At the end, there was only Dark Souls 3. After playing over 400 hours worth of Bloodborn, Dark Souls and Dark Souls 2. I finally came to this. This was/is glorious! What a fantastic way to end off the Dark Souls Trilogy. This game takes all that it did in the previous 2 games, with some lessons from Bloodborn thrown in for good measure, and made this. The best of the series. Dark Souls 3 improves on everything. Visuals, sound, action variety. It's all bigger and better. Visually DS3 is just a marvel, with every environment rich in detail that it would take nearly forever just to see just how much work went into the art design. There is also such a degree of variety as well with some earlier areas being affected by actions later in the game, drastically altering the feel and tone of those areas. Gameplay has just been taken to the top. No longer as stiff as DS1 and enemy placement and difficulty at the "just right" setting. Challenging, but not so difficult as to make things impossible. There is also such a variety in weapons and build types that you can easily just start the game again and again trying a different style and approach each time. I do miss the power stance and dual wielding function that was in DS2, but even so, there is still plenty of variety. As for the DLCs. Both utterly gorgeous and with some of the hardest and fun boss fights of the whole series. Both have such a wealth of extra content that they are well worth the it for anyone who hasn't gotten them yet. As for the online. It is allotof fun and PvP is a great improvement on it's predecessors, almost making it as good as the main game. But I also feel that there should be a better system to pair people who are similar in skill (eg. Death to Win ratio, and total number of PvP battles should also factor into the pairing.) I find people on PvP are either insanely good, or really really bad, there doesn't seem to be an inbetween. Overall: I have played over 400 hours of Dark Souls 3, and I'm still playing it. It has quality, quantity of content and great online play. As close to perfect a game as I can see. While this is the end of the trilogy, I hope it is not the end of Dark Souls forever.
Continuing on the Dark Souls bender, I had to try the second instalment. I never played the original version so I can only comment on this version. In many ways DS2 is both better and worse than the Original. Visually most of the areas are so much more detailed. But on the other hand they are also allot more contained and almost claustrophobic at times. The action is allot of fun and the combat mechanics were greatly improved upon making combat feel allot more fluid this time around. However, allot of areas are just saturated with hoards, which just artificially spikes the difficulty levels. Whereas DS1 had much better enemy placements making the areas tough. but fair. DS2 can be a bit unforgiving in places with steep difficulty spikes coming out of nowhere. However, even with the erratic difficulty curves, it still is quite fun and challenging. Overall: Dark Souls 2 was allot of fun, but I can see why it is often regarded as the weakest of the series. But even as the weakest link, it's still a very good worth game worth having a go.
I don't normally review a game twice. But in this case I have to as my experience this time around was allot more different than when I originally played the game when it came out on the 360. About 2 years ago I got around to playing Bloodborne, which I was sceptical of as my first outing with Dark Souls had not been that stellar. I fell in love with it and it completely changed how I saw these types of games. So when the DS remaster was released, I decided to try it again with my new perspective. Boy, was I glad I did. I loved Dark Souls this time around, and now I have a deeper respect for the series. I can't say to much as I feel I did already cover allot in my initial review. But now I can say that with time and a fresh perspective, I understand the love/hate this game gets from the community. But one thing I will say is now I notice the game is not as polished as I originally though it was. As a remaster it is stunning, but you can also see that it does feel a little sparse at times and the remaster artificial sheen is apparent. Overall: A great game that I am glad to have given a second chance and finally was able to enjoy it as it was intended.
If anything, I must say this game is not what I expected. Or more accurately, I didn't really know what to expect. Going in blind perhaps was for the best. From the moment you begin you have no idea what to do or where to go. But what is clear is one thing: Survive. and boy does it drill that in quickly with a savage landscape that is all to quickly eager to devour you whole. But once you get the basics down, and you aim at surviving and exploring, the game kicks into gear. The stronger you get, the better stuff you can build, and the better stuff helps make you a stronger. And so the cycle continues. Visually the game is stunning. Landscapes are gorgeous and the character models are some of the best I have seen in a realtime open world environment. Sound is also great. Music knows when to be soft, when to be loud. Always setting a great atmosphere which I lost myself in time and time again. Combat is fun, and there is such a large variety of enemies that you rarely feel bored in that regard. Gameplay though, I got to say the closest game I can compare this to is Minecraft. Just Minecraft for adults. Not a bad thing, but the base building and survival element is so in your face it makes you feel like that that's all there is at times. While the Conan universe has got extensive lore, this game barely has a narrative. Your goal at the beginning is the same as it is at the end: Escape. Little else happens that is not connected to that goal in some way. Overall: Conan Exiles is far better than I had expected it to be and I enjoyed it immensely. But the monotony of resource harvesting and lack of a deeper story, did make the game feel a bit hollow at times. None the less, I still thought it was great and really do hope they keep extending the game. Note to Developers: - Hats off in regards to not being squeamish to nudity. It is nice to see that a game that is intended for adult to play also has content that adults would expect. It's not done tastelessly and fits the world. - It would be nice that you could have more than one active character at a time. Limiting it to 1 play through at a time did make it a bit limiting for solo players.
I'm a huge Danganronpa fan. Played 1 & 2 and Ultra Despair Girls multiple times and bought across multiple formats. Have the manga, anime and a ton of merch too. So I was quite psyched for DV3. What did I think? I liked most of the game, but at this point it was starting to feel too familiar following the exact same structure from the previous games to the letter, tossing in a few minor barely noticeable additions. Funny enough the ending does explain this in its own way. If anything, the ending was perhaps the only part that made it stand out. In terms of narrative, DV3 still nailed it. Each chapter was well executed (excuse the pun) and to the Danganronpa standards we know and love. The characters were all pretty well flushed out and better developed than D2. However, I do feel their Ultimate talents where poorly thought out and didn't really fit the characters they were attached to, at least for most of them (the Maid, Pianist, and Magician being the only exceptions to this.) As for the ending, I didn't like it. Don't get me wrong, I still think it was an interesting idea that helps set DV3 apart from the other games. BUT, I also think it was done poorly and a bit too preachy. Coming across more as a PSA message, belittling the mentality of its players, and even humanity in general. I get what the developers were trying to do, but I think they poured it on a bit thick there. As for the extras: Whoever made the S rank requirement on mean for the trophies = DAMN YOU! I ended up hating those mini games in the end. Also the board game idea just did not interest me. Tried it a few times, did not like it. Feels more like shovelware for my phone. But it did look nice. Overall: Danganronpa V3 is a great sequel that really just hammers in the fact that this getting too familiar. While I did enjoy the main story, I also now feel a bit tired of this style of play. I think if Danganronpa wants to continue its time to reboot the series and overhaul the game structure. Ultra Despair Girls had the right idea. Now take it a step further. Side Note: I still think the biggest missed opportunity the Danganronpa series has missed is the multiple story archs. Each game has the same linear story with the same suspects and murders every time. Meaning the magic of the story really only hits you the first time you play it. After that the mystery is gone. I say have multiple archs that lead to a different set of survivors by the end. It would give the game far more replayability. But its just a thought.
I have played all of the ME games. Even read the spinoff books and comics. Loved ME 1 Worshiped ME 2 Really liked ME 3 (If not for the ending, it would have been legendary) So my thoughts on Andromeda. I think it was hyped far too much, trying too hard to mimic Dragon age Inquisition in terms of marketing. This was clearly a mistake as it was no secret that Andromeda's production suffered allot of issues, with most of the original creative team from the original trilogy either not coming on board or outright leaving during production. So essentially Andromeda was kind of starting from scratch. In all fairness, I think this was a good thing, after all, Andromeda was trying to establish itself as its own story, away from the original trilogy. Sadly, with a fresh team also means inexperience, not necessarily in ability but with familiarity with the series. It is evident that the writing is very diluted, making it the weakest in the series so far. Clearly they wanted to add allot of dialogue to the game, and they did, but quantity is not better than quality. It seems to me that either the writing team was too small, or was rushed (likely, given EA's history.) But, it does have some truely great moments and the writing does improve the deeper into the game you get. A shame that the game doesn't give a good first impression in that regard. It is clear that so much more is on the way as there are plenty clues and open plot points, but the game really could have used some more strong foreshadowing. It does foreshadow a bit, but too subtly. Visuals are ....? Character models and up close animations are really sub par for this generation. There is no excuse since the Witcher 3 clearly showed this can be done better. But it's not always bad, it seems the human models were the ones primarily affected. The Krogan, Angara, Salarians and Turians did all work pretty well in that regard. Now the environments on all worlds were gorgeous. Each world utterly beautiful and its own. However, I never did manage to get my brightness setting right. It was either too dark, or too bright. As for the main cast, I do feel they are underdeveloped. Drax and Jaal are pretty flushed out, Peebee is a bit annoying and bland at first, but does have some great banter and does get more interesting. Liam seems bland at first glance but is rather funny, just a shame he isn't developed more. Cora is boring and generic, essentially tje Jacob of this game. Vetra feels kind of out of place most of the time, perhaps feeling too much like she's trying to fill the shoes Garrus left but just feels like token character. Ultimately the team feels small and underdeveloped. Would be good to add a DLC character or two. As for gameplay. It feels allot like the best parts of ME 1 mixed in with the best parts of ME 2 + 3. The Nomad is great improvement on the Mako. Curious that there aren't weapon upgrades for it. General combat is great and the ability mix and match abilities is great. Combat in gener is fun. Just a shame there isn't more variety in enemy types. Overall: Mass Effect Andromeda has allot of flaws, and has allot of bumps to iron out. But that's just it, they're just bumps and Andromeda is still a great and fun game. It succeeds in separating itself from the original trilogy but needs work to garner the same level of praise. I am hopeful, as the groundwork is now laid out. Side Note: Great ending! Wish ME 3 had one something like that.
I was so happy when I heard this was getting a PS4 port. So was it worth the wait? H3ll yeah! It took everything great from the last game, and improved upon it. It looks like they did listen to most of the feedback from the previous game. Visually on par with last game with bigger and more varied environments. Even though the game improves on so much it also feels too much like the game before it. This is not a bad thing, just wish they could have added more new elements eg. ship combat from the original series. Also now there is a great and engaging story, delivered far better than the first game with some great and developed characters. Overall: XCOM 2 is a great improvement and upgrade from the previous game, but does now need some fresh gameplay mechanics for the next game.
I got to admit, I enjoyed this game more than I thought I would. You can see it is trying really hard to be like the Dark Souls and Bloodborne series. However I felt it was far more like the Onimusha series with elements of Souls game. Regardless of its influence, it's great and manages to be it's own thing too. Visually the set pieces are fantastically detailed yet some of the stages were a tad too dark. The camera angle was also irritating at times, often not adjusting properly or positioning itself in poor spots hampering combat at times. While I like loot based games, Nioh kind of went overboard. You get too much of it too quickly and too much variety making the crafting and fusing systems almost redundant for most of the first playthrough. Only in NG+ does it calm down to more manageable frequency. Combat is allot of fun and gets better once you find the weapon you like the most (personally, I like the lance the most.) However it can get a bit repetitive oce you have a high level character with all skills unlocked. Spamming strong combos can become a thing. Also to note that unlike the Souls games, this game is not difficult, in fact it can be too easy allot of the time. What this game does is punishes carelessness and reckless behaviour. If you don't pay attention to what's going on and your environment you will die. But keep your eyes open and be careful, and the game will be a breeze. Overall: Nioh is a worthy competitor to the Souls, but still needs a bit more polish in some areas to be what it could be. I hope Nioh 2 learns and improves on this.
To be honest, I was not huge fan of Dark Souls 1. I admired what it was and it's beauty but I just could not bring myself to enjoy that kind of gameplay. Don't get me wrong it's still a great game, just not my cup of tea. So, because of this I didn't bother with any of the other Souls games and when I heard about Bloodborne I avoided it too. But after months and months I kept hearing about this game from almost everywhere. So, curiosity got the best of me and I got the Game of the year edition. ..... Holy ****. This game is awesome! The difficulty from Souls was there, but in this game it just feels right. Nothing is too difficult once you know what to do, and even then it takes a certain amount of skill and finesse to pull it off. And when you do, it's glorious. You can also choose how to build your character making something all your own. Then, when you finish the game you can start another character and do a completely different build. This almost feels like different game as certain builds work best against certain enemies and others don't. Visually the game stunning. So much detail everywhere. Atmosphere heavy too. Now, my biggest gripe with the game is an almost nonexistent narrative. The few NPCs there are don't really serve much purpose, but they are all interesting a shame they don't do more or have more dialogue. Now while I said there is little narrative, there is a ton of lore. It's all over the place and if you have the time and patience to read through it all, you see just how rich and well developed this world is, just a shame there wasn't a more clear narrative. But this is a minor gripe as your sense of exploration does push you forward seeking the next challenge. As for the DLC add-on, brilliant. A ton of new content and huge new areas to explore. Not to mention some of the best bosses in the game. Overall: I am so glad I gave this game chance and it is the most fun I've had with a game in a while.
If anything, this iteration of the MK series continues from where the MK reboot (aka MK9) left off. Visually it is on par with its predecessor tweaking and making slight improvements here and there. Story mode is great, delivering the best story so far. A shame that some characters were locked out of arcade mode and not playable even though there are clearly character models and move sets for them. Combat is both hit and miss. On the one hand it is a very polished combat system with significant improvements from MK9. On the other hand I did not like the 3 different variations system. It would have been nice to have a base character with all moves or the ability to create your own variation with the all the moves and look you want. DLC character packs were great. A shame there weren't more. The crypt this time round was awesome and a joy to explore. I was a bit disappointed not to see some characters. Had hoped to see Skarlet again. I had also hoped for Nitara and Sareena (was there in a brief cameo, but I had hoped she would be playable.) Overall: MKX is a worthy continuation of the franchise adding enough to still feel fresh, yet it doesn't add enough to have the same kind of impact the last game. Still, tons of fun. Note to developer: One thing I do find odd, especially in this day and age, why MK franchise doesn't go completely mature. Where is the sex? Tons of blood, gore and bad language, yet you're telling me that naked slave girl/guy in background is out of place. I'm not saying make it something smutty, more like keep it real and make character motivations and actions (both conscious and subconscious) true. eg. Sonya would eye up Johnny any time his back is (more likely she wouldn't even realise she's doing it.) Mileena wearing something see-through would also be true to character. Kano would have a filthy mouth. To be clear I'm not singling out women for this. The same should apply to male characters too. Also, for MK XI if you are going to have guest characters, why not the movie horror legends like Dracula, Frankenstein's monster, Wolfman, etc. (would fit as they are planning on reboots for all of the in the near future.) Personally I would love to see Lady Death or Evil Ernie.
I actually went int o this game knowing almost nothing about it. Saw only a handful of screen shots. So hype wise there was nothing for me. I only learned about all the promises and BS afterwards. Good thing as I got to experience it without any expectations. So what did I think? *meh* Visually the game is pretty, yet bland at the same time. The worlds all look unique, kind of. But after a while the worlds can just be simplified: Toxic, Ice, Radiation, Hot, Rainy, Barren, Water, Nice. Even though they are all procedurally generated they all fit into at least one of those categories. Same more or less applies to all the Flora, Fauna and buildings. Don't get me wrong, at first it's really cool. But after about the 10th or so planet repetition and tedium kick in.From that point it's just the same thing over and over with practically no real payoff. The music and sound are great. The score kind of reminds me of a cross between the soundtrack of the Dig and the ambient music of Minecraft. For all the gripe I still enjoyed it, or at least the first 10 - 20 hours. No Man's Sky feels like it was trying too hard to be something it's not. Yet this game does give me hope. The concept is solid and I truly hope other developers use what this game does right. If anything this game is a stepping stone for other great things. A milestone in gaming, provided it doesn't get buried in its own controversy. Overall: No Man's Sky is a decent game that hyped itself up too much. Clearly it could be improved allot, but we should not overlook all the things it does right. Hopefully a bigger developer might step in and apply the ideas to their game. Imagine what Bethesda or Bioware could have done with this (aside from DLC'ing it to death.) Tip: Don't underestimate how far the Galactic core is. Always jump as far as your engines will allow. Scan and upload everything you see. Don't upgrade your initial weapon or ship more than you need to. +26 ship size and +22 Weapon size is when you focus on upgrades. Sigma < Tau < Theta < Omega. Always aim to have the highest. Only need to have 1 of each item on the exosuit, no need stack those things. Grenade launcher is great if you get lost in caves. Just shoot your way out.
While this games is miles better than Dungeons 1, it still pales compared to the original Dungeon Keeper. This game I believe is as close to a Dungeon Keeper remake/sequel as we will get. It does a good job looking, sounding even feeling like DK. Yet, it feels diluted, like a demo version of DK. Still, it's a step in the right direction and I hope that a Dungeons 3 is to be expected. Only this time, make it bigger and longer. Overall: Dungeons 2 is allot of fun a great blast into nostalgia for one of my all time favourite games. Just wish there would have been more.
Considering the giant shoes this game was meant to fill, I think it was a good enough attempt. Now I really don't care much for the Multiplayer. I only played it for the the sake of the trophies (which thankfully are just a couple.) Otherwise the MP is more or less what is to expected. Very standard and generic. Not bad, not good, just average. As to the campaign, while it is very well thought out, I did feel the game didn't include enough secrets. Or more accurately the secrets were far too easy to find. I remember in the original Doom there were tons of secrets, many of which to a long time to find. However the classic Doom areas were pretty cool. Really cool all the creature redesigns, just a shame there weren't any original creatures (cyber mancubus and exploding possessed don't count.) In fact a few of them were not there. But in all fairness the ones put there were given allot of care and attention to detail, even feeling allot like their classic counterparts. Weapons were done right, all there plus some new ones. Mods and mod challenges were a great idea. However, I did think the chainsaw was a bit overpowered when compared to its classic counterpart. Glory kills are really cool, at first. But do get a bit repetitive once you've seen them for the umpteenth time. Soundtrack is great and does its best to recapture the feel of classic Doom. Tracks aren't as memorable but decent enough. Creatures just don't impress at all in terms of sound. In the classic doom, all the creatures sounded scary and could make you wet yourself just for sounds alone. Story is surprisingly decent and fits the lore pretty well. It's still weak, but allot better than I had expected. Overall: Doom 2016 is a decent modernisation of Classic Doom, and I don't think it could be improved without taking away the air of nostalgia it desperately is trying to maintain while pandering to modern shooter styles and tropes. Still for all my criticism I had a blast with this game and can recommend it. Side tip: Don't bother with lower difficulties. Ultra-Violence or Nightmare to get what this game is truly trying to be.
I experienced no frame rate issue during my playthrough. Essentially I thought Far Harbor was good, but could use improvement. Story wise it is decent but also a little dull at times as it follows the same formula of the main game, making it feel like more of the same. An interesting side mission involving a vault and a murder mystery was refreshingly different similar to Old World Blues or Shivering Isles, giving the DLC something of it's own. Just a shame there weren't more side quests like this as it is my opinion that this is what FO4 needs: Fully fleshed out side missions that work as stand alone quests, with style and tone differing from the main game. Visually Far Harbor is very nice and pretty with a unique look and feel all it's own. Just, I did think that the fog (especially at night) made it difficult to truly appreciate the detail to the environment. Fog effect was cool though. New enemies were okay, but not to challenging. Nice design though. Would have been nice if there was a new enemy type that required new strategies. But all of the new enemies can be defeated using tried and tested methods. Like the new armor types, a shame there isn't a complete set of the special Recon Marine Armor. Spent ages looking for the non-existing legs, had to settle for regular Assault Marine one instead (the completionist in me weeps.) I didn't like the new weapons. While they did look cool, my existing gear was stronger and far more practical. Overall: Far Harbor is a decent enough DLC with enough content to warrant its price. It's more of the same as what you got from the main game, so for those looking for more, it will quell that need. However if you are looking for something more and relevant diversity, the it falls a little short. Side Note ro developers: If there is to be more DLC it would be nice to include weapon and armor display stands. The ability to reset the perk chart, once you hit lvl 60+ it would be a nice option (especially to get rid of perks you chose for the sake of trophies.) An option to disable the helmet view when using power armor (would prefer to have regular view like when you're not in armor.)
In a nutshell: Party Hard is Hitman meets Manhunt meets the Sims (first one.) The game goes out of its way to be as Retro as possible. Visuals, music, themes and pop cultural references all deliberately set up an air of nostalgia, regardless if you had anything to do with era or not. So design and atmosphere are very good. The old style visuals are fun and work well, however the screen does feel a bit cluttered at times. But not a big deal still pretty if judged at the standard it's been made at. Soundtrack is great, each level with its own song. Some are better than other and even on a loop is fun to listen to. Gameplay is as challenging as you want it to be, however I did find most of the levels far too easy. The only real challenge to them are based on how you want finish each level. It relies a bit too much on player innovation regarding difficulty. It would have been nice if the base challenge was higher. Still, allot of fun, just a shame it's too easy. While there are plenty of levels, they don't take too long. Essentially you could pull off 100% in a day or two if you put in the time for the grind. Overall: Party Hard while easy and a bit **** at times is still allot of fun, and as it is a cheap indie title it can be forgiven for any of its short comings.
This was my first outing into this series, so I can only judge it based on what it is. One thing this game does not shy away from the fan service. But it knows that and doesn't try to hide it or find some lame excuse to cover that fact. It is what it is and proud of: Boobs, butts, fighting and enough innuendo to make Freud blush. So credit to it for being open and honest and not bowing before the SJW Matriarchy. Yet it does make me wonder why they bothered with the censorship. The game is clearly aimed at mature audience. I think anyone playing this knows what nipples look like. Seems almost childish. But this is a minor gripe as the idea behind it is charming. One point that is great are the characters, they are all charming and well developed. Even with so many characters, they all feel flushed out and are highly likable. Problem is that any anime fan can see that almost all of them are character types we've seen before, none are truly original. But another minor gripe as the same can be said for most Anime these days. Animation is okay, levels are pretty but not really up to PS4 standards. VITA maybe. Really curious as to why they didn't put more effort into the "cut scenes." Really sub par and the visual novel style really doesn't belong on a console. A shame, if they had made all the cut scenes fully animated, I think it would have done better. Voice acting is decent, just a shame there is no English dub. Plot, errrrr .... not really, a bare bones story that really serves no purpose. Little to no substance in that regard. There was definitely potential if they had gone more into it. Deeper personal story arcs would have been nice. Fighting mechanics are fun and each girl handles differently so there is a good deal of variety and combat rarely feels repetitive. So gameplaywise, the game is allot of fun. Overall: Senran Kagura: Estival Versus is a fun game that celebrates fan service with great combat an d interesting and diverse characters, yet lacks any real depth and story to make it anything more than a guilty pleasure. Still, it's fun and worth a go. Side Note: Don't bother with any of the DLC, aside from the new game modes. The DLC characters are fun, but not really relevant to the story.
I remember playing this game when it first came out. I remember the hype about it. Everyone was talking about it and there were articles everywhere. So I was pretty pumped to play it at the time. I was heavy into point-n-click adventure games at the time and had pretty much played everything else. So when I finally sat down and played it .... it was okay. Like all point-n-click games of the time it suffered the same "What next?" problem. These days if you get stuck you just go online and within minutes you have an answer (usually.) Back then, you usually had to wait for some gaming magazine to publish a walk through, and when you live in a small town your options in that regard are limited. However this is what made point-n-click games so compelling. The challenge. DOTT in this regard was far too easy and I remember this was one of the few games I didn't need a walkthrough. So my criticism is that it was too easy. Graphically the game was colourful and pretty, making it stand out from other games of the genre. The cartoony graphics were a bit refreshing, with a noticeable Chuck Jones feel to them. Voice acting was pretty good for the time. So, what do I think of the remaster? Well, it gives me hope. This game has been so well remastered to current gen systems that it gives me hope that more old LucasArts games get the same treatment *cough* Fate of Atlantis *cough*. Hint, hint, wink, wink. Visually the HD remastered graphics are great and you can almost forget how old the source material is, however as another reviewer said, they can be a bit bland and lacking detail. However this is just in contrast to current standards, back then it was detailed. Story wise, DOTTR is as funny as it was back then. A few dated jokes that the younger generation are unlikely to get, but otherwise it holds up. Overall: Day of the Tentacle remastered is a fantastic remastering of a cult classic for current gen systems. However if I had to be honest, this game is primarily aimed at its long time fans. Newer/younger gamers are likely to not get allot of it and hold it on par to an interactive cartoon (whether that is a good thing or not may vary depending on personal taste.) Bottom line this is a great game which I had allot of fun with, both then and now. Side Note: Don't play this game with a walkthrough or trophy guide on your first play through. Get any missed trophies on subsequent play throughs.
I have been a fan of the Fallout series since the release of the first game. So I had very high expectations going in. Did it deliver? For the most part. FO4 is as good as I had hoped it would be, however, it has some glaring flaws. The negative: - First and foremost, the game engine. It is clearly past its prime and we've seen it far too much now. Don't get me wrong Bethesda did try to spice things up a bit and did the best they could with it. It's still a fun game engine. Just far, far too familiar at this point. - Diverse dialogue, or lack thereof. The dialogue wheel is really far too basic and is mostly filled with different ways of saying the same thing. It kinda limits the immersion at times and feels almost lazy. - The settlement system. While this was a good idea, aside from trophies and the few related story missions, it serves little purpose and is really nothing more than a distraction. It would have been nice if they had made it so you could completely clear settlements of all debris (I know there is a mod on PC that allows this.) Limited landscaping might have been nice too. All in all this feature felt a bit incomplete. With some tweaking it could be some thing great. - Ending(s.) Where are they? Every Fallout game's epilogue gave you a breakdown of what happen to all the key areas/factions, kinda making you feel your actions made a difference. FO4 has kinda done the ME3 ending thing. A few slight variations of the same thing. Kinda lazy when you have just spent +100 hours on the game. - Soundtrack. It's mostly the exact same music from the previous FO games. The 50s did produce more than ten songs you know. Also hard to believe that no one in the wasteland is composing original work. - Character models. Bethesda, yo people is uglee. Seriously, it's the PS4 yet the people look very plasticee. - Recycled background banter from unnamed NPC fluff characters. OMG, they keep repeating the same dialogue over and over. It is so irritating. Same goes for banter from raiders. Funny how all these different raiders in different locations have the exact conversations. - Sex and nudity. Seriously, FO4 was rated M in the US and 18 in the UK. There is plenty of violence, language and drug use. Yet for whatever reason everyone in the apocalyptical wasteland is chaste as an after school special. Take a page from the Witcher games, if you're going to make a game for adults, then treat them like adults. FONV at least tried in this regard. It still amazes me that this puritanical approach still exists in this day and age. The positive: + The Commonwealth. At first glance it come across as small. But you quickly notice that it is overflowing with locations. + Boston and the rest of the Commonwealth is beautiful. When compared to FO3 and FONV, FO4 is just visually stunning and so much more attention to detail. Every location feels like it was given a personal touch. + Quests galore. There is just so, so much to do in this game. A ton of well written content. I do feel that the main quest lines do get pushed to the side to easily and could have been given a bit more of a sense of urgency, but this is not a negative thing, just a result of the overabundance of side content. + Companions. So many to choose from, and they're all pretty fun to play with. A shame the aggression setting from NV is no longer there. Companions do make it a little hard to play a stealthy approach. But once you have the best gear, that approach kinda gets redundant. + Crafting. The weapon crafting system is awesome.A shame that armor crafting didn't really get as much variety. + Story. Just a great story with a ton of new lore to keep things interesting. + Voice acting. Just fantastic all around from all involved. Overall: For all my gripes, I still loved the game. With a bit more polish and effort Bethesda could make something far greater than they already have.
A game that I never thought I would **** combat and pretty visuals (for the time.) Don't rember the story much. Overall: A game I rember that I enjoyed playing, but didn't leave too strong an impression.
I remember how much flack this game got because it was practically a reskinned version of the first game except set mostly underwater. The developers even admitted to this. It was due to the limited timeframe they were given pop out a sequel. Reskinned or not I still think this version is far superior to the original in most aspects. It took everything the original did and improved up it. Overall: X-Com: Terror from the Deep is still one of my favourite games of its time. I really do hope that one day Firaxis adapts it with a modern look like they did for the original. Side Note: Calling TFTD an expansion pack is just not right, or too underwhelming a description. A re-imagining or clone is perhaps a bit more on the nose.
I first played this just after its release. At the time I think allot of people were treating this game as the spiritual successor to Doom. I had high expectations, which were let down. What allot of people now have forgotten is that at the time there were an ungodly amount of FPSers trying desperately to be the next **** me that's what it was another Doom wannabe and I quickly lost interest. Overall: In hindsight I have since developed a new respect for this game and can appreciate it more than I did. A good FPS that heralded the end of the age of Doom and opened the gaming community to the idea of new IPs outside of Doom.
If anything I can see this game is really, really trying to be something different and do justice to the horror genre. However, for all its effort it falls a little flat. Visually the game is very pretty, but lacking in variety. Each area is just a more messier version of the last. You can see allot of effort went into the visuals, yet allot of it is shrouded in darkness. You can pick up pretty much anything that isn't nailed down. Yet, why? There are perhaps only a handful of objects that are relevant to anything, so this feature feels pretty pointless. The Clock Tower-esque run and hide approach to "combat" was a novel one and did add a sense of "get the f*** out of here" to each area. But these sections start to get more and more frequent as the game progresses and just get disruptive and irritating by the end. It would have been nice if there was a map system as it is far to easy to get lost, especially in the outdoor sections. But not all I have to say is negative. The game does have a great story. It also tackles some deep ideas that will give you allot to think of. Overall: Soma kinda feels like Deep Space meets Bioshock 2 meets Clock Tower. There is clearly a good game here with great story and concepts, but it is kinda dragged down by to much clutter of underdeveloped ideas and manic pacing thanks to forced **** faults aside, it's still worth playing through once. It's too expensive for what it is wait for at least a 50% price drop.
To be honest I didn't expect much from this game. But AK surprised me. It was better than I thought it would be. Aside from a few visual glitches here and there (pre-patch in was raining inside the clock tower, *lol*) this is by far the most visually stunning of the Arkham games. It is Gorgeous and Gotham is lovingly detailed. Voice acting is on par with previous titles. Gameplay wise nothing much has changed. AK more or less does the same as in the previous games adding little new of note. With exception to the Bat mobile which is a nice idea but seems most of the time to be a very forced gameplay mechanic. Gotham this time round feel smaller than before. Predator areas are not as prominent as in previous titles and this time round seems to favour H2H combat and bat mobile combat. A pity as the predator sections of the previous titles were my favourite. Story is alright but not on par with previous iterations. However the surprise inclusion of a certain character was very creative and well done (even though one was lead to believe it not possible.) Overall: Arkham Knight is not the worst but also not the best of the series. It tries a bit too hard to innovate but unfortunately it still feels to much the same. The Bat mobile is just forced too much and the game does lose a bit of the Batman feel to it.
Far to short. Took me 3 hour to get 100%. Visually it is gorgeous. But that's it. Story is bare and not original and gameplay is limited. Overall: TVoEC looks and feels like it was meant to show off visuals like a tech demo. As gorgeous as it is, it is far too simple and short to even call it a game. At best it is an ultra sexy demo. But that's it. In it's current state, it far too overpriced. Side note: I do hope other developers of 1st person exploration games look at this game. If anything I hope this game is a glimpse of things to come (visually speaking of course.)
One point to highlight: this game is a Spin off title to the Danganronpa series. In that sense, it does what it sets out to do. i.e. Vere away from the normal DR experience of previous games. This is both refreshing and disappointing. From a narrative point of view, this game tells a great story that fits in with DR mythos and style. However, far to much emphasis is on the two lead protagonist. All the other characters are either not developed enough, or given too little focus to really matter. One of the best aspects of DR 1 and 2 were their diverse, developed characters. Visually the game surpasses its predecessors. Each area is well done and lovingly detailed. Excellent design. Gameplay is perhaps where this game is both good and bad. Good in the sense that the new game mechanics where refreshing and fun (perhaps a bit repetitive.) Bad in that almost all the gameplay mechanics from 1 and 2 were stripped out. While change is usually good, in this case it almost made the game not feel like DR game. Luckily the storytelling saved it in that regard. Overall: Ultra Despair Girls, as a spin off title, is a fun game and a welcome addition to the DR universe. Just don't expect it to be Danganronpa 3, it's not.
Trespasser is an epilogue to DA:I. Giving closure to the main game's storyline, and foreshadowing the next game in the series. As an epilogue, it works. BUT, it also manages to feel detached from the main game. It feels like both a goodbye to the current cast, and also a huge tease on what DA4 might be. If anything, I feel this DLC would have worked better as a stand alone film (like Dawn of the Seeker.) I will not complain about the story as this DLC is loaded with new lore and plenty of explanations for a few unanswered questions from DA:I. The new locations are just gorgeous. Granted most of it is just vistas, they are stunning. Trespasser's design is superb, adding many new elements to a world already rich in design. One really irritating thing from this DLC for me were the Trials trophies. As I usually only keep 2 or 3 saves per character, these trials did force me start a new game (and after 5 full play throughs already, that was annoying.) For me, these trophies would have been better off being in an earlier DLC. Overall: Trespasser adds tons of story to DA:I and does a good job wrapping things up. Gameplay wise, I did find it lacking, and too short. While the trials trophies were a pain, I will admit they were a good idea (just a little too late.) But in the end this is a great DLC, I just wish it was longer. Side Note to developers: - No more Sigils, they ****. - Make the even ground trial permanent. - Nevarra and Antiva. In next game. Please? - Pretty please?? - Cherry on top? - More cupcakes?
I will say that my opinion on this game is a mixture. Visuals are bright and colorful with some pretty cool creature designs. However the open world sections are a bit rough around the edges and nowhere near PS4 standards. It's kind of odd that a PS4 title would get the visual novel treatment for most of its story segment. This style is better suited for the VITA, not PS4. If this game had been fully animated, it likely would have done far better. As to the story, it's basically a Pop Idol / Magic Girl hybrid that is as generic as can be, using every over used trope from both genres (think K-On! meets Sailor Moon.) But unoriginal or not, it is still entertaining, giving the game a strong anime vibe. The dialogue is endless. While it is amusing and well written, it goes on and on. Clearly the script could have used some major condensing. The visual novel style further adds to the tedium, making you really want things to hurry up. Voice acting is pretty good, again sounding like an anime as well. The songs are catchy, but also to few and do get a little repetitive after a while. The music video editor is a pretty good one, but really just a distraction that adds almost nothing to the main game. Now to the good. This game's combat mechanics are awesome, a shining example why turn based combat still works. The animations are great, the special moves are richly varied and wonderful to watch. Even minor fights can be made epic with outrageous combos. True, it does have a slow start,but once things kick off, they really kick off. Also there is a ton of post game content, arguably more than the main game with allot of challenge. Overall: Omega Quintet is clearly intended to be an old school JRPG, obviously influenced by Idol - Magical Girl anime. If anything, this game doesn't feel like it should be on the PS4. It feels like a PS Vita game. Still, aside from all of its issues there still is a great game underneath it all. A bit more polish and fixing the narrative's pacing, and this could be a worthy contender on the JRPG scene. Really do hope for a sequel, and an anime based on the game. Side Note: Most of the DLC is worth getting, it saves on an incredible amount of tedious grinding time. Just don't bother with the DLC costumes. Also, glance at a trophy guide before playing as there are several missable trophies.
A rather peculiar game which was a bit ahead of its time, perhaps trying a bit to much at once. The vampires and cyberpunk game was a relatively new idea (at the time,) but perhaps not as developed as it wanted to be. A shame, the same idea done today could be awesome. The combat seems like it was the precursor to the Fallout 1 system, with some D&D flavoring. I remember this being pretty cool and different at the time. The narrative perhaps tries way to hard and gets bogged up in a sea of techno-babble. Coming across as needlessly convoluted when in essence it's just filler, making a single sentence into a paragraph. But that aside it's still pretty entertaining. At its core, it has pretty basic plot but the vampire element does give it a bit of a unique feel (at the time.) Overall: Bloodnet was nice idea, but to many of its elements were either to rough around the edges or to generic to give it the real praise it could have earned. With a good team, a remake of this game could work well today.
Perhaps the easiest way to describe this game is that it is the biggest and best made empty game I have ever played. This game is huge (for the time) and was very well designed. But where's the gameplay. There are huge sections with very little in them. Imagine building a lavish mansion and the only furniture is a couple chairs. That's what this game feels like. Combat is a joke since the only the weakest creatures are killable. Armor and weapons barely matter, they just make it easier to run away. However there are so laughably few enemies in the entire game, that you can skip almost all the combat if you wanted to, in fact most of the time it is preferable as you really want to avoid reloading (explain later.) Most of the gameplay is platforming, and considering the fixed camera 2D overview of a 3D space, makes this mechanic painful as heck. It is so unforgiving and takes allot of trial and error for every jump. That's right, EVERY jump. Normally this isn't so bad, just save and reload right? That's right, except, both saving and loading take an insane amount of time. Duke Nukem Forever kind of bad! Considering how much you HAVE TO save, it will drive you insane. From start to finish you will spend at least 2 or 3 hours on load waiting screen (for a game with a 10 - 20 hour play time, that's ridiculous.) But it does have a great story and good writing that do redeem it a bit. The magic in the game is also pretty cool, just a pity it isn't very practical outside of the story segments that introduce them. Also, as I said earlier, while the game does feel very barren, what is there, looks great. Overall: Ultima 8 is miles behind what Ultima 7 was. True it has better visuals, but that's it. If the saving and loading times weren't so bad, I likely would have scored this a bit higher. I hope that 20 years later this has been fixed, but my memory of this game is forever tainted. At best, this was an unfinished game, that was too ambitious for what it wanted to be.
I have a hard time calling this game. It's more like a collection if mini-games and puzzles, with cheezy FMV cut scenes in between. Don't get me wrong, I thought it was charming. The haunted house setting was pretty cool, and the ability to wander around and a sense of exploration. Clearly the game succeeded in making a creepy atmosphere in a creepy setting, and that creepiness just gets stronger as the game progresses. The puzzles and minigames are fun and highly replayable. However, most of the riddles were pretty tough and nearly impossible, but there is a hint system that helped. Ultimately it does leave you feeling like a dumbass. So, hit and miss on the gameplay. There isn't really a story, more like a collection of FMV sequences from a VERY low budget horror movie. Acting and writing on par with a low budget porno (there's no porn, but that's what the FMV scene look like.) Overall: This game is cheezy and deliberately B-rate, that it has that "crappy movie" charm to it. You know it's bad, but enjoyable kind of bad.
This game was something of a marvel when I first played it. The animation was gorgeous, the voice acting was some of the best I had ever heard in a video game (well.... at the time at least.) Visually it looked on par with something Disney (old school hand drawn Disney.) It was clear the production quality was on par with any animated Hollywood feature (at the time.) Why this alone didn't gain it more attention baffles me. The story is phenomenal, epic in every sense. Also unique (for the time.) You could clearly see Spielburg's influence. It's clear that allot of work went into this game and this was just the tip of the narrative iceberg. Clearly this story was meant to continue, why it never did saddens me deeply. However, the real star here has to be the musical score. It adds such depth and majesty that every scene is given such power. Do yourself a favor, if you never intend to play the game, at least listen to the soundtrack. Overall: The Dig a hidden jewel that many overlooked. While some elements are a bit dated, the story and music are timeless. If any game deserves an HD overhaul, it's this one.
The Descent is an enjoyable piece of DLC. While I did love the open world design of all the areas of DAI, I did feel there were a few too many and did make the game a bit repetitive later. i.e. Unlock new area, seal all rift, find all landmarks, find all Ocularums, do side quests, kill dragon, etc. etc. etc. The descent has the feel of a campaign mission. Always being pressed forward, unravelling a story as you go along. While I do welcome more campaign like missions, The descent is all build up with little resolve. Almost like its incomplete or rushed to finish. I half expected a "To be continued ....." sign to pop up. A shame as I had been enjoying it thoroughly, and then it was over, just like that. Leaving more questions than answers. If this is just setup for future DLC or the next DA game, then I have just one question for the production team: Didn't you learn anything from the Amazing Spider Man 2? All setup for future content is not worth if you sacrifice the quality of the product. Also, a bit disappointing how little new dialogue and banter there is for party members. On the positive side the areas in the DLC are gorgeous. Adding more lore to Dwarven culture and history was nice considering how Elf heavy the rest of DAI is. The new gear and weapons look great. Overall: The Descent is a decent piece of DLC that is highly enjoyable, and yet leaves you feeling a bit underwhelmed. For what is, it's a little over priced, but still worth getting. Maybe wait for the price to go down by a third. Side note to production team: Again, I would love to see Nevarra in future DLC. I also would love to see Sera get a bit more depth. It is a shame how many people online don't like her. I know she is a bit annoying, but there is allot of depth to her that I feel many don't bother to see as they judge her too quickly.
I am amazed that this game was approved for release, and even more flabbergasted how they deemed it a full retail release (sort of.) Graphics are generally disgusting, basically on par with a high school weekend project. But to be fair the creature design was decent. Gameplay is just .....well, almost non-existant. A main campaign that is embarrassingly short, bare bones online MP (if you even want to call it that.) This game assumes it is highly replayable ..... ONLY BECAUSE IT IS INTENTIONALLY MADE THAT WAY!!!!! It is mind numbingly repetitive with nothing really driving you to even want to play again, yet alone multiple times. *Supreme facepalm* This game is an abomination. Overall: It is clear that there is a good idea behind the game and the team behind it really did want to make a game that was worthy of the name, as there are enough references to indicate the creators were big Godzilla fans. BUT, this is an incomplete game at best. Almost like 20% in to production they just gave up, polished up what little they did do , and put it out for sale. This Godzilla game is a shining example of why games in this condition are better off cancelled. Note to the production team: You should all be ashamed of this. Back alley discount prostitutes have more dignity than this. For shame!
This has to be one of the best western RPGs I've played in a long, long time. I am very tempted to give it a perfect score, however thanks to a few minor irritations, it just falls short. Such as: 1) Glitches, minor ones. Kind of funny seeing characters phase through objects, magically appear and disappear. Puddles of doom (if this happened to you, you'll know what I mean.) None of these are game breaking, just minor annoyances that disrupt the immersion. 2) Way, way, way, way to many pointless mini quests (hidden treasure, bandit, camps, etc.) While they are fun at first they do become mostly pointless once you start crafting your own gear. I would have rather had more witcher contracts, than dozens of meaningless smuggler caches. 3) Gwent becomes far too easy once you have most of the cards. Why not introduce handicaps (like what they did in Final Fantasy 8.) 4) Copy and paste sex scenes. Seriously, the Witcher 2 may have had less, but at least there was effort made so they all didn't look the same. 5) Why isn't Ves a romance option? Or at the very least a quick dalliance. 6) Unbalanced set monster levels scattered through each area. While it does add a challenge, it also forces too much back and forth. Also, it's kinda funny and annoying that at level 35 you still get mobbed by level 1 wolves. It would have been so much better if enemies were scaled to your level (with obvious exception to contracts and story related creatures.) But these are all just very minor gripes which hopefully will be addressed in future patches and DLC. The world of the Witcher 3 is massive and each area is almost game into itself. The level of detail and the scenic beauty of the graphics truly show what the PS4 is capable of. The story is gripping from beginning to end. Many of the secondary quests are gripping from beginning to end. Excellent writing and character development. Although I did wish that there would have been more of Ciri. Overall: The Witcher 3 is a marvelous game that is a clear milestone for the genre. Hopefully other developers will look to this game learn from its success. Thank you CD Project Red.
To make one thing clear before I start: I liked this DLC, I thought it was allot of fun. However: One thing that sticks out from the go is that this new area is pretty damn big, but for its size it really seems to be lacking in content. Or more accurately, quests specific to the area. The main story and some of the side quest are nice, just far too short and not enough. The area really feels underused. Visually it looks great, but also not that unique. Clearly a mash up of the Emerald Graves, Exalted Plains and Emprise du Lion. It even recycles the minerals from those locations. You can see allot of effort went into the layout, but it seems very little innovation went into the overall design. It would have been nice to be somewhere with its own distinct look and feel. The Frostback Basin just feels like a jumble of existing ideas. But again, this isn't a bad thing, just a shame. Story wise it is great. The back story to the Avaar and the original Inquisitor was very well written. But again, a real shame there wasn't more. The is clearly room for more. Also, it is a real shame that the area and its story has absolutely no impact on the central story. It makes the whole experience interesting, but pointless. In many ways allot like the Hissing Wastes. Overall: Jaw of Haakon is a decent enough DLC that is allot of fun and a welcome addition for players craving more Dragon Age: Inquisition. But in the end it feels like an exercise in quantity over quality. A shame, since you can clearly see that with a bit more story content, it could have been so much better. Tip to developers: Next DLC wishes: Nevarra - A lost Nocropolis - Undead Dragon
I will give credit where credit is due. Slender: The Arrival is creepy as heck, with intense atmosphere. At least until the novelty wears off. First impressions are great here and the game does live up to the hype, however it doesn't take long to realize that it is a novelty likely made with the lets-play community in mind. That's the problem with jump scares: cool the first time, but tedious upon repetition. S:A visuals are decent, but as it is set mostly in darkness (for obvious reasons) it really dilutes the experience is it is clear that each environment has had allot of effort into them. Sound is where this game dominates. Every crack and creak is ominous. The "music" adding a real sense of dread and intensity. If not for the sound design I likely would have hated this game. Overall: Slender: The Arrival is nice at first, but once you've experienced it once, you've more or less experienced most of what it has to offer. A decent title to buy for quick scare, but not one if you want the full game experience.
I know there many people who would say tha DR2 is better than the first game, and from a technical stand point they'd be right. However, if you take a step back and look at it as a whole, it is almost exactly the same as the first game. True, a few new mechanics were thrown in, but they feel more like extra features thrown in to give an extra challenge. They really don't change anything. It still rehashes all the elements of the first game. But to be clear, this isn't a bad thing. I loved the first game, so getting more of the same in a new setting was great, just a shame they didn't do more to differentiate it from the first game. Visually I would have to say D2 is slightly inferior to DR1. While the environments are more colourful, they don't look as crisp and fresh as the HD PS Vita port of DR1. I also found I liked the characters of DR1 more than the characters of DR2. The chemistry and character development in DR2 is better than in DR1, however I also felt that each character as an individual was just not as well thought out as the cast in DR1. Funny enough the opposite can be said about the cast of DR1. The story this time round is more or less following the same path that it did in the first game and does feel a bit dull at first. But, the last act does turn everything around and dumps allot of new info on you, making it worth the wait and giving clarity to the series's overall plot. But like the first game, this is an interactive novel, with a predetermined end. A real shame that there couldn't have been different branching story arcs. It would be a welcome change to the linearity this genre usually adheres to. Overall: Dangan Ronpa 2 is about on par with the first game. Improving on somethings and declining other things. Even so, a fantastic game and series none the less and I look forward to the third game. Side Note: I did not like the new Hangman's gambit. But I did like the new rebuttal argument feature. Logic Dive was OK, but felt out of place.
If anything, I truly feel sorry for this game. Being released just after Resident Evil 4. While it does try really hard to show some innovation being something of a spiritual successor to the Clock Tower series, it just came too late and was almost instantly forgotten in RE4's shadow. Visuals are great, sound and music top notch. But, script/plot are just cliche and forgettable. It's kind of sad as you can see allot of effort and care went into designing the game. A shame better writers weren't involve. Overall: Haunting Ground is an old school survival horror game that just arrived to late. Not to mention a lackluster plot, sealed this game's fate from day 1. Otherwise it still is a fun game worth getting, especially if you are a fan of old school survival horror.
If anything, I was pleasantly surprised by this game. More accurately, interactive novel. I was surprised mostly because I usually find these games a bit tedious and limp. But not this game. It had me on the edge of my seat most of the time. Allot of the mysteries are pretty straight forward, but there one or two genuine WTF moments that left me shocked. This is rare for me. But like I said before most of the mysteries were straight forward, even so, they were still fun. Visually it's alright, but using the colour pink to replace blood felt mostly needless as there is enough other disturbing imagery that the colour red wouldn't have changed much of the shock factor. If it is for artistic purposes, that I get, and is rather cool, but red would have been better. If it was to make it less graphic, then yeah, pointless. The only people it would offend would be those too immature to understand the game anyway. Aside from that some nice visuals, has the look and feel **** novel. The trials were OK but got a tad repetitive, also felt like they took far to long to reach their conclusion. But even so, they were still allot of fun and had me guessing at a few points. A bit more variety would have been nice though. My biggest gripe is that the game follows a fixed story arc (the bad ending route doesn't count.) While the mystery is fun the first time round, it loses that intrigue upon subsequent play throughs. Don't get me wrong it's still fun, just not as fun as the first time. Overall: Dangan Ronpa is a deeply enjoyable game with a strong story and rich cast. However there is still room for improvement and it is a shame that the story is fixed as it could have been divine with multiple branching story arcs.
Don't get me wrong, I adore the Borderlands games. Heck, I bought BL2 on the 360, PS3 and again with the Handsome collection just so I could play it again on the PS4. If you have never played BL2 and BL:TPS then this collection is a mandatory purchase. Two excellent games plus ALL the DLC make it the best collection ever in terms of sheer content, even at full retail price. With that said, if you played these games on the last gen systems, then the next gen versions are almost exactly the same. There is no new content, like next gen exclusive content which is surprising as that would have made the collection more enticing to those still on the fence. Sure the local 4 player co-op is a nice addition but mostly needless at this point. Why play split screen (squinting at your corner of the screen and trying not to get distracted by what's happening in the other corners) when you can just join games online and enjoy the entirety of your screen. The next issue I wish to address are the visuals. BL:TPS does look a bit nicer on the PS4 than it did on the PS3, but not by much. BL2 however does not look better at all, at least not in anyway noticeable. In fact, the "cut scenes" look a little worse, as if the port to the PS4 wasn't agreeing with them. Basically the PS4 version of BL2 is a slightly inferior port of its PS3/XB360 counterparts in terms of visuals. Individually, each game retains the same scores they got on the last gen, not to mention I am glad these games got a PS4 release as that will keep the franchise relevant to those whose first console is a PS4 or X-1, that and it gave me a solid reason to play through these games again. However, due to the lack of innovation and the sub par BL2 port I do feel I need to penalize the Handsome collection's overall score. Overall: Borderlands: The Handsome Collection was still just as fun to play on the current gen consoles as it was on the last, I was just really disappointed that it is essentially just a flat out port and didn't really do anything new (I don't count the local 4 player co-op as I see that as a new feature, not new content.)
I've felt the need to write a review on a demo (I usually wait for the finished product and play it through fully) but P.T. is probably the scariest horror "game" I have played in a .... Actually, ever. For the first time I had genuine chills. Visually it is utterly gorgeous. If they can make the whole game look like this, it will truly herald the PS4 era and set a new standard. While the play area is essentially one narrow corridor and a small bathroom repeated over and over again, it is done so well that you barely notice. The atmosphere is great and clearly directed by a master. For all the praise I really do hope the game will be more than just this concept recycled over and over . This serves well as a demo, but the final product needs to be allot more showing the same innovation but on a grander scale. Overall: P.T. is an excellent demo and if it follows through, Silent Hills has the potential to be a gaming milestone. Setting the standard for horror based games.
This is what a HD remake/port should be. P4G offers everything that P4 did but adds and improves on it. The HD visuals are just gorgeous. The gameplay is even better this time around as they have made a few tweaks that are clearly done in response to P4 fan feedback. The additional characters and events do feel a little disjointed from the narrative, they are still a welcome addition. There's not much else I can say that wasn't already said in my P4 review. Overall: Persona 4 Golden is officially my favorite game (at time of writing this.) It is well worth buying PS Vita just for this game. To date, this is the only game I will score a perfect 10, since from my point of view, this game is perfect. Side Note: Why this version of P4G has not gotten a PS3/PS4 port is beyond me. I know that I, and countless others, would buy it again in a heartbeat.
I'm a bit mixed on my opinion of this game. I guess I'll start by mentioning all things I liked and didn't like. (This review also covers all the DLCs) Liked: 1) Loved the double jumping, floating and slamming mechanics. 2) Ice weapons are awesome! 3) Love the grinder. 4) More Claptrap units doing their thing. 5) Aurelia is a great, why on earth wasn't she in BL2? 6) Was nice seeing Dahl variations on everything (containers, troops, etc.) 7) Jenny was fun. Loved her character. Didn't Like: 1) Why on earth are Lilith and Roland in the game? Granted the intro it is understanding, but this felt like a wasted opportunity to introduce new characters. Heck it would have been ideal for the BL3 protagonists. 2) Not enough Tiny Tina! MORE TINY TINA!!!!! 3) Like with BL1 and BL2, BL:TPS's main controllable characters are barely relevant to the main story, aside from moving things along. There is VERY little variation in dialogue and character interactions. For BL3 the characters need to feel different, not just in ability and appearance,but also need the world around them to recognise their individuality. 4) Lack of easter eggs. There were quite a few, but nowhere near as many as in BL2. 5) Why isn't the intro patched to include the DLC characters? 6) No trophies for DLC characters action skill usage. 7) The main story is far too short. 8) Not enough interesting side missions. There is more for both sides, but that's most of what I can think of for now. There's not to much to say about visuals and gameplay as they are on par with the previous games. The low gravity and atmosphere/no atmosphere aspects were a welcome addition, giving this game its own feel. While the story and character were all deep, enjoyable and thought out, it still felt like there should have been more. Overall: Borderlands: The Presequel feels more like avery big piece of DLC or stand alone spin off title. Critique aside, it's still a ton of fun and has everything you could expect from a Borderlands game. Note to 2K: I have bought and played every Borderlands games on all platforms. Bought every DLC, guidebook, any relevant paraphernalia related to this series. So I'm a huge fan. That said, if Borderlands 3 is in development, here are acouple of things I'd like to see: 1) More Tiny Tina (or taller Tina depending on where in the continuity BL3 happens.) 2) Have a different themed corporation running things. Dahl, Hyperion, Torque and Jakobs have made appearances, have someone else be the focus in the next game. 3) Controllable characters that are relevant to the story. 4) Raid bosses that are possible on Solo without having the rarest and best gear. Their difficulty should be proportionate to the number of players playing. 5) More mini holiday themed DLCs like BL2 had. 6) Lilith, Mordecai and Brick have had their moment, now let the BL2 cast lead the NPCs in BL3. 7) Keep Cryo weopons. 8) What happened to Aurelia? 9) A giant statue of a red smiling cat. Don't know how or why, just make it so! *please* :)
This is yet another quasi "game of the year edition with exclusive content that is exclusive simply to double the game's fan base" *gasp* As a huge fan of Diablo 3, I was quite ticked off that the extra act and character wasn't DLC (which is how many thought it would be when the expansion was first announced.) To be honest, I originally had no intention of buying the PS4 version. I was content with the last gen version. But I REALLY wanted to play the expansion, but didn't want to buy it again for last gen. So I caved and got it for the PS4. Visually the original section are exactly the same as on last gen. The expansion areas do look a little better and detailed, but not much. Where the Ultimate Evil edition redeems itself is a wealth of new content and rebalanced game mechanics. I still think it should have been possible as an add-on to the original. While grumble about being double dipped, at least I kinda got money's worth. Overall: Diablo 3: Ultimate Evil edition is a blatant cash grab, but a damn good one at least. Worth getting if you've played the original. A must if you haven't. Side Note: If I had not play the original, I would have scored this a 9.5.
Lovely to see a loyal remake done so well. Clearly allot of time and care was put into making sure it matched the original as much as possible. However, one main thing did jump out. I remember playing the original and loving it, but that was +15 years ago. Today, this type of play style feels simple and a bit dated. Don't get me wrong, I still like it, but it just really makes me realize that perhaps remake should innovate a bit more (the die hard fans will moan, but it's for the best.) Overall: Gripes aside it'S still allot of fun and a fond trip into nostalgia, even if dampered a bit.
I got to say that this was the Dragon Age I was more or less expecting. I originally bought it on the PS3, but I fell in love with this game and felt I had to get a PS4 to see the upscaled version. (I had been meaning to by one for a while now, this was just the push that I needed.) Graphics aside (I'll get to that later) the combat is slightly less action orientated than DA2, however it tends to focus more on steering you on a tactical route, making you think before you jump right in to every fight (at least on hard and nightmare difficulty. Easy not worth mentioning.) This change was welcome, but to be honest I did find the tactical camera a bit needless, aside from pausing combat and scanning the enemies stats. I liked most of the side characters and companions (except Cole, he's weird.) Story was enjoyable and for once the split path does give the game a bit diversity (limited, but more than many other games have offered on such a scale.) Now for the visuals: Most of the areas a re simply massive. So much space that you get a little intimidated at first. Also the diversity in backdrops is impressive. Makes you wonder why they didn't put this kind of effort into DA2. A comparison between the PS3 and PS4 version: Visuals are significantly better on the PS4 (making the PS3 version look ugly by direct comparison.) This is especially noticeable in the backgrounds as they have allot more detail. I also noted the PS3 version is buggier and has longer loading times. Asdie from that the game plays exactly the same. Overall: It's been a while since I found a game that I immersed myself into like this. I thoroughly injoied this game and hope that this is what we can expect from now on from Bioware. Developer Tip: If any developer read this, please give the Inquisitor a choice in casual clothes while at the keep. It seems a bit funny that he/she has only one look yet has dozens of different looking armors for each class. Not essential, but would be nice.
I give this game credit for being somewhat different and attempting a creative approach. The game as a whole feels like and Atlus game. Visually the game is stunning, with some clearly anime inspired animations that fit the narrative perfectly. Sound is spot on and the music set a great atmosphere. Very unique story arc tackling a the topic of infidelity in a very clever and unique way, not to mention it is covering an array of of very mature themes and topics, which is really rare to see in these types of games. So what's my problem with this? The game on the whole is essentially 2 games stapled together. The anime driver story part and the puzzle platformer part. While each is fantastic and well executed on their own, together it just doesn't feel quite right. The fast paced platforming sections are hampered by long story sections, and/or the story section are continually interrupted by what is essentially an overblown mini-game. Either perspective fits depending on which aspect you enjoyed more. Overall: Catherine is a great game with a great premise behind it, BUT, it just doesn't feel right most of the time. It needs to decide if it wants to be a game or an anime, because as is, it doesn't work as well as it wants to. There is clear room for improvement and perhaps a bit more variation and a more seamless transition from gameplay styles is required. Still, I liked it, but it could have been better.
I will give this game the credit it is due: It is utterly gorgeous. I have yet to see more impressive visuals (that aren't pre-rendered cut scenes.) I truly understand why so many people seem to be gob-smacked by this game. The play style is also a breath of fresh air, so different from many other titles out there and not afraid to be a bit different. With that said, it took me a while to figure out what the heck was going on. There is no spoken or text narration. The game is narrated by the visuals (would have been nice if that was more obvious from the start.) At first the game feels a little directionless with little point to it just allot of "Ooooo, pretty colors" moments. But as you scurry along you realize that you are involuntarily following a predetermined path. It felt pretty cool at first as the game does mask its linearity pretty well, but once you notice it, you notice it (only a spoiler if you're a complete moron.) If anything, Journey is nothing more than an interactive visual tech demo in a sort of storybook-ish format. Overall: I do have to say that this game is highly overrated for what it is when looked at as a game. But still, it is gorgeous and does deserve recognition for that alone, it's just a real shame that there isn't more to it.
This version of Double Dragon is the closest match to the original that there is. Still, it isn't the same as the arcade. Visuals are about on par with the original, but I will admit the handling isn't that good on the 360's controller. Overall: While it is fairly loyal port of the original, it mostly makes you feel how dated the original is. Also, playing on your TV at home just isn't the same as the arcade down the street. This is one of those games that can only be truly enjoyed on an arcade cabinet.
There is allot I liked and didn't like with this game. While the visuals were an improvement on the previous 2 titles, it also made the game feel a bit more cartoony. The first two XCOM games were dark and always had a sense foreboding danger on every map. Here everything is bright and colorful. But, for what it is, I still though it was OK. I preferred the old style, but it was OK. The Megacity idea was a novel one that I really liked, but it just didn't feel as grand as watching over the whole planet like before. Even so, I liked this change and thought it fit well. Liked how corporations did the funding instead of countries. The RTS element ****. I know some people liked it, but I preferred the turn based style. Perhaps because of nostalgia. Overall: XCOM: Apocalypse was a big change from the previous titles, some good some bad but overall it worked. While it isn't my favorite in the series. I still consider it a welcome member of the XCOM family.
