ups the number of players that can join in to six – up from four in the original game. I've never got on with the online component of these games because I find that the idea of having company helping me out defeated the melancholic, lonely tone that I look for in these games, but that aside I'm well aware of how popular Souls is in multiplayer, and this is something notable.
So, while I was very late to the Borderlands party, this "HD Remaster" of the two later games in the series have converted me to the franchise. If the FPS genre moves this way en masse (and we are seeing that happen with the likes of Destiny), then I might just be converted to the whole genre yet.
Despite these issues, Ironcast is a very solid game and worthy of putting a good few hours into. It mixes genres nicely, but it has other features that really work to dampen the enthusiasm that even the most ardent RPG fan might have for it.
Overall Rack N Ruin is a game with much unmet potential. After clearing out the same area for the twentieth time, players will realise just how little effect they have on the gaming environment. No single enemy becomes interesting to corrupt or destroy when it is immediately resurrected by walking off the screen and returning. If only there had been a mini-map of some kind to keep track of how the world's individual spaces connect, exploration would be more gratifying. If only the combat had been tweaked to allow greater chance for offensive rather than defensive attack, it would have been more engaging. It all adds up to a game that feels as though it should have been more widely tested before release. There is a kernel of greatness there, but it is hiding within a thick shell of nonsensical game design. Put simply the game doesn't 'play well'.
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.