Game Revolution
HomepageGame Revolution's Reviews
It's this challenge vs. reward dichotomy that makes FAST Racing Neo worthwhile. It's not quite F-Zero; it may look similar, but only in the way that cousins do, even though one's favored by the family, so the other one punches you when you're not looking for no reason. But even though it's not exactly like an F-Zero, it certainly deserves a place at the family dinner table. It's a futuristic racer for gamers who are serious about their racing, even when we hit the future at over 300 miles per hour.
Something unlike any other game on the market.
The Old Hunters aims to deepen the experience of the original by taking the good ideas in Bloodborne and expanding on them. And on those terms it's a success. Still, anyone that hoped for an easier time or more story, a reason to play will be disappointed, but I doubt anyone who has finished Bloodborne would still be thinking of those things. Then again, I sort of did, as a gamer that loves the Lovecraftian vibe FromSoftware supplies, but was tired of dying over and over. The bottom line is that any worthwhile DLC should be for fans first, right? If so, that's where The Old Hunters shines.
Xenoblade Chronicles X is epic and a really great game, but one that requires the player to approach it in a specific way. It's an oddity on the Wii U, a full-fledged massive RPG experience from a first-party Nintendo developer. Parts of it are so Japanese—character design, animations, anime/manga-esque plot—that it feels like it should be an Atlus or Nippon-Ichi title; but if it were that niche it would never have been able to develop the expansive environment. There's certainly nothing like it on the Wii U, or anywhere else. It's definitely worth picking up if you have the platform.
If this goes out to someone who is familiar with past titles in the Pokemon Mystery Dungeon series, then it's all aces. The elements of the past games are in the latest iteration, from the popular personality quiz to the familiar tactics of movement and team attacks, and if one can survive the almost criminally-awful first third of the game, Pokémon Super Mystery Dungeon does improve significantly and reveals a decent little game while waiting for the next core release.
With non-stop, wanton destruction, high-flying acrobatics, and over-the-top stunts, this is the type of game that Michael Bay would make. Unlike his films, however, people will want to continue the experience after thirty minutes of edge-of-your-seat action.
In summation, fans of the series will come for the single-player story, but they'll stay for the online multiplayer goodness. Conversely, gamers like myself who aren't familiar with SAO will find Sword Art Online: Lost Song to be just another lackluster MMO based on a popular animé.
Embarrassing blatant cash grab aside, Animal Crossing: amiibo Festival is a serviceable game. It's not downright bad, but I can't see any rush for the title, unless little Johnny is getting pissed that he can't beat his older siblings at Mario Kart 8. Hardcore amiibo addicts and Animal Crossing die-hards may even pass up on this, but if you've got a wide range of gamers who want a family-style night, then you may get some enjoyment out of it.
In the end, Mario Tennis: Ultra Smash is a solid tennis game that feels thin when it comes to content. But the gameplay is fun and the visuals are great eye candy. Playing with friends in a living room is a fun way to kill a few hours.
Right now, it's bigger than life, feels good while you're enjoying it, but is somewhat disappointingly hollow.
Its campaign is a joy to play, only hampered by a story that doesn't do the franchise justice. However, it's easy to look past that as this is the first time that veterans can not only become engrossed in the rich strategy of StarCraft, but have a good reason to invite even their most RTS-reluctant friends to come and see why the franchise is one of the industry's greatest.
Call of Duty: Black Ops III continues the evolution that began in last year's Advanced Warfare. The current-generation of the mega popular war shooter series impresses with (some) freedom of choice and fun abilities. So much so that most of the time, the rather pedestrian visuals and unmemorable story won't be a deal breaker. Especially, when you consider all the extra content like a second zombie themed campaign.
As Imageepoch's swan song, it may not be a slam dunk, but it's clear that Stella Glow was crafted with care from people who know the genre, even if at times you just have to stare at whatever just happened in disbelief and say, "Okay, whatever, game."
Fallout 4 is a roaring response to criticism that the series has ignored its qualities as a shooter in favor of its deeper and stronger RPG roots. Nearly every design change in Fallout 4 poises the game as a more streamlined modern shooter with high production value across the truly open-world Commonwealth wasteland. The introduction of settlements, newly designed power armor, and deeper crafting evolve the Fallout franchise for the better. This occasionally comes at the cost of storytelling, however, with a plot based on stringently polarizing factions as well as diminished interaction with characters in general. But despite these missteps, Fallout 4 will only improve with time, assuredly with the assistance of the community and user-created mods, and soundly reclaims the franchise as a forward-thinking series in the industry today.
Rise of the Tomb Raider took aim at perfecting not just its own series, but modern action games as well, which is an ambitious undertaking to say the least. The past decade has seen the genre jump, shoot, and blow stuff up real good with games like Resident Evil 4, Uncharted 2: Among Thieves, and Dead Space. Each redefined what a well-balanced 15-hour experience could be by delivering a compelling narrative, tight gameplay, and outstanding world building. Rise of the Tomb Raider bests even those classics with a character that resonates like no other. Even if it took nearly twenty years for that to happen, this is an adventure worth replaying with a hero who's unforgettable.
I appreciate how the DLC content has been integrated into the Deathinitive Edition rather than being separated as it makes the gaming experience seamless. When the plethora of DLC content that includes powerful weapon packs, stunning armor sets, and cool extra missions are added to over twenty hours of gameplay, the result is a great deal for newcomers at only $30. However, Darksiders II: Deathinitive Edition doesn't offer much to attract anyone who has played the game before. For anyone who hasn't played the game, there's no better time than the present.
By and large these are all minor gripes. The battle system is a lot of frenetic fun, the writing is sharp, and visually the game is that Level-5 cel-shaded colorful anime that looks fantastic. The 3D is unnecessary, but they appear to have learned from what was irritating in a game like LBX (recent as it was) and really worked to smooth out the rough and awkward edges. Aside from a few clumsy design choices, mostly regarding side mission requirements and scrounging around awkwardly for the few required missions, Yo-Kai Watch is a charming gem that's only helping bolster the claim that fun and full RPG experiences are only getting better on portable hardware. And it's a great and action-ish way to invite newer RPG players into the party without entirely scaring away the more hardcore fans. Just because it's cute and funny doesn't mean it doesn't get tense, like seeing a g-g-g-GHOOOOOOST!
This year's installment of Need For Speed isn't the end-all-be-all, but it has proven there are still great things to be offered to the genre. Each car is crafted extremely well both visually and audibly. Engines give strong roars as they power up for quick releases. Tires scream with a certain screech when pulling off the perfect drift. Through the nuts and bolts, getting to the core of the title, it's all mostly safe and directed in a simple form. It's a solid base to grow from—few complaints but few things to gush over.
Tales of Zestiria desperately tries to retain its retro JRPG roots while also attempting to stay relevant. The stat-heavy nature of the game combined with numerous unimaginative dungeons slows it down to a crawl, which is unfortunate because the fast-paced combat is enjoyable. Sadly, this game tries to appeal to old and new gamers, but loses its identity in doing so.
All in all, Just Dance 2016 is the same Just Dance that millions of party people in varying levels of enthusiasm and sobriety have enjoyed for seven iterations now (not counting the multitude of spin-offs). Nothing's really changed there. What has changed, though, is how badly Ubisoft wants to get in your phone, your living room, and your wallet.