Hardcore Gamer

• PS4
• 4 / 5
• États-Unis

Yomawari: Midnight Shadows is wonderful, strange, scary, sad, creepy, startling and cute in equal measure. It deftly juggles a large number of emotions from one moment to the next, and if the story progress is frequently interrupted by exploring the town or getting killed while figuring out the next challenge, it never takes too long to get to the next part to be a serious interruption. If you played Night Alone you can jump right in with no learning curve, but if you missed the first one there’s only a small connecting point between the two games that’s more for fun than any level of necessary continuity. One of the things that took me by surprise with Night Alone is how the game stayed with me after it was done, getting better in memory than it actually was to play thanks to a story that made the rough parts worth fighting through. Yomawari: Midnight Shadows clears those issues away and looks good doing it, effortlessly turning a quirky one-off into one of the best new horror series in a long time.

• SWITCH
• 3 / 5
• États-Unis

It’s starting to feel pointless to review Just Dance titles since it’s hard to grasp what exactly Ubisoft is trying to accomplish with them at this point, but darn it I’ve come this far and I’m going to see this through, even if it takes until Just Dance 2049. When Just Dance Unlimited debuted, it seemed primed as a service to take over the yearly physical installments as a continually-updated platform to debut new songs into Just Dance, but it seems like it’s now become a way to simply access the back catalog of the series without swapping discs. It’s strange how it’s implemented into the main framework of Just Dance 2018 and forced upon players automatically with a three month free trial and seamlessly included in-game, blurring the line between the two entities. It’s hard to fathom what Ubisoft plans for this series going forward, but they should figure it out sooner rather than later, because continuing to release the core game for the Wii and ignoring the potential of the streaming service seems like a sign of regression. As for the core game itself, there’s an innovative new mode on the Nintendo Switch version, the interface is easier to navigate and the song list is decent enough, if typically underwhelming. There’s hints of Ubisoft doing the right thing, like throwing in a song or two from an unknown artist and trying out new modes, but they never see it all the way through. Frankly, it’s time for a reboot if Unlimited isn’t the future of Just Dance.

• PS4
• 3 / 5
• États-Unis

When all of the parts are added together, it becomes apparent that Rogue Trooper Redux doesn’t quite meet the standards of modern day gaming. Instead, this is simply an underrated classic with the dust of age knocked off. Instead of making a few quality of life improvements, such as with the controls, the powers that be were happy to keep the game as is. For fans of the original title, this is absolutely great. It still manages to be enjoyable when viewed with the understanding that this is an older title. When contrasted with other remasters that took some time to tinker with what wasn’t great the first time around, Rogue Trooper Redux comes up a little short. Seemingly simple items like improved use of cover and a basic reload button would have gone a long way towards improving the experience. For fans of gaming history interested in the evolution of a genre, this release provides some much desired context for the times. People looking for a top notch shooter should realize what they are getting into before they go on a tour with the militant version of Arrested Development’s Tobias.

• PS4
• 4 / 5
• États-Unis

Nights of Azure was a surprise gem of 2016, giving Nights of Azure 2: Bride of the New Moon high expectations to live up to. Fans of the original have been eagerly-awaiting the sequel and thankfully it lives up to the expectations. It’s a new story with new characters and game mechanics, but a lot of the elements that made fans of the original are present here. As far as stating one is objectively better than the other, there’s some technical improvements in the sequel, but it’s probably going to be split down the middle between fans over which Azure title is better and that would just be based on subjective criteria. It’s extremely probable that those who enjoyed the first Nights of Azure will like the sequel just as much. For the uninitiated, Nights of Azure 2: Bride of the New Moon is an enjoyable action RPG, and while it has a strong yuri element to it, the gameplay and other aspects of the story are strong enough that it should be played even by people outside of that niche interest group.

• SWITCH
• 4.5 / 5
• États-Unis

Fire Emblem Warriors pays tribute to the most recent 3DS titles that helped the series take off in recent years. While it would have been more varied if they had included more than just a handful of characters from older entries, it still creates an enjoyable action packed spin-off for new and old Fire Emblem fans alike. Fire Emblem Warriors is an easy title to pick up and play at any time, regardless if just doing one mission or sitting down to grind for a full session. Whether a fan of the series or just looking for another title to play with friends, Fire Emblem Warriors makes for a great time with plenty of content to keep players coming back for more of its perfectly-captured action.

• PC
• PS4
• 4 / 5
• États-Unis

ECHO is a puzzle game disguised as a third-person action-adventure game. The puzzle is everything and the action-adventure is exploring the lavish environments of the Palace. Backed by an exceptional story of intrigue, love and general weirdness, ECHO knows how to make the player think in more ways than one. Mirror enemies are nothing new for video games, usually reserved for boss battles or mini-bosses, but what happens when every enemy is the player? That’s where ECHO steps in, showing that the biggest challenge in life is ourselves.

• PS4
• 4 / 5
• États-Unis

• PC
• 3.5 / 5
• États-Unis

Raiden V is a good, solid shooter and it helps that it’s got the power of its heritage to draw on. The radio play running in the background adds a story to a series that’s never had one before, and while the voices can be hard to hear and pay attention to, it’s good to know it’s there. The Cheer system is a nice addition, adding flexibility for handling difficult situations that complement the standard bombs nicely. Letting up on the fire to collect a floating swarm of medals can mean accidentally letting a swarm of enemies fly off the screen, making for a good risk/reward situation, but it won’t effect your path ranking if you pay attention and stay on top of the game. The end-of-chapter commentary on performance might chide you for letting enemies escape, but so long as the score is good, you’ve earned the S-ranked path to the next level, maximizing further scoring potential and maintaining a shot at the proper ending. It’s a bit of a mystery how the game mishandles something as basic as bullet color-contrast, and while it’s nice to have Raiden V on PC, it’s odd that it doesn’t support features that were in Raiden IV (including the lack of the screen refresh-rate bug), but these are issues that can be tolerated. When the game gets going and enemies swarm in from the sides with tanks firing from the ground and bigger ships letting loose with targeted swarms of bullets, the action is as good as it’s ever been. Raiden V: Director’s Cut ends up being a shooter worthy of its history and does a good job of keeping alive gaming’s longest-running Japanese arcade shooter series.

• 3DS
• 4 / 5
• États-Unis

The Etrian Odyssey series has the first-person dungeon crawler genre down to a simple art. Mapping each area gives that extra level of immersion that makes even dead ends feel memorable. While Etrian Odyssey V doesn’t have much of an engaging story, the exploration is a true draw that makes players want to see just how far they can get in each area before having to hurry back to town. With a variety of classes to choose from and tons of party options, players have the freedom to create their own story within this world that will remain just as enjoyable and memorable as they choose for it to be. Players looking for a challenging title that will keep them coming back with every tiny improvement need look no further than Etrian Odyssey V.

• SWITCH
• 4.5 / 5
• États-Unis

Stardew Valley brings a mix of farming and life simulation to the Switch and the platform is absolutely perfect for it. Being able to pick up and play the game for a quick bus ride allows you to get in a quick meeting with a couple of people or take care of some light farming. Then you can play at home and enjoy it on a TV screen to really absorb yourself in the adventure. Stardew Valley was a top-notch game on PC and on the Xbox One and PlayStation 4 before -- but it feels truly at home on the Switch. Anyone who loved Animal Crossing or Harvest Moon will get a lot out of it. Even if you haven't played those games, if you want a good adventure that has some drama, humor and a slice of real life thrown in, give Stardew Valley a shot.

• 3DS
• 4 / 5
• États-Unis

While the story leaves a little to be desired, Layton's Mystery still makes for an enjoyable entry into the puzzling series. A likable cast of characters persists despite featuring an entirely new crew and the ending manages to hint at a continuation for the series branching off from this title with a plot to draw players in. Those new to the series can easily hop in without needing to have knowledge of the previous stories, but it does make some welcome nods to previous endeavors Layton has gone through. Any puzzle fan should dive right into this title when they get the chance and look forward to what Layton's Mystery Journey brings next.

• PS4
• 4 / 5
• États-Unis

Speaking personally, Cyberdimension Neptunia: 4 Goddesses Online was a tonic I needed that arrived at just the right time. It’s pure, cheerful escapism that only wants to be fun for the player. Some might say that it tries too hard and this outing won’t change any minds. Fans will tell you that the damnable earnestness of it all lifts it up. This is also the first time that the series has managed to feel great in a true action form. Perfectly hitting every note that makes this series so popular, fans of Neptunia will have plenty to do with 4 Goddesses Online and those curious about the series should start here.

• SWITCH
• 4.5 / 5
• États-Unis

• SWITCH
• 4 / 5
• États-Unis

• XONE
• 4.5 / 5
• États-Unis

Once again, Turn 10 Studios proves that they’re at the top of the heap when it comes to creating impeccable racing mechanics. “Car porn” is a term thrown around a lot by racing game fans and Forza Motorsport 7 is just that. It’s beautiful, a pleasure to the ears, mechanically sound and just incredibly fun to play. Variety is a huge component to what makes this such an appealing and sought after series and nothing was skimped this time around. With around 700 cars to collect, 32 tracks with multiple variations of each, a diverse set of tuning and customizations and dynamic weather effects, there is enough content here to last a long time. Also, playing online will always be a highly-engaging and especially entertaining activity, having seen so many crashes and overly assertive drivers. Sure, the campaign mode won’t win over any fans and the implementation of loot boxes can be a concerning trend for the future, but they are small blips on an overly comprehensive racer. For fans of racing games such as this, Forza Motorsport 7 offers more than you can possibly hope for. It’s a top-tier racing experience.

• PS4
• 3.5 / 5
• États-Unis

When the single player portion of this piece was posted, someone asked if it's worth playing if they weren't planning on going online. For fans of Senran Kagura who just want to spend more time with the ninjas, absolutely. The story has the laughs and the charming tone is still present despite the gameplay departure. Otherwise, newcomers to the series would be better off getting Estival Versus. People who treat the single player stuff as training for the online battles, though, will have the breast time. The pace of the matches are dangerously delicious and prevent even a blowout from feeling discouraging. The constant opportunities for powering up abilities keeps the hands glued to the controller. Senran Kagura Peach Beach Splash is best played online, true, but it's a superb experience when doing so. Assuming that the player base grows as they polish off the campaign content, this might be just the tonic for gamers that want to set aside spilling blood in favor of spilling clothes.

• SWITCH
• 3 / 5
• États-Unis

Dragon Ball Xenoverse 2 was an entertaining but flawed game when it was released last year and it remains such on Nintendo Switch. If anything, this port feels like the worst version to pick up, with numerous graphical sacrifices and severe frame rate issues in the hub city whilst playing on the handheld mode. It does include the main story quests from the first game so newcomers won’t miss out on anything (even though the sequel’s story is similar), but the newly-added motion controls, while a novel idea, are far from the ideal way to play the game. The only appealing aspect for someone who has already enjoyed Dragon Ball Xenoverse 2 is that this version allows you to play it on the go, but even then it’s a messy port. For those new to the series, this is a solid entry point, but don’t expect it to set your world on fire.

• 3DS
• 4 / 5
• États-Unis