BaronMonaco

The sequel to one of the most popular new IP of the console was obviously very expected, did they improve the formula or just re hash the same game ? Technically Epic continued to push forward the boundaries of the 360 hardware with astonishing visuals for the time, it runs flawlessly and impress you as soon as they got a chance. The art direction is more varied than the first game and some of the boss are very inspired. Concerning the gameplay the TPS formula is better executed and the game will offer a great variety of situations so that you'll never fall in some routine. The cinematic realisation is also a great "Waho" factor that will rhythm your playthrough in the most positive way. The only bad thing is that even in the hardest difficulty the game is not challenging. The story is way more detailed than in the first game which is very good, I finally care about Marcus and the gang they stopped being just random badasses (for the most part), the global story is also more incentive and now I do care about winning the fight against the locust, and also I want to have the answers to some questions raised by this opus. The game is still predictable but still huge improvement in this section. Shamefully the campaign is still way too short (5-6 hours) and it's not with the very rare online activity that you will find today that you may prolonged the experience. In conclusion Gears of War 2 is better in every department than the first game, the predictable story and very short length are the only things in the way of perfection, still for the handful of $/€ it cost today it would be an error to not play it if you like the action genre.

This was a bold move from Ubisoft to make a Naruto game that is more than a simple fighting game (not that fighting games are bad per say). Did they succeed ? First the game is gorgeous for 2007 and the cell-shading is still pleasant on the eye and every character from the show is truthfully rendered. There is some minor framerate drops but nothing alarming and no big bugs to ruin your experience neither. Concerning the gameplay all the fight are on the form of a classic 1 vs 1 fighting game (in 3D) those are classic and not the best we've seen, also some repetition of minion fights can get a bit boring as they don't really make for any kind of challenge. But the worst part of the game is the open world, the city of Konoha is so empty it's a bit sad, the only thing to do is look for very repetitive collectibles. The platforming is rough on the edges and cause you some anger. The story follows the original Naruto up to a certain point, if you didn't read/watch the manga/anime it might lack a bit of explanations, if you already know it then you didn't buy this game to uncover some new plot and it is pretty secondary. However if your a fan there is something unacceptable : the lack of japanese voice overs, instead you must endure horrible local voice-over (the english sub is as bad as the french at least). The game should last around 12 to 15 hours depending on if you want the 100% which is fine. In conclusion Rise of a Ninja was ambitious but I find it lacking in every department (except the graphics) and in my opinion the Ultimate Ninja Storm series is a far better pick for any Naruto fans. Still advisable if you're a fan of the first generation of Naruto.

The Conduit was supposed to be THE FPS for the Wii, based on the call of duty model it was supposed to offer an intense campaign and an addictive multiplayer. First lets speak about the technical performance, the graphics are okay within the limitations of the hardware yet it is another of this game on the Wii that is too dark and you'll have to play with your luminosity settings to be able to clearly see the screen. The motion controls work well and I didn't encountered any bugs or framerate drops. Unfortunately the art direction is rather uninspired with ridiculous enemies and weapons. Concerning the gameplay it is the most classic FPS you can see in its game design, you will move from room to room and kill relatively common class of enemies with nothing to truly diferentiate itself from the other FPS, except of course that it is available for the Wii and that the motion controls are fitted for the genre, but it doesn't make them exceptional neither. The story is very poor and it does serve you all the classic clichés but you may like it anyway for what it is (like a Steven Seagal movie) a pretext to be badass. The campaign is very short (6 hours) and the multiplayer is obviously empty so don't expect to extend your time with the game thanks to it. In conclusion The Conduit is a dull FPS that achieves the minimum to not be qualified as a failure but it does lack quality in all departments to be truly recommendable, except if you don't have any other hardware and that you're craving for a FPS, if not you can do better.

Tenchu was one of the lonely series to put you in a ninja skin in feudal japan but the licence is kind of dead since this episode, did it deserved it ? Technically the games runs fine and the motion controls are simple enough to be recognize easily by the hardware. But the graphics are hideous and so they tried to cover it by making everything very dark, way too dark to be fully playable ! Even with my luminosity settings at their top there was still areas where I couldn't see. Concerning the gameplay it's a bit clumsy and clearly the nunchuk wasn't the best way to play this game, specially when the moving controls are simple gadgets. Overall the game rely on your infiltration skills to backstab every enemy in your way, the level design is okay and the challenge is fair but it will get repetitive pretty soon despite some new class of enemies. The story is very cliche with bad voice overs, it's clearly a cheap occidental point of view of that era and you won't be looking forward the different steps of the game. It is also pretty short (count 8 hours if you don't die a lot). So overall Tench : Shadow Assassins is pretty poor game with no substantial quality to attract any kind of player, but at least it assures the minimum (except for the graphics) and if you absolutely have to try it out you'll be able to go through the game, still I don't recommend it to anyone.

This new Telltale series is about a myth of the pop culture, Batman ! Needless to say the expectations were high. Did the game meet them ? Technically each episode suffered from various glitch, sometimes even freeze which is unacceptable for an interactive story and a studio with so much experience in this domain. It's probably because they improved their engine a lot which offers much nicer graphics (very close to an actual comic) but I'd have preferred a flawless game with the older graphics. The gameplay is the same that in every Telltale game, meaning you'll choose different course of actions/dialogues as the story unfolds. You'll pass the action sequences with QTEs. It's not really a movie, it's not a full gaming experience neither, it's something in between like all their games and not everybody will like this. The story is a new interpretation of a young Batman (he doesn't know any of the classic super villain yet) with their own new touch. The extremely rich lore of Batman offers a infinity of scenarios possible and on this point the game doesn't disappoint, unfortunately there will be some moments that don't mean much. But the biggest disappoint is how little your decisions will change the events and you'll have to wonder if there's really a choice. In addition the game is very short (between 1 hour and 1 hour and half for each episode) when you remember that for their first games it was 2 hour per episode and a lower price tag it hurts a bit. In conclusion this series will please Batman and Telltale fans despite multiple bugs and a short story that doesn't change that much depending of the choices. But if you don't know how Telltalle games work there are better options to try it out.

King's Quest was a pretty famous license back in the 80's and a good representation of the classic adventure genre. Is this come back welcome ? Technically the game doesn't have a high budget so don't expect very detailed graphics but the art direction is very well done with a nice cel-shading . The game is globally nice to look at (and among the best in the genre). I don't recall any technical hick-ups (glitch, framerate etc.), but honestly it's been so long since the first chapter I might have forget some. What is sure is that it didn't affect the experience at all. The gameplay is very good taking the best from both old-school adventure with lots of puzzle that you must solve thanks to items and logic which provide an intellectual challenge and the shaping of your own story (like in Telltale games) that improve the commitment of the player to the story. If those choices won't change the main events of the story but it does change your relationships. The puzzles aren't too complicated or too easy. But episode 2 and 4 rely too much on one idea where episode 1, 3 and 5 are more diverse and really very fun to play. The Story will tell the whole life of King Graham always with a nice dose of humour and some very good voice overs (if you like puns Graham is your king). It's a moving tale about a man's life and the different step we'll all encounter. Each episode will last between 2 and 3 hours (so around 12 hours to finish the game) it's very good for the genre and offers a nice value for the price. In conclusion King's Quest is a great comeback, pushing the license to modern standards without forgetting its origin. It's nice to look at, offers a very engaging story and a lot of fun, too bad two episodes lack diversity, it could have been a must have.

I played this game thanks to the PS+ subscription but I'll be reviewing it like if i paid its full price as it is no longer free to download. Grim Fandango is one of the figurehead of classic point and click adventures from the 90's let's see how time as treated him. Technically the game is a big disappointment and don't deserve the "remastered" in its title, it's more a port than a remastered, which is very clear if you use the option to see the original graphics) it's nothing like Monkey Island on PS3 that had seen all its textures change. So yes it's ugly by today standards but what is unforgivable is that the game suffers from framerate drops and some major bugs that will make the game crash (and given the fact that there is no autosaving you can loose a lot of your progress with that). Really not a good job from this point of view. The gameplay is a classic point and click, you'll go from scene to scene interact with various elements to solve puzzles. Those are well designed in general, maybe one or two solution were a bit WTF in my opinion but nothing too frustrating. But the more important thing about those game was the story (that's how you differentiated them) and Grim Fandango is a model of clever and funny writing in an original setting. You'll have a lot of fun while playing as Manny Calavera for the 6 to 8 hours it will take to complete the game, a fair time for its price. So in conclusion Grim Fandango is a very good point and click with exceptional writing but this version does not deserve the Remastered title (and the extra bucks that come with it), advisable to old school gamers that are looking for classic Point and click.

The Dragon age series is (was) still looking for a true identity after two episodes rather different in their mechanics between the slow paced Origins and the button smashing 2. How did this episode fare ? Technically the game is top notch with great graphics that offers impressive light effects and detailed environments, there's also very few glitches which is impressive for a world this big. In the other hand the loading times are a bit long for my taste, specially when you need to go back to your HQ so much. Concerning the gameplay it's clearly closer to Origins, you can pause time anytime and give your instructions, you don't have the ability to parry or dodge (some classes may unlock those but they come with a cooldown like any other class abilities.). It works well and it's easy to learn, but in the end the fights all look alike (except for the bosses) which is a bit boring after 50 hours and hundreds of fights. The RPG mechanics are very well done and you'll encounter everything you expect in a fantasy RPG (alchemy, forge, runes) you even get to do a bit of management as head of the inquisition and of course Bioware trademark you have to deal with your relationships with the rest of your gang. About that let's talk about the writing in general the main quest is rather satisfactory and fits very well with the previous games (specially if you enter your choices in the website), it wasn't intense but well written, the same goes for the personal quest of your companions and I think it's important to give so much personality for the PNJ it gives life to the world. But I was very disappointed by the (numerous) side quest you'll encounter in each zone, they're way too simple (in the writing department I mean) and there's clearly no incentive to do them apart for the rewards, like a job in real life, it's not what I want in a videogame. Concerning the length of the game if you want to complete it at 100% you can expect around 80 hours of gameplay which is very good for the genre. So in conclusion Dragon Age Inquisition is a solid RPG fairly enjoyable and quite generous in its content but the monotonous fighting and poor writing of the side quests is disappointing and can keep you from enjoying every minute of the game. Advisable for all RPG lovers that have already completed The Witcher 3 (if not it should be your priority).

Tearaway was one of the finest exclusive of PS Vita that used all the specificities of the hardware so this was not an easy port. Let's see how they did do it. Technically the game is a marvel with beautiful graphics (for what was a Vita game) but mostly an art direction (world of paper) close to perfection and full of ideas. It's also a game that will make all your devices (PS Camera, microphone, controller) shine. I didn't encountered any glitch or framerate issue during my playthrough so no complains on that domain neither. Concerning the gameplay it's a 3D platformer, rather classic in it's game design but with an execution like you've never seen before. It always finds new ways to use your controller. On the side you can use your creativity to create item. You'll have fun during all the campaign. The story is about saving the world (how surprising) from scraps that are taking all the creativity and colors away, there's something poetic about it but you won't be surprised. If you want to finish the game at 100% (there's lot of collectibles like any good platformer) you can expect around 15 hours of gameplay which is good for the genre. In conclusion Tearaway Unfolded is one of (if not THE) best 3D platformers available for the console and if you like the genre you have to play it. Too bad the story has some "déjà-vu" to really be a perfect game.

Years after a bad 3D platformer the Star Fox licence come back with a remake of its original adventure, will it give back its golden letters to Star Fox, will it ? Technically the game looks alright but not amazing and beneath the others Nintendo exclusives, probably because of the steady 60 framerate per second. There's also the issue of the gamepad that, like in so many games before will become a burden. Its use is not well managed and there's no way to fully deactivate it.. The gameplay is like the original game an air fighting game that sometimes transform in a rail shooter or a tank fighting game, it allows the game to have some diversity but the issue of the gamepad remains and none are fully enjoyable. Concerning the story it's classic but not badly done, but something was a bit awkward sometimes the characters had voice overs (poorly done) and sometimes it was only text that took your focus away from the center of the screen. It's also very short and will not last more that 6 hours, insufficient for this kind of game (there's some minor replay value for scoring and alternative way). In conclusion Star Fox Zero is a disappointment and we will probably wait many more years before another Star Fox game, even if the main issue is the hardware. Advisable only to fans of the genre/licence.

This review is based on the updated controls (with the joysticks and not the motion controls). Lair was one of the first exclusives games for the PS3, did it meet with the expectations that came along ? Technically the game is alright even if the graphics are not gorgeous (outside the cinematics) it managed to have a steady framerate even with lots of characters at the screen, but as previously stated the motion controls were a total mess and it totally killed the game (and by consequences the studio) and I strongly recommend to not even try them. Concerning the gameplay even with the update it stills not very smooth with various camera issues and a repetitive game design. At the end the game is just an air-fight simulator with a fantastic setting, it could have been the source of many innovations for the genre (and there's some like the ground fighting or the melee air fights) and not a re-hash of the same missions over and over. The story is very classic and poorly written, nobody should be surprised by the different twists, and it's not helped by the bad voice over. To finish the game you can expect approximately 6 hours to finish the game, which is way too short for a game solo only. In conclusion Lair is the result of various strategic errors (controls, level design, length) that flawed the game, for its current price tag I may advise the game to players that love air-simulator (because of the lack of competition), but if it's not one of your favorite genre, skip this game.

This trilogy contains the remake of the first Tomb Raider ever and the first two episodes made by Crystal Dynamic, this is a true relic of the past since the reboot of the franchise and the changes made to the licence are pretty obvious after you played this game. Technically the game is good and even if none of this game are really old they all look worthy of the hardware. I don't have much to say about this. Concerning the gameplay it's a mix of platforming, puzzle and action like any good adventure game, it may be a bit too easy and arcade, specially the gunfights with unlimited ammo and auto aiming, but it's never frustrating, in the contrary it's pretty fun and you'll love solving those puzzle like a true explorer. The story is pretty weak for the two first game of this trilogy but the third achieve to link all this and has a better writing, the voice overs are also pretty bad and contribute to this feeling of cheap movie. But the thrill of revisiting legends like Excalibur, Atlantis, Thor's hammer, etc. will keep you going if you are interested by all those stories. Each game last a little less than 10 hours, it's a bit short if you take it one by one, but the 25-30 hours needed for finishing the trilogy is way more acceptable. So in conclusion those games truly show the gap that was created by Uncharted when it came out, here the story is cheesy,and the arcade feeling cuts the immersion, despite some good puzzles and setting. Advisable for big adventure fans or old school gamers that want to play to the "old" Tomb Raider" games.

This third episode of the franchise chose not to follow the events of Borderlands 2 but to tell us the rise of Handsome Jack, the charismatic villain of this previous episode. It also was one of the last game made exclusively for the old-gen. Does it live up to the expectations ? Technically the game is alright with no major issues except some minor framerate drops but nothing harmful for the gameplay. The graphics keep the same art direction of the franchise and it doesn't brings a lot of improvements or new visuals with the same design of monsters, weapons and characters. Gameplay wise it's the same than the previous games with an open-world FPS with an emphasis on loot and coop, they tried to innovate with the low gravity (obvious given the fact that the action is on the moon) but it really doesn't change much (you'll never have oxygen troubles and the high jumps don't serve for anything ). But once again the main feeling is that it could be an expansion for Borderlands 2 and not a new episode. The story is certainly the most interesting point of the game, I think everybody loved Handsome Jack and his background was interesting but they relied too much on him and it lacks more charismatic characters. But at least the side quests are developed and full of pop culture references and you'll want to do them. To finish the game (campaign and side quests) you can expect around 25 hours which is good for the genre. In conclusion Borderlands The Pre-Sequel is certainly a fun game, specially with friends, but the lack of innovations is a major let down and if you already played the first two games you might end a bit bored despite the funny writing. I'll advise it only for big fans of the licence, if it's not your case you better expect Borderlands 3 on PS4/Xbox One.

I played this game thanks to the PS+ subscription but I'll be reviewing it like if i paid its full price as it is no longer free to download. Datura is a game much closer to a tech demo for the PS Move than a true game on its own. Artistically the game has its own identity and provide a poetic experience about right and wrong and the use of the PS Move is great, but the game is so short (less than one hour) it doesn't make it worthy at all (and there's not much to say either). In conclusion I doesn't advice the game for any one except if you have the absolute need to use your PS Move as Datura is way too expensive for its length.

(I'm going to do a shorter review that I'm use to because I accidentally refresh the page at the end of my first drawn and didn't have the strength to write it all over). Lego Star Wars was the first games that will launch the full series of Lego games. The winning formula is a mix of action, platforming, and puzzles (all accessible to a young audience), couch play coop and a love letter to the original material : the sounds (except the lack of voice overs) and the graphical design that shapes all the iconic scenes of the 6 movies with Legos will make every Star Wars fan fall for it. The game will last around 10 hours if you just want to finish the story but the main interest of Lego games is to finish them at 100% which at least double the length. In conclusion advisable for Star Wars or Lego fans but the lack of challenge, a few bugs and the messy action hold the games back to being a true hit.

Lost Odyssey was part of the campaign from Microsoft to seduce new players in Japan (or the ones that love japanese games) with the great Sakaguchi in commands, did they succeed in creating a classic JRPG for the hardware ? Technically the game looks very good for the time and doesn't have any bugs which is a achievement for the genre. Artistically speaking I liked the world and enemies design, but the character design is a bit over the top. Concerning the gameplay it fully fills its objective of reminding the old days of JRPG with a good old turn base fighting system, the management of your party (all with determined roles) and some epic boss fights on the other end the need of grinding can always be annoying (few people have the patience to spend hours only to farm monsters). It also has its own particularities, Sakaguchi re-used his idea of rows for the fights with the first row adding protection for the ones at the back. To make the fights more alive he also add a timing system (similar to South Park : Stick of Truth for those who know it). that will allow bonus effects if timed perfectly. On the other hand we can't qualify Lost Odyssey as a true open world, the dungeons are very straight forward and there's no exploration outside of these dungeon. Beside the game is on a very linear structure for the most part and only at the end you'll be able to access optional dungeons. The story is somehow original but the game has a bit of an identity problem between cinematics very childish (and frankly annoying) and written dreams very depressing and much more adult. It stills achieve its main goal and players will want to move forward in the game (around 40 hours to finish the main story) and like any good JRPG it also offers some side quest best left for the end with a very high difficulty. that should provide 10 to 15 hours of additional content before you finish it entirely. A good average for the genre. In conclusion Lost Odyssey is a good game that will please gamers in need **** JRPG, but it doesn't go beyond the limits of the genre and will not be remembered like others game (Secret of Mana, FF7, Chrono Trigger, Tales of Symphonia etc.), just a good entertainment .

Kirby is one of Nintendo's favourite characters did the game met the expectations that come with being an iconic character ? Technically the game is okay, like always with Nintendo there's no issue and the graphics are in the average of the console at the time. The art direction is fantastic and is a good candidate to the title of cutest game of all time, you almost feel bad of killing the enemies sometime.. Concerning the gameplay its a classic 2D platformer with two exceptions link to the abilities of kirby : he can fly so you shouldn't die from a fall very often; secondly its swallowing ability grant him power up matching the enemy previously swallow, it adds some tactical side to the game. Otherwise you go through levels full of hidden items for all the completionists out there. The boss fights are quite fun and sometimes challenging (that final boss...). But the whole game is rather simple, specially if compared to games like Donkey Kong or Mario. It's always fun when games offer the possibility to play in coop (but not online in this case) and this one is pretty clever giving the player the choice between have all the characters with the same abilities that Kirby or have specific class for each one. The story is like always in those Nintendo platformers too simple to be enjoyable and it only serves as a pretext to go through a lot of levels but doesn't create any bond with the characters. If you want to finish the game at 100% you can expect around 12 hours gameplay, 8 if you only want to finish the solo mode, it's a bit short for the genre but not outrageous. In conclusion Kirby's Return to Dream Land is a fine platformer, enjoyable alone or with friends, but the lack of a meaningful story and it's minimal length (mostly due to the lack of challenge) will get in the way of a title for great game, specially for a console that offers so much good platformers. Advisable if you like the Kirby universe and the genre nonetheless.

This was one of the star titles of the PS VR launch, so is this a good advocate for the technology ? Technically the game is pretty good with great recognition of movements and some of the most beautiful graphics you will encounter on VR (at this point), there's absolutely no motion sickness and you can play the game for several hours straight. The only setback is some minor collision issues when you hold an object in your hands. Concerning the gameplay it's mainly puzzle solving where you use the different gadgets of the batman to advance further in the story, those puzzles are clever while logical so you shouldn't encountered any frustration from those. The story is set between Arkham City and Arkham Knight and it's quite enjoyable for any Batman **** the main issue of this game is its length, count between 1 and 2 hours to finish the main story, of course the riddler puzzles will add 2 more hours but for a 20 €/$ price tag its still way too short. In conclusion Batman Arkham VR is a good example of how great VR is and all the possibilities it opens. But the industry must have a better idea of the price compared to the value as this game is worth closer to a 10$/€ pricetag in my opinion due to its small length.

Dying Light is the spiritual sequel of Dead Island (by the same studio) it had the ambition to be even better, but did they succeed in their enterprise ? Technically the game is very good, with very beautiful graphics for early 2015, specially the light effects which is obvious thanks to the day/night cycle. Everything is detailed and you don't feel like the city was built using only a few models of building thanks to all those details. The animations are top notch too with great realistic feeling when you're running and such. Also it is important to point the lack of glitches (very rare in open worlds game) and the solid framerate even when there's a lot of zombies on the screen. Concerning the gameplay we find everything we encountered in Dead Island : focus on melee fights, very important looting system and the use of mods to upgrade your weapon, the possibility to play in coop, an open world with a lot of side quests, and the introduction to modified zombies the further you progress in the game. But we also had the parkour abilities of our character which enhance all the trips you have to make in the city making a run in the rooftops equally fun to a brawl with zombies and the previously mentioned day/night cycle that introduce a new kind of gameplay (at night) when you're the prey of the strongest kind of zombies (who might be a player if your enable the option) that also allows new emotions. Those two additions make for a worthy (unofficial) sequel. The only downside is the repetitivity of the game, a flaw that plagues many open worlds and you won't encounter new situations during the second half of the game. Concerning the story, it's pretty classic for a zombie outbreak with themes such as the search of a cure and the biggest threat being other humans. It won't win any prize but it's efficient and you can rely with the characters. The game also offers a lot of side quests and it's good to see that most have their own stories (a few of them are just request on a billboard) that makes them more interesting and you want to see them through, some will even impact your environment. If you want to finish the game at 100% you can expect more or less 30 hours of gameplay with 12 for the main campaign, it's in the good average for this kind of game. In conclusion Dying Light improves on the Dead Island formula and it's without a doubt the best zombie game available for PS4, but it misses originality in its gameplay and its story to appeal for gamers that aren't interested in zombies. But if you like to smash the heads of the undead I definitively advise this game.

Among the multiple licenses Telltale decided to work with Minecraft is probably the most difficult as the story must be created from scratch (like the main game), how did they fare in that exercise ? Technically the game totally owns Minecraft artistic direction and every body will recognize those cubic forms. Sure it's not the most beautiful style possible but it respects the main material so we can't really complain about it. But what we can complain about it's the little glitches you'll be able to encounter here and here (bad subtitles, faulty audio, etc) there's just a few of them but it should have none in this kind of game. The gameplay is like every interactive series you follow the story participating in the dialogues and therefore taking decisions (such as what kind of weapon you want to build or who's your best friend), it won't change the main events (I hope one day we will be able to really have an impact on everything) but it will change secondary things like your relationships or your appearance. The story is divided in two distinct narrative arc : the first from episode 1 to 4 and the second from 5 to 8 which make the purchase of the three additional episodes pretty much mandatory if you want to have the end of the adventure (therefore be careful to buy the Complete Adventure and not the basic game). It has its moment (I even cried at episode 4) but its mostly fun and not to serious. They did a good job to create a nice universe (story wise) for Minecraft and it fully reaches its goal to provide a story mode for Minecraft. But don't expect to be blown away as some episodes don't have any big scenes you'll remember for years and globally most of the main characters lack charisma. Also all the episodes have a length of approximately 1 hour and a half, it's not a rip off but it could also be better like the two hours needed for every Tales From The Borderlands episode. In conclusion Minecraft Story Mode by Telltale is just what you'd expect it to be, the license is respected and the story fits right in missing spot of the main game. But a few technical issues, the mandatory buy of the expansion and a story that lacks defining scenes don't make for true hit. Advisable only for Telltale fans (such as myself) or Minecraft fans that were longing for a story mode.

I played this game thanks to the PS+ subscription but I'll review it like if i bought it as is no longer available for free. Also this review is about the PS4 version (as stated on the page) it's important as some issues are "exclusive" to this version. So let's talk about those right away, technically the game is a mess, at first it's not that annoying but the further you go the more bugs and (huge) framerate drops you'll encounter. Which is a clear proof **** released too soon (part debugged, part not), what is even more outrageous is that it appears there will never have a patch to correct those issues. About the graphics we have a nice example of pixel art, sure it's not that impressive but it has charm and is artistically clever for a game that is a parody of the 80's action movies. Same goes for the sound design (I love the voice of the "narrator" it's so cheesy I laugh every time ). Concerning the gameplay it's a 2D shoot'em up very frenetic, all the environment is totally destructible and the levels always offer a nice verticality. On the downside you can only shoot horizontally, when you have two stick, might as well take advantage of it. But the true golden idea of the game was to offer a lot of character (more or less 20) inspired by charismatic characters from action movies all with their own equipment and special abilities, if you know the movies it's impossible to not feel anything the first time you unlock a character. There's a nice difficulty curb, boss fights are challenging just enough to still be entertaining, in other word the game is very fun to play. Even more with friends. The story is pretty shallow, like the movies that inspired the game, but those one-line report will always make you smile. If you want to finish the game it will last around 4-5 hours which is a fair amount considering its price tag. In conclusion Broforce is a really fun game, specially if you're a fan of the 80's, but the gameplay could be more refined. But most of all the PS4 version is a failure, sometimes it's painful to play and therefore, if you're interested in an old-school coop shooter, I'll advise you to buy the PC version.

Bound By Flame is one of those AA games in which Focus Home Interactive is specialized. This means it would be ridiculous to have the same expectations that you could have for The Witcher, Dragon Age or Elder Scrolls as their budget is way lower. But does it mean Bound By Flame is a good AA game ? Technically the game is okay, of course it will not make your console work very hard (like I said those expectations are not welcomed if you don't buy a AAA game) and the aliasing is very strong, but there's a nice hand drawn feeling on some textures. The art direction is not original for one second and if you know your heroic fantasy standards you'll have the feeling of "déjà-vu" for the majority of the game. At least the framerate is rather steady and I didn't encountered any major issues (some minor collision bug) and you'll not stop playing the game for those reasons. Concerning the gameplay this is where the game fails, there's some good role playing elements although none are new (three skill trees, modification of the equipments) that are okay, but the fighting system is atrociously boring with very long and unchallenging fights (even for the bosses) where you'll smash hit and block in an awful monotony. I think even a turn-based approach (like classic Dungeons & Dragons) would have given more vibrant fights (with a nice strategic addition). The story like most of the game lacks originality with a lot of cliche characters and twists that you'll see coming from a long way that's a shame as it's the easiest way to give value to a title that doesn't benefit from the same financial backing as your competitors. In addition the voice overs are average at best and failed to truly give life to the characters. The side quest are, once again, pretty common but at least they didn't just made a notice board that asks you X item Y times. You can finish the entire game in more or less 20 hours, a bit short for a RPG but not a shame either. In conclusion even if it isn't broken or ridiculous Bound By Flame is uninspired and plagued by a boring gameplay and even at its current price I don't advise it to anyone as you can find way better (including among AA games like Pillars of Eternity or Divinity).

Toad gets its own game after a long wait and joins the family of legendary platformers made by Nintendo (Mario, Kirby, Donkey Kong, Wario, Yoshi, etc;) how does this new hero fare ? Graphically the game takes full advantage of the hardware with great colors that catch the eye, the art direction is mastered but I would have liked more new enemies and most of all more bosses (only two kind in the whole game). There's a nice use of the gamepad which is pretty rare for the Wii U and of course no bugs or glitch like always with Nintendo. Gameplay wise there's a great focus on puzzle solving and less on platforming (Toad can't jump) the levels are almost all shape like a cube, which is a bit disturbing and doesn't help to make the world believable. But globally the game is fun and the puzzles are well thought. Like all the Nintendo platformers the story is almost non existent and its clearly not an argument for the player but most of all the main flaw of the game is that it is extremely short you can finish the campaign at 100% in 6 hours, add 2 more hours for the extra levels and that's it you can put the game on the shelf. In conclusion Captain Toad is a nice introduction to a new gameplay but the lack of diversity and the extreme shortness are two big weight that doesn't make this game advisable for every one.

Like (almost) every Nintendo console the Wii got his Super Mario Bros episode, but was this needed for one of the most iconic character of videogames ? Technically the game looks fine for the Wii, the childish art direction adds a lots of charm to all Nintendo's platformers but it lacks originality in the level design (almost no use of the motion controls) and the boss design as well. On the other hand the games doesn't have any bug like always with Nintendo. Concerning the gameplay once again the lack of innovations can be a bit annoying if you're not a fan , but most of all I find the character a bit clumsy and jumps aren't as perfect as in Donkey Kong for example, this was really the biggest lay down of this game for me. I don't explain how they didn't nailed this part, because generally they do, for the first time in a Nintendo platformer I was frustrated by the controls. Story wise, well you know what to expect from Nintendo, all the Super Mario Bros could be considered as a perpetual reboot considering the lack of consideration for what happened in the past, anyway the story is as simple as it gets, if you're looking for an interesting one don't buy a Mario game. Concerning the length of the game you can expect between 12 to 15 hours to finish all the levels at 100%, which is a good average for the genre. In conclusion I don't consider this game interesting if you already know Super Mario Bros unless you're a Mario fan, the Wii offers better experience of the same genre (Donkey Kong, Kirby). And even for newbie, I think the first games (if you don't have the hardware there's a collection available for Wii) are better choices. I might be underrating the game a bit, but I expect the best from an old franchise like this one and I was disappointed by its gameplay and the lack of risks in game design.

Okami is quite popular among the critics, generally considered as one of the best game of the playstation 2, let's see if the game meets the expectations. Technically the game is gorgeous (for a PS2 title) and could have passed as an early PS3 game wit a lot of effects and details, no framerate issues, no glitches, everything is perfect and the excellent art design will really transport you in medieval/legend Japan. Concerning the gameplay we have a perfect example of a successful mix (like The Legend of Zelda games), we've got platforming, action (the director of the game now works at Platinum Games if it helps you figuring the style), and role playing with lots of items, side quests and an open world. You'll progress dungeon after dungeon each one bringing its own gameplay and offering a great boss fight at the end. The story is a mix of japanese legends (with its own touch of course) that will blow your mind with its twists and lovely characters, I would have preferred if they had real voice overs (this is one of those game that would have been perfect to play with japanese voices). It should last around 40 hours of pure perfection. They could have easily cut the game in two or three and still manage to propose great games. In conclusion Okami is an unique game worthy of the hall of fame of gaming, its atmosphere, its story , its gameplay, they nailed it all to create one of my new favorite games of all time. I advise it to every body and maybe one day we will have the joy to have a sequel. In conclusion

First let me say that this review concern only the campaign as the multiplayer is dead by now. Homefront was supposed to be the new big franchise in the FPS world and the savior of THQ. That obviously failed but let's see why. Technically the game is severely bugged, and by the worst kind in my opinion : freeze, in the short time it took me to finish the game I froze 5 times, its unacceptable even more considering that the game looked pretty average for 2011 and there's no reason the hardware couldn't handle that. The gameplay is classic FPS from this generation (corridor levels, auto healing, cinematic direction) every one will have its own opinion on it (personally I like it but still prefer the old school style) but what is certain is that the game doesn't had anything and is clearly attempting to copy Call of Duty. It is fun (and challenging in the hardest mode) but not as good as the original. The story is certainly the most interesting part with a dystopian modern conflict where North Korea is the most powerful country in the world and has invaded the USA. Even if the story is of the most simple kind the setting is original and I personally love to play a rebel (like in the awesome Freedom Fighters on PS2). But don't expect to be a rebel for very long as you can finish the game under 5 hours, which is way too short, and if the game cost was higher than the 5 €/$ that you can find in stores it would kill all interest in the game. In conclusion Homefront was way over hyped, its technical weakness and lack of gameplay identity don't make its short campaign advisable to FPS players, unless the setting really attracts you and that you've already played most of the competition, don't buy it.

Tales Of is one of the strongest J-RPG series in our days, does this episode serve its reputation ? Let's see. Technically the game is, like most japanese games on this generation, far from the highest standards, environments are empty and the textures are pretty bad, only the characters look good. On the other side, there's absolutely 0 bugs which is an achievement considering the size of the game and a very steady framerate even when the screen is full of characters fighting each other and using magic. So despite being visually disappointing the game is reliable and without a doubt made by good professionals. The gameplay is classic Tales Of formula, the fighting system (in real time) is similar to a fighting game( with each direction you'll do an other attack), like any good RPG you have a total control of the gear you'll assign to each character, you'll level up and gain more powerful abilities etc. There's nothing new here but it works very well and the game is fun to play during all its length. Concerning the story it has a lot of twist and after a cliche beginning it really gains momentum and you'll always want to see more of it. Too bad we can't have the japanese voice over as the english one is pretty bad and doesn't help to create a link between players and characters. The side quest aren't interesting for the most part but at least they are here and will provide more hours of entertainment for completionists. The game story should last around 40 hours, which is very good, even more when keeping in mind that it gets better over time and if you want the 100% it will last around 100 hours as you will have to at least do a second playthrough choosing the other main character. Because I forgot to say that when starting the game you have the choice between two characters and some passage are different depending on that choice. Either way you'll spend quite some time on the game. In conclusion Tales of Xillia is a very good J-RPG with a great story and gameplay, sadly it lacks innovation and visual wonder to make it a milestone (like Tales of Symphonia), but if you like this genre you shouldn't be disappointed by this one, if you don't it it's a good choice to begin as it is not too hard.

Doom 3 was a clear change from the two previous games, clearly looking over survival horror games and did stand out when he came out but did he deserved a remaster ? And what is the quality of this remaster ? First technically its almost identical to the original game, there's even some framerate issues that remain, so from now on if you already possess the game(s) (there's also Doom 1 & 2 includes but you have to like retro gaming as nothing changed from the 90's) you already have no interest in buying this more expensive version. Otherwise the setting is creepy as hell and does a good job to make you feel in an hellish mars station. Concerning the gameplay I will focus on Doom 3 as I consider the two other games as bonuses (like in the last Wolfenstein) the FPS mechanics are a bit too slow in my opinion, when I play a Doom game I expect to have frenetic enemies that come from every side with a fast character to respond. In this game, according to their wish to make it more like a survival the pace is pretty slow and even for the final boss I didn't feel any adrenaline rush in me. On the other hand you are given an handful of cool guns to destroy demons which was nice. You're always given a lot of ammo and healing items so it kills all the survival side and just give a (very) gore side to the game, it's where it belongs, if only the pace wasn't in the survival side. The story is cheap as you would expect from a game like that : mad scientist, rule the universe, demons. It didn't bothered me at all as I wasn't expecting something more, but if you're reading those reviews because you want to know more about the game and if there's a good plot, the answer is no. To finish Doom 3 and its DLCs you can count for a little less than 20 hours, very good for a FPS and you also can add 12 more hours to finish the two first games. In conclusion Doom 3 BFG is pretty average considering the lack of technical improvements and the flaws (pace and story) from the original game. But at least it is generous in its length and still advisable for FPS lovers, specially if you want to try true pioneers of the genre like Doom 1.

Crackdown was a new exclusivity for Microsoft, adventuring in a new genre : the sand box open world. How did that first try went ? Graphically the game looks amazing for 2007 with an art direction clearly inspired from comics a city full of original buildings and commercials to make it more real. However there's also a huge framerate issue when you encounter large numbers of enemies which makes the game hardly playable sometimes. The gameplay is pure sand box with a great emphasis on verticality which was pretty new for its time, your character is like a super hero (great strength, aim and speed) and it clearly inspired the direction took by Saints Row in its last episodes. The shooting is not particularly well done but an handicap neither and the driving is boring. But overall the gameplay achieve its main objective, it is mindless fun. The story is pretty cheap, you're a police officer and have to take out the gangs of the city (one for each island), there's absolutely no character development or plot twist what so ever the missions are all based on the same structure etc., if you want a good gang story, don't buy this game. Concerning the length of the game if you want the 100% it will last around 20 hours which is a bit short considering that the campaign is only 5 of them. In conclusion despite its flaws (no story, framerate issues and short campaign) Crackdown is still a fun sand box game and a good option considering its price nowadays if it's what you're looking for.

With this first main episode since the Prime trilogy Nintendo and Team Ninja tried to change a lot of things compared to the games made by Retro Studios, was it good or bad ? Technically the games is obviously limited by the hardware of the Wii but compared to other titles on the console it's actually pretty good with good animations and a nice variety in environments that you would expect in a Metroid game. I didn't encountered any glitch or framerate issues, like always with Nintendo. Concerning the gameplay there's a few major changes compared to the Prime series with a third person view with the possibility to aim in first person. You'll moved on 3D environment with some little phases on 2D making this episode feel like a more faithful game compared to the first Metroid (that will qualify an entire genre along with Castlevania), the controls are very responsive and like we're used to with Team Ninja the gameplay is frenetic making the action more enjoyable for the ones that crave for it. I understand that some fans wanted a new Prime, but this gameplay is also very good on its own. The story is way more important than other Nintendo games with a great focus on Samus, the characters all speak (those voiceless characters always bothered me) even if the plot is basic but I welcome the change with open arms. Concerning the length it will last around 12 hours not too short but not long either. So in conclusion Other M was a new vision on the Metroid series, everyone will prefer one or another depending on their tastes (personally I had more fun with this one than the Prime) but its mechanics all work well together without being astonishing, and I'd advise the game to any Wii owner looking for a nice action game.

Previously known as Final Fantasy Agito and only for the japanese PSP owners, after years of waiting we (occidental players) were at last able to play it under the name of Type-O on PS4 with an HD upscaling. Technically the game is clearly outdated and they didn't make a lot of efforts to offer a true PS4 version, except the main characters, everything looks flat and unrefined. At least the game is not buggy but it's still a disappointment after all those years they could have at least make it look like a PS3 title. Concerning the gameplay: the fighting system is pretty close to what we will encounter in Final Fantasy XV, with a clear orientation for the action (where old Final Fantasy XV were turn based), if you're not an hardcore fan that refuse any change, this system works perfectly and all the fights are more alive while containing enough personalisation to truly qualify as a RPG in the same time. The game was clearly design for mobile players with fairly short sessions in mind, it's not the best for PS4 but I won't blame the game for that. The story is a classic war story from Japan, with magical resources and all that. It's pretty well written with some twists. On the other hand the characters are very cliché and like the XIII saga you'll want to slap every one of them for being so stupidly naive and the voice-over are also pretty bad and won't help you to create any link with them. The side quests are pure fetch quest and only completionist will have the patience to do them. To finish the main game you'll need around 25 hours which is a fair length. In conclusion Type-0 is a nice action J-RPG but with outdated graphics, despicable characters and side quests with 0 interest make this title advisable only for those who are craving for RPGs, if it's not your favourite genre you can skip it.

Broken Age had the ambition to resurrect the classic adventure genre, based on point and click in opposition with the more cinematic experiences from studios like Telltale that represents the new generation of adventure game. All from the mind of Tim Schafer, one of the most famous developer and director of some classic point and click games like Grim Fandango or Day of The Tentacle (both have been recently remaster, sign of the demand for those experiences). Will Broken Age be a new classic ? Technically the game has an unique and beautiful art direction that really catch the eye and make the game very pleasant to watch, but on the other side you can't interact with it (except the actions written in the script of course), it's like you're moving in a painting, not everyone will like it but it's visually pleasant. I didn't encountered bugs on my playthrough so technically for a crowd-funding game it's very good. The gameplay is, like I already said, pure point and click, there's absolutely no skills needed, what the games ask from you it's wits as you'll progress by solving puzzles thanks to items you can collect looking around. Those puzzles are well written with logical but not obvious solutions and you'll not spend your time clicking on everything hoping to have luck on your side. Concerning the story and universe, which is as important as the puzzles in an adventure game game, in my opinion. The first act is very good with an awesome twist at the end, the second act however is not as wondrous, it (mainly) rehashes the same locations and characters with new puzzles. The plot move forward nicely make no mistakes it's still a well written game, I'd just wish the second act expanded the universe. The game will last around 6 hours, a very good value for its price So in conclusion Broken Age succeed in making a good, visually modern, but in its core retro adventure game, it may not be remembered for the ages but it is totally advisable for anyone looking for puzzles while following a nice story.

For this third installment it is no longer Media Molecule behind the sackboys so did Sumo Digital managed to make a wonderful game like two previous episodes ? Technically it is disappointing for an exclusivity, you can clearly feel the weight of the PS3 version, the artistic direction is very cute (like always in LittleBigPlanet) but it could have been better detailed, with more effects (collision, dust, etc.). The server are not the strongest and you can be disconnected pretty often if you play a lot. Clearly not the technical level you could expect from an AAA game backed by Sony. Concerning the gameplay you will find the three pillars of the game : play, create and share. The play part is upgraded with three new characters, each with their own attributes, it's a good idea, sadly they didn't make a great use of them in the campaign. Which makes for the perfect transition with the "share" pillar, the community of the game is still great, some levels created by regular players are simply amazing and you can find some levels created specifically for those new characters, all the levels from the two previous games are also playable so there is really a lot of awesome content available for the community and brought by this same community. Finally the creating tool is very easy to manage and offers a lot of possibilities. The story is classic for a 2D platformer, the young ones will probably like it while the older players will be more fond of the characters and the funny dialogues. But the campaign is also pretty short (6 hours to finish it) even if you have to replay all the levels if you want the 100%, but like I said the content from the community is almost endless so you can end up playing the game for more than 50 hours easily. So in conclusion LittleBigPlanet 3 is a good platformer but it is mostly based on the ground work made by Media Molecule and to its community, Sumo Digital didn't upgrade it enough to make this third installment as great as the two previous one.

Zombi U was one of the main titles at the launch of the Wii U, but did it justified the purchase of the console ? First technically the game isn't beautiful there's not a lot of zombie model but the light effects are correct and so are the sound effects two of the most important thing in an horror game so even if it doesn't take advantage of the full potential of the hardware but it's correct for a launch title. Concerning the gameplay it's funny to say that Ubisoft has done a great job to make the gamepad into a true advantage and not just a gadget like Nintendo does it. Here it's really a pillar of the game and it helps create tension. The rest of the game is a pretty classic zombie game with nothing particularly exciting or annoying. The story on the other end is weak, the characters are useless and everything revolves around escaping which is the most basic thing you'll encounter in every zombi movie/book/video-game. The game is also very short and can be finished under 5 hours. In conclusion despite a very good use (probably the best on the whole console) of the gamepad, its outrageously short length, weak story and average graphics makes Zombi U only advisable at a low price and for players who aren't story oriented, a wasted potential.

One of many HD collections that came out in the last years but was this one took seriously by the studio or even wanted by the public ? Technically this is a bad remaster with almost 0 improvement on the original games. They worked perfectly but the main point of a remaster should be to take advantage of the new hardware. Gameplay wise Splinter Cell was always meant to be the challenger of Metal Gear Solid on infiltration and it succeeded in this goal, of course sometime the IA is a bit dumb like in all infiltration game but that's normal if not it wouldn't be that much entertaining. You can clearly see the evolution of the franchise through those 3 episodes, they're all good but Chaos Theory is a true gem with a refined formula. Too bad they chose a more action focused direction for the following games. Concerning the story it's realistic geo-politics in the body of a true special agent and it has nothing to envy to a saga like Mission Impossible. To finish the three games you can count between 10 to 12 hours for each game so it makes for a total around 35 hours which is very correct. So in conclusion the original games are very good and if you didn't play them, specially Chaos Theory, and like spy stuff you should definitively buy this collection but the quality of the remaster doesn't add enough value if you already played them.

Vikings are cool today : the (good) TV show, the new God of War and a lot of smaller projects are based on their universe, but Battle for Asgard came out before the hype so what was its arguments ? Technically the game is pretty bad, the graphics are outdated, even for 2008, the animations are as good as any PS2 game and most of all there is huge framerate drops occuring during large scale battles, which is the main argument of the game, that can waste all the epicness of fighting with hundreds of characters. They clearly failed in that department and couldn't match their ambition. Concerning the gameplay it's a classic hack'n slash game, it's very easy to play and the only challenge in the game comes from the final boss (and even there if you are full of health items it shouldn't worry you), As I said before the main argument of the game is to offer large scale battles with hundred of characters from both side, those battles could be great if the framerate could sustain them. Finally the game design is a bit repetitive, the game is divided in 3 acts and each one as the exact same structure, you won't get any surprised after the first tier of the game. Thankfully they all mix, solo fighting, large scale battles and even some infiltration and the game is globally fun to play. The story is also weak, the nordic mythology is underexploited, your character has ni charisma at all and almost all the missions have the same storyline "free them and they'll join your army" it's clearly not a reason to finish the game so if what you want is a good story, pass this one away. The game will last between 12 to 15 hours which is correct for this kind of game. In conclusion Viking : Battle for Asgard is clearly a low budget titles with ambitions and fairly entertaining but ultimately technical and writing flaws don't allow the game to be more than average if you're looking for an hack'n slash. Still I think Creative Assembly should try a reboot with the current generation that could clearly offer great battles and taking advantage of the hype around Vikings, it's very unlikely they do so, but I'd like it.

Catherine is definitely a one of kind game, but originality does not always mean quality, let's see how did this one goes. Technically the game is okay there's no bug and the anime like graphics are well done but the artistic direction is minimalist and I would have preferred more detailed environments.There's also a lot of beautiful cinematics (that really looks like an anime) which is always nice, even if secondary. Concerning the gameplay it's based on two pillars. The first (mostly in the real world) is the interaction with other characters, engaging dialogues, texting, or drinking, all that will determine your karma and affect the story, I personally love multiple ending stories, but I wished we had even more options in a game like that, because I really felt like my character was f*cking it up and I would have like the possibility to take more meaningful decisions that just the way of telling things to be perfect it could have also offer more mini games to do in the real world (like doing your job, playing pool or whatever). The second pillar is puzzles (during your nightmares) those are pretty difficult and challenging, even more if you want the gold prizes, their all work on the same mechanic : moving blocs to climb to the top of the structure; it's repetitive on the end and I would have like to encounter other kind of puzzles and not just some new kind of blocks, because at one point you'll realize that with two or three techniques you can beat almost all the game. The story is really good, it treats themes link with romance but in a really mature way that may make you think about how you deal with relationships yourself. The game should last around 12 hours (with at least a third being cinematics) it's not long but it feels complete and you don't need more block moving to have a good time. In conclusion Catherine offer a really interesting story but its gameplay although based on nice ideas is not deep or diversified enough to make this game a true gem, I would still advice it for anyone looking for a good story and that doesn't mind a repetitive gameplay.

Lego Lord of The Rings was the first Lego game after Lego Batman 2 that was the biggest evolution the franchise ever known, did he confirmed this new direction ? Technically like all the Lego games it's not astonishing but very clean with that unique Lego art style for all the characters and the majority of the objects that is so lovely for everyone that has keep his childhood heart. There's no framerate issue or bug, like always with Lego games. Concerning the gameplay it's the same formula that Lego Batman 2 with an open world full of fetch quest (they called like that so there's no disappointment concerning their content), and collectibles that is in the same time a hub for the levels. The game is great to play in coop but also in solo, the puzzles and fighting work fine but are a bit too simple for hardcore gamers, but Lego games are also made to be played by young children so it"s understandable. The story will tell all the major events of The Lord of The Rings saga which is probably one of the best in history, you'll go from the Shire to Mordor, if you're a fan it's simply delightful to relive this story Lego style. If you're focused on the story the game will last around 10 hours but if you want the 100% you can expect at least 25 hours. So in conclusion the game is once again a very good adaption by the studio, there's no evolution in the formula compared to the previous game but it didn't needed it as this works very well to provide a fun and fulfilling experience which is unmissable if you're a fan of Lego or Lord of The Rings.

After the commercial success of Umbrella Chronicles Capcom decided to bring another rail shooter in the Resident Evil franchise, was it better, worse or identical that Umbrella Chronicles ? Graphically the game looks pretty good for the Wii, of course it"s easier to make good graphics in a rail shooter that a RPG but it's still a good point for the studio, there's no bug, the motion controls works perfectly, technically it's a very professional job, nothing more to say. Concerning the gameplay it's almost the exact same formula that Umbrella Chronicles (that wasn't a revolution in the rail shooter genre) except the change of weapon system that works way better, and a better solo experience (in the first installment there were moments that almost needed a second player), the game is still very generic but they did improve the game. The story tells the events of Resident Evil Code Veronica, and Resident Evil 2 but also adds an act of original story that tells the back-story of Leon and Krauser from Resident Evil 4, it's not really important for the license or the fans but at least it adds some value if you already played all the other games. The game will last around 6 hours for the first run, which is a bit short but not outrageous for the genre. In conclusion Darkside Chronicles is better than Umbrella Chronicles, Capcom did good use from the feedback they received in the previous episode and correct all the major issues to offer a better product, even if it's not perfect a very advisable game if you're looking for a rail shooter or if you like Resident Evil.

Divinity 2 is a rather unknown RPG and it's too bad because it clearly deserves some praise and I'll explain why. Technically the game is clearly not the best looking one, the small Larian Studio can't possibly do as good as Bioware for example, but for a RPG it's not too bad, under the average of 2011 but still acceptable. This edition of the game is also totally free of bugs and glitches which makes a perfectly enjoyable experience. If you want to try this game takes this edition (not the basic one then the expansion). Concerning the gameplay the fighting system is a bit too simple to be excited about but all the RPG mechanics works really great (character development, loot, management of a minion and of an HQ, possibility to transform into a dragon, multiple endings for the quest, some nice puzzles there's truly everything you could expect from a RPG and the game is diversified enough to never be boring. The story is classic in its core, but the dialogues are very well written with a lot of good jokes and the voice-overs are actually pretty good for the genre (considering the number of voices and the size of the studio), there's obviously a lot of side quests and almost all of them are interesting and worth playing, not like some game where it's only fetch quest or pure grinding. To finish both the game and its expansion with all the side quest you can expect a good 60-70 hours which is good for the genre but under the 100 hours promised on the cover, once again I don't understand the point of lying as 60 hours is already a nice argument. So in conclusion the game is a good RPG, a little weak on the graphic side, but that's clearly not what matters in the genre, everything else is nicely done and clearly worth a try for any western RPG lovers.

The Umbrella Chronicles is the first attempt into the rail shooter genre, which works great on Wii, but did they do it successfully ? Technically the game looks pretty average for its time and could easily be running on PS2 (like most of the Wii games in 2007) but you could expect better from a rail shooter, there's no framerate or glitch issues just an inherent problem for the controls when you want to change weapon that will annoy you. Concerning the gameplay it's a classic rail shooting game (without a cover option like in Time Crisis for example), you shoot, preferably at their weak points, tons of different enemies inspired by the previous Resident Evil games, and try to pick up ammo, money and life by breaking everything you see. A few times you will be able to choose from two different path, but this doesn't happen enough to truly add some replay value. The game is best enjoyed with a second player with you as it can be a bit too difficult sometimes if you're alone, there's exactly the same number of enemies with the same life amount, which is pretty stupid in terms of game design. Concerning the story you will replay the events of Resident Evil 0, 1 and 2 with some extras (story from other characters in the same time at the same place), fans will love the nostalgia while new players may discover the origins of this famous franchise, but the few amount of original story plus the re-hashing of the levels for those same original parts tend to classify Umbrella Chronicles into a rail shooting adaptation of those games more that an new episode of Resident Evil. Concerning the length you can expect between 6 and 8 hours to finish all the levels, it's short but in the average of the genre, and you can always try to beat your record if you want to get more of this game (or play it with another friend). In conclusion Umbrella Chronicles is an okay rail shooter that doesn't shine in any ways but is an entertaining coop game (and challenging in solo) better for your wallet to buy this now instead of putting tons of coins in the arcade for some House of the Dead, but not mandatory for Resident Evil fans.

This game was trying to be the challenger to Oblivion, but that"s like if a 7 year old tried to beat Mohamed Ali on the ring, it's not a fight but a massacre if you want to compare both games, but even when judging the game on its own, it"s terrible, let's see why. Technically despite some average graphics for the time, the framerate is horrible (and don't expect any patch 10 years later), as soon as you move it drops significantly which is already a pain in the ass and can stop you from playing the game. Concerning the gameplay the fighting is boring as hell and don't work great, but the other RPG mechanics are okay, the only good point of the game. The map is pretty big but also empty so you'll just walk most of the time. Once again hard to take any joy from playing. Finally the story is a basic fantasy story played by some of the worst actors I've ever heard in my life, honestly go watch some youtube videos they're so bad it's funny. If despite all this flaws you want to finish the game it will length at least 30 hours which is good for a RPG, but ends up way too long for this game. In conclusion this is probably the worst game I've played in my life, it's a pain to play, to watch and to listen, Even if you love RPG there's a lot of other options out there before you can even think to try this garbage, I read the second episode is way better, I guess I'll see, but this one is definitively bad.

At last a new licence by Nintendo for the Wii U and a TPS with a focus on competitive multiplayer, that's not what we expect from them so did they succeed in this new genre ? First technically the game looks good on Wii U, the colourful graphics and cute design (something Nintendo is a master in doing) please the eyes and there's no bug offline or online. The Wii U pad is pretty useless (you can aim with the motion control but you'll get your ass kicked by those playing with simple joysticks), the only other thing that uses the gamepad is your map on the screen. Concerning the gameplay it's really fun, you'll have to use your gun (there's not a lot of them but there is a lot of difference between them) to cover the walls in painting (and of course kill your enemies), simple but extremely fun. Your movements are enhanced when you go into a "squid form" when you're walking on painting of your color, your skills in the squid form is where you'll make the difference and that's also what makes Splatoon different from other TPS. Concerning the story, there's a campaign of approximately 8 hours in the game with a classic basic story from Nintendo (they are bad, go save us) the campaign is a great way to be prepared to join the multiplayer and it offers some nice boss fights and platforming, not the main argument of the game but a worthy addition. For the global length of the game that depends of how much you'll get hooked to the multiplayer, but to reach the max level you'll need at least 20 hours so it's okay. In conclusion Splatoon is a very fun TPS with a gameplay easy to play, but hard to master. There could be more online content (maps and weapons) and there's room to improve the solo experience but globally no major flaws, except of course the limits of the hardware, with a gamepad that even Nintendo don't know to use. Advisable to every Wii U owner looking for a nice competitive multiplayer experience.

The Order was supposed to be the new killer app license for Sony, but they missed their shot, let's see why. First technically the game is marvelous, the graphics are jaw dropping for its time, with an incredible amount of details and the world around you actually reacting to your actions in realistic ways. No bugs or framerate issues, clearly the game stands up to the expectations in this department. Concerning the gameplay, most of the time it's a common TPS (you go undercover shoot the enemies that are coming in front of you then go to the next area) it's not badly done, there's some nice guns but nothing is ground breaking and it lacks variety in terms of actions possible during those said fight. There's also a bit of QTE fights in the game, that are welcome to change your habit and have more cinematic fights (a good thing they picked up from God Of **** the main complaint I have about the gameplay is the level design that is way too tight for what I want in this generation of gaming, people were okay with corridors in the PS3/360 era but now a great game must offer a minimal of space to the player. The story is pretty good with a nice build up, an universe appealing and clearly detailed in the mind of its creators but the awfully short 6 hours of gameplay needed to finish the game is too short even for the story itself that is not concluded at the end of the game and it's clearly yelling for a sequel, which is a bad thing considering such sequel is uncertain and I would hate to see this universe being waste just because they did a game too short because this is clearly the main issue of this game and if it would have last the required 12-15 hours for a solo focus experienced, critics and sales would have been very different in my opinion. So in conclusion The Order is a gorgeously short common TPS with a good story, that is fun to play for the time it'll last but not unmissable either. Considering its price now (10-15 $/€) if you're attracted to its universe or looking for a new TPS to play I'll advise the purchase, you'll not pay too much for the time its length.

The Arkham series is the prove of how great super hero videogames can be when they're not mindless cash-in but how did this episode (the first on PS4) fared ? Technically the game is beautiful and flawless on PS4 (yes I'm well aware of the problems on PC but I'm not reviewing this version of the game), it was probably the best looking game on this generation (exclusives aside) when it came out, the animations are also superb, a great job from Rocksteady (they didn't manage the PC version). Concerning the gameplay the fighting system is still absolutely fun, the action never stops, there's a good variety of combo and the controls are responsive. The stealth part is also very well manage with lot of possibilities to deal with them. And for the driving, the main novelty of this episode it is also very well down, the bat-mobile is as reactive and powerful that you'll dream of , unfortunately they over did it a little and you use it a bit too much in the game and you can be bored with it during time. The story is once again marvelous, Batman fan or not everybody will be committed to it, with some nice twists. There's also a lot of side activities to do (like I said a bit too much of bat-mobile in them, but also some great ones) that brings variety and length to the game ( around 50 hours for 100%). So in conclusion Arkham Knight on PS4 is great game prevented from perfection only by an overdose of bat-mobile (but I can understand them, it must have been like hell to program it as good as they did) but every super hero lovers must play this game (as well as the whole Arkham series).

The Final Fantasy XIII trilogy has been disappointing from the start but this third instalment lowers the bar even more and this is why. Technically the game is okay, no bugs, graphically acceptable for 2014 (not a lot of evolution from the first game), there's very few different characters and they all look alike, even some important characters have no particular design. The musics are good and fits well in the game. Concerning the gameplay there's some good ideas concerning the fighting system: customization of three styles each with its own gear and skills set and most of all point of action (each skill use some point of action and they come back with time) but all those good ideas are simply hidden by a simple fact, it's boring to death, the enemies takes forever to die (they not really harmful but boy they have a lot of life points) even the most simple ones can take over 50 hits and boss fights are even more tedious, you could close your eyes as long as you smash the buttons in the right order. There's a solution to have shorter fights, you must farm like an idiot and do the same fetch quests over and over and have a character over powered, you'll kill the challenge but win time. For the RPG elements the open world is very small and I think that's the reason why there's a time limit in the game, if you go through the game you'll know every bit of the map too well. The story like all the XIII is pure garbage probably written by an unicorn who throws up rainbows,they all deserve a good slap as none of them seems to be able to think with common sense and the side quests have no interest except for farming, they all can be summarize in one sentence, so pointless. It will take around 40 hours to finish it and it was already too long after the fifth. So in conclusion Lightning Returns puts a nail to the XIII coffin, and we'd better hope she'll never return another time, despise some good ideas I don't advise this game to anyone (even for the ones that liked the previous episodes) as this is the worst JRPG I played in this generation .

Ratchet & Clank are some of the favorite characters from the PS2 era and therefore it is only logical that they've been remastered, but sometime age is not so kind for old gems, so let's see how this collection stands out on its own. Technically the graphics are more or less identical, which is not a surprise given the fact that those games were absolutely beautiful when they came out with a cartoon style, they've always been the closest studio to a Pixar movie visuals and you'll see that evolution over the episodes. On the bad side this remaster is a bit lazy as they didn't bother to correct the very few glitches on the game. Gameplay wise Ratchet & Clank is the best in its genre mixing shooting elements with a wide and deliriously funny weapons choice and 3D platformer with a lot of different situations and mini-games thanks to the gadgets. There's also a lot of collectibles for the ones that like to have the 100% which encourage exploration in all the levels. Concerning the story the characters are perfect they will all be remember, the dialogues are funny and the bad guys are charismatic offering true commitment from the players in order to defeat them. Each game is approximately 12 hours long (if you want the 100%) which means this collection is around 40 hours of pure fun. Good deal for the price. So in conclusion if you like Pixar movies these games are a must play but for the small added value of the remaster I will not give it the perfect mark (even though Ratchet 2 and 3 are easily worth a 10 in my opinion), still advised for everyone that didn't play them on PS2.

Overlord is based on a good idea, play the bad guy in a fantasy world , but you nee more than ideas to make a good video game, so lets see how it fares. PS: Given the fact that I didn't play the original game I'll judge the extension as part of the game and not on its own. Technically the game is clearly dated and could run on a PS2 if you compare it to games like God of War 2, but the framerate is steady even when there is 50 characters on the screen, and the design is good with childish looking characters in the opposite of the violence of the universe. Gameplay wise the game is more a RTS (real time strategy) game than a true action RPG, because sure your character can attack on his own but it will be incredibly difficult and you'd better use your minions to fight, they come in four different classes each with their own speciality (healers, assassins, ranger and tanks), use them wisely as they can gain power by looting enemies but if they die the loot is lost and your replacement unit will start with ****'s fun if you like those strategic games but not if you'd prefer do the fighting yourself. Concerning the story I'm a bit disappointed as even if you're suppose to be the evil itself and that you are fighting halflings, dwarfs, and humans, it's them that are bad and you're going to save the population, it would have been so more fun if you were here to destroy good rulers and impose your reign. The game will last about 20 to 25 hours which is a good time for this genre. So in conclusion Overlord is a good game for the ones looking for a strategic game, which is pretty rare on console, but the disappointing story and the lack of depth in its core mechanics makes the game a bit repetitive. It could have been better but overall if you want to manage a minion's army I would advise it.

The Bourne Conspiracy was and remains the only videogame about the franchise, who otherwise would seem perfect for videogames but did it deserved a sequel ? Technically the game is pretty average for its time, there's some good destruction but the background is always blur which is pretty annoying, there's no bugs or framerate issues that I could see but the camera during fist fight will sometimes be in a wrong angle and get on your nerves. The gameplay will alternate, in a nice pace, third person shooting phases, with a good cover system but globally pretty classic and fist fighting sequences that made the distinction of the Bourne trilogy in theaters, unfortunately the Batman Arkham games weren't out yet (this system would have work perfectly) and therefore the gameplay is closer to a Tekken with slow pace, and more or less 1 VS 1 fighting (sometimes you have a small QTE to doge a punch from an other guy) but they did capture the good use of the environment with lots of interactions possible and it's very fun to bash someone into a crate or whatever. Concerning the story it follows the scenario of the first movie with additional levels in the form of "flashbacks", if you know the movie then you'll be pretty familiar with it, but for someone that would buy the game without previous knowledge the story and motivations of the characters can be pretty unclear, they didn't took the time to develop things in its 8 hours long campaign which is too short, as always I consider that the bare minimum for a game that is solo only its 12 hours. So in conclusion the game isn't bad, it's faithful to its origins and is globally fun to play but some design errors (choice of combat system in particular), average graphics and the lack of efforts to please new Bourne consumers make this game for from unmissable. If there's ever a sequel there's potential to make a better game, but the poor sales make it unlikely. Advisable for the ones that love both Bourne franchise and action game.

Like always I'm reviewing the game for people that are asking themselves if it's worth a buy NOW, and therefore take into account that there's almost nobody left online and for Left 4 Dead it's obviously impacting the final mark. So technically the game is beautiful for its time, with very nice light effects that increase the creepy atmosphere, nice sound design for the enemies, no framerate issue even when there's tons of zombies on the screen, Valve did, like always, a very professional job. Concerning the gameplay that's what has been the most "damaged" by time as like I said you won't find a lot of people online and this game is thought to be play in groups of 4 to have the most fun, the IA for the allies is not bad at all if you play in solo but there the game is a rather simple FPS with similar situations again and again, everything works fine but there's no variety. And it's not the nonexistent story that will appeal to solo players, every mission has the same one and it only takes one word, ESCAPE. It will take approximately 6 hours to do every mission and once again, if you play alone there's 0 incentive to do them again, so it's very short. In conclusion Left 4 Dead is a very fun game to play with friends thanks to a simple but good gameplay, but the lack of story, the repetitive level design and its short length makes it forgettable for solo player. I would advise it if you know for sure that you have at least one friend willing to play it with you, if not there are better FPS out there for you.