In the end, it’s a good game for being licensed but at the same time feels like it was in a bit of a rush. Activision trying to make it out in time for Michael Bay’s next adaptation, when more cooking time in the “pizza oven” would have helped.
The team at Introversion has made a very fun management sim and Double Eleven has done a wonderful job translating the game and it's controls to consoles. It's fun to design a prison and just as fun to run it like a well-oiled machine. That is unless you connect two power generators together causing them to short and lose power to your entire prison leaving the high security prisoners free to wander and kill any guard who happens to cross their path.
Regardless of what platform Kerbal Space Program is on, it's still a fantastic experience. The excitement of the flight, the edge-of-your-seat moments when re-entering orbit, or the magnificent failures during flight will never not be amazing. But I don't recommend the PS4 as the platform to play on. Play this on PC with a decent rig and never look back.
My time with Overcooked was a blast and it fully gets my recommendation as a buy, even at full price. But be aware that you won't find nearly as much fun to be had unless you bring together a group who will play in your living room, or kitchen; I'm not one to judge.
NASCAR Heat Evolution is an okay re-introduction to the sport. It’s not terrible but yet, it’s not great. I am excited to see the future improvements and additions they make for a sequel, as this game has the potential to be wonderful. After such a long hiatus, you have to start somewhere.
Rise of Iron feels like Bungie is just filling time till they can get Destiny 2 into our hands. The uninspired campaign, the “more of the same” Plaguelands, and a slapped on addition of Archon’s Forge don’t set this expansion apart in any way or make it very noteworthy. Spend the time though and you’ll find that there is some fun to be had solo or with friends.
Writing down my thoughts here and i’ve come to realize that I just didn’t enjoy my time with the game. It could have easily been more fun without the rougelike experience but just having that ingredient in the pie that is Necropolis really soured my experience.
The game is sour, the nostalgia is sweet, but once all that sugar is gone, all that’s left is a boring piece of candy that leaves you unsatisfied, wanting something more.
Oceanhorn: Monster of Uncharted Seas has a few problems in it’s design choices and others stemming from its mobile roots. But the developers did do a fitting job paying homage to the classic adventure genre and giving that Legend of Zelda formula their own spin. Even with that though, it’s not fun. It got frustrating, not to mention it has that simple combat. If you’re a fan of the adventure genre and looking for something to play on your Switch, maybe look elsewhere. At $15 it seems a little much for what it is, especially when the iOS version is $8. If you’re willing to overlook the issues I had with this game though, you may have some fun and find the $15 perfectly suitable. It’s not for me though.
Even with the small issues, Sonic Mania is a love letter to Sonic fans. As it should be though, it was designed by fans for the fans. Sonic Mania is right up there with the best Sonic titles and an excellent throwback that longtime fans have been hoping and waiting for – myself included.
Even with my issues with the game, it leaves me with a good impression. I enjoyed my time with All-Stars and if you like the Warriors games, you’ll enjoy your time too. I wished they had a wider cast of characters though and decided to dial back the team aspect a bit. But playing All-Stars got me itching to hop back into a Warriors game and definitely has me excited for what Koei Tecmo may be bringing with Dynasty Warriors 9, set to be released in 2018.
In all regards Heat 2 is an upgrade over last years game but the change to the Career Mode is a big sting to the game overall. What should have been a bigger and more fully fleshed out Career turned into a revamping and starting over. The racing is still fun and you can easily have a great time in NASCAR Heat 2, but it’s not without its flaws.
Destiny 2 is definitely more Destiny, and it’s Destiny done well. The story is fun and more engaging, the worlds are gorgeous albeit tighter than I would like, and having the ability to hop to another world from anywhere is a huge improvement. There’s plenty of loot to find while playing any of the campaign missions, side-quests, and community events. If it weren’t for the shader system, Bungie would have hit a grand slam, but for right now, I can settle for a home run.
With all these new systems, it distracts from how great Forza is to play and how gorgeous it is to look at. The dynamic weather is magnificently done and the night races are a hoot to race in. You can feel the road surface changing to the weather and your car responding accordingly. It’s such an amazing game to drive. It’s sad that there are now credit draining hoops you have to go through. New level restrictions placed upon you; creating this vision of a roadblock keeping you from playing a Forza game your way. Not something Turn 10 has forced upon players in the past. Then there is the ever looming threat of those pesky loot boxes. Forza Motorsport is my comfort food, my mac and cheese if you will. It always has been. It’s sad that I have to tear into extra layers of packaging before I can enjoy my meal this year.
Harmonix, the fine folks who brought us some of our favorite rhythm games over the years, has a brand new title available on the Nintendo Switch. A cute family friendly rhythm game that brings the rhythm genre to its basics; a fun and easy one to hop into that the whole family can enjoy.
Gear.Club Unlimited isn’t a terrible game by any means. It just falls short. I’ll be honest in that I was expecting something more polished from the studio behind the far better Test Drive: Unlimited. Maybe if this sells, a sequel would follow that formula more. At $50 bucks though, I would pass. The game has it’s roots too far into its mobile sibling and even removing all the timers and microtransactions, $50 doesn’t feel like a good deal. Can the game be fun, sure, and being that it’s the only game of its kind on the Switch right now it’s serviceable. My recommendation though, go download the mobile version and see if you enjoy the physics. If they resonate with you then I would say give Gear.Club Unlimited a shot. Just maybe wait for a sale.
You already know if you want to play this game though. You don’t need my review to tell you that. If you’re remotely interested in this and have played previous LEGO games, you know exactly what to expect. You either like this style of game or you don’t. I thoroughly enjoy the LEGO games and LEGO Marvel Super Heroes 2 is the pinnacle of them right now.
Even with my issues, I love this game. I wish it would be more polished than it is, and I wish the voices were what I remember, but I’m still having a lot of fun with it. The combat is engaging enough, the story is still quite good, and the open world lets you explore and just do whatever you want in. Will this actually entice new players into the series? I don’t think it’s got enough there to change the stigma surrounding Warriors games but for existing fans this one not to miss.
I think all prices for the game are well worth it and plays great either way. But you’ll have to make the decision of price vs platform on your own. Bridge Constructor Portal is definitely a good way to pass the time in between bigger titles, or even as a nice palate cleanser between long gaming sessions.
Coming off the incredible Yakuza 0 and the first Yakuza remaster, Kiwami, Yakuza 6 is at a high point in the series popularity here in the states. Thankfully this latest entry in the series will continue that high as it gives fans more of what makes these titles great.