Hardcore Gamer

• PC
• 4.5 / 5
• États-Unis

Sure, The Division is a great game that has hooked millions into its addictive gameplay loop and Far Cry Primal did breathe a bit of fresh air into a stale formula, but 2016 has been off to a strong start as the clear result of its outstanding independent titles. From Pony Island and The Witness all the way to Firewatch, Stardew Valley and now Hyper Light Drifter, the strongest titles of the year so far have come from smaller development teams with more humble goals. Hyper Light Drifter stands out as a game that not only manages to combine exciting combat, gorgeous visuals and an inherent drive towards exploration, but its emotionally open-ended narrative and thematic prowess make this a title that feels like a true labor of love. Even if you’re not someone whose personal tales of hardship align with those of The Drifter, you’ll still have your hands on a unique title well worth the wait. If you’re someone who typically shrugs off indie games as somehow less meaningful then their AAA counterparts, you owe it to yourself to play Hyper Light Drifter. Alex Preston and his team have delivered a title that highlights everything great about the medium as a whole, it’s as simple as that.

• PC
• 4 / 5
• États-Unis

Samorost 3 is a fantastic point & click adventure game, and a perfect sequel to the previous two. It’s the full realization of the style of its predecessors, filled with strange plant and bug life that’s somehow charming despite being occasionally creepy. The people inhabiting the worlds fit in perfectly with their environments, and the story even gets a little bit epic near the end. It’s not overly difficult and the wonderfully-illustrated hint guide cleared out the only puzzle I got sick of failing to solve (due to it seeming to require endless trial and error) in no time at all. Samorost 3 is a beautiful, clever and wonderfully-designed adventure and its only major problem is how much I hate to leave its universe behind now that it’s been completed.

• PS4
• 3.5 / 5
• États-Unis

Despite suffering from low production values and lack of variety, Aegis of Earth: Protonovus Assault is a solid, if unexceptional, tower defense game. It may have nothing new to offer, but the combination of tried and tested mechanics with a dash of teen-soap drama turn its eleventh-hour attempt to organize humanity’s last line of defense into an adequate diversion.

• XONE
• 3 / 5
• États-Unis

The thing about Saturday morning cartoons is that they’re packed into thirty minute segments. Yes, they’re often shallow subplots, but luckily they resolve before overstaying their welcome. Shadow Complex doesn’t do that. It draws out a weak narrative and rarely rewards the player for continuing on. From a gameplay perspective the bosses speak for themselves; they’re bland and muddled. Looking back there is fun to be had sprinkled throughout, but the finale is so sour that it’s hard to see those moments.

• PS4
• 4 / 5
• États-Unis

Nights of Azure is a solid action RPG. The large number and variety of Servans add a strategic element to the real-time combat. The well-crafted story and soundtrack create an enjoyable backdrop for a fleshed-out gaming experience. Optional activities, such as the battle arena in the hotel basement and side quests, provide additional content to power up your character as well as take a break from the main questline. At the surface this appears as another sexualized Anime-styled game, but there is a worthwhile experience beneath that packaging.

• XONE
• 4.5 / 5
• États-Unis

Ori and the Blind Forest was great when it first came out and it’s still great in the Definitive Edition. It has an emotionally effective story and gameplay that is worth the price of admission alone. Once finished you’ll come back to these comments to connect with someone who also understands the journey you took. Now go save Nibel in what’s sure to be a classic in the platforming genre.

• VITA
• 3.5 / 5
• États-Unis

After making a terrible first impression, Trillion: God of Destruction manages to be a unique experience. It's filled to the brim with strategic options, loot to equip and ways to upgrade. Despite spanning so many various genres, this title comes together to form a cohesive whole. The design of the systems work in such a way that it can support both marathon sessions and a quick pick up to build just a bit more. While the controls are set up in an obnoxious way, the feeling of beating Mokujin, the training dummy that lets players test their mettle outside of the real fight, is elating. If winning against the stand feels so good, imagine how it feels to defeat the actual God of Destruction.

• PC
• 4.5 / 5
• États-Unis

• PC
• 3.5 / 5
• États-Unis

Despite any faults listed above, don’t get the wrong impression: Sheltered is a fun and challenging game, especially if you’re willing to put a lot of time into the game crafting the best shelter possible. It’s just that it’s not particularly innovative and it can wind up screwing you over at some of the most inconvenient times. Still, if you’ve got an itch for post-apocalyptic worlds and a need to try and see how well you’d do in surviving them, it’s a quality game that can be recommended. Just make sure to keep plenty of hinges handy.

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

Trackmania Turbo is a giant, gorgeous world of arcade stunt-racing action. Every track is half racing, half puzzle and the trick is to figure out the best approach for even the simplest sections. A series of gently drifting turns may be easy, but it's also a great place to work on minimizing speed loss, leading to just that extra bit of distance off the jump that comes after so you can hit landing on the following down-slope just right. Or maybe you'll come out of the curve at the wrong angle and the long jump sees you landing on the railing at the side of the road, completely killing that run. One of those two, success or failure or at least a learning experience. Trackmania Turbo is the kind of game where you can easily spend an hour or more to perfect a 45 second run, constantly looking for sections of the track to do just a tiny bit better. If one run doesn't work the next one will, and the only thing between you and the next attempt is the instant response of the reset.

• WIIU
• 4 / 5
• États-Unis

Pokémon games are almost always a hit and Pokkén Tournament ranks up there with the best. It's a refreshing change of pace for the standard battling experience allowing us to literally go hands-on in combat. The action is quick, the attacks are expertly selected and the spirit of Pokémon is perfectly captured. There are millions of fans out there waiting to challenge you, so it's best you start your climb to the top as soon as possible. Pokkén Tournament is a victory and hopefully the beginning of a new series within the franchise.

• XONE
• 2 / 5
• États-Unis

When I see a fledgling studio really trying, I want to check it out. I spent the time to try to get to know how this should work, and what’s expected from other sports titles. Everywhere I looked found me stuck for something truly positive to say about Casey Powell Lacrosse 16. Gamers who are also lacrosse fans have no other current option. If digital lacrosse is wanted, this title is playable, and it isn’t impossible to catch some enjoyment in the net on this stick. Anyone else, from general sports fans to gamers just interested in something different, should probably move on. There are just too many issues to make this a worthwhile purchase.

• PS4
• XONE
• 3.5 / 5
• États-Unis

EA Sports Canada has improved upon the UFC formula greatly, although plenty of the modes still feel shallow. The career mode has been pushed to the side (literally) and rightfully so as it’s the most lackluster campaign available. It once again brings TUF to the start of your career, but fails to replicate what makes the show entertaining. It’s more rewarding to play through the online-centric Championship mode despite it relying heavily on card packs and RNG pulls. Fortunately, there are far fewer glitches to be found, especially comparing this to the first game EA Sports released, although the physics still certainly go out of whack more than they should. Sometimes it’s charming, other times it’s unfortunate. EA Sports UFC 2 still has some kinks to work out, but the overall experience has improved over its predecessor.

• WIIU
• 4 / 5
• États-Unis

• 3DS
• 4.5 / 5
• États-Unis

To make a fittingly Nintendo-affiliated comparison, Bravely Second: End Layer is to the 3DS what Bayonetta 2 was to the Wii U: a sequel with its own respectable amount of anticipation that, while offering little by way of drastic change, delivers more than enough fresh and returning moments to remind us all (new and veteran players alike) why such a release struck an immeasurable chord in the first place. Bravely Second is without question another memorable, worthwhile and undeniably essential play for anyone striving to get their latest RPG fix. And what better way to do it with a game (and a series) that takes from the glory days of the SNES and gels it wonderfully with a continually-enticing and fully-rewarding battle system that rarely gets old or falls victim to stagnation. But with the return of its elegantly-drawn art-style, its humble aesthetic and joyfully self-aware attitude, Bravely Second marks itself a perfect follow-up to one of handheld gaming's most beloved debuts -- the sequel now standing proudly as another rightly-billed "essential" in the 3DS library.

• PS4
• 3.5 / 5
• États-Unis

While the story can be a bit much at times, The Witch and the Hundred Knight‘s gameplay makes returning to Metallia’s swamp a tempting prospect. The combat engine can seem intimidating at first and the menus are a complete mess, but once you’ve got a handle on it, the combat is a lot of fun. Learning enemy attacks, timing the dodge to activate a brief period of enemy slow motion, switching between weapon sets to maximize damage potential, and building just the right combo chain make hitting the field and slicing up some monsters a good time. It’s still possible to lose the action amidst the numbers, energy circle and text that pops up as you start slashing away, but the updated visuals clear up the muddiness that was a problem with the original version. Most importantly, unlike the original version, I found myself actually wanting to press forward and experiment with powering up the Hundred Knight. The Witch and the Hundred Knight: Revival Edition adds the necessary adjustments to a game that simply wasn’t what it should have been the first time around, and while the result is hardly an action RPG classic, it’s somehow become not only enjoyable, but bizarrely likeable in the process.

• PC
• 3.5 / 5
• États-Unis

Deponia Doomsday is a charming adventure that brings back all the humor from the past, but derives its puzzles on obscurities and trial and error. The puzzles are occasionally overly complicated thanks to the time travel aspect, not to mention running back and forth over and over again to best suit every Deponian or Elysium’s needs is tiresome. The premise of “everything you played before was a vision” also won’t play very well with fans, no matter how many fourth wall breaking references are stuffed into the script. With that said, there are some intelligent and highly-comical puzzles to be found, and the world is as lively as ever thanks to the terrific art style. If you can get past some of the rather tedious moments plagued throughout the campaign, Deponia Doomsday becomes a rather comical adventure.

• 3DS
• 4 / 5
• États-Unis

While it takes a bit to get all its gameplay elements into place, Return to PopoloCrois: A Story of Seasons Fairy Tale is thoroughly charming from the very start. The little moments of animation scattered throughout the story, solid and likable voice acting, and the welcome return of familiar characters for those who got to play the PSP game make for a wonderfully inviting adventure. The RPG and farming elements tend to run independently of each other, but even that works in the game's favor as you jump from one task to another before any of it has a chance to get overly repetitive. There's plenty of story elements, but they don't tend to drone on forever, making each cut scene a nice reward rather than an interruption of the action. Galariland is a cute and friendly world being threatened by a dark evil just dangerous enough to need a hero to drive it back, and if that involves growing vegetables and tending cows as much as smacking around monsters, then Prince Pietro is more than willing to attack the problem with a sword in one hand and a hoe in the other.