ZTGD's Reviews
Elite: Dangerous is a massive game. I can't even begin to talk about how many star systems there are in the game, and you can go to them all if you choose to do so. That statement is both what defines this game as well as holds it back, but it only does that for the first few hours. The lack of direction is its biggest gift and its biggest curse. It is up to the player and player-base to make the fun for themselves. This is one of the best space sim games I have ever played. It can be a scary game, but if you let yourself get into it and really dig in deep, you will begin to see just how brilliant this game can be, just like I did.
Transformers: Devastation is a fantastic trip down memory lane for fans of the Generation One cartoon. As a video game, the combat is extremely satisfying, if not a tad repetitious. This game feels incomplete in some areas, like there should simply be more of it. That makes it hard to recommend to anyone not completely gaga over the cartoon. However, for anyone who grew up with Prime and Megatron constantly butting heads, this is a must-have title. I just hope Platinum gets the time to do a proper sequel, and really flesh out the incredible template they have created.
Overall the improvements to 2K16 cannot be ignored. The gameplay is better than it's ever been, the presentation is fantastic and the expansions to My League and My GM are very welcome. For someone like me however, for whom My Career is consistently the biggest draw, it's hard to not be disappointed. My hope is that next year 2K addresses my concerns in this area and finally delivers what I would consider the perfect hoops game.
Dragon Quest Heroes is just fun. The visual style is gorgeous, and the game play hits all the right notes with some fantastic pacing. Fans of the genre should definitely check it out, but even those usually put off by it, should definitely keep an eye on it. It quickly became one of my favorite sleeper games of the year. I didn't expect to even care, now I can't stop playing. I hope Omega Force continues to step outside the Warriors franchise to deliver these unique experiences, there are so many franchises that would benefit from this type of game.
Wasteland 2 is for players looking to get lost in world that seems perfectly comfortable in giving the players all the options at their fingertips. The wasteland is a host to deadly enemies, characters, and vile world, one in which I take my very own created desert rangers, with their own personal stories, my stories, and try to live… to see another day.
The Taken King easily eclipses both previous Destiny expansions in quantity and quality of content, and goes a long way towards making Destiny the game what so many of us have wanted.
Samurai Warriors 4-II is a weird step in the series. It isn't a typical remake or sequel, and it would almost benefit if it didn't carry the numbered moniker, even if it does share a lot in common with the previous game. Still, it is yet another solid entry in the series. Omega Force has become a machine at crafting these, and for those not yet tired of the setting, there is still a copious amount of fun to be had here.
FIFA 16 has a few nice additions, but failure to fix some of the franchise's ongoing problems, along with a massive focus on FUT leaves it feeling stale; especially seeing as PES seems to be scoring highly in reviews.
Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 5 is easily the biggest disappointment of the year for me. Not because I expected it to be great; but because I expected it to at least be enjoyable on some levels. Sadly it fails on almost every attempt. The core skating feels good, but never satisfying, and everything surrounding it just feels flat. I wanted this to the be the resurgence of the series, but it feels more like a budget game wrapped in a AAA game price.
There are a few performance issues here on console but that aside Talos Principal is an excellent puzzle based game that keeps players engaged and perplexed, a winning combination all around in my book.
There are those out there that will really love this game, but for the casual and even some hardcore RPG fans, this can quickly become a mess.
It's moody, dark, creative, and an adventure game that just left me feeling dreadful. It's not the most original sci-fi horror experience, but it's one that absolutely nails what the setting is about, and that's most important.
While Cross of the Dutchman doesn't offer much innovation in terms of gameplay, Triangle Studios still manages to infuse a great deal of originality and heart into their small but feisty game which, while short, is packed with life.
Guns, Gore, and Cannoli is a great, if not short romp. The art style pops and the game play is smooth. Just be aware that it can get frustrating attempting to fly solo. Outside of that I definitely recommend checking it out. It knows what it is from the first level and never tries to be anything else.
Penarium is a great title that channels that addictive nature of "just one more" in its game play. It is just challenging enough to keep me coming back, and forgiving enough to annoy me at times.
Afro Samurai 2: Revenge of Kuma: Vol. 1 is a bad, bad game. I hope the developers take note and fix these issues before releasing the next two volumes, but it almost feels beyond broken. I wanted to love it, I tried to love it, but at the end of the day it just shattered my dreams of continuing the series. Let's hope the original gets backwards compatibility on Xbox One soon. I am really dying to dive back into this world, just not with this abomination of a game.
Extreme Exorcism is one of the few games in [the party game] genre that I would suggest people try out.
Arcade brawler fans take note: grab a Viking helmet, some beer of root, your closet PS4 controller, and get to munching on some brains.
It's been years since I've started writing reviews for ZTGD but even after all this time, I've actually never given out a perfect score to any game. There have been some that have come close, but in the end, I could always think of some notable flaw or a way the game could've been more enjoyable. In the case of Undertale, I can't think of one particular flaw or a way it could've been made more enjoyable. As is, it is as perfect as anything could be in this imperfect world of ours.
While not for everyone, PES 2016 is actually a very well done game. I learned a good amount, but am by no means an expert. I was able to get a good feel for the game and was able handle some matches on the easier difficulty. This is still very much a soccer fan's game, and while it has the tutorials, the game is not very beginner-friendly. At the same time, what it does, it does very well and looks great while doing it. Any fan of the sport should definitely check it out.