Keri Honea's Reviews
This new King's Quest may not be developed by the original husband-wife team from Sierra Games, but it's more than obvious that the developers are King's Quest fans who wanted to bring back some of that magic. Their first episode was very successful at doing just that, for both old fans and to bring in new ones. Any fan of point-and-click adventure games will enjoy diving into Daventry, and any King's Quest fan will love jumping back into Graham's realm.
Those who have played the series from the beginning most likely saw that there was only one evitable ending to the whole thing, but it doesn't make the big reveal any less heartbreaking. DONTNOD may be a newcomer to the choice-based adventure genre, but they have made their presence known and they can give any other adventure game a run for its money. Polarized has solidified Life is Strange's spot as a frontrunner for best adventure game of the year.
Ubisoft Quebec has created an incredibly fun (and funny) open world experience for the realm of the Grecian gods. It has its own combat style, narrative style, dungeon-crawling style, and, yes, art style. And it’s delightful.
While I loved every second of replaying Mass Effect for the fourth and definitely not final time, I have that history and nostalgia keeping me through the outdated gameplay. I would recommend anyone jump into this series if they love BioWare RPGs, but I’d have a string of caveats. A lot has not aged well, especially from the first game, even though the first game arguably has the best story of all three. The Mass Effect Legendary Edition is an absolutely incredible walk down memory lane, but that’s really all it is.
While there have certainly been quite a number of point-and-click adventures proliferating the Steam Store, Heaven's Hope is one that should remain on the radar for all adventure fans. The humor, charming visuals, brain teasing puzzles, and deep spin on religion and zealots are simply fantastic and not to be missed. As you can tell, I personally cannot recommend it enough.
Solo developer Thomas Happ definitely achieved what he set out to do, create a retro, Metroid-inspired game that would emphasize exploration above most else. I can't say that his Axiom Verge game has made me rethink my stance on retro/retro-inspired games or platformers, but I had more fun than I thought was possible with this type of game. I can only imagine the enthusiasm a platforming fan (or really, anyone with slightly warmer feelings than I toward the genre) would have running through Sudra.
Now we wait for several more weeks before learning all of the truth behind the horrific things happening at Blackwell and Arcadia Bay, and hopefully how and why Max was given this power. Even though DONTNOD made something a bit predictable, they have left plenty of roads open to continue their usual unpredictability. I can honestly say at this point, I have no idea what will happen next. So many unanswered questions, and I have my expectations high that all will be revealed without any disappointment.
I loved what I saw of Kathy Rain at PAX East, and the finished product was more amazing than I thought possible. This is one of the best point-and-click adventures of the year, and Raw Fury should be immensely proud of their ability to bottle that retro lightning twice.
Middle-Earth: Shadow of Mordor definitely isn't for everyone, but I can almost guarantee that everyone who gives it a shot will find something enjoyable about it, regardless of whether you are a Tolkien fan or not. It perfects the gameplay it emulates, and it opens up an incredible world of forced strategy with the action-adventure genre. I'm sure I don't need to point out how infrequently this happens.
It's simply amazing that Double Fine was able to turn something so inherently ridiculous into something incredibly serious with just a click of the mouse. It's just as amazing that Double Fine was able to transport me back to the late 80s and early 90s, reminding me just how much I loved these type of games in the late 80s and early 90s. I cannot wait for the [free!] update that will bring on Act 2. I also cannot wait to see if Broken Age ushers in a new era of the point-and-click genre.
Mortal Kombat X does a lot brilliantly, and the game has brought back in more non-fighting fans to the fold and forsaken MK fans than really any other MK game or fighting game before it. It's really too bad that a few poorly-put together ideas keep it from being a flawless victory.
I've only played through the good karma story of Delsin, but I'm definitely replaying Second Son again on the evil side to see how different the evil powers affect gameplay. As an added bonus, I won't have to worry about accidentally killing civilians to negatively impact my karma and I can attack all protesters and street musicians with zero guilt. And I'll get to dive back into those side quests once again to clear out the DUP out of every district. Forget working on my backlog this next month or so; I'm going to soak in as much inFAMOUS as I can.
Square Enix has taken quite a few risks with Final Fantasy XV to make it different from past installments or even JRPGs overall. Despite some graphical issues, they have pulled off an amazing experience, and it's one that veterans and newcomers alike can immensely enjoy. This road trip has been well worth the wait.
Shadow of the Beast hits many right notes for that old-school difficult feeling, even with infinite lives. It's been made more accessible for all walks of players, but that doesn't mean all players are rewarded equally, pushing for practice and building those skills all while giving extra pats to those who tame the beast. It's a rather brilliant method for bringing an old-school difficult game in front of more people.
It’s easy to dismiss Dragon Quest Builders as just another Minecraft clone or a Minecraft-lite, but those who do will miss out on a very creative little adventure. I never thought building in the name of saving the world could be this entertaining or keep me up so late at night. I’ve always enjoyed the crafting side of RPGs, but this takes it on to a whole new level. It’s a crafter’s paradise more than it is a builder’s, something you won’t know until you pick it up for yourself. Come for the charming Dragon Quest look and feel and, yes, the Minecraft building; stay for the questing and crafting.
One of the great things about the Tales of series is that you can jump in any of the games at any time and not be lost with either the story or combat. Tales of Berseria is a great launch point for newcomers, and of course a fabulous return point for veterans. JRPG fans who have never tried a Tales of game but always wanted to, this is a perfect place to start. Be sure to have the tissues close by.
This is a vast game and as such definitely worth your time and money.
That said, though, the visual glitches did not ruin any of my game experience. Sure, some of the severe texture problems were jarring, and the hair never once looked real on everyone, as though they're all wearing shiny wigs, but it never once hindered gameplay or made my sessions less fun. In this day and age when graphical expectations and perfection demands are rather high, I realize that it may be difficult for many to look past these issues, but those who do will have a rewarding experience awaiting them. Stabbing Templars with a hidden blade has never been more fun.
I realize that it's going to be hard to fit in yet another game into your hectic fall release schedule, but at least Sherlock Holmes: Crimes & Punishments can be broken up into manageable chunks in between your other gaming sessions. If you're a fan of Sherlock Holmes or mysteries in general, I can't recommend this one enough.
Fans of Wolfenstein of old will appreciate how it has grown and matured, and newcomers will enjoy playing in this horrific alternate history. Not to mention, every day is a great day to shoot Nazis.