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It'll take you less than four hours to finish The Midnight Sanctuary and at times it is a struggle to see it through, especially that first chapter, but when it gets into the plot there is something interesting here using Japan's history with Christianity as the backbone of a supernatural thriller.
STONE is a quick two-hour dip into the fair dinkum world of Stone, a bloke with a good heart, but needing a right knock on the noggin as he can be a bit of a drongo. A bit more hard yakka could have pushed STONE into something bigger, but it's still a bit of a larrikin and possibly best enjoyed with a cold one or two.
Life is Strange 2 is a brave choice for DontNod who had a hit with the first season. They could have done much of the same again here but chose to do something very different with the story of Sean & Daniel. I applaud it. Judging from the premiere episode their story is going be an interesting, hard and emotional one in ways I may not be prepared for and yet, I can't wait for the next episode.
Forza Horizon 4 is a stunningly beautiful tour through the UK with a roster of cars that all control and sound unique with superb detail. The season’s system will keep Horizon 4 feeling constantly new and exciting, like a living world that is now populated with real players. This is the racing game to pick up in 2018 and one of the best games of the year.
At its price point, it's well worth it and swinging back into the campaign on a higher difficulty as I have, it'll not only keep you practising your punches for some time, but could be a workout for the foreseeable future. Just make sure you stretch before playing and have water at the ready. Don't get dehydrated kids!
Even if the nostalgia of the objects littered throughout the islands is before your time the emotional resonance of The Gardens Between should work for everyone in some regard. Memories from being younger, simpler times. The ending is bittersweet, but the journey there is every bit rewarding through interesting mechanics and subtle story-telling.
Although it feels like it has released a little too early and you’re buying a work in progress at the moment, Megaquarium is still a lot of fun. Maybe a month from now it’ll be even better as the constant updates are being published to fix issues and follow up on feedback.
I like to refer to my time with Donut County as ‘the time I was held hostage by interesting mechanics and played an asshole racoon.’ Have a garbage day.
I appreciated having Read Only Memories on my Switch to play it as a portable. The pixel art looks great on the screen and you're not losing any detail not playing docked. The INTEGRAL version doesn't add much to separate it from the many other versions you can pick up, but of the portable versions available (Vita, iOS, Android) I'd much prefer it on my Switch and the game is best experienced as a portable book to pick-up as you wish.
Destination Primus Vita is a real mix-bag of doing some things really well and uniquely, as well as doing a lot very bland and boring. I hope Episode Two can improve the weaker elements and explain why players should look forward to the next episode and not leave you wondering why you should care. Playing this though, I did go read the two comics released so far -- so I am onboard for the adventure to get our water back -- but why does the game feel like the spin-off story, not the other way around?
The premiere of The Walking Dead: The Final Season is a slow burn to set up new relationships and help you decide what kind of maternal figure you want to be for AJ. The last thirty minutes does pick up into a thunderous and gloomy ending that sets into motion the next three episodes fantastically though, and I can’t wait to see Clementine and AJ’s journey through to the finish.
Hand of Fate 2 attempts to combine the fun of tabletop games with video games, but its commitment to that pitch is its downfall. The portals to combat filled me with nothing but grunts of exhaustion everytime as I drew my weapon. If you are able to look past the dreaded combat, there is a fun tabletop RPG here with interesting stories to tell, but I personally can't stand to do another one of those combat scenarios. Sorry, The Dealer wins.
If you're like me the hunt for a complete Pokédex and the excitement of even the worst shiny Pokémon provides enough fun to keep Pokémon Quest around for sometime.
Solo is a blissful and beautiful journey into your own heart. You may spend minutes upon minutes enjoying the crashing waves in the background as you swing over a stunning cliffside; contemplating the latest question asked of you, before moving onto the next puzzle and that’s the best way to play Solo -- slowly, relaxed and willing to give in to its theme.
The world and characters are honestly quite enjoyable and the art is the best part of Sir Eatsalot, but the gameplay is too cumbersome, tedious and painful at times. I pointed my Vita at a light source lost in those caves and nearly pointed Sir Eatsalot, much to my disappointment, at my bin instead.
Island Time was great fun (eventually) and I would certainly recommend it, though I can’t help but think it would be a little more enjoyable given the prompt to stand at the start and a little more accuracy in it’s tracking. I want you to play it, and on a system with better tracking if possible, like the HTC Vive. Regardless, I do suspect I will be back attempting to survive the treacherous VR island with my crab companion very soon.
I couldn’t put Reverie down once I picked it up. The charm of the New Zealand setting and the pull of wanting to just start the next dungeon… and then complete the dungeon had me playing for hours on end until the credits rolled. My disappointments in the wasted opportunity with the story aside, Reverie is easily a Vita must buy, especially if you’re a fan of the genre like I am.
Crisis on the Planet of the Apes has moments where it shines and the presentation and character models all look good. The climbing and movement with an initial setup for an emotional prison break story were promising, but from the moment I picked up my first gun, it took a dive into mediocre territory. As far as movie based VR experiences go, this is one of the best I’ve played, but that doesn't make it a good VR cover-based shooter.
Old Man’s Journey is a heartwarming, sad, and intriguing story unfolding in a world that feels magical with its always eye-opening impressive visuals. A journey well worth your time.
It’s a damn shame Monster Hunter: World is doing so well because, I believe, Dynasty Warriors 9 would otherwise be a worthy recipient of that mainstream boost early calendar releases - and often slightly more obscure titles - receive. Perhaps if Dynasty Warriors 10 gives us some shared world, multiplayer coop action…