Hardcore Gamer

• PC
• 4 / 5
• États-Unis

• SWITCH
• 4 / 5
• États-Unis

A modern mech title that can easily be a gateway drug to hours of fast-paced action, there’s nothing else quite like Daemon X Machina on Switch. While its story falls a bit short, it’s still enjoyable and intriguing enough of a ride to keep up with even when confusing. It shines strongest in its amount of replayability and sheer mountain of additional content that can be unlocked. Daemon X Machina is a title that’s hard to put down and is easy to get sucked in and just want to keep going further and see what other crazy things it has waiting around the corner. It’s obvious that a ton of time and dedication was put into Daemon X Machina, and it’s one that fans of the genre or those with the tiniest bit of interest should check out.

• PS4
• 4 / 5
• États-Unis

Konami has brought enough on paper to attract new fans to eFootball PES 2020. The players and teams stand out as it will give player the opportunity to play an amazing technological football game with players and teams they know about. The visuals are unmatched and the gameplay is beyond solid. Finesse dribbling is flat out addicting and has endless possibilities. The Master League is a great endeavor for a single player experience, but may be a bit much for players who aren’t hardcore fans. There’s no doubt that Konami still focuses on the hardcore fan as it still needs to work on providing a more fun and enticing experience as it has the technological and simulation side down. There’s no doubt that eFootball PES 2020 is the best version of the game this generation, but it’s still geared towards its own community.

• XONE
• 4 / 5
• États-Unis

Praise be to Blasphemous, for it’s an impressive game that has truly joined together the peanut-butter-and-chocolate-style union that is souls-likes and metroidvania games. While certain levels and enemies could benefit from a bit more polish, the end result is still a sinful delight filled with heavily-enjoyable combat, tons of areas to explore and secrets to uncover, and some jaw-dropping (if brutal) sights. It may be a game filled with countless unholy terrors, but it also oddly has a lot of love put into it as well, so don’t miss out on it (if you don’t mind the occasional nightmare).

• PC
• 4 / 5
• États-Unis

• PS4
• 4.5 / 5
• États-Unis

NASCAR Heat 4 gets it right with properly replicating NASCAR and the racing is the best the series has seen. The AI does a wonderful job of not ruining the experience and is a better opponent than people online. The Career Mode continues to be deep. About the only knock the game has is that there is no major new mode but the advancements are enough. You won’t be worrying about that when you’re racing. I feel the dedication to eSports brought upon this upgrade of on-track action and the visuals get the necessary jump to be considered a major player in racing games. NASCAR fans should absolutely pick up NASCAR Heat 4.

• PS4
• 3.5 / 5
• États-Unis

NHL 20 made some noteworthy changes that were much needed, but the game feels mostly dated. The gameplay is faster, but the AI still can suck the life out of the fun. The focus is on the arcade multiplayer aspects as it seems that EA Vancouver is leaving the NHL experience behind. There are plenty of modes here, but it’s the same story. The presentation creates a new feel to each game and it was much needed. The NHL series is still a great hockey series, but it set expectations high early in this generation. NHL 20 packs a lot for players that don’t pick it up yearly, but others may want to wait on the bench.

• PC
• 4 / 5
• États-Unis

While it’s a slight shame that the series this year doesn’t quite come out unscathed, WRC 8 is nonetheless a fun and well-crafted entrant in the World Rally Championship series. The series’ unrelenting, doubling-down on the simulation approach — and barely giving its players room for error — is still as prominent and bound to put off those looking for an easy ride. If you’re the kind of person who appreciates the finer detail and are looking for a racing experience that rewards smart, split-second decision-making, however, this is the kind of package that can offer so many great and engaging moments. Even if the road there may be paved with a few harsh lessons. In the end, with an expanded and much-improved career mode, some thoughtful, small-and-subtle tweaks and even more unpredictable elements to keep wary of — on top of all the care put into the physics, feedback and very sound — Kylotonn’s latest in WRC 8 stands as the studio’s best interpretation yet.

• SWITCH
• 4.5 / 5
• États-Unis

• PC
• 4.5 / 5
• États-Unis

• PC
• 3.5 / 5
• États-Unis

• PS4
• 3.5 / 5
• États-Unis

• SWITCH
• 3.5 / 5
• États-Unis

Grandia HD Collection has a few issues but in spite of these is a still a worthwhile addition to any JRPG fan’s collection. The two games are classic gems that flew under many people’s radar during their initial release but are also fun even if this is the first time playing them. There are minor modernization tweaks to the titles and some technical issues do mar the experience, but even with these concessions, having these two titles available to play on the go is hard to complain about. They show their age and have some flaws, but their good outweighs their bad and each title provides a different but memorable adventure.

• PC
• 3 / 5
• États-Unis

Despite how negative I may have seemed there, I do genuinely want The Dark Pictures Anthology to continue and succeed (the game even seems to tease the next entry in it, seemingly already in the works), as I loved Until Dawn and would love to see more similar experiences from Supermassive. But despite having the same solid mechanics as its big brother, Man of Medan starts the anthology off on a thoroughly “meh” note, thanks its unimpressive, poorly-constructed story. Hopefully things will improve by then, because an improved sequel to a slasher story can always be a rare and pleasant surprise.

• PS4
• 3.5 / 5
• États-Unis

Crystar pairs an original and compelling story with fairly average gameplay. The repetitive nature can become tedious, especially during the later parts, but the narrative concept is interesting enough to push the player to guiding Rei to the end of Purgatory. This is one of those games where the recommendation would have more to do with the level of personal interest in the story than anything else as that’s the most noteworthy feature in an otherwise good but unremarkable action RPG. The game taking place in Purgatory seems fitting since the enjoyment is a lot more pleasurable than Hell, but doesn’t quite reach the levels of joy that Heaven advertises.

• PS4
• XONE
• PC
• 3 / 5
• États-Unis

MXGP 2019 is a welcome addition for fans of the franchise who can look past the legacy issues and have an excellent feel for the games. This series requires a grind to get good and competitive as players will have to play with setups, learn tracks and overcome obstacles that can hamper the experience. The Playground is the place to play and learn how to ride and The Waypoint is a great addition. The Track Editor is a much-needed mode for the series as it allows endless possibilities for riders. Having the full 2019 FIM Motocross Championship is a bonus, but this is more important to a small demographic of people. This series doesn't get the promotion that the Monster Energy Supercross Series gets in America and also begs the question of why Milestone has two separate motocross games and why resources can't be combined for one game?

• PC
• 4 / 5
• États-Unis

• SWITCH
• 4 / 5
• États-Unis

Collecting the cards from any TCG series is fantastic and rewarding, but realistically not everyone can afford to participate in such a hobby. Yu-Gi-Oh! Legacy of the Duelist: Link Evolution gives players a way to access over 9000 cards by simply playing and earning them as they go along. No micro-transactions or DLC keep them locked behind a wall; it’s all wrapped up in one package. Those who love the Yu-Gi-Oh! TCG will be happy to know this is an amazing experience for as simple and straight-forward as it is. It’s hard to stop playing when there’s so many cards waiting to be unlocked, a variety of modes and near endless decks that can be made. There’s no better time to duel than with the current best digital take on the TCG that is Yu-Gi-Oh! Legacy of the Duelist: Link Evolution.