Hardcore Gamer

• PC
• 4 / 5
• États-Unis

Without having to pay for iRacing or rFactor, Assetto Corsa Competizione is as real as it gets when getting behind the wheel. Players just need to have the proper setup to make the most of it. The Blancpain GT Series sponsorship is both a blessing and a curse. The cars and tracks from the series are all here and offer a solid variety, but that’s all you get. The content in the game is bare bones even though being able to do a 24-hour race or a Sprint Race is nice. Competizione is all about the racing and that is what it does best. The car visuals, and more importantly the audio, provides the closest thing to being on a track.

• 3DS
• 4 / 5
• États-Unis

Persona Q2: New Cinema Labyrinth is not a perfect game in the overarching landscape that is video games today. For the platform, though, it’s one of the best. Barring the one technical issue experienced during play, it makes use of the hardware as much or as (almost) little as the player wants. The story is expansive and filled with great moments of the cast of three of the best RPGs ever made interacting with each other (check out Kanji trying to hug Morgana). Sure to keep the 3DS clean of dust for some time, Persona Q2: New Cinema Labyrinth is the perfect farewell for Nintendo’s handheld, and one that will appeal to fans of the series and old school dungeon crawlers alike.

• PS4
• 3.5 / 5
• États-Unis

Castlevania Anniversary Collection contains the majority of classic Castlevania titles, some of which are considered among the best games for their respective consoles. The quality of games included speak for themselves and this really is a must own for any Castlevania fan or fan of retro action and platforming games. Now as for the actual collection as a whole, it seems that more care could have gone into it to make it more enticing since the youngest game in the collection is 25 years old. Some of the button mapping choices seem strange and control input customization should be an easy thing to include. The Bonus Book has some interesting stuff included, but some more extras would have been nice to help justify the purchase if you already have access to these games.

• PC
• 4 / 5
• États-Unis

While Gato Roboto could stand to be a more fleshed-out metroidvania game, it’s still a highly enjoyable action game overall. Kiki’s adventure is one chock full of classic NES-era action, nicely challenging combat, fun gameplay and charming visuals. It’s a short burst of action, but one you won’t forget anytime soon. So thankfully, there is more to the game to love beyond just a cat inside a mechanical suit. But come on, can you really resist Kiki’s kickass cuteness?

• PS4
• 4 / 5
• États-Unis

There’s a ton to like about Team Sonic Racing. The racing itself is as tight and high octane as ever while remaining accessible. Some of the challenge might be a bit much for the wee ones in single player, but otherwise, the solo content is extremely engaging and well balanced. Online works like a dream and local play with friends will still serve up some classic rivalries turning into fist fights. By design, there’s some stuff that was in the previous game whose absence feels missed here, but Team Sonic Racing is still a no brainer for Sonic fans and kart racing fans alike. The concept might still not make sense, but that doesn’t mean it isn’t fantastic.

• SWITCH
• 4 / 5
• États-Unis

HAL Laboratory’s quadrilateral little protagonist (and co) may be dishing out the same escapades as he’s done for what is the fourth entry in the studio’s still-young puzzle-platformer series, but BoxBoy! + BoxGirl! proves the series is just as charming and as enjoyable as it’s always been. While it may be wise to note the disappointing absence of certain ideas and mechanics from other entrants, BoxBoy’s debut on Switch more than makes up for that with a similar flurry of new ideas and a justifiably-large assortment of well-crafted, bite-size levels to work out and/or return to wherever you are. But it’s thenew co-op mode — as well as the surprising ease at which solo players can still dabble in this dual-character rendition — that stands as the biggest selling point. HAL may not be so easily swayed to shake up the visual aesthetic of the series, but with a latter-half that opens up creatively as well as an easy-to-grasp control scheme, BoxBoy! + BoxGirl! in the end manages to rise above the similarities to end up a worthwhile compilation of conundrums to crack.

• SWITCH
• 3 / 5
• États-Unis

It’s fortunate that the series’ brutal kill-cam’s and strategic emphasis in gameplay persist here, as it’s clear that V2 Remastered is far from complete a package the “remastered” brand might suggest. Though there’s an air of nostalgia and goodwill towards Rebellion and their continued efforts to keep this IP as entertaining as it remains, Sniper Elite V2 Remastered seems primarily focused on touching up the most selective of visual and graphical assets, and little else outside of it. Immediate access to the game’s arsenal of weapons, though appreciated — and opening up a welcome extension to the core tactical prowess the series has flourished on — the continued presence of issues from the original and the game’s now-aged design end up working against it. Moment-to-moment marksmanship still as delightful a spectacle to watch, as much partake in, as a proclaimed improvement on the original, V2 Remastered falters just enough, unfortunately, to fall short on that achievement.

• PC
• 3.5 / 5
• États-Unis

It’s weird how a developer who is both so skilled at crafting visual novels and dungeon crawlers ended up creating a game that is not perfectly suited toward either audience. This mashup should work extremely well, but instead it comes across more as an interesting, but not always enjoyable, dungeon crawler with an oddball storyline. This tale becomes its saving grace as it slowly reveals each character’s backstory. Of course, the death and revival element is unique as well, though at times it proves frustrating more than anything else. Zanki Zero: Last Beginning provides an intriguing template that Spike Chunsoft may be able to refine into an amazing game with future attempts.

• PS4
• 4 / 5
• États-Unis

Earth Defense Force: Iron Rain is a different beast than the standard series but still an incredible pure-action run & gun shooter. The epic battles are filled with giant set pieces, each mission is different from the last and the monster designs range from series-standard ants to monstrously huge creatures that feel like they could carry a full level on their backs. The difficulty tends to be all over the place, with some missions taking a single attempt and others requiring significant experimentation before finally squeaking through, but even when the repetition gets frustrating, there’s a path through the chaos if only you can figure out the right tactics and weapon combination to find it. Earth Defense Force: Iron Rain may be a different type of EDF but its heart is powered by the epic bug-blasting, kaiju fighting combat that has always been the hallmark of the series’ wonderfully insane take on alien-invasion warfare.

• SWITCH
• 4.5 / 5
• États-Unis

Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney is a classic through and through. It has been engaging fans in its stories and characters for over ten years and will likely continue to do so. The original trilogy marked the beginning of what would be a great series of memorable stories that stick with players. Having these titles available once more on so many platforms is the perfect opportunity to introduce even more players to the series while also giving it an updated approach to the mechanics and gameplay. Not every visual novel offers the amount of replay value that Ace Attorney does, but it draws players back to experience those amazing story moments and awesome court bouts that make it stand out so well in the genre. The Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney Trilogy is a title that everyone who loves a great well-written story should have and one that current fans can still enjoy returning to once more.

• PC
• 4 / 5
• États-Unis

The concluding chapters of Clementine’s journey remains as emotional and stressful as ever, but rarely feels purposeful enough to be a worthwhile finale for longtime fans. The key improvements to the gameplay and presentation sets them at an all-time high for the series, and the path AJ takes as a result of Clementine’s choices is truly impactful, but they are hindered by a lackluster cast and a meandering story that pales in comparison to previous seasons. While the real-life series of events that needed to occur for Clementine’s story to see its finale are certainly worth appreciating, it is unfortunate to see such a lengthy adventure end on such an uninspired note.

• XONE
• 3.5 / 5
• États-Unis

Xenon Racer is a good game that so desperately wants to be great, but it falls short in too many areas to reach that status. Cars feel a bit too weighty while tracks lack life due to low-quality trackside details. The game’s tough learning curve won’t be for everyone, but does offer a greater sense of reward than most games when it comes to making a victory feel like a true accomplishment. Unfortunately, visual problems and a mundane soundtrack hurt the overall presentation. The end result is a game that comes as a mild recommendation for racing fans until some of its issues are hopefully fixed with patches down the line.

• PS4
• 4 / 5
• États-Unis

Death is one of many constants players have come to expect from a From Software title alongside a well-designed world, a gameplay loop that rewards risk and experimentation, and a fair challenge. Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice mostly checks these boxes while delivering a new take on the traditional formula. While not original, Sekiro’s story provides greater context through its pre-defined protagonist and his motivations. The game is faster to focus on offense, but still retains that addicting gameplay loop players expect. Sekiro is difficult, perhaps unfairly so at specific times. The gameplay is overall satisfying, though there are moments where it’s unclear what can and can’t be deflected or dodged, making for an experience that feels more unfair than any Souls game or Bloodborne. Set against the backdrop of a gorgeous Japanese aesthetic, Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice combines what makes a From Software title special into an excellent, solid package that fans are going to love. Death may be a constant in Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice, but it’s worth getting up each time.

• PS4
• 4 / 5
• États-Unis

Tom Clancy’s The Division 2 is good overall with some shortcomings. The story seems as though they could have gone much deeper and made it into a complex political sci-fi opus, but instead has just enough of a plot to explain what is happening. Getting through the main campaign to unlock the end game can get to be grindfest, but things can get interesting when the Black Turk faction does invade. It really depends on what the player is looking to get out of this game. Some who want a deeply-engaging story for a memorable solo gaming experience may feel let down, but someone who wants competitive and team-based gun battles could easily get several dozen or maybe even hundreds of hours of enjoyment from this title. The RPG elements allow players to make their characters truly their own and allows the freedom to build within their preferred playstyle.

• PS4
• 3.5 / 5
• États-Unis

Despite all that One Piece World Seeker can’t do, it’s still a solid B game. The main problem feels like too much ambition in design, with a million good ideas brought short because they can’t be fully realized with only a couple that get to shine in full. When the world is open and adventure waiting in every direction, it’s a lot of fun to wander the map, chasing down chests and grabbing all the side-quests you can find. Sure, the quest may boil down to “Go here, fight some guys, find a thing, come back,” but each one also adds a bit of lore to the world, filling in background details and making Jail Island feel more alive than the small handful of people wandering the streets of its towns could manage by themselves. Combat may be repetitive, but it’s not actually bad, and every now and then a difficulty spike pops up to make you think about Luffy’s skills instead of merely button-mashing through each encounter. Once I wrapped my head around what the game is and accepted its shortcomings I had a good time putting Luffy through his paces in a story that just keeps getting bigger as the game progresses, rocketing around the island and not resting until every secret was found and plotline completed. One Piece World Seeker may not be the game it wishes it was, but the thing it actually became is a perfect example of how much fun a mid-tier game can be if you approach it from a forgiving perspective.

• SWITCH
• 4.5 / 5
• États-Unis

Even so, as uneventful its music may seem, it does little to sway the view that Baba Is You is an outstandingly inventive and delightful puzzle game to crack. A game that is as anarchic as it is orderly in its logic-based intentions, seldom do the easy-to-grasp mechanics and calculating demeanour of its appearance, run tired or stale despite its simple concept of mere block pushing. Resulting in one surprising or unexpected turn of events after another. But what’s more deserving of its praise, beyond the chemical-like concocting of altered elements and functions, is the game’s continued unpredictability and the sheer breadth at which it reacts to these many rule sets. Going from frustrating, to enlightening, to comical and back again to frustrating, all in such a short span of time. To incur — revel in even — all these emotions, yet still be so consistently intriguing and engaging an affair marks Baba Is You down as one of the year’s most thoughtful and entertaining releases thus far.

• PS4
• 1.5 / 5
• États-Unis

Even with its exhaustive, laundry list of issues, it’s telling when a broken game of this magnitude still manages to rustle up some semblance of potential. But that’s perhaps why the end result of Left Alive is as depressing as it is and why the disappointment in its execution is matched (colossally so) only by the frustration in its perceived notion of competency. Left Alive is as close to as abysmal a delivery as you can get without denoting it as some utter failure through-and-through, primarily due to the most minuscule of good intentions and half-baked ideas that litter its mostly generic and uninspired game world. But with so many narrative, technical and gameplay issues that pop up at almost every turn — all wound up within some of the worst third-person stealth mechanics imaginable — Left Alive is both a horridly-conceived experience and a fundamentally unenjoyable product to even attempt to immerse one’s self in.

• PC
• 4.5 / 5
• États-Unis

Visual novel fans simply must play Steins;Gate at some point in their life. Whether it be the original or Elite is up to personal preference for the game’s initial artwork versus its totally animated visuals. Fortunately, animated scenes in no way hinder the excellent storytelling at work in the game. It expertly weaves scientific concepts, humor, drama and even horror together in one package. Thanks to Steins;Gate Elite, many more people will finally get to experience the incredible world of Steins;Gate for themselves.