Brian Hoss's Reviews
'Skylanders Imaginators - Crash Bandicoot Edition' is the rare special edition worth seeking out, at least for fans of 'Crash' and for the hardcore 'Skylanders' fans and families. The core game is a triumph of what can be done with a character creator that plays out in how the characters play as well as look and sound. I'd expect for anyone to want more Creation Crystals, but getting to share the game with the rest of the family is well worth the few rough spots.
'Infinite Warfare's campaign is can't-miss for any sci-fi warrior, while 'Zombies in Spaceland' is a sweet surprise like late night cable from yesteryear. Nabbing the whole package, including one of the biggest multiplayer draws in gaming, along with a newly spritzed last-gen classic is like a wish list approach for me.
Forget JRPGs, 'Final Fantasy' games alone are enough to form hard lines between various fans. 'Type-0' plays like it's meant to be enjoyed in bite sizes and in marathon sessions, and the story is so much more palatable and enjoyable than what one might expect from the past 15 years. For better and for worse, 'Final Fantasy Type-0 HD' is a hit PSP game reborn. It's been made available for a worldwide audience, and should that audience see past the lingering limitations of the PSP, 'Final Fantasy Type-0 HD' will be held up as a new standard bearer for JRPG gameplay and story.
No matter how many times I cringed at the ugly environments, or was flustered as story details were pushed out in favor of fixing lifts, at the end of the day, I enjoyed 'Resident Evil Revelations 2' so much that I want Capcom to make a number '3' in a similar mold. That really sums it up.
'DmC: Devil May Cry' was always destined to be the game that wasn't enough like the numbers 1,3 & 4. But with the passage of time, the new Dante and his enjoyable combat can now be considered as their own fun action set, worthy of a hardcore audience. Add in the full offering of DLC (like the playable Virgil), the impressive visual upgrade, and the new modifiers, and 'DmC Devil May Cry: Definitive Edition' is a great pick-up.
Though these are not the first 'Star Wars Pinball' tables from Zen Studios, they may be the last. That's a shame as these tables feature some of the studio's best work and are recommend for both casual 'Star Wars' fans and those though that sometimes get the urge to play pinball. These tables play great on the Vita, as even the weaker entry 'Masters of the Force' has some fun design elements, and on the PS4, 'Star Wars Pinball: Heroes Within' reaches its zenith.
With only two months removed from the release of 'The Lego Movie Videogame,' 'Lego The Hobbit' arrives as its own alternate recent movie tie-in. The game seems ripe for all sorts of small quality adjustments, and the de facto relegation of so much of the side content to post story is a bizarre choice. Even with theses qualms, the game delivers a grand 'The Hobbit' experience, that looks good and sounds better on the PS4. In either solo or co-op play, the story and side content is sure to entertain families in equal turns.
'Mercenary Kings' may look like a few hours of arcade side-scrolling, but it is in fact much deeper. Early frustrations give way to addiction, and this coming from a player who normally rolls their eyes when faced with each game's crafting system. That enemy that frustrates you with his bullet shield, as precious time ticks away, finds a new reality when you start shooting caustic bullets. Likewise, the boss that hides at the other end of level, is easily tracked with the right mod, and can even be captured with a timely shock bomb. For every problem that 'Mercenary Kings' throws at the player, there is a player-styled solution waiting to be found and executed.
If you've given the franchise a serious try in the past and hated it, the gobs of content in 'Dynasty Warriors 8: Xtreme Legends Complete Edition' likely won't sway you, and the levels are even sadder looking on the PS4 than they were on the PS3. If you were to ever demo the game though, you'd likely get pulled in, suddenly wanting to chain a light strike into a charge attack into a Mosou attack in a Rage state so that you can Rampage while at Attack x 2 so as to demolish, say, Cao Cao's entire personal retinue of officers and soldiers. This is button-mashing with just enough depth to attempt a Zen state and possibly the deepest PS4 title to date. Suddenly, anticipation for that 'Legend of Zelda' 'Hyrule Warriors' game is through the roof.
Initially, 'The Lego Movie Videogame' frustrates with a poor handling of the movie's awkward story, odd assignment of character powers, and subpar vehicle sequences. By then end though, the player is fully able to be immersed in Lego set recreations, offshoots of the best humor, creations, and visuals of the movie, and that special mix of Lego gameplay, exploring collecting, and co-operating. Some aspects of the game touch on new directions for the series, but ultimately a nostalgic enthusiasm for Legos and a growing fondness for some of the movie's characters mean more for the game and its review score.
Backed by the production values of 'Assassin's Creed IV: Black Flag,' while highlighting some filthy all-too-recent history puts 'Freedom Cry' well above what usually passes for single player DLC. That 'Freedom Cry' also provides a stellar way for those unfamiliar with the franchise to experience the best of its current product, means it's perfect for those who haven't played 'Assassin's Creed IV: Black Flag' at all, which this review score reflects. Even so, Adewale's tale only scratches the surface of what could have been.
As a fresh alternative to meandering $60 games, 'Super Motherload' nails the kind of value proposition offered by good independent games. My towering expectations burned out during one of the many backtracks through the endgame area, and I can't help but wish for more than what the story delivered. But when the game is humming along, the experience is fun and unique among the offerings of Sony's new system. The game's charm, couch multiplayer, and Remote Play support make me treasure its presence on my PS4's hard drive.
Being an unconventional indie game, 'Her Story' is like to illicit a strong response. The heavy use of FMV is also like to turn many away, and the interface isn't the friendliest. Fortunately, those that do play the game will find a special experience that easily justifies the price. This is definitely a "have you ever played it" kind of enduring title.
The new 'Killer Instinct' is mired in free-2-play trappings, a lack of content and unnecessary unlock system, is very rough around edges. And yet, the solid and at times pretty fighting twist on 'Street Fighter IV' delivered by the game, is almost a must-own for fighting fans on the new system, which means that long-time fans have no choice but to pony up for 'Ultra Version.' It is almost as though if the game wasn't such a solid fighter, it might been free outright, and the potential (eventuality even) for what has been delivered to sprout a dedicated community, makes buying in now without knowing exact expansion plans and costs a nebulous prospect. Even so, Capcom may find themselves extremely late to the party when they release a fighting game for the Xbox One.
As an off-shoot title in a genre outside of the series' norms, 'Metal Gear Rising: Revengeance' succeeds, and its challenging core combat is a credit to Platinum Games. While I can't help but wish the game had a longer, better realized campaign, the plethora of assorted side content and value price speak louder than the game's flaws. As a new generation of consoles is upon us, the option of getting one of Platinum Games titles (a 'Metal Gear' no less) on the PC is much appreciated. When the action of 'Metal Gear Rising: Revengeance' is flowing, the game seems so good that I wish Konami would commission a retouched version for the new consoles.
For every time I've thought, "if only this game had a tight control scheme and consistent physics and scoring," the devs at Roll7 must have been furthering their plot to make 'OlliOlli.' I would never have guessed that I could be addicted to a skateboarding title, and I have some serious concerns that the Vita might not have been designed to support such a replayable (if brutally challenging) game. It might not be much of a looker and many will confuse it at a glance for an iOS title, but the gameplay really trumps such superficial concerns. If anything, they should make a version for the PS3/PS4, and put one of the DualShocks to work.
Telltale has got something with 'The Wolf Among Us,' a fresh property and stylized noir trappings that should grab a lot of fans despite the lack of zombies. Even so, this first episode feels like a prologue that just gets some characters set up before touching on a mystery. The issues with the 360 version make playing on the PC dreamy by comparison, though the extended time since the game's release may have allowed for some important fixes to all versions.
'Just Cause 3' does a few things that are just ok, but it also does explosions and crazy physics on a big scale very well. By easing up on some of the restrictions typical to openworld games and dialing up Rico's special abilities, 'Just Cause 3' survives its early rough opening to become a worthy diversion for many and an endless playground for others.
I enjoyed carving out a hero's path during my time with 'Stories: The Path of Destinies,' and I even entertained a non-gamer with the melodrama inherent to game's branching story. Action game fans will wish for a greater challenge, and everything that the game does well will make players wish that there was more of it.
I'd have to go back to the PS2 days to find a 'Transformers' game that was as faithful and fun as 'Transformers: Devastation,' and I think 'Devastation' has the edge in both categories. 'Devastation' is a wonderful counter-point to both the checklist openworld games and the endless parade of indies that are flooding the consoles. Not since I first watched the 20th Anniversary Movie DVD has my Transformers nostalgia been so engaged. The game is a must for fans.