Rising Islands definitely does not overstay it's welcome though, as my final play time clocked in at just shy of two hours. And at a price of only $9.99, it's worth checking out to see the dimensional and wall running mechanics. I am interested to see what Lone Hero Studios does next. With a bit more polish and slightly better gameplay, they could actually deliver a 3D Platformer that takes us back to the golden era once again.
If you’re anything like me, finding the perfect word that gives the most amount of damage possible to an enemy is so rewarding and enjoyable. Letter Quest Remastered is a delightful adventure with a true sense of self accomplishment. If you’re a fan of role playing games, scrabble, or now a mix of the two, you will not be disappointed.
It's very rare that a game releases and can bring out these types of emotions and feelings within a player. Abzu is worth every second that it lasts, which for me took just under three hours. That includes exploring more than just the path from one area to the next. It's a game that is worthy of being explored and experienced, and it will leave you in awe and wonder as you slowly figure out the story, what is happening, and why it's happening. The ending caught me completely by surprise, which in fact was a great thing. Giant Squid Studios created something extraordinary with Abzu, and it will certainly stick with me for quite some time.
There’s a lot of room for improvement when it comes to patches and potential expansions in the near future. It will be interesting to see if Hello Games takes this approach. More things could easily be added for players to do, and having a bit more diversity in that regard could change this game from something average to something great.
Hitman: Episode 1 – Paris is a brilliant reintroduction to the world of Agent 47 and being a contracted killer. It's also the best feeling Hitman game to date, with the amount of possibilities present and the sense that the world is truly living. If Episodes 2, 3, and 4 (which as of present time are already available) are half as good as Episode 1 was, we're all in for an amazing experience.
It felt so good being back in the world of Fairy Fencer F, as it’s definitely my favorite Compile Heart release to date. I truly hope they continue to explore this world with future releases, as there’s so many more stories to be told here. It’s also their most beautiful game available on PlayStation 4 to date. Even if you aren’t a fan of their other releases, you owe it to yourself to play this one if you’re a fan of JRPG’s.
IO Interactive continues to impress with Hitman Episode 2, and it might honestly be my favorite Hitman experience to date, in any of the games. You can literally get lost for hours, wandering around the coastal town and just seeing what all there is to do and interact with. They have continued to build a living, breathing world, full of NPC’s that live their own lives. It’s amazing how many different areas there are that are fully explorable, and you can find ways to complete the mission that don’t even involve any of the Opportunities, or are so far out there that hardly anyone probably thought to try it. I actually almost pulled off a run taking both targets out in less than ten minutes without being spotted, but slipped up right at the end and was killed. It’s those types of moments that will keep people coming back to this installment of Hitman over and over again, because each consecutive playthrough has the potential to be so radically different.
The King of Fighters XIV is definitely the best version in the series to date. With the introduction of the 3D models and beautifully realized graphics, on top of the traditional and classic fighting system that SNK has perfected over the years, this one will keep fans coming back for quite some time.
This in no way means Hitman Episode 3 is a bad episode or not enjoyable. It was still enjoyable to an extent, but it definitely does not hold up to the level of mastery that IO Interactive pulled off with Paris and Sapienza. If this had been a standalone release, or the first mission released in the episodic nature, I wouldn’t feel too comfortable with the rest of the releases going forward. But since this was released in the middle of the life cycle, and there is still three additional missions to go, it doesn’t affect things to drastically.
Hatsune Miku: Project Diva X is certainly not for everyone. Those that cannot stand the idol culture in Japan probably won’t find much enjoyment out of this, even if they are a fan of rhythm games. However, those that greatly enjoy rhythm games, and can look past the cutesy nature of what’s there (or those that are truly in to that culture) will find a very enjoyable game here. And if you walk in to this with an open mind and an open heart, you may just find yourself falling in love with what Hatsune Miku has to offer.
For some strange reason, the game hooked me, and I kept playing through. I wanted to see what happened to little Ian and his trusty dog North. I wanted to find out why this all was happening in the town of Wintreal. And I wanted the satisfaction of actually completing this brutally difficult (thanks to the controls) game. Ian's Eyes is definitely not for everyone, and I wouldn't even recommend it to the hardcore crowd. But, there is something to be had here. Clocking in at just over four hours, it isn't a long experience, so if you find yourself on a dark, stormy night with nothing to do.. and you're a glutton for death and punishment.. perhaps you actually might want to give this a try.
Bangkok definitely had a lot going for it. The intricate mazes that the hotel design presents is a fun way to get lost exploring every nook and cranny there is to find. But that still doesn’t take away from the fact that the story and targets just haven’t been as good as the two episodes IO originally released. With two episodes to go, one can only hope that the plan is to finish out the content with an absolute bang.
If Blizzard can truly stick to their plan now of releasing more content for each expansion, while releasing newer expansions at a slower pace, we could be returning to a golden age for Warcraft once again. The current subscription numbers since launch could also be a reflection of that, based on what Blizzard has come out and said. If you’ve ever played World of Warcraft, if you currently still do, or even if you never have. Legion is the perfect point to jump in, and start shaping your story and your legacy in Azeroth.
While Realm of Shadows certainly didn’t hit as hard as some of the first episodes Telltale Games has done in the past, there’s enough here that will leave fans wondering where the story is going and wanting to come back for more.
While Dear Esther is still a fine game and one that should probably be experienced by fans of the genre, the fact remains that it is still almost a decade old. Games that have since released, such as Firewatch, The Stanley Parable, Gone Home, and even games like Journey and Abzu, offer so much more than what Dear Esther provides. Even The Chinese Room’s own follow-up, Everybody’s Gone to the Rapture, has more going for it. But don’t let that sway you from experiencing the original walking simulator, and seeing the story that is told on this mysterious island.
Oceanhorn: Monster of Uncharted Seas is a quick experience into an alternate dimension Legend of Zelda title. While some are going to find the trip a remarkable one, others are simply going to see Oceanhorn as nothing more than a game imitating a much better game. I did enjoy the time spent on the journey, but it just didn't offer enough for me to really want to dig deeper into it. I am excited for the future of the series though, as Cornfox & Bros. can really do something amazing with the sequel.
Games like Virginia are extremely rare in the industry. It will grab at you from the opening moments, and it will refuse to let go until well after the credits have rolled. It’s also on the short side, as a complete playthrough should take about two hours, three if you actively seek out the few collectibles it has to offer. While not a perfect game, as it does have small hiccups here and there, it’s definitely one of the better adventure games that I’ve had the pleasure of experiencing in recent memory.
Telltale’s take on the universe is fresh, and it’s nice playing through a Batman story where you ultimately aren’t sure where things are going. Batman: The Telltale Series is quickly becoming one of my favorites that Telltale has worked on to date. Hopefully this continues with the final three episodes still to be released.
Hitman: Episode 5 – Colorado is a great attempt at recapturing the magic that the Paris and Sapienza levels had earlier this year. While not quite on that level, it is a much needed improvement over Marrakesh and Bangkok, and one that will keep players coming back until the final episode is released.
Aragami is definitely recommended to anyone looking for a game that has a sense of style and stealth to it that are hard to come by these days.