Fortunately, it's been some time since the last Bethesda title. Were Fallout an annual franchise like Assassin's Creed or Call of Duty, this stagnation in the core gameplay would have worn out its welcome by now. Overall, Fallout 4 still impresses with its trademark RPG mechanics and smartly-designed world, where exploration never feels like time wasted and players are consistently rewarded for lateral thinking and meticulous investigating. The war on videogames is ever changing, however, and Fallout will need to bring more toys to the battle next time or risk rotting in the wasteland.
In the end, what should have been the next evolution in Telltale's reputation for brilliant writing and meaningful choices has instead shown how outdated the company's engine and storytelling structure has become.
In the end, Assassin's Creed Syndicate is a far more competent entry than the much maligned Unity, but it does not entirely restore faith in the aging franchise. While Ubisoft continues to stubbornly hold onto making yearly entries with minimal changes to the core gameplay, other titles continue to evolve with more streamlined controls and visuals. If the next title doesn't take an even bigger leap forward, the AC franchise may end up lost to history in more ways than one.
Simply put, of the three Umihara Kawase games now available on Steam, Shun feels like the weakest link in the series.
In the end, Megadimension Neptunia VII can certainly be classified as the biggest and most competent Neptunia game to date, which may or may not sound as impressive depending how much of a fan you are.
In the end, Nitroplus Blasterz: Infinite Heroines Duel doesn't reinvent the wheel for fighting games, and ironically enough it's all the better for it. The stripped-down mechanics lead to more pick-up-and-play sessions without feeling overwhelmed by too many rules to follow, and the cast of characters are entertaining enough just to witness in action even if you have no idea about their respective origins.
All in all, Hyperdimension Neptunia U: Action Unleashed was a decent distraction on handhelds, but a harder sell on PC when compared to the number of alternatives available, both from its own franchise and the Musou genre in general.
The only downside is that despite the numerous modes and features, it still features the same number of stages, enemies, and length; if you aren't the type who like to replay arcade-length shooters over and over for the best possible score, then Deathsmiles may not be for you.
In short, Chronophantasma Extend is the biggest, densest and all-around definitive version of the BlazBlue series, but the overarching story mode and massive learning curve may put off potential newcomers to the series. For those brave enough to venture forth, this mechanically solid and visually resplendent fighter might just have enough features to make a BlazBlue fan out of you.
In the end, Trillion: God of Destruction is a surprisingly innovative RPG from a company that is normally content to release/re-release a new Neptune game every month, and further testament to the Vita’s resigned fate as an RPG lover’s dream machine.
Republique is a unique mobile experience that feels a bit antiquated on PS4, including a less satisfying control scheme and an unimpressive visual aesthetic.
Inconsistencies aside, this is undoubtedly the definitive version of Final Fantasy IX, which to this day earns the distinction of being a truly classic Final Fantasy experience.
Quibbles aside, Shantae and the Pirate’s Curse is still a breath of fresh air for the buried concept of sprite-based 2D platformers.
All in all, Hyperdevotion Noire is a decent sidetrack from the standard Neptunia games, but it could have used a bit more streamlining and quality-of-life mechanics to bring it up to current SRPG titles. [OpenCritic note: Jorge S Fernandez separately reviewed the PC (6) and Vita (7) versions. Their scores have been averaged.]
Valkyria Chronicles received a lot of acclaim during its PS3 debut, and its praises must be sung again in this remastered port. Whatever Sega decides to do with the franchise from here on remains unclear, but at least fans new and old can enjoy one of their finest efforts in the last generation, not to mention one of the single best RPGs period.
In the end, MegaTagmension Blanc + Neptune vs Zombies is a mediocre action game where its charm and variety rests squarely on its characters.
As a horror experience, Corpse Party is absolutely mandatory, and should be experienced in whatever platform that is available to you. If possible, however, the PSP version is still the definitive experience, and scales perfectly on the Playstation TV if you also happen to own one of those. Otherwise, the PC version is still a solid experience on its own despite lacking the improved sound design and artwork of its portable follow-up.
Simply put, Final Fantasy X/X-2 HD Remaster is the most complete package for one of the most celebrated entries in the series. Not everything included has stood up to the test of time, but the sentiment of the whole being better than the sum of its parts describes this HD collection perfectly.
In the end, however, it is still unfortunate how much grinding is required in order to truly appreciate all of the customization and characters of One Piece: Burning Blood.
To call Odin Sphere Leifthrasir the definitive version of the original game would be selling it short: the sheer amount of improvements and new content have transformed the game into a whole new experience that both original fans and curious newcomers must not miss. As 3D visuals continue to dominate most of the gaming industry today, 2D homages like Odin Sphere truly are becoming a lost art that must be admired for as long as they remain.