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Persona 5 Tactica isn’t something that’s going to blow anyone away, neither Persona fans nor fans of tactical RPGs. Its story is decent and interesting enough to see the players through to the end, but it likely won’t leave much of any lasting impact. The same goes for its overall presentation and music. Much of it is fun to look at and listen to, and there’s genuine enjoyment to be had, but none of it is anything one will remember for long after putting it down. Atlus did manage to craft a fun and interesting combat system here, though, one that’s simple and easy enough for genre newcomers to enjoy and which also offers enough depth to give those familiar with these sorts of games a few fun hours. Persona 5 Tactica is nothing genre defining, but it’s fun enough, especially for those who’d like another chance to spend some more time with the Phantom Thieves.
Treading the path well-traveled, Like A Dragon Gaiden: The Man Who Erased His Name — far from the most radical of entries in the series — remains a delightful example of Ryu Ga Goktoku’s knack for high drama, wild antics and all-round time thoroughly well spent. A tad harsh it would be to so quickly denote this a “more of the same”-type of release, even with its status as an interlude between more pivotal, mainline outings, that the reliance on what has worked wonders — as much what has been so integral to the series’ structure, for better or worse — is so apparent does limit how far Gaiden will reach in the series’ hierarchy. Even so, that what this game professes is nothing short of lovably eccentric and a touch more on the unashamedly-indulgent side is far from a bad thing. The kind of writing, presentation, content and all-round execution that, even at its seemingly “least-brilliant,” still stands leagues above a vast majority of games. Put it this way, that Like A Dragon Gaiden: The Man Who Erased His Name can take the concept of self-indulgence and make it one you happily grin at, applaud and ask for more of is an accomplishment in of itself.
Thirsty Suitors has well-crafted RPG mechanics and satisfying combat, but its gleefully wild and colorful style and superb dialogue and characters are truly its biggest strength. It’s the type of game where you find yourself tempted to try every activity possible, either to see a loving ode to South Asian cultures, a well-written character moment or both. It’s an inspired bit of lunacy that still has a ton of heart at its core, creating an emotional journey in the end that still has a lot of room for more humorous bits. Jala’s life may be a mess at the start of the game, but cleaning up the mess leads to a grand amount of fun.
Though an occasional lack of polish and size for size’s sake approach doesn’t always prove beneficial, a brilliant assortment of puzzles nestled amidst a thought-provoking but compelling narrative still grants The Talos Principle II status as a sequel well worth the near-decade wait. That Croteam can inject a surprising amount of smart designs into their puzzles, as much they can demonstrate a commendable level of maturity as to the writing and choices provided in their tale, proves that even after all these years, the team’s talents across an array of departments remains untainted. And in the sequel’s case, stronger than what came before. Mechanically and narratively stimulating throughout, The Talos Principle II is an accomplished follow-up that just might eclipse the 2014 original.
RoboCop: Rogue City is easily the best RoboCop game to date. That in itself isn’t exactly a high bar, but regardless of the quality of previous RoboCop games, the developers got this one right. They put a lot of time in studying the source material, cramming the game with references to the films. The story is interesting enough, but does suffer from uneven pacing. Spending time at the precinct between missions to attend to more mundane things can break the momentum, but does help make the character feel like an actual police officer and not just a rampaging killbot. The mix of exploration, conversation, detective work and shoot outs help make the game feel more cinematic which is appropriate since it’s essentially written as a sequel to RoboCop 2. In spite of the criticisms mentioned in the review, RoboCop: Rogue City is an enjoyable experience from beginning to end. As a continuation of RoboCop’s story Rogue City works well and is worthy of the time of any RoboCop fan.
Ghostrunner 2 is a high-speed adventure that combines punishing difficulty with satisfying rewards. The challenge level is on the higher side, but victory never seems out of reach. Due to the generous checkpoint system it’s easy to stay motivated to keep pushing oneself through each checkpoint, which can lead to some play sessions lasting longer than intended. While this feedback loop can keep the player going for a while, it can’t sustain enjoyable gameplay indefinitely. It can be thrilling for a few hours, but the charm is likely to wear off after a while for most players. Ghostrunner 2 does succeed in what it set out to do which is create a challenging, fast-paced action game that can make the player feel like an invincible ninja, but the end product is something that would only really appeal to gamers seeking out this specific type of experience.
Endless Dungeon will have players coming for the unique blend of rip-roaring action and tower defense, but what should keep them around is the impressive and lovable cast of characters, along with their various stories to become invested in. But whether you want gunplay, strategy, exploration or story, this is a game can provide it all in one simple-yet-deep package, making for a terrific experience that’s not to be missed out on. Now to get back to helping the bartenders find that drink recipe among the piles of bug corpses…
Sonic Superstars shines brightest when it’s sticking to what made the Genesis titles so successful. Running through the levels, launching oneself off spring boards and dashing through loop the loops is just as enjoyable now as it was in the 16-bit days. Cracks in this Chaos Emerald become more apparent with some of the changes. Many of the boss designs are good, but the patterned approach to fighting them can make them excessively drag on. The powers granted by Chaos Emeralds are fun additions, but the overall emphasis on exploration over speed takes away from the core experience of what one expects and loves from a Sonic game, plus the addition of multiplayer is a reminder of why these have traditionally been single player experiences. But criticisms aside it’s still a fun game, and while far from flawless, still a must play for fans of classic Sonic games.
Turn 10 Studios and PlayGround Games have improved the simulation racing aspect with Forza Motorsport. The racing is clearly the focus and the results are best experienced with a wheel as the tire model physics have helped to push this more into sim racing territory. The game still offers accessibility to those who need it while helping players new to car culture and racing better understand the elements of it. The Builders Cup is the bulk of the game, but the way cars are upgraded and the slow progression will probably offer a mixed reaction. The selection of cars is excellent and the game also offers a great variety of circuits with notable American circuits not typically seen in games, but some other questionable ones are missing. The graphics requirements are pushed, but it doesn’t seem like a large upgrade, if any, over Forza Horizon 5 at launch. There are other cars on the track and a lot more going on then Horizon, but to take advantage of Ray Tracing requires a lot, and to maximize the visual experience on the Series X means the racing is done at 30 FPS. The updated multiplayer options is welcoming and Rivals allows for something different, but this game is much more grounded than what the Horizon series offers. Forza Motorsport is the best mainline series release in years, even if some of the design decisions hamper the experience.
Disgaea 7 improves upon its predecessor by building a balanced and more complete roster than what we’ve become used to, but unfortunately it falls apart in other areas. The main issue comes down to the story and cast of characters. Almost everyone is forgettable in some way, with few appealing characteristics that make them unique. For example, one is a strong mentor to the protagonist who loves candy, and that’s virtually her entire personality with no meaningful advancement. Obviously there are character building scenarios in the later portion of the campaign, but we just completely forgot some of the cast were even along for the ride. This might have something to do with the lack of character interactions, with the removal of both skits and in-game scenes. Thankfully, what shines the brightest is the combat as it features a rewarding system where you have to work to use the reworked auto-battle system. There are some changes that are disappointing, but generally speaking, it remains a highly-strategic and engaging experience. In the end, Disgaea 7 is a remarkable SRPG with an unremarkable story that gives you little reason to move past Alliance of Vengeance.
NHL 24 does do some things that make changes to gameplay in a positive way. The checking is improved and going with the Total Control scheme allows for some more simplistic gameplay while netting advanced results. The Exhaust Engine is a nice addition that’s really only achievable to its maximum during power plays as it’s difficult to keep the puck in the offensive zone for two minutes straight, especially with this A.I. being so aggressive and overkill, once again. HUT Moments are the shining mode addition this year, but these classic moments to relive are locked behind HUT thus requiring an internet connection. Otherwise, outside of cross-play for that and CHEL, the rest of the game is mostly untouched and once again feels familiar.
Assassin’s Creed Mirage is a triumphant return to the style of the original Assassin’s Creed games. It maintains some RPG elements such as upgrading equipment and learning abilities through skill points, but this is done on a smaller scale than the most recent predecessors. Mirage hits the sweet spot when it comes to game length, long enough to feel worthwhile but short enough where it never drags or feels bogged down by filler content. In a nutshell, it delivers the classic Assassin’s Creed experience with a few modernizations. Assassin’s Creed has been going through many changes recently as would any franchise that’s been around for over a decade, but Assassin’s Creed Mirage is the return to form that the series needs.
Geometric Interactive’s debut in Cocoon, though lacking in the kind of imagination and surreal creativity its premise might entail, still winds up a pleasant and solid-enough first attempt. A detail you can so much read as a plus as you can a negative, the relatively short run-time though requires less of a time-sink does on the flip-side inevitably reveal the most blatant of faults. Namely its seemingly conserved and all-too-aware nature as a game merely testing the waters, rather than going all-in to deliver truly strange outcomes. To some, that lacking inventiveness and willing subverting of its very nature will disappoint. For others, the simple pleasure in how the game delivers such a progression again and again — not to mention the ease with which it manages to handle so much with so minimal a control scheme — will prove sufficient-enough praise. While it may not fully capitalize on the draw of its main premise, satisfying puzzle design, boss encounters and that simplest pleasure of seeing your character hop into and out of worlds on a whim lends Cocoon well-warranted and ultimately long-lasting charm.
What EA has done with its relaunched soccer title is define the series going forward. EA SPORTS FC 24 shows off what sports games are capable of on the field by creating unique circumstances boiled down to an individualistic experience while adding even more stadium and broadcast atmosphere for a series that needed a change. The tech has always been there for this series, and this year what has been added has all been put together to create one of the best sports games in recent times. The gameplay is satisfying and it doesn’t get redundant. There are a good bit of modes to dive into, but besides more in-depth improvements to each mode, no major modes have been added. The current state of playing online is frustrating, and hopefully this can get resolved. From a gameplay perspective, the only improvement needs to come from controller vibration feedback being made on contact. I feel like the DualSense is being underutilized here and while I understand it’s not American football, some of these collisions deserve more than just a vague and light rumble.
Infinity Strash: Dragon Quest The Adventures of Dai is an interesting idea in bringing the anime to video game form that falls short in execution. It sounded great on paper, but nothing comes together in any way that makes this title rise above mediocrity. The basic repetitive gameplay that’s sparsely portioned out between story development prevents this from being the great action RPG it should have been. Fans of The Adventures of Dai or Dragon Questin general might find enjoyment in this title. As critical as this review is there was fun had in playing it, but without the Dragon Quest name no one would give this a second thought. But despite its shortcomings it does still successfully convey the Dragon Quest charm, which might be enough to bring some enjoyment to a small segment of gamers, but most wouldn’t consider it worth the price of admission. As such, it’s difficult to recommend it to anyone but the most hardcore Dragon Quest fans and even they should keep expectations low.
Cyberpunk 2077 had an unfortunate launch and as a result there are many who have written off a game that should have been remembered as being one of the top games of 2020. It’s a shame because with all the patches, fixes and updates, the game seems to be running how it should have at launch. Cyberpunk 2077: Phantom Liberty delivers a massive amount of new content which is at the same high level of quality. The main story in Phantom Liberty is engrossing to the point I was hesitant about what choices to make because I had become invested in the characters. The missions themselves were cinematic in the best possible way, whether it was fighting for our lives in a burning warzone or trying to gather intel at a swanky party. Those who have already enjoyed Cyberpunk 2077 will find just as much enjoyment here, and those who were interested but hesitant due to the tech issues will find a great opportunity to give this game a second chance.
Mortal Kombat 1 was pitched as the start of a new era for Mortal Kombat, where NetherRealm Studios had complete freedom to craft the universe they wanted, mostly free from the previous two eras. In some ways, the studio has managed to get back to basics and deliver the best rendition of Mortal Kombat yet, but in others, they’ve second-guessed themselves and taken steps back. The story mode is thrilling and does a lot to establish characters that were previously forgotten or never got a chance to shine, and it even gives fan favorites a new lease on life. Much of that, however, is thrown away for an exhilarating yet absurd ending that repositions Mortal Kombat 1 as a sequel to Mortal Kombat 11 rather than a clean slate. In Mortal Kombat 1, we have the best iteration of the core fighting mechanics in years, but the extra content built around it is a grindy slog. The game presents a roster filled with classic characters and long-forgotten ones fans have clamored for for years, yet it feels compromised by the need to cut three characters to sell as DLC. Mortal Kombat 1 is a fun time teetering on the edge of greatness but held back by a lot of second-guessing and unnecessary grinding. Mortal Kombat 1 is a victory with most of its story, gameplay and presentation; it’s just nowhere near a flawless victory.Hardcore Gamer est un site internet de jeux vidéo édité aux États-Unis
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