Hardcore Gamer

• PC
• 4 / 5
• États-Unis

Despite a few issues that prevent the game from being a wholly immersive open-world exploratory experience, The Vanishing of Ethan Carter packs an impressive punch. The four to five hour long game’s world is aesthetically perfect, the stories are equal parts fascinating and bizarre and it’s a hell of a ride from beginning to end.

• PS3
• 3.5 / 5
• États-Unis

There will be complaints that Ultimate Ninja Storm Revolution is a cash grab, and the removal of any real story segment might irk those hoping for a more traditional entry in the series. With refined combat and a renewed emphasis on actual gameplay, however, it's still one of the more enjoyable Naruto titles. The World Tournament mode drags on longer than it should and combat still isn't clever enough to qualify this as a top tier competitive game, but it's clear Ultimate Ninja Storm Revolution was never aspiring to be one. While the presentation could have been more robust and gameplay mechanics more refined, it remains a concentrated and entertaining dose of Naruto fanservice, like the developers dropped a hundred different Naruto action figures into your lap and told you to go nuts.

• XONE
• 4.5 / 5
• États-Unis

• VITA
• 4 / 5
• États-Unis

Luckily, Arcana Heart 3: LOVE MAX!!!!! is a fighting game and not a visual novel. When focused purely on the fighting, there is a great deal to like. Battling to ascertain what combinations of characters and Arcana works best is enjoyable all its own. Of course, you can also test your skills on PSN (and engage in local battles if you’re on PS3). Some players will dislike the oddness inherent from this lady-exclusive roster, but thankfully, it has engaging gameplay instead of relying purely on “cute anime characters” to sell. In all, Arcana Heart 3: LOVE MAX!!!!! is an extremely competent fighter as long as you look beyond the obnoxious name and narrative missteps.

• PS4
• 4 / 5
• États-Unis

Disney Infinity was surprisingly robust when it released last year, but 2.0 — here debuting in the form of Marvel Super Heroes — continues to expand its universe with a number of impressive tweaks. Toy Box mode has been notably upgraded and overall gameplay is more polished, while increased depth will have players of all ages coming back for more. The physical quality of the figures have remained outstanding and focusing on Marvel should bring in a whole new group of collectors and gamers alike. It may not revolutionize, but Disney Infinity: Marvel Super Heroes 2.0 Edition firmly establishes the property in the gaming landscape.

• PS4
• 3 / 5
• États-Unis

Natural Doctrine is an exhausting game. It’s punishing, unfair at times and hell-bent on funneling players through a narrow corridor that leaves little-to-no room for tactical experimentation. That being said, it has its moments. In fact, when it’s being nothing other than an average JRPG, it can be an enjoyable experience, with moments of real reward. But there’s a requirement to get in its door: be a masochist, and don’t expect it to live up to its Dark Souls/Tactics Ogre comparisons.

• 3DS
• 4 / 5
• États-Unis

• WIIU
• 4 / 5
• États-Unis

• PS3
• 3 / 5
• États-Unis

Fairy Fencer F sniffs around the edges of being special, but never musters up the courage to jump them with any real effort. Dialogue is humorous and the battle system is solid enough to keep the constant battles from growing tedious, but the game finds itself mired in mediocrity that it can never quite rise above. It’s enjoyable, however, and provides a brief respite from the legions of over serious RPGs with brooding protagonists and increasingly impossible hairstyles. It’s something to tackle for a week or two and then forget about when something meatier is bit into. Fairy Fencer F should serve nicely for those who don’t want anything too complex or something that will force them to think, but those hoping for something with a serious, epic story and meaningful exploration will want to look elsewhere.

• PS3
• X360
• PS4
• XONE
• 2.5 / 5
• États-Unis

NHL 15 is one of the most frustrating sports releases to date. The core experience has been markedly improved. Players and arenas look more realistic, using video footage of the commentators was a stroke of genius and the impressively rendered fans actually seem to be reacting correctly to the unfolding events. More than just improved visuals, gameplay mechanics feel more realistic and polished, leading to a satisfying game of hockey. Unfortunately, in the process, a number of coveted modes and features have been dropped entirely. Losing a few would be acceptable, but there’s a plethora of excised features that will be missed — most notably EASHL. Those simply looking for a great game of virtual hockey will find some enjoyment here, but dedicated players who enjoy digging deep into the various modes EA has introduced over the years will be sorely disappointed.

• 3DS
• 3.5 / 5
• États-Unis

Though it's engrossing in its own right, and it provides a hearty serving of gameplay, Professor Layton vs Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney feels full of wasted potential. Concept art shows a vision of the game in which the heroes visit each other’s worlds, changing art style in the process, and I feel as though that might have been a better approach for this crossover. Normally I’d be in favor of telling a more cohesive story, but what we have here is a little bland, and both series have already flagrantly abandoned canon. Something goofy and fan-servicey might have worked better. With that said the game we have does work, it’s just not up to par with any entry in either of the series that spawned it (let's just pretend Justice for All doesn't exist).

• XONE
• 3.5 / 5
• États-Unis

• PC
• 4 / 5
• États-Unis

Dead Rising 3: Apocalypse Edition is a beefy port of a great Xbox One game and its decent post-release content. It may come with its own set of issues that could be fixed in future updates, but they matter little if you have the gaming rig to back up. While it will require a little bit of fidgeting to run at an unlocked frame rate, the visual upgrades will help immerse the player in the zombie infested world. Los Perdidos is an impressive playground, especially with online cooperative play, offering a wide variety of activities to play through. While the story doesn't do anything we haven’t seen before, it still contains a strong cast of characters with a couple of interesting twists. If you’re a PC gamer who missed out on Dead Rising 3 last year, then the Apocalypse Edition will help fill that zombie slaying void in your heart.

• 3DS
• 4 / 5
• États-Unis

Mighty Gunvolt is an excellent freebie for early adopters of Azure Striker Gunvolt, and will be worth its five dollar asking price upon its final release as well. It combines the classic 8-bit Mega Man style gameplay with a whole new setting and environment, and should satisfy anyone with a desire for something new within that sub-genre. It plays smoothly and controls well, and makes each of the three characters fun to use. They’re each very different, but similar enough to have a small learning curve for each one. It’s fine-tuned in every way, with satisfying gameplay, graphics and sound that accurately represent the 8-bit era they pay homage to.

• 3DS
• 4 / 5
• États-Unis

Azure Striker Gunvolt does an excellent job of providing Mega Man-style thrills while changing things up enough to make gameplay feel fresh. Gunvolt’s pace is faster than any Mega Man, but veterans of that franchise will feel right at home with a game that challenges and rewards you for learning patterns and from your own mistakes. It plays like a dream, looks good and delivers an addictive soundtrack that will have you humming along. Anyone who loves the Mega Man will enjoy this, and early adopters get more for their money with the inclusion of Mighty Gunvolt as a free extra.

• PC
• 5 / 5
• États-Unis

Super Time Force Ultra takes the already-excellent foundation forged on Microsoft’s consoles and makes it even better, with a ton of extra missions and a few new characters. Chock-full of replay value, the added content makes this the definitive edition. Challenging, but rarely frustrating, Super Time Force Ultra is a strategic run and gun. The love it received on Xbox was deserved, and it remains a must-buy on Steam.

• VITA
• 4.5 / 5
• États-Unis

Danganronpa 2: Goodbye Despair is the definitive Danganronpa experience. Though players absolutely have to play its predecessor to fully grasp the overall narrative, it is everything one would hope a sequel should be. This is a title that takes a proven formula and improves upon it in numerous ways, from the gameplay to the vastly superior narrative. You’ll constantly scratch your head, drop your jaw, laugh out loud, and feel noticeably sad. You’ll connect with each character in a notable way, allowing each death to have far more weight than those in Danganronpa: Trigger Happy Havoc. It instantly catapults itself into the Vita’s elite, as its narrative is simply that great. If you’re a fan of heavily story-driven titles, you’d be doing yourself a grave injustice not giving this one a shot.

• PS4
• 4 / 5
• États-Unis

Madden NFL 15 marks a noticeable improvement for the long-standing franchise. This is a solid game of football, both on a technical and visual level. Much-needed resources have been allocated into improving the defensive side of things, while it visually looks more like a current-gen game than last year’s ports. Commentary and music remains stagnant, the product placement is inexcusable and anomalies creep up here and there, but Madden NFL 15 remains a step forward for the series that even the most staunch Richard Sherman detractors will find difficult keeping this off their shelves.