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Tokyo Mirage Sessions #FE is a good JRPG that sadly falls short of greatness due to missteps that you wouldn’t expect to see in a modern game. In all likelihood this will be amongst the final major releases for the Wii U, and in many ways Tokyo Mirage Sessions #FE’s moments of pure joy sandwiched between poorly thought out elements mirror the lifecycle of its host console.
Demetrios – The BIG Cynical Adventure isn’t really filled to the brim with cynicism, but it does have a decent humorous tone throughout. While the characters aren’t exactly the most likeable people, the puzzles do present a decent challenges to solve, with a well implemented hints system for when you get stuck. If you like classic point & click adventure games, then Demetrios is worth a play.
Despite being a standalone game, Trials of the Blood Dragon is at best a quirky aside to Trials Fusion. With so many truly ridiculous ideas in the story, they’ve given themselves free license to experiment and try new things, but so many of them simply don’t come off and aren’t that much fun. Let’s cross our fingers that RedLynx get back to what the series is so good at with their next game.
Some parts of the Asemblance are executed incredibly well, but having clocked in at just over an hour, it’s a tough one to recommend. Those who enjoy tearing apart this specific type of interactive thriller will have a ball searching every detailed nook and cranny for fresh clues, while the majority of gamers simply “won’t get it”. Either way, we’re intrigued to see where Nilo goes next and whether its ambitions for a landmark narrative series can actually materialise.
If you Kickstarted this game, you'll likely be fairly satisfied with how Mighty No. 9 turned out. However, it's far from ground breaking in terms of its visual style, has some rather rage inducing sections of the level design, and the dash is imprecise. That said, the majority of the game is fairly fun to play and it certainly captures the spirit of Kenji Inafune's Mega Man franchise, it just lacks a certain amount of polish.
However, while I certainly enjoyed most of the scenarios I played, I found myself falling into that same groove, opting for a select cluster of traits and tactics to help ensure victory every time. Very soon, Plague Inc. became one of those games I couldn’t sit in front of attentively and immerse myself as the action unfolds. Although there’s certainly an active element at play, the long periods of waiting meant I’d need some other form of media playing in the background just to feel comfortable. It’s a minor downside to end the review on and one that can easily be swept aside for those who game and multitask anyway. Let’s not forget, that’s how a majority of mobile games are consumed so it should come as no surprise that the same is true of Plague Inc. Evolved.
Grand Kingdom is one of the most interesting things I've ever had on my Vita, combining so many ideas together and somehow making them all work. Like a weird looking dish at a foreign restaurant your cousin recommended, you might doubt it can be anything other than a huge mess, but once you get a taste of it, you'll realize just how wrong you were.
Guilty Gear XRD Revelator feels more like an expansion than a legitimate sequel, but this isn't a bad thing, as the fighting is still highly engaging and the numerous teaching materials allow newer players to get up to speed nicely. No English dub after Sign's decent dub is a bit of a black mark, but if you're not bothered by fighters in an anime style, Guilty Gear XRD Revelator is the best of the bunch.
To brand the game as a failure would be unjust, however. Although far from being essential, it's easy to see why The Sun and Moon cleaned up at Ludum Dare 29. It's just a shame that the end result lacks the substance and feature set needed to embrace a larger, more diverse audience.
If Blood and Wine is to be The Witcher series’ finale, then it’s going out on a high note that befits the high standards that have been set over the years. If you’ve enjoyed The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt, then this expansion is essential.
The fact of the matter is: Anima: Gate of Memories just isn’t fun. It’s not that the puzzles themselves are bad, nor that the lack of handholding is a huge deterrent in itself. Yet, the game gives very little feedback as to where to go, features mediocre combat and poor visual presentation to boot, whilst featuring some of the most hackneyed narrative and voice acting of recent years.
Having played a few of Wales Interactive games, Soul Axiom is a disappointing release from a studio that is capable of better. Muddled in with the disjointed story and an uninteresting cast of characters, there are a few glimpses of genius design that only serve to highlight the lacklustre moments that surround them. Soul Axiom tries to discuss the subject of the soul, but doesn't have one itself.
I'd love to be able to give Sherlock Holmes: The Devil's Daughter a stronger review, but it simply isn't possible. The story is solid, if a little unusual for a Sherlock Holmes tale, and the collection of mechanics and mini-games that could easily feel thrown together actually work well together, leaving you guessing about what comes next.
Atelier Sophie is a wonderful change of pace from every other JRPG I've played. The simple, homegrown story is a breath of fresh air, and the unique focus on alchemy and item gathering over combat and grinding helps it stand out even more. Most surprising of all, though, is that a game all about picking up items, navigating menus and walking around the same town for hours and hours kept me more engaged than almost any other JRPG I've played. Atelier Sophie is a wonderful game, and if you're a new player like me, it's a great way to get yourself hooked on the rest of the franchise.
At its best, Mirror's Edge Catalyst is a joyous flight across the rooftops of a gorgeous city, with a grace that belies the weight to Faith's movement, but DICE seem to forget this on a few occasions, dragging it down with combat that brings the free running to a halt. It's a fantastic game at times, but just as with the utopian setting, there are problems that lie breath the surface.
Whatever excitement I have is matched by an immediate sense of bewilderment as I prepare to memorise everything around me, knowing it will be another few hours before I can walk away truly satisfied with my in-game performance.
One Piece: Burning Blood is a great example of a licensed videogame, and it gets so much right, bringing the characters of One Piece to life in spectacular fashion. It's a shame that the limited and unwelcoming narrative scope and unnecessary difficulty spikes take away from what is otherwise a great arena brawler.
The controls for your ship feel just a little bit awkward, and it can be tiring to hold your arm up to move around – I took to lazily resting it on my leg and using this as the new centre point. More jarring is the way that every time you load to a new location, you’re booted out to the SteamVR void for a few moments, which led me to believe the game had crashed the first couple of times.
In short sessions, preferably with other players, there’s still plenty of fun to be had in tearing through each level like a bull in a china shop. That said, the longer you play Dangerous Golf, the harder it becomes to overlooks the game’s shortcomings. It’s a respectable debut from Three Fields, if one that doesn’t quite live up to its full potential.
Honestly, Hard Reset Redux is an easy game to recommend for those wanting a little more of what made Doom such a success last month. Fast-paced shooting, combined with some great visual design and a few upgrades to keep your arsenal fresh. If you’ve not played Hard Reset before, Hard Redux is well worth the price of admission.