Hardcore Gamer

• XONE
• 3.5 / 5
• États-Unis

While there’s joy to be found in decapitating a seemingly-endless army of building-sized beasts that put up an immense fight, Extinction sadly never delivers a true killing blow in any one area, just a bunch of solid strikes with some notable misses. Quick combat, challenging battles, and an opportunity for strategic gameplay are all sadly bogged down by monotonous missions, generic ground troops and a few cheap shots. While the game is still decent overall and possibly worth taking a peek at, here’s hoping such a killer concept can be executed more expertly down the road.

• PS4
• 2 / 5
• États-Unis

As a fan of Nippon Ichi Software’s output as a whole, it’s hard not to be disappointed with The Witch and the Hundred Knight 2. Despite the knowledge gained from the previous outing, the developer released a title that plays like the place their unused ideas of other places got sent to die. Staying prepared for the action takes up a huge amount of time and the action itself isn’t exactly compelling. It’s much more forgiving than the first one’s initial outing, and it doesn’t crash to the dashboard, but one can’t help but wish that the game itself would have been the beneficiary of further refinement to bring in more players. Some daring swings at humor and story beats that lend themselves to mocking elevate the package, but not by enough. Nippon Ichi consistently does better work and it’s best to appreciate those instead of prodding this bloated thing.

• PC
• 4 / 5
• États-Unis

In all seriousness (and switching back to regular review mode for the conclusion), Minit is a truly creative gem, putting an inspired twist on the classic top-down adventures of our youth in order to craft something truly special. Not only does it looks and sound amazing, it also has a cute sense of humor, great gameplay, a perfect level of challenge, and it contains a whole lot to see and solve, even after you initially wrap things up. It may take you mere minutes to play a session, but the overall experience is something that will leave an impact for a long time to come.

• PS4
• 4 / 5
• États-Unis

Batman: The Enemy Within is an improvement on the first season in nearly every way, with enhanced combat sequences, a strong presentation and voice cast and an engrossing relationship between Batman and the Joker that produces some memorable and heart-wrenching moments that feel well-justified by the player’s choices up to those moments. A few slower-paced sequences hold the story and gameplay back during the middle chapters, but the powerful opening and closing episodes end up creating a must-play for Batman fans, as well as a solid tale for adventure game players that will leave players eager for a third season.

• 3DS
• 4 / 5
• États-Unis

• XONE
• 3.5 / 5
• États-Unis

When Sea of Thieves clicks, most likely because you have a full galleon of fellow pirates to work with, it can create a rousing, fun experience whether completing a long voyage for the Gold Hoarders or even just sailing around, looking for any hidden secrets or loot. But remove that and becomes clear that you have a game with little in the way or content or variety. It’s still decent, of course, but it’s nothing to write home about without a group. There are probably several more depth-related puns to be made, but let’s just say that to get the most out of things, you had best work out something with some friends or fellow players to create a devoted crew, lest things get shallow quickly.

• PS4
• 4 / 5
• États-Unis

Atelier Lydie & Suelle: The Alchemists and the Mysterious Paintings is the kind of game that’s best played when one just wants to sit back and relax for a while. Its lack of urgency combined with its liberal use of bright colors, upbeat musical tones and exceedingly optimistic characters make for an experience that can’t help but inspire a faint smile. Combat is varied enough to keep the perpetual hunt for ingredients from becoming stale and the quest to craft the perfect item is enjoyable enough to make those hunts worthwhile. The Atelier series is celebrating its twentieth anniversary this year. This entry doesn’t do anything revolutionary in honor of that, but that might just be the point. It’s just more of what the series has always offered and has thus far succeeded with. Existing fans will enjoy this one just as much as previous entries in the series, and any interested newcomers will get a good idea of exactly what they’ve missed out on thus far.

• PS4
• 4 / 5
• États-Unis

Far Cry 5 doesn’t deviate too much from the Far Cry formula, simply expanding upon what the series is known for. The ability to play the entire campaign as a cooperative venture is a nice inclusion, though that is not to diminish that this is a rewarding single player experience, with Far Cry Arcade adding more multiplayer value and serving a creative outlet for the player. The story of the doomsday cult taking over this rural community is one of the more interesting aspects of the title and Joseph Seed is a worthy addition to the history of memorable Far Cry antagonists. Far Cry titles have been criticized for following the same template across each entry. The new features, updates and overall expansion of scope in Far Cry 5 help separate it from other titles, but even though this is arguably the best entry since Far Cry 3, it might be too similar for people burnt out on the franchise.

• PC
• 3.5 / 5
• États-Unis

Ash of Gods swings back and forth between being immensely enjoyable and feeling like it could be doing things so much better — and it knows it. Ash of Gods is obviously a huge nod to The Banner Saga, but does its own thing enough to hold its own; it just doesn’t carry itself with the confidence that could push it towards greatness. All the pieces are there, but due to poor writing in places, battles that can range from fun to frustrating and not enough focus on the areas that work, Ash of Gods: Redemption is almost a metaphor for itself. It’s an enjoyable experience constantly battling itself much like its characters are battling the reaping: succeeding but fighting uphill the entire way.

• PS4
• 3.5 / 5
• États-Unis

Hazelight Studios deserves praise for the high ambitions of their first title, with A Way Out attempting to emulate a wide variety of genres, themes and gameplay mechanics. While there are some key sequences that end up working out for the better as a result this jack-of-all-trades style approach, the overall game suffers from inconsistent gameplay and an uninspired story and presentation. Most of the time, it often feels like the game can’t decide what it wants to be, as the playful nature of the exploration pushes against the heavy-handed plot, and the over-the-top set-piece moments in the final hours feel incompatible with the more grounded puzzle-based gameplay of the previous hours. Having a friend along for the ride makes the journey to the few memorable scenarios worth the wait, but those looking for the next great couch co-op adventure will likely be left unfulfilled.

• SWITCH
• 4.5 / 5
• États-Unis

Into the Breach is one of those gems that will be talked about for the rest of 2018; a game that will come up in game of the year discussions and beyond, because it’s just that good. It came out of nowhere, making waves in all the right ways. Into the Breach shows that strategy games don’t need to do anything new because they can create some of the most memorable gaming experiences to be had if done correctly. Into the Breach is a game that is being played even when away from the computer, because it can’t help but fill the mind with possibility.

• PS4
• 4.5 / 5
• États-Unis

DJMax Respect is an excellent package for rhythm game fans to pick up, regardless of having played the series before or not. It’s absolutely loaded with tracks and a strong difficulty curve, meaning that players are regularly being challenged to do increasingly difficult tracks. 140 songs is more than enough, but there will soon be a cavalcade of DLC for those looking to stockpile even more music. With so much content right out of the gate, rhythm lovers will find themselves coming back to DJMax Respect again and again.

• PS4
• 4.5 / 5
• États-Unis

Aside from the most nitpicking of complaints, Yakuza 6 is but another declaration to the well-documented notion that Sega’s decade-long series remains one of the finest, most consistent outings in the medium. Both lovingly old and welcomingly new alike, while it would be criminal to reveal any plot spoilers, it wouldn’t be surprising in the slightest if this were the chapter with which Sega closes the coveted Yakuza series. Yakuza 6 isn’t just one of the best entries in the series to date, it’s also one of the most fulfilling experiences you’ll find in 2018. A game bursting with content and character alike, it takes its rightful place alongside some of the best releases of the year not just on substance or style, but on its ability to balance all its attributes yet pace it in a way that’s both manageable and inviting. Entertaining, engaging, emotional and enthralling, though it pains me to deny it the mark of perfection, make no mistake about it, Yakuza 6: The Song of Life is an unparalleled masterclass in full flow. Fellow AAA/open-world outings, take note.

• PS4
• 4 / 5
• États-Unis

Surviving Mars is a new twist on a classic game structure. Haemimont have outdone themselves taking everything they learned from Tropico and expanding upon it. Surviving Mars isn’t just a fun city builder, but a nod to a different age of sci-fi when aliens were weird and the universe seemed limitless. Unfortunately, some might be turned off by lack of tutorial, as it can be confusing in the early hours as to what everything does due to a rich structure. What little tutorials are there don’t help all that much. If one can get past these early hours, especially newcomers to the genre, then Surviving Mars will prove to be a joy. It’s a truly-rewarding game and feels even better building a city with such unforgiving odds, backed by the strangeness of classic sci-fi. Surviving Mars is a gem and is sure to only go further through the stars from here.

• PS4
• 2.5 / 5
• États-Unis

In the end, the Devil May Cry HD Collection is a lazy port of a set of lazy ports from six years ago, but it is technically the best way to play two fantastic games – and also Devil May Cry 2. There is absolutely no reason for any fan who already picked up the original HD Collection to give this one a go, but if you’re an old fan who doesn’t have access to the PlayStation 2 originals or a gamer that’s always been interested in the franchise, you can’t go wrong picking this collection up for $29.99 USD. This set of games is the definition of doing the bare minimum in order to make some quick cash and Capcom should know better than to milk their fan base like this. When they themselves released the fantastic Devil May Cry 4 Special Edition two years go, they made a full effort to not only bring the game to the PlayStation 4 and Xbox One, but significantly improve upon the original as well. The Devil May Cry HD Collection is far from that mindset. As it stands, this is a poor set of remasters of solid games – just don’t go in expecting a single bell or whistle to enhance the experience.

• XONE
• 4 / 5
• États-Unis

Burnout Paradise Remastered still offers one of the best playgrounds to speed and smash through over a decade later, fueled by a smooth presentation, abundance of cars and an engaging soundtrack. The same issues that plagued this racing title in the past generation still remain, including lackluster AI and mission variety, and the slight improvement to the graphics leave much to be desired. For those eager to return to Paradise City or those looking to take their first trip, however, the sheer quantity of races and objectives to complete offers dozens of hours worth of blood-pumping excitement that few other racing titles can compete with.

• PS4
• 3.5 / 5
• États-Unis

The Council might have stumbled its way across the finishing line in Checkmate, but that’s not enough to take the shine off of the title. Okay, its story descended into chaos when the daemon theme began to unravel and hindered the storytelling potential, but that should not be a reason to stop playing The Council. Gameplay is far more superior to any other episodic title on the market, with Big Bad sending an important message to other developers that this aspect should never be overlooked in episodic gaming. From the opening moments of The Mad Ones, it’s clear as day that the RPG mechanics would bring forward an engaging experience over the story. The developer didn’t hold back from introducing a new mechanic in the later stage of the title and it seamlessly worked in harmony with the features that have been there since the opener. While it doesn’t boast mind-blowing visuals or sounds, The Council has a simple art direction that makes it feel right at home in the period that it takes place. Despite all of the praise, technical issues and frame rate problems have shackled Big Bad’s potential with The Council. When Hardcore Gamer spoke to The Council director Sylvain Sechi last year, he admitted that the studio would be open to the idea of a sequel. “The IP is broad and we have many things to tell,” he explained. Should Big Bad iron out the issues that it faced in The Council, a sequel could be a true redemption story for the developer. But for now, The Council is still a must-play title for any fan of episodic gaming.

• PC
• 4 / 5
• États-Unis

After fifteen months on the market, Final Fantasy XV is finally complete. Well, more or less. The biggest complaint with the initial release was that it felt unfinished, with glaring plot holes and story elements that never were fully fleshed out. A number of minor gameplay issues could be overlooked, but when the second half of an RPG feels rushed out the door without a coherent vision, then there’s a problem. Fortunately over the last year, Square Enix has been making things right, not only publishing post-release episodes that focus on the three lovable companions or including quality of life improvements, but they actually filled in the giant plot holes with story content via cutscenes and additional scenarios. It’s a shame the original game didn’t ship with this, but we finally have a neatly-wrapped package where we can experience a story that feels conclusive. It helps that the Windows Edition comes with a number of graphical enhancements, solid keyboard & mouse implementation, and the potential to go beyond console limitations with ridiculously high frame rates and resolutions. There are technical issues here and there, some that will cause frustration, but this still is a sensational port for both those who want to double dip and those who have yet to play the RPG. It may not be perfect, but Final Fantasy XV Windows Edition is the dose of Final Fantasy we all need.