Digital Chumps
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Exploring the destructive psychosis of a plaintive individual is a noble, if not precarious, responsibility. The Park, however, can't decide if its manic behavior is either a means of identifying with its troubled protagonist or a symptom of its own decent into chaos.
If a colorful, morbid, corporeal, dungeon-crawling Punch-Out!! isn't sweet enough to sell Severed, consider it a vision of a world where the PlayStation Vita remained a stronghold of original and endearing creation.
Dark Souls' tenacious pursuit of gaming idealism, even at three (or five) entries deep, remains a virtuous enterprise. It's also a show that, no matter how well executed, loses potency with each consecutive performance.
While there's a lot to like about Zero, its gameplay innovations seem sometimes obstructive and the presentation fails to impress in some regards. It's still a great game, but measured against other timeless Nintendo classics, its shortfalls hold it back from standing in the company of giants.
Star Fox Guard's class of tower defense is an exemplary validation of its platform's unique hardware. Like Super Mario Maker and Splatoon, it proves the Wii U's gamepad isn't a superfluous novelty, but a prudent force against an entrenched position.
Ratchet & Clank on the PS4 might not be an entirely new game given that it's based on the 2002 version, but Insomniac has done such a masterful job modernizing an already classic game that I would consider it one of the best releases of this console generation.
Quantum Break is an enjoyable game with high replay value, but it underwhelms in several key areas.
Slain is what happens when naiveté and enthusiasm rampage through ability and execution. Unfortunately, it's the latter pair that measure proficiency, leaving Slain so hostile, broken, and boring that it's hard to muster a sympathetic response.
Catlateral Damage is a simple gaming experience that doesn’t offer up much variety outside of swiping items off shelves, but it does occasionally offer up some cute humor. Nothing really more or less than that, though.
Releasing five episodes over two years creates problems that are impossible to solve, and trying to work a passable narrative inside a challenging and coherent game was a task too herculean for Republique's development team. An academic interest in Republique, where you can observe a game’s promise before watching it suffocate, may merit some appreciation — but in no way does it meet its intended goals.
Tom Clancy's The Division is almost everything that was advertised in 2013. While the visuals have certainly been pulled back a bit, probably because of hardware limitations, the gameplay has been delivered as promised.
A clever premise and nice presentation along with sound point-and-click adventure design give Heaven's Hope good reason to belong in any adventure gamer's digital library.
A great game and a top quality remaster, consider it a must-have.
Into the Stars is a fun adventure with a bit of everything (strategy, action, adventure). It would be just a bit better with improved UI, though. Regardless, it's certainly worth a look.
Pokken Tournament is a well crafted, yet simplistic fighting game. It won't compete against the Tekkens or Street Fighters of the fighting world, but it does enough to cater to the Pokémon crowd. If there was a bit more balance and a lot more characters, then this game would have been phenomenal. As it stands, it's still a good fighting game with lots of potential for growth.
EA's second stint with UFC's license shows some positive growth. On the plus side, the ground controls are simpler and the optional Grapple Assist does make learning how to roll much easier. Fights feel a little more steady in terms of character interaction with improved collision detection. But although the striking principles are solid, I still think the tempo is turned up too high. If stand up was more even keeled and ground transitions were quickened a bit, all aspects of gameplay would feel just right. Despite this criticism, it still plays very proficiently. Available modes cover all the bases of the sports genre with the advent of a strong Ultimate Team experience and addictively fun KO mode. And presentation is pristine in all areas and couldn't have been designed much better. UFC 2 didn't correct all of 2014's mistakes, but it's still striding in the right direction.
Hitman's improved world, which includes smarter NPCs and versatile ways to complete goals, has brought the series onto a higher level of entertainment. Definitely worth a go.
Shardlight is another excellent point-and-click adventure game from the small but fiercely dedicated and skilled bunch at Wadjet Eye Games.
While Ori and the Blind Forest's style and construction were unassailable, its subscription to its declared genre was prudent if not passive. Great art shouldn't be afraid to go outside of its lines. Definitive Edition, arriving nearly a year later, expands Ori's content but delivers a parallel message.
This is a hardcore game. Honestly, if you're looking for a good challenge, then you've certainly come to the right place. The enemies are relentless, the environments are unforgiving and survival in multiple scenarios is the driving point of the title. We Are The Dwarves is not the best RTS game out there, but its difficulty is addictive enough to suck any good PC gamer in for more than a few hours.