Mercenary is a polished, engaging experience that begs the question, “would the Vita be more popular if this were a launch title?” With its crafted gameplay, gorgeous graphics, solid multiplayer, plenty of replayability in the primary campaign, and an overall effort that shrinks a console-worthy FPS into something fitting for a handheld, the answer is a resounding yes.
All in all, there isn’t much good to be found in Illusion. It can be mildly entertaining if viewed in the right the light, but the flaws are too apparent to make it truly engaging. The game feels rushed, and while it had the potential to be something special, the finished product is a mediocre and dull experience.
Exploring this richly detailed, vibrant, polished world in Rayman Legends is a pleasure, and it’s at the top of the pile of this year’s best platformers. The only drawbacks are a couple of the uninspired boss battles, and the cluttered co-op and menu screens. Regardless, it’s equally as good as Origins (if not better), and shouldn’t be missed by anyone.
Indeed, DuckTales: Remastered is the original with a new coat of paint and copy-and-paste gameplay. This isn’t an awful thing by any means, and the tweaks they made are welcome. It isn’t going to prove to be as inspirational as the NES version, but it’s a sweet piece of nostalgia bait that will hopefully pave the way for more modern takes on other Capcom Disney platformers.
Despite being able to find at least a couple good bits in the core of the game, these positives are rather trivial when compared to the flaws. The majority of the design is dull simplicity, the narrative is an esoteric mess, and the pretty aesthetics feel wasted being surrounded by so much mediocrity. Indeed, the art’s role seems merely to seduce would-be players with false promises. I won’t get fooled again, Vanillaware
Papers, Please is moody, addictive, thought-provoking and proves that any vocation can be compelling if given the proper spin. This is a game where those that are looking for a meaningful experience and people up for intense puzzle solving will find something to enjoy, and it’s easily one of the best indie games this year. Glory to Arstotzka.
This game really caught me by surprise. Dragon’s Crown is everything one could ask for in a beat ‘em up and then some. The game design is polished and deep, the combat challenging and exciting, and it’s absolutely gorgeous to look at. Indeed, a new bar has been set for the genre, and it’s a high one at that.
Pikmin 3 is a humorous, challenging and addictive experience. There’s something very satisfying about completing a day perfectly after formulating the perfect strategy, and the clever design makes this possible. The muddled control schemes hold it back, though, and many may lack the patience to get used to them, but if one is able to jump that hurdle they’re in for a treat.
In spite of it’s shortcomings, Returns is worth checking out. The Seattle campaign is a pleasure to experience, the simple turn-based combat is effective and accessible and, if its popularity on Steam is any indication, the future looks promising in terms of community designed missions. There were some missed opportunities, but it should be enough to make the previous installment a distant memory.
It’s clear that KING Art attempted to mold The Raven in a way to please old and new adventure game fans, by incorporating cinematic storytelling with a mix of simple and obtuse puzzles, including a few optional ones. It’s an approach that works to a degree, but doesn’t start to show promise until later in the game. That promise is enough to make it worth playing and, judging by the game’s ending, it looks it might get better in the coming months when the second and third chapters are released.
Gamed Culture 