Hardcore Gamer

• VITA
• 2.5 / 5
• États-Unis

The fact that Adventures of Mana was originally a phone game does not automatically mean it is bad. It's a new version of a classic game and designed around a platform that only has a touchscreen for an input. The solutions to bring the game there were smart. The issue with this Vita version as that the publisher just decided to bring that same exact version over without tailoring it to fit the platform. Many can look past this and enjoy a better looking, but faithful recreation of Final Fantasy Adventures, but we as gamers should expect better.

• PS4
• 3.5 / 5
• États-Unis

As a standalone game, God Eater Resurrection is a decent time. The combat feels substantial even if the enemy variety doesn’t. The game itself is laid out in a way that welcomes players new to the whole hunter genre. That really isn’t why Resurrection exists, though; it’s really here to serve as an appetizer for the upcoming sequel. It prepares the palate for what is to come and serves as a great entry point at a low price. People who are already sold would do well to wait for the sequel, but those who aren’t sure should try their hands at Resurrection.

• PS4
• 4 / 5
• États-Unis

The structure and play of the Carmegeddon titles have always centered around being a beautiful mess; Max Damage is no different. The folks over at Stainless Games obviously “get it” in ways that developers of other goofy racers never did. While this game is a reworking of Reincarnation, this should actually be viewed as the final form of that less than stellar outing. So much so that owners of that title should find this added to their library at no charge. For console gamers or those approaching this fresh, this is an easy recommendation. It’s fun and just the right kind of depraved.

• PC
• 3 / 5
• États-Unis

If Furi had another month or two in the oven to tighten up its parry system and clean up some of the issues with its interactive cutscenes, then it could be a shining entry in a year loaded with lovable indie darlings. Furi isn't a bad game by any means, but it has a few too many noticeable flaws to warrant a wholehearted recommendation. With that said, the fact that it's launching on PlayStation Plus is going to give gamers seeking difficult games a chance to test their mettle in a title that has bona fide moments of satisfaction and a high skill ceiling. Furi is going to find its audience, that much is certain, but the real shame here is that with a couple of tweaks, that audience could have wound up being far larger than what it likely will be. Still, boss-rush games seem to be few and far between nowadays, so if you're looking to get your Punch-Out!! on in a whole new way, you could do far worse.

• PS4
• 3 / 5
• États-Unis

Star Ocean: Integrity and Faithlessness is essentially JRPG comfort food. Die hard Star Ocean and JRPG fans will most likely enjoy this title, but it does play like a paint by numbers JRPG. The story is unique but formulaic and those that have familiarized themselves with JRPGs over the past twenty years will likely be able to predict what happens as it progresses. The lack of a save anywhere feature is one point of contention as looking for a save point to be able to stop playing was always an annoyance with this genre. Many games have gotten away from this practice but unfortunately that is a relic this title clings to. There are some good ideas shown but for many the execution is not quite where it should be. For example, the attempt at active time battle is very well done during the parts where the party is two or three members; when it gets larger than that the best strategy seems to button mash as Fidel and hope the battle ends before your party members' poor choices bring upon defeat. Despite its shortcomings, it's enjoyable, but only for hardcore JRPG fans.

• VITA
• 4 / 5
• États-Unis

While it ends up feeling a bit like the weakest game in the series so far, even a weak Zero Escape game is still an absolute delight, and Zero Time Dilemma is no exception. Between the magnificent and bizarre mystery that keeps you captivated, the colorful cast of characters and the nicely perplexing puzzles, this is one for visual novel, puzzle and adventure game fans alike. Heck, it's a darn good game for anyone in general and one that can easily get newcomers hooked enough to try the earlier games as well (which you absolutely should, of course). Some parts could use a bit more polish (maybe tone down The Walking Dead influences next time), but in the end, it's safe to say that Operation Bluebird was a success.

• PC
• 2.5 / 5
• États-Unis

If you backed Mighty No. 9's Kickstarter, this next sentence is going to sting a little, despite the fact that it's something that you're well aware of by now. The phrase that best describes Keiji Inafune's infamous spiritual successor to the classic action-platforming franchise is "aggressively mediocre." In fact, Mighty No. 9 is such an average video game that reviewers could give future mediocre games a Mighty No. 9 out of ten and it would serve as a perfect indication of their quality. Despite spending eleven hours messing around with every element present in Mighty No. 9, this is something that was evident from moment one. All jokes aside, when you consider the hype and attention surrounding Inafune's return to the 2D platforming realm, the fact that this is what we've received is nothing short of a massive disappointment. From its bland level design to its boring Playmobil-style aesthetic, Mighty No. 9 is a testament to everything that can go wrong with a crowd-funding campaign. Considering that Comcept is already talking about making a sequel, this likely isn't the last we've seen of this store-brand version of the Blue Bomber. Maybe Mighty No. 9 2 will be the Mega Man rebirth we so desperately desire, but at this point, Inafune's attempted return to glory is a bona fide swing and a miss.

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

Deadlight Director's Cut combines classic puzzle platforming fun with an artistic direction and story that is able to create a bleak atmosphere. With so many zombie apocalypse games to choose from and many of them lackluster, finding one worth playing that is able to stand out from the crowd can be a daunting task but this title is an easy recommendation. Randall's story is easy to relate to being as he is just regular person trying to find his loved ones in a world gone to hell and the gameplay is just as easy to get sucked into.

• PS4
• 4 / 5
• États-Unis

Grand Kingdom takes some time to get going, but once it does, it's a great tactical RPG. The dialog and story are not the highlights of the game, but the battle system makes up for it. Getting true finesse on the battlefield does require a certain amount of trial and error which can be frustrating at times. Some battles feel cheap, like when the enemy wins the initiative and none of your characters can escape the target range for their catapult and three of the four are dead at the start of the second turn. Luckily this is the exception and not the rule, and there were no instances of that happening that were unable to be overcome in a subsequent attempt. The battle system in place is deceptively complex, figuring out the best possible class combination and strategy is something that only had its surface scratched during the review process. The team assembled was quite formidable, but given another week something even more devastating on the battlefield could be put together. With near infinite party combinations and countless hours of quests and war, Grand Kingdom is indeed quite grand.

• PC
• 4.5 / 5
• États-Unis

• PS4
• 3 / 5
• États-Unis

Much of the time in this review was spent bagging on Anima: Gate of Memories’ many, many (many) flaws. Whether it was due to lack of experience, budget, or some combination of both, this game can be rightfully derided and relegated to the junk heap. Every positive that it brings to the table is counterpointed with a legitimate detraction. Yet, there is something here. The story is contrived, but intriguing. The combat is poorly balanced, but still has moments of greatness. I have never reviewed a game with so many glaring problems that I have enjoyed so much. So, players with a strong sense of patience and more forgiveness than should be required in their souls should check this out. There are jewels among the rubble of this tower.

• PC
• 3.5 / 5
• États-Unis

There’s no getting away from the somewhat lacking visual fidelity and there will be plentiful moments where you stop to [mistakenly] consider you’re in fact playing a first-person shooter from the circa-2000 era, let alone circa-2011. But what Hard Reset Redux lacks in graphics and contemporary design, it more than makes up for in terms of gameplay and how that alone pulls the game up from a potentially almighty tumble — winding up, instead, as a nice addition to those beloved fast-paced, manically-engaging shooters we’ve come to know and love. It may not be the most notable or even celebrated of names, but it’s pleasing to see even the least-talked about shooters such as this one given a second moment in the spot-light. For those who take kindly to games that are as much about agility as they are indulgence in many an unfolding set-piece, Hard Reset Redux might just be one to check out.

• PC
• 2.5 / 5
• États-Unis

If you’re the type of person who’s more of a fan of Demetrios’ intentionally crass sense of humor, it may be worth a whirl, especially given its modest fee. But for others, Bjorn and the rest will grate on you quite easily, and the game’s numerous other shortcomings in the challenge, story and sound departments will drag things down even further. If it sounds like this is all being to harsh on The BIG Cynical Adventure, it’s only because the game makes it too easy to be cynical right back at it. The one-man development efforts of Cowcat are to admired, but they sadly can’t save the end product from being purely mediocre.

• PS4
• PS3
• VITA
• 4.5 / 5
• États-Unis

Odin Sphere Leifthrasir goes to great lengths to take an often overlooked gem from the PlayStation 2 era and make it new and relevant for the currently supported Sony consoles. The 2D platforming controls are smooth and responsive, and the combat is fast paced and fluid. While classified as an RPG, this has some of the better executed combat action seen in modern 2D games. The story is well developed and the pacing over several chapters from different viewpoints give it a satisfactory level of depth. A JRPG combined with an action platformer setup seems like a strange marriage, but this is a perfect example of how to pull off a seemingly unlikely combination. Vanillaware took an already great game, revamped it to feel more contemporary without losing any of its charm and made improvements across the board. Switching between the Refined and Classic mode make it apparent how many improvements were actually made. And for those that think it was fine how it was, that version is also included with this release.

• PS4
• 3 / 5
• États-Unis

Dead Island Retro Revenge is a bit more limited than most beat-em-up fans would expect, but remains a fun time. The lane-based combat keeps the pace fast, ensuring that you’ll never go too long without something to kill. Not having many attacks at your disposal or much in the way of level variety hurts the experience, though. Déjà vu creeps into even the best brawlers, but it starts hitting this very early on and never really lets up. The concept is reasonably well-executed, but this isn’t the kind of experience that gives you a lot to sink your teeth into. Still, as a bonus thrown in with another game and made available as a super-cheap download, it is easily worth its asking price.

• PC
• 4.5 / 5
• États-Unis

Blizzard has perfected the RTS and now they’ve laid a fantastic foundation for the FPS. Though simple on the surface, Overwatch manages to create depth thanks to its 21 character roster and 12 intricately designed maps, consistently rewarding players that master their characters, learn the maps and work as a team. Putting a competent team together and snatching victory from the jaws of defeat is one of the most satisfying experiences a multiplayer game has offered in years. It could use a campaign, a few more game modes and refinement of its RNG system, but none of that distracts from the fact that Overwatch is an superb effort that will entertain players for an ungodly amount of time.

• PS4
• 3.5 / 5
• États-Unis

Dungeons II took over an hour to convince me that it was a game worth playing, but it was fun once I crossed that initial hurdle. Most of the frustration stems from being told to do something and not told how, with the interface’s design not making it any easier to figure out. This is not in reference to what should be a puzzle, this is in regards to instructing a unit to build something. The combat is simple and the strategy in building an unstoppable army is straightforward, the limit on how powerful the evil dungeon becomes is determined by how much time you wish to spend mining gold and building things. The RTS layout is simple but this can make it more accessible to players who are not masters of that genre. It some ways this game is reminiscent of the Warcraft franchise before it became an MMORPG. Even with its flaws, it’s fun once you get acclimated to it. Despite not excelling at any single thing, the combined dungeon keeper with RTS approach does result in an interesting game that can be enjoyable once some time has been spent with it.

• PS4
• 3.5 / 5
• États-Unis

Shadow of the Beast is a game that was somewhat revolutionary for its time but obviously shows its age. It is still fun to play today, but its appeal might be lost on younger gamers who discovered video games well after the Commodore Amiga vanished into obsolescence. It is one of the nostalgia titles that when it is revisited it is actually enjoyable, unlike some other games that produced fond memories but are cringe worthy when actually played. This version of the game is included as a bonus item with the new remake, which adds considerable value to that title. The appeal of this is geared mostly toward people seeking a nostalgia fix. The game itself is fun, but the unforgiving difficulty, simple mechanics and extremely short play time make it undeniable what era of gaming this is from.