Paul Tamburro
So in conclusion, yes, Resident Evil HD is yet another remaster. In fact, it's a remaster of a remaster. However, it's clear that a lot more effort has been put into it than Capcom's "Ultimate HD Edition" of Resident Evil 4, and fans will relish the opportunity to explore this classic game all over again with all its new improvements.
Oftentimes even when I loathe a game I can appreciate that it may have its own audience that would enjoy it, but Zombeer is an FPS that, if anyone told me that they liked it, I'd find myself instantly judging them for saying so.
White Night is another game which has remained stubbornly devoted to its art style to the detriment of the actual game tucked away beneath it. It remains faithful to its influences and loyal to its theme, but when its misgivings contribute to make it such an irritating experience, it's impossible to overlook them.
However, these added touches and wonderful, momentary glimpses of what Hotline Miami 2 could have been only stand to make the game more disappointing. Dennaton have claimed that this will be their last Hotline Miami, but I hope we'll see a third entry in the series as this isn't the fitting finale that it deserves.
In the end, Slow Down, Bull is a game that has been created for a very worthy cause, though it's difficult to recommend it outside of the charitable donation that will come with purchasing it.
It's not difficult to see why people would seek a more relaxing game after having their senses barraged with endless gun-toting violence, but this game doesn't offer the video game equivalent of a week spent dozing in a hammock on an Aruban beach; it's an exhaustingly dull weekend in the Scandinavian countryside with only chickens and low-poly civilians for company.
So Yoshi's Woolly World doesn't quite match the highs of Super Mario World, despite both games' numerous similarities, and it may not be the vital platformer that Wii U owners were hoping for as the console continues its unfortunate drought. However, it's still a very enjoyable yarn (geddit?) that offers a surprising level of replayability that delights with its overwhelming level of cuteness, even if it doesn't particularly innovate.
Through its wonderfully dynamic gameplay which mixes methodical forward-planning with glorious, chaotic scrambles out of dodge, Satellite Reign has taught me that being a perfectionist is actually dull—the real fun begins when you make a mistake.
Itagaki previously claimed that Devil's Third would be a revolutionary shooter, but I can now safely declare that statement to be laughable at best and highly delusional at worst. Devil's Third fails to be even an adequate game on almost every count, from its performance, to its gameplay, to its story and characterization.
I enjoyed my time with Armello, as did the friends I played it with. While it doesn't quite compete with some of the compelling tabletop games I have played over the past couple of years—and it's marred by some confusing design choices that stand to stifle some of its more unique features—if you and a group of friends enjoy tabletop games but struggle to find the time to meet up and play them, then you'll likely find Armello worthy of your time.
All in all, Runbow is a decent party game that offers some laughs and a nice amount of variety, though it is unfortunately not as accomplished as other similar games.
[If you're a fan of Davey Wreden's work or simply wish to see [insecurity and mental health] themes tackled in a video game, then I'd recommend giving it a shot. At the very least, The Beginner's Guide will provide you with an experience unlike anything else in the medium.
This makes Secret Ponchos an odd prospect, in that the game itself is of reasonably high-quality save for a few gripes, but that it's difficult to recommend given that it's a competitive game which suffers from a dearth of people actually playing it. If you're willing to take a chance on its number of active users potentially increasing in the future, then Secret Ponchos has much to offer thanks to its solid gameplay, with it being both accessible for newcomers and offering enough to satisfy those who wish to delve deeper into it. If you have a group of friends who are also willing to take the risk with you, you could certainly glean a lot of enjoyment out of the game, but it's unlikely that you'll still be playing it a couple of months down the line.
These flaws are representative of where Eclipse Games went wrong with Tachyon Project—mostly every new twist they've made to the Geometry Wars formula they have aped is poorly executed. Considering you can buy Geometry Wars 3: Dimensions Evolved on PS4 and that the stellar alternative Super Stardust Ultra is also available on the platform, there's no real reason to opt to play this inferior take on the twin-stick shmup genre if you're already acquainted with its more successful predecessors. While it's passable in terms of quality, it's wholly derivative of its source of inspiration, and the attempts made by Eclipse Games to carve out its own identity mostly fall flat.
But these encounters aren’t enough to save what is a very mediocre game. Conceptually, Into The Stars had the potential to be a compelling spin on a formula established by the immeasurably superior FTL, but across the board, it is littered with uninspired and dull design choices. Anything resembling a good time is left up to your lackeys while you remain stuck to your captain’s chair, blindly dishing out orders that lead to unforeseeable conclusions, leaving all the best bits up to your crew members as you watch your unfathomably slow space snail of a ship sail to another boring location.
TASTEE: Lethal Tactics may not be the most welcoming strategy game around, but once you manage to crawl your way over the seemingly insurmountable hurdle it initially places in front of you, there’s a great sense of satisfaction when you finally start racking up those victories. While the humongous difficulty curve and dissatisfying, barely-there will be off-putting for many, for some ardent strategy game enthusiasts it might be worth checking out.
All-in-all, The London Heist and Ocean Descent are good VR experiences book-ended by mini-games that range from the woefully mediocre to the staggeringly dull.
While Battlezone is a very simple game conceptually, Rebellion has done a great job of making the most of what’s there. Controlling the tanks in virtual reality is a joy, the free-form mission structure makes it endlessly replayable and it’s home to a fantastic community of helpful and friendly players. Although it may not be the most impressive VR game to make use of the PlayStation VR’s capabilities, it’s certainly one of the most complete, and deserves a shot if you’re in the mood for an old-school multiplayer game with a very modern twist.
Bolstered by a graphics engine that brings the on-pitch action to life with more realistic player animations, uncanny likenesses, improved weather effects and impressive attention-to-detail across its various stadiums, FIFA fans are in for a real treat this year.
There's plenty tucked away in The Evil Within 2 that will both appeal to both fans of the original and new players, with it presenting a mix of Mikami's best ideas and John Johanas' new direction. It's certainly not what I was expecting, but in a good way.