Attack of the Fanboy

• PS4
• États-Unis

Though Cyberdimension Neptunia: 4 Goddesses Online stands as the strongest spin-off in the series, its shallow combat and uninspired boss fights will likely prevent it from appealing to all but the most hardcore of Neptunia and action RPG enthusiasts.

• XONE
• États-Unis

The Evil Within 2 is just like its predecessor: a mixed bag. While it had the potential to be something absolutely brilliant, Tango Gameworks has attempted to both cram too much in and offer too little at the same time. It’s at its best when its following the same structure as the original; its linear campaign offers far more content and polish than its barebones open world and has obviously had a lot more effort poured into it. That said, if you still want a Resi-style survival horror game with some of the best art direction in the genre, The Evil Within 2 has you covered.

• PC
• XONE
• États-Unis

Halo Wars 2 got out of the gate a little on the slow side, but in its current form in the Complete Edition it’s got a ton of content. The Awakening the Nightmare DLC and all of the characters available for players to master make this one of the most robust competitive RTS games on the market and there’s really nothing like it on consoles. While you don’t need to be a huge Halo fan to enjoy Halo Wars 2 and its strategic gameplay, those that are will obviously get the most out of it. This spin-off story of a new war with the Banished is both interesting and well-told, offering some of the best cinematic content that the Halo series has ever seen. While early adopters might be a bit miffed on spending an extra $20 to get the full experience in Awakening the Nightmare, Halo Wars 2 Complete Edition feels like a good spot where anyone can still jump in.

• XONE
• États-Unis

• PS4
• États-Unis

• XONE
• États-Unis

While there are often many years that sports games phone it in, FIFA 18 doesn’t feel like one. From head to toe this game is both dripping in style and substance with so many compelling game modes it’s really just a matter of where should you start. Wherever it is, soccer fans will find very little to be disappointed in this year.

• XONE
• États-Unis

2K Sports is getting absolutely brazen with their community, testing the limits of what they’ll put up with in terms of microtransactions in 2K18. Thankfully it doesn’t persist into every mode, because there’s a lot of good ones to compliment the excellent gameplay and presentation.

• VITA
• États-Unis

Mary Skelter: Nightmares as a title fascinates me because while it doesn’t do anything poorly (except maybe the latter parts of the story), it repeatedly comes just a bit short of greatness in almost everything that it does. Regular battles just comes down to pressing the same buttons repeatedly (its a staple of the genre, but still), the jobs don’t allow for the level of customization that the system provides and Nightmares have an annoying tendency of either showing up too often or not at all. Despite that, Mary Skelter: Nightmares is still strong enough as a whole to offer one of the most unique experience that Compile Heart has ever created. It might not be as good as Dungeon Travelers 2, but it certainly comes close. If you’re interested in dungeon crawlers, especially those on the PlayStation Vita then this is a must buy.

• 3DS
• États-Unis

• XONE
• États-Unis

While NHL 18 might not be a huge improvement over recent entries in the series, the introduction of Threes mode could change the way that people play video game hockey. This more palatable mode is made up of all the funnest parts of the sport. It’s fast-paced, full of big hits, and fancy stick work. That said, if you’re looking for improvements to the traditional package, they’re small this year, but for the best.

• 3DS
• États-Unis

• PS4
• États-Unis

The extra time that EA took with NBA Live 18 apparently turned out to be the for the best. This is definitely the best game they’ve put out in a while, and they’ve built a solid foundation for the franchise moving forward.

• PS4
• États-Unis

Warriors All Stars brings some of Koei Tecmo’s most famous characters into the Dynasty Warriors format, including characters taken straight from the aforementioned series. While a few extra bells and whistles are added here and there, along with much improved character variety, it’s still a Dynasty Warriors game at its heart—and that’s not a bad thing. Fans of the series will still love this, despite an underwhelming narrative set in a cliché new world.

• PS4
• États-Unis

Geometry Wars 3: Dimensions ended up accomplishing what it set out to do, live up to the franchise and deliver an experience that fans would enjoy. It manages to do so with content but not a whole lot of new innovations. It borrows a few ideas from popular titles in the genre, like the aforementioned Super Stardust HD. The only real standout is the adventure mode which is an entertaining and fun aspect that can be revisited multiple times. If you are looking for a twin-stick shooter that will keep you and your couch friends occupied then this is it. If you are looking for a revolutionary new take on the genre then this may not be what you are looking for. However, it does manage to reinvigorate the Geometry Wars name as it takes the best elements from the franchise and adds an array of new tweaks to bring it into the next-generation.

• XONE
• États-Unis

• PS4
• États-Unis

Natural Doctrine is far from a ‘bad game’, it has great ideas but it seems to be struggling as it virtually always sticks you in compact situations where strategy goes out the window and luck plays a far too important role. The maps tend to funnel your party into corridors where ninety percent of the time the only outcome is death meaning many will find themselves constantly restarting. Even with the various difficulty options Natural Doctrine can be a chore to get through, and the story, albeit interesting, is nothing that furthers the genre. If you love difficult titles, specifically JRPG ones, and aren’t afraid of breaking your controller, then give Natural Doctrine a try. If not, you might want to hold off until a better option comes along.

• PS3
• États-Unis

Not a perfect RPG but a very good first step for a new IP with a lot of potential.

• PS4
• États-Unis

A skull full of content waiting for you to blow it to pieces with a well-placed shot.