Hardcore Gamer

• PC
• 3.5 / 5
• États-Unis

Arizona Sunshine is a decent take on the zombie shooter, hardly revolutionary, but using its tech to good effect. The gunplay is a load of fun thanks to the VR controllers, essentially making each encounter a test of your real-world aiming skills. The standout features are the setting, with its sun-drenched environments, and the surprisingly well-written main character who bounces between humor and fear without overdoing either. The weakest part, though, is a cave area that just goes on too long, but the rest is an adventure through a number of environments that are just lengthy enough to explore without wearing out their welcome. Like a lot of full-VR adventures out currently, the central campaign is fairly short, but extra modes in the form of a zombie-rush horde and co-op multiplayer options help expand the game's lifespan. Arizona Sunshine brings clear blue skies and a breath of fresh air to the zombie genre, and while it's not a revolution, the game shows there's still a little life left in blasting an undead horde into a splattery mess.

• PC
• 4.5 / 5
• États-Unis

SuperHot VR is one of the best games VR has seen yet. It's a little bit short and on rare occasions the AI goes a bit loopy, but during the 99% of the time when everything is trying to kill you, it's an incredible rush. The change from pointing a mouse cursor to picking up the weapons and shooting, throwing or swinging them feels amazing, and also allows you to meter out time to the pace of your actions. Nailing precision shots, or making a lucky throw, is far more rewarding when you're performing the action rather than pressing a button, and I've missed by a hair often enough that it always feels like the game is going by skill rather than trying to be helpful with auto-aim. You are the killer in SuperHot VR, performing all the actions and orchestrating each encounter, and when it's all over and there's nothing left but the shattered red crystal remains of your former enemies, then it's time to do it all again, but better. SuperHot VR is deadly and stylish, and one of the best games yet to show off what VR can do.

• PS4
• 4 / 5
• États-Unis

Considering the efforts passionate fans went through to see this franchise have another entry, it comes off as surprising and unfortunate that Wayforward did not decide to take more risks by adding new characters and mechanics. By taking the product as what it is and not what it should be, however, Shantae: Half-Genie Hero ends up as one of this year’s strongest platformers, packed to the brim with secrets, clever writing and a stellar soundtrack. While the repetitiveness of revisiting levels can drag down the experience at times, Shantae fans and platforming fans alike shouldn’t miss out on the half-genie’s newest adventure.

• PS4
• 4 / 5
• États-Unis

A lot of what I’ve just written may sound like I didn’t enjoy Let It Die that much, but no, I did enjoy it quite a lot indeed. It has an old-school feel to it that brings to mind the days of scrambling for quarters blended with some good old-fashioned ultraviolence, simple yet effective combat, surreal dystopian horror and some surprisingly deep gameplay elements. It’s just that it has a bit of a difficulty spike and a few annoying combat elements holding it back from true greatness. For those willing to put some time into it, though, you may find a truly addictive brawler on your hands, and one that’s completely free at that. Suda51’s signature style results in a another winner (albeit a slightly flawed one), so our Summer was indeed spent waiting for another worthy addition to his library.

• IOS
• 4 / 5
• États-Unis

Whether or not Super Mario Run is worth a purchase depends on the player. Anyone looking for a full length sidescroller for their mobile device will be sorely disappointed. This isn't that and Nintendo never said it would be. On the other hand, ample respect must be given for skipping microtransactions and just selling the thing straight up for a reasonable price. They could have easily time gated lives, charged for coin boosts and other dastardly things that would have racked up the dough. This isn't even to mention that the short length is packed with quality. Because of that, Super Mario Run is absolutely worth playing. Just don't expect it to replace a 3DS for a good portable experience.

• PS4
• 4 / 5
• États-Unis

Ultimate Marvel vs. Capcom 3 shows its age visually, but is still as fun to play now as it was in 2011. The single player modes are only entertaining for so long, but the real fun is playing against other people. The only real difference with this version versus the original are slightly-improved visuals and DLC, making it a hard sell for those who can still play it on last-gen consoles, but it’s an easy way to revisit a classic for anyone who missed out on it or regrettably traded in their copy. Ultimate Marvel vs. Capcom 3 is currently a PlayStation 4 exclusive, but is scheduled to come out for PC and Xbox One next March.

• PS4
• 4 / 5
• États-Unis

The Little Acre has a lot of heart, presenting a one-of-a-kind magical tale that rivals Disney/Pixar. Tales for children are important, and those that adults and children can take part in together are even more important. The Little Acre weaves a tale that welcomes anyone to be a part, telling the story of family and the joy and sadness that can come from loving those we care about. It manages to have expert comedic timing (I found myself laughing constantly) while also being grounded in the reality of loss. It also doesn’t focus too heavily like other media seems to do on the more tragic moments, conveying perfectly what loss is without being overwhelming. The Little Acre is worth every minute; I only wish I could have stayed a little longer in its wonderfully handcrafted world. The tale is a good one, but cut short, and I was ready for more.

• XONE
• 4 / 5
• États-Unis

Fans can rest assured, Dead Rising 4 is still a Dead Rising game despite some controversial decisions. Capcom Vancouver has retained what made the series so appealing in the first place. The campaign is, expect for that final chapter, a hoot to play through. Melee combat gives players the reins to use any tool in the world they find, combine it with something else, and then use that combination to beat the brains out of zombies. Plus, there are hordes of zombies to run over. It is a shame that some of the controversial decisions didn’t pay off. The co-op mode doesn’t feel like a solid enough replacement for campaign co-op and it remains puzzling why there isn’t even an option for a timer. While Capcom Vancouver enhanced the melee combat with the new exo-suits, sadly the shooting mechanics aren't improved. Dead Rising 4 is a Dead Rising game, warts and all. A zombie slaying experience unlike anything else on the market. It’s a riot, it’s a hoot and it’s on Santa’s nice list.

• PS4
• 4 / 5
• États-Unis

Had it not been for its plagued release on PC -- not to mention the niggling texture work that pops up from time to time -- Dishonored 2 just might have been in strong contention for best game this year. As it stands, Arkane Studio's follow-up to one of stealth's most acclaimed newcomers, remains one of the best games released in 2016. Arguably one of the smartest, most elaborate and fully-realized Worlds from a design stand-point alone, Dishonored 2's conflicting bright, bold and glum visual palette alongside its expanded aesthetical mythos is splendid to look at and even more splendid to creep one's way around. What's more, a less-than-stellar story aside, Arkane's compensation in the visual accompaniment -- be it interiors, items or dead bodies alike -- makes it near-impossible not to get entrenched by the greater and/or collective presentation on show, no matter how subtle the offering may be. Dishonored 2, with its refined mechanics and expanded gameplay following suit, personifies what a sequel should be.

• 3DS
• 4.5 / 5
• États-Unis

Pokémon has been a classic series for twenty years and with 2016 being its 20th, Pokémon Sun and Moon is a perfect way to celebrate such a milestone. It still holds all the charm and fun from the original titles yet creates an entire new world to explore. It's a must-have for fans and a worthy place to begin for newcomers. The future of the Pokémon series shines bright like Pokémon Sun and beautiful like Pokémon Moon.

• 3DS
• 3 / 5
• États-Unis

Despite all of the complaints, there is some inherit value to Dragon Ball Fusions. The battle system, while not great, is creative and captures the feel of an anime. The plethora of heroes means that fans can create a team with nothing but their favorites and journey through the tale. The length and breadth of things to do will give anyone who enjoys this an incredible amount of value. Taken only on its merits as a game, though, and there are some noisome elements. A battle system that places heavy stock on guessing and a story that makes no sense means the experience can be a slog. In trying to finally gain an understanding of a fandom by playing Dragon Ball Fusions, I have found myself even further alienated.

• PC
• 4 / 5
• États-Unis

Planet Coaster clearly has aspirations of expanding itself through a larger base of players, embracing user-created content to the fullest and allowing players to show off their various parks to each other. But even as is, it's a highly addictive and incredibly fun game, even for those who choose not to break the mold. Everything is nicely vibrant and joyful, and the feeling of glee you get when you check the various cameras on your ride and see your little guests with mile-wide smiles on their faces is a treat indeed. Things actually could be even slightly deeper, but for now, Planet Coaster truly is one of the best virtual thrill rides you can check out and one you won't get off of anytime soon.

• PC
• 4 / 5
• États-Unis

While Xanadu Next is buggy and its menus just plain busted for controller use, the rest of the game is a wonderful trip through a classic JRPG world. The story starts small and the area to explore is a single island, but clever use of interconnecting dungeons makes it feel much larger. The entire quest is easily twenty or more hours long and that doesn't even include chasing after the bonus dungeon. The combat is lively, enemies plentiful and puzzles show up frequently enough to keep you on your toes. Special consideration has to go to the soundtrack as well, which is easily one of the year's best. Xanadu Next never had a chance to find an audience outside of Japanese PC gamers and the N-Gage user base way back in 2005, but it deserved far better. It's a little jagged around the edges and could use a pile of patches, but every issue has a simple workaround, leaving the heart of the game to shine as an action-RPG classic that's no longer lost in an obscure corner of gaming history.

• 3DS
• 4.5 / 5
• États-Unis

Pokémon has been a classic series for twenty years and with 2016 being its 20th, Pokémon Sun and Moon is a perfect way to celebrate such a milestone. It still holds all the charm and fun from the original titles yet creates an entire new world to explore. It's a must-have for fans and a worthy place to begin for newcomers. The future of the Pokémon series shines bright like Pokémon Sun and beautiful like Pokémon Moon.

• PS4
• 3.5 / 5
• États-Unis

• PC
• PS4
• XONE
• 4 / 5
• États-Unis

Loaded with humor, skill-based action and interesting brainteasers, the original Darksiders is one of the best games to come out of the last generation. It takes numerous recipes from other games and creates an adventure that's worth taking. Having a better looking version of that sold at a fair price made available to the current gen makes Darksiders: Warmastered Edition absolutely worth the time.

• PS4
• 4.5 / 5
• États-Unis

The best indicator that this game has legs can be shown through this (admittedly) anecdotal evidence: when playing Killing Floor 2 online outside of the designated review meet up times on the PlayStation 4, I was still able to find a game with other players. A title that hasn't seen public release (for that platform) still had their servers filled with people who had already been playing the game to death. And I was with them, also wanting more. This illustrates the grotesque pull that Tripwire's labor of love has in spades. Killing Floor 2 is dangerously habit forming. There is always something new to level up, some new difficulty to master, a new way to mess up the piles of biomechanical flesh. Whether with a pick up game or a group of friends, Killing Floor 2 mainlines cathartic bliss.

• XONE
• 4 / 5
• États-Unis

Assassin’s Creed: The Ezio Collection assembles the complete exploits of what many consider to be the best character in Assassin’s Creed franchise. The improvements to the visuals are minor, but the gameplay and story that earned these games such praise when they were first released are just as enjoyable today as they ever were. Ezio’s trilogy has been previously released, but the inclusion of the two short movies and all single player add-on content makes this the definitive collection, though the concession of losing all multiplayer aspects may disappoint some players. With so many Assassin’s Creed games being released, the franchise has lost some its luster in recent years, but this collection is a great way to remember how this series became as popular as it did in the first place. This is also highly recommended as a good starting point for people who have been interested in Assassin’s Creed but haven’t got around to actually playing any of the games, as well as anyone who wants to revisit Ezio’s saga.