Hardcore Gamer

• PS4
• 2.5 / 5
• États-Unis

There is nothing wrong with Chivalry’s main concept, setting a team-based shooter in a period long before modern weapons and, well, shooting. As a modest, fan-made mod of Half Life 2, one could turn a blind eye to some of the game’s glaring faults because its execution was in line with its humble aspirations. To keep shoving the same, basically unimproved product out over two console generations, however, is cynical and disrespectful to the consumer. Hardsuit Labs has been quoted as saying that “the primary difference users can experience between the PS3 and X360 versions and the new PS4 and Xbox One versions are a doubling of the max player count (from 12 to 24), as well as dedicated servers,” which doesn’t seem terribly ambitious. Whether you can enjoy Chivalry: Medieval Warfare depends on how low you are willing to lower your expectations for what a current-gen console game should look and feel like.

• PS4
• 4 / 5
• États-Unis

The adjective “ridiculous” has been used several times in this review as it’s the most apt available. Just Cause 3 is a ridiculous, over-the-top experience that wants so hard for you to blow it up. Playing around its 400 square miles, it’s almost as if the game can be heard yelling “OH MAN, THAT WAS SICK” in the background. It’s hard not to feel like a complete badass as you fly around the island dropping grenades and vaulting enemies into the air; in fact, you basically have super powers. There’s hardly an ounce of originality in Just Cause 3; it cribs its features from a myriad of different games before it (including racing games), but it positions everything primitively great about video games into a single explosive package. Horrendous loading times, a lack of synchronous multiplayer and optimization issues hold it back from pure bliss, but Just Cause 3 is an absolute blast, an experience equivalent to a shot of adrenaline straight into the heart.

• PS4
• 2.5 / 5
• États-Unis

• PS4
• 4 / 5
• États-Unis

The Match-3 genre is one of the stalwarts of the casual game space, but all that means is that there are plenty of bad products trying to grab the attention of unwary gamers. With its depth of gameplay systems and huge amount of single and multiplayer content, Gems of War is one of the best across all platforms and one of the few high-quality casual games on current gen consoles. It isn’t the most beautiful or artistically consistent game in the world, with an art style that could be charitably described as generic high-fantasy. On the other hand, it is a free-to-play game that rarely reminds the player that they could or should be paying real money.

• PC
• PS4
• X360
• XONE
• PS3
• 2 / 5
• États-Unis

In a world where Dontnod's Life is Strange proves that episodic adventure games can look great, be smartly written and challenge the player with engaging mechanics and puzzle-solving, Game of Thrones isn't worth your time. Telltale's original story pales in comparison to the source material and it's not an especially satisfying adventure game, either. Your choices matter about as much as the points in Whose Line Is It Anyway? and the game's action scenes barely register whether or not you're even holding the controller. Even if you're a fan of the books or HBO show, there's not much incentive to play Telltale's Game of Thrones.

• PC
• 4 / 5
• États-Unis

If everything about Hard West was as great as its combat and strategic layer, it would easily sit near the top of a list of memorable Old West-themed games. Take away the cowboy costumes and it’s still an excellent turn-based game with some clever mechanics to mess with. A kind of bland overworld game experience combined with a hokey story arc bring Hard West down just a couple of notches. Still, it’s a Western, and a great turn based strategy game, and we need more of both.

• VITA
• PS4
• 3 / 5
• États-Unis

Sword Art Online: Lost Song has so much going for it. The battle and flight systems are top-notch entertaining time sinks, the artistic style is nothing short of gorgeous and being able to hang out with characters from the show, with dialogue written by the creator, is an engrossing experience. The issue lies in how Bandai Namco did not take full advantage of the talent available to them. This title is simply hamstrung by a lack of investment. The decision was made, for better or worse, to not create an experience that lives up to its true potential, instead recycling assets and hoping for the best. The end result is a title for series fans only. Those who are not invested in the universe already would be better off moving along.

• PS4
• 4 / 5
• États-Unis

• WIIU
• 3 / 5
• États-Unis

• WIIU
• 2.5 / 5
• États-Unis

There’s no denying that this is an experience with a striking in-game mechanic and one that lends itself to moments of simple-but-wonderful design both creative yet stimulating. For that, Typoman unquestionably stands out on its promising opening and it’s one that, in another scenario, could have been the first step in what would might have been a truly remarkable experience this year. Sadly this is not to be; Brainseed’s attempts are lacking not just on the length/content front, but seldom evolving outside of its lustrous presentation — charming as it is, a mere consolation to a game hard-stricken more by what it lacks as opposed to what it genuinely, excitedly brings. As unique as Typoman is, seeing the scale of its missed opportunity unfold only saddens me evermore.

• VITA
• 2 / 5
• États-Unis

Dragon Fin Soup is a great game trapped in a terrible game’s code. The tile sets for the randomly generated maps create lush environments to explore. The writing is like a clown in corpse paint; silly in its darkness. There are seemingly limitless options to win battles and progress. Unfortunately, there is just so much additional work that needs to go into this title. With the interface issues and disturbing level of instability, it simply cannot be recommended at this juncture. Should these factors be addressed in a patch, I will gladly take this title for another spin as I want so badly to recommend it. For now, though, it should just be noted that Red Robin is supposed to be the inebriated one, not the game’s code.

• 3DS
• 4 / 5
• États-Unis

• VITA
• 3 / 5
• États-Unis

Superbeat: Xonic is obviously a very inspired title. It oozes style on every menu, but fails to imbue the actual gameplay with a compelling reason to keep playing. When compared to other Vita rhythm games, there’s little which would make most players opt for this over DJMax Technika or even Persona 4: Dancing All Night. The former has a much greater songlist and replay value, while Persona 4 carries with it similar gameplay with a recognizable cast and tracklist. Superbeat: Xonic is lacking all that. While gameplay at the core is functional and multilayered, most won’t find themselves excited to play over and over again.

• XONE
• 4.5 / 5
• États-Unis

Rise of the Tomb Raider is exactly what we needed. While there has been an influx of open world games over the last few years, Crystal Dynamics have been able to find a perfect balance of cinematic action and strong adventure elements. There are far more tombs to raid this time around, not to mention an open world filled with challenges, artifacts, documents and expansive story elements. Speaking of the story, while it’s not particularly deep, it does contain a strong antagonist duo and an even more compelling heroine. While Lara’s drive becomes a bit obsessive at first, she has grown up to be a capable woman, looking death in the face rather than fearing it. She is slowly becoming the leading lady we’ve come to expect, but with far more depth than ever before. The platforming elements can be a bit finicky at times, leading to various deaths, but when it works, stringing together the acrobatic moves makes the experience all the more exciting. Rise of the Tomb Raider is an adventure like no other, giving players a twenty hour experience that will have them engaged from the moment Lara comes on screen.

• PC
• 5 / 5
• États-Unis

The word "escape" gets thrown around in conversations about why video games are so appealing and never before has there been a title that is this worthy of that term. Fallout 4 contains what should go down as the best open world in the history of this medium considering the sheer wealth of meaningful content packed into it. Some people flock to sandbox games in hopes of checking off boxes, collecting garbage and simply passing time, and Fallout 4 feels like the strongest middle finger to this contingent in years. The Commonwealth is brilliantly designed, wonderfully executed and pays homage to one of the most unique cities in America in a way that will make fellow Bay Staters proud. Add all of this to a western role-playing game of unparalleled depth and the result is the one game that everyone with a PlayStation 4, Xbox One or capable PC should absolutely own. Whether you're going to run around in your underpants stealing coffee cups and circuits, build the greatest Wasteland settlement known to man or simply take in all of the wonderful human stories littering the Commonwealth, it's going to be tough not to fall in love with Fallout 4. This is the type of game that should be played with a spotter, as it's way more appealing to play more Fallout 4 than it is to eat, drink or sleep. Good luck out there Vault Dweller and try not to literally die on us due to malnutrition.

• PS4
• 4.5 / 5
• États-Unis

Call of Duty: Black Ops III was created in a three-year development cycle and it shows. This is basically five standalone games wrapped into one deep package. While it will have DLC released for it, there’s enough content out of the box to keep players busy until the next Call of Duty and probably some time after that. The campaign is perfectly paced and entertaining throughout, the multiplayer is rich with customization and Zombies is refreshingly challenging. The only real black mark is a story teetering on the on the brink of pretension, but the existentialism of it is undeniably fascinating. Jam-packed with meaningful content, Black Ops III is the Call of Duty you’ve been waiting for.

• WIIU
• 4 / 5
• États-Unis

Yoshi's Woolly World isn't like other platforming games. It's not even like most of Nintendo's own platformers, and it's important to understand that before taking the plunge. It's a game that, while increasingly difficult, is never designed to really test the player; instead, it seeks to envelop you in soft, cozy visuals, calming, delightful music, and ceaseless, smile-inducing creativity. It's a fantastic ride, and one of the Wii U's very best and most unique titles. Yoshi's Woolly World won't suit everyone, but if you find yourself drawn towards its plush, adorable aesthetic, it might be one of the most emotionally pleasant experiences you have all year.

• VITA
• 4 / 5
• États-Unis

There’s a lot to like about Norn9: Var Commons, from its complex storyline which weaves heavy sci-fi elements with relatable human drama, to its superhero flair thanks to the powers of each character, adding a lot more excitement to action sequences. Playing through a single game nine times might sound egregious, but it does pay off for those willing to stick with it through to the end. Because of the potential for an extended playthrough, however, issues such as a slow autotext feature grow all the more grating. The saving grace here is that it’s not particularly hard to get a good ending as it is with some visual novels. As such, you won’t need to waste excessive hours simply trying to perfect one route before moving onto the next. Norn9: Var Commons might not be the very best the otome genre has to offer, but it’s certainly up there.