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Nitroplus Blasterz will no doubt fly under the radar of many, and that's a huge disappointment. With strong gameplay and a healthy amount of unique characters, it's a game that lives up to the pedigree of its developer. In a lot of ways, it even outdoes their previous titles. Casual and experienced fighting game players alike will find something to enjoy in this package, and fans of anime and Japanese media might even walk away with a few new titles to check out.
Despite occasional pangs of belittlement, The Witness refuses to release its hold on me. Although there are aspects of the game that I clearly dislike, part of me longs to be immersed within its fascinating world. It feels strange, therefore, to try and put a score on this review, given how each individual will react differently to it. That term may be overused but if you were to spend just an hour or two with the game, you would know it to be true. Unique, divisive, and fiendishly clever, there are bound to be those who love it and those who absolutely hate it. Then there are those, like myself, who fall somewhere in between, able to appreciate Thekla's achievements but frustrated at how The Witness continues to build a wall around itself, as if guarding a secret from its players.
Naruto Shippuden: Ultimate Ninja Storm 4 is a fitting finale for the game series and for fans of the anime. With a great range of content, a huge roster, and spectacular visuals, this is certain to be a hit with those who have a history with the franchise. Unfortunately for outsiders though it's likely to remain a beautiful yet incomprehensible brawler.
Final Fantasy Explorers certainly has the potential to grow into worthy Monster Hunter alternative, but its first attempt is a little way off. Despite being nothing more than satisfactory in some key areas, there are some neat ideas at work that, if combined with a revised approach to gameplay, could make this the strongest Final Fantasy spin-off series to date. It's way too early to start dreaming about sequels or what could have been, however. What we have here is imperfect though some will undoubtedly find themselves exploring Amostra for many hours to come.
Lego Marvel's Avengers is another great entry in the brick-based franchise, and fans of both series, and in particular Lego Marvel Superheroes, will likely lap it up. It combines a fantastic property, with a pleasing level of narrative variation which of course plays home to the atypical value for money that Lego games are renowned for. However, there are a number of oddities to the way various sections or components of the game have been handled, and the formula remains much the same as it was ten years ago, keeping it from being anywhere near to a revelatory moment for the franchise.
The 2013 reboot was no slouch in the visuals department, especially when played on PC or current gen consoles, but Rise of the Tomb Raider takes this even further.
Oointah have tried to make a game which does something a little different, but haven't really brought all the factors together properly. Mixing a fast paced and strategy with brutal difficulty is a challenge in itself, and making that fun or appealing even more so. Death by Game Show loses that appeal quickly by following the same basic gameplay throughout while punishing the player for even the smallest of mistakes. If you like tough games then this is for you, but fans of strategy or tower defence have much better options available to them.
Though it's a little awkward at times, it's never truly annoying, and the many virtues of the PlayStation 4 and the DualShock 4 help to make the game feel more natural and fluid in action than on the Vita. The sequel looks like it's really really going to flesh out the ideas at play in the original, when it releases later this year, but until then, Gravity Rush Remastered is the best way to play or revisit one of the Vita's most distinctive games.
This War Of Mine: The Little Ones is more than a game, and can be considered one of the most effective anti-war tools ever created. This is not a game you play for fun or to unwind, and the addition of children for the console release makes it even more poignant, as the realisation dawns that all over the world people are living through these hellish conditions. This War of Mine: The Little Ones doesn't just drive home how desperate people get in times of war, but also makes you take note of how lucky so many of us are to live in a more stable place.
Though it lacks some of the nuance and complexity to make the most of some of its ideas, Deserts of Kharak captures the essence of the Homeworld series. Fans of the classic originals will find a familiar form of real time strategy adapted to a new setting, and telling another tale of a lonely carrier fighting through to its destination against the odds.
Resident Evil Zero HD isn't exactly the most beloved game in the franchise, yet the high quality of the HD upgrade makes it well worth a look for fans of the series. It still features the main issues that the previous version had, but the detail that's gone into the restoration work is highly commendable and the new Wesker mode is worth unlocking. If only the base game wasn't more inventory management than surviving a zombie outbreak.
If anything, what was already a pastiche of a rather traditional fantasy RPG has been taken down an even more classical route. It's a story of kings, princesses, castles and dragons, as the gates to Expandria quickly get forced open, and you head off to investigate reports of a large explosion behind the wall which had kept this area off limits so far.
It makes one or two minor stumbles along the way, but The Banner Saga continues to stand tall two years after its original release. Empowered a truly jaw-dropping art direction and the masterful audio work of composer Austin Wintory, Stoic's plans to expand the franchise are certainly justifiable.
If you're a fan of Assassin's Creed then it will suit you, though perhaps you'd be better off waiting for the collection. ACC: India can be completed within a day or two, so if you're looking for something to fill the time there are worse things.
Stone Tales is a good proof of concept with a unique art style, but its gameplay feels undercooked. The imprecise nature of spear throwing, combined with several cheap moments, undermine the experience. But above all else, the game just doesn't have anything particularly interesting to show off besides the visuals. Short games are one thing and some great experiences come in small packages. If only Stone Tales had a hint of something interesting.
The development team has a lot of work to do before Hardware: Rivals could be considered a great game that has any longevity. There are more maps and vehicles on the way, but what is really needed are more modes, a better party system, useful hit feedback, and the scrapping of the daily salvage limit. While Hardware Rivals is fun to play in chunks it gets repetitive quickly, and its great visual design isn't enough to cover the cracks.
Despite my gripes with the game and the struggle to make it through achingly slow opening chapter, the care and detail that went into the game is clear to see, and I know there are JRPG fans that live to appreciate the kind of meticulous detail that this game contains. Trails of Cold Steel wants you to strap in for the long haul, and as the first of three chapters it’s not afraid to take its time. If you want a JRPG that isn’t afraid to soak you in story until you’re nothing but wrinkles, this is absolutely the game for you.
Unfortunately, Fat Princess Adventures comes across as something of a missed opportunity. For one thing, it's a genre shift which will disappoint those who want more of the multiplayer carnage from the original, but while there's still fun to be had, this is a fairly shallow game which leans too close to the childlike facade of the art style.
It's simple to just say that Starpoint Gemini 2 isn't for everyone, but there are fundamental issues that really make this game utterly impenetrable. The presentation is generally of a good standard, and though the performance falters at inconvenient moments, it's how the game deals with teaching players how things work that's most disappointing. We've seen space simulations that work on consoles, but this particular trade isn't worth what they're offering.
Overall Amplitude's return is an enjoyable one, though the game's campaign set-list has just as many tracks that would clear the dancefloor as fill it. Thankfully, the additional tracks that you unlock through play are much stronger, and will particularly appeal to fans of indie game soundtracks and their composers. However, fans of the original will likely still hanker after more variation to the included styles and genres no matter how hypnotic the action is.