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PS4 Game Reviews


9.0 Layers of Fear

 

ayers of Fear (a perfect pun of a title) invites players to see the world through the mind of a talented but tormented painter as he navigates his abandoned house and his own guilty conscience. The game, published by Aspyr and developed by Bloober Team SA, has been listed on Steam as an early access game for some time, but in February was fully released to the public both on PC and console. So far the game has ...

 

9.0 Until Dawn

 

Over the course of the history of gaming, game designers have allowed players minimal to no choices regarding how the storyline of their game ends. Perhaps they might give the player a chance to decide to spare or kill an enemy NPC or let them pick their party members – but never decisions big enough to feel important. With the emergence of games like the Telltale Series, players are getting more and more power ...

 

9.0 The Vanishing of Ethan Carter

 

At the very start of The Vanishing of Ethan Carter, a message sprawls across the screen informing the player that this game does not hold your hand and that through atmospheric exploration you will discover the truth. This statement could not be more true, and only moments into gameplay it is clear that you are on your own. With nearly open world investigation and a subtle storyline that does not force the ...

 

6.0 ArcaniA: The Complete Tale

 

At a time when fantasy RPG games are dominating the gaming world, smaller games struggle to compete with huge names like Dragon Age and Elder Scrolls to create innovative and beautiful worlds for their heroes to explore. Games like this must continue to be made so that the category is not solely ruled by large franchises; new ideas and creations can be born out of this diversity. One good example is the very fun ...

 

6.5 Resident Evil Revelations 2

 

Resident Evil is no longer the game it was twenty years ago and with good reason. Revelations 2 takes a step back towards horror while keeping a lot of what made the newer games fun, but the co-op is at the least disappointing.

 

7.0 Dead or Alive 5 Last Round

 

Koei are perhaps the only developer to have massively embraced the idea of porting their games to next-gen consoles en masse. Dynasty Warriors 8, Samurai Warriors 4, Warriors Orochi 3 and now Dead or Alive 5 have all made the leap with mostly positive results. Mostly positive, because although there's nothing specifically wrong with the shiny, new versions of these games, there's no exactly a whole lot of ...

 

8.0 Game of Thrones: Episode 2 –...

 

The second episode of Telltale's take on Game of Thrones feels a little too much like a second beginning, but shows that things are soon going to start heating up. Despite more appearances from HBO's incredible cast, it's the developing stories of its original characters that hold your attention this time around.

 

7.0 Grim Fandango Remastered

 

Grim Fandango is one of the classic adventure games. That's why it deserved more than this lazy remaster.

 

7.0 Game of Thrones Episode One

 

HBO's Game of Thrones is what a character drama should be: tense interpersonal relationships, heartwrenching twists and a man that inexplicably can only say his name over and over again. There's only one developer capable of making that sort of thing interactive, and that's Telltale. With their first long-awaited episode now available on PS4, does it live up to the hit TV show?

 

6.0 Driveclub

 

According to Evolution Studios, Driveclub is the racing game that they've always wanted to create, and considering their previous success with the Motorstorm series, PlayStation fans were very excited. With its, what seems to be, ambitious approach to multiplayer racing, it seemed promising. In practice, however, Driveclub falls short of being anything other than your average racing game.

 

8.0 Metro Redux

 

Metro Redux is one in a long line of remasters released for new generation consoles, and it certainly won't be the last. While that might sound like a negative to those desperate for brand new experiences, Redux makes an effort to go above and beyond what other re-releases have done, offering new content and improved visuals on not one, but two already well-received games at a price that's difficult to ignore.

 

6.5 Infamous First Light

 

Infamous First Light puts you in the shoes of Abigail Walker, aka Fetch, one of, if not the most interesting characters from InFamous Second Son. It takes you through the events that led up to Fetch's role in the third game of the franchise, something largely unexplored in the base game's plot.

 

5.5 The Last Tinker City of Colors

 

There was a time when platformers were about the only type of game hitting the market. Spyro and Crash seemed to be the most talked about characters, and Mario 64 was a contender for the greatest game ever made. The genre peaked and, mixed with the dropping quality of long-time franchises, disappeared to almost nothing. The Last Tinker seems to try to recapture those glory days, but misses exactly what made the ...

 

10 The Last of Us: Remastered

 

The Last of Us: Remastered is another entry in Sony’s HD remaster collection – started back in 2009 with the God of War Collection. The only difference with developer Naughty Dog’s own take on HD re-releases is that The Last of Us is only a year old, and the first tangible re-release on Sony’s PlayStation 4.

 

8.5 Valiant Hearts

 

It seems like every week there is a new game that comes out that is set within the context of a war. Valiant Hearts takes an original look at war, not through combat but through the eyes of the people affected by it. Throughout the four chapters of the game, the affects of war are shown through characters without a gun in their hands.

 

8.0 PixelJunk Shooter Ultimate

 

By combining both previous PixelJunk Shooter games into one package and giving them a graphical facelift, Q-Games has combined two great games and made them even better. PixelJunk Shooter Ultimate HD provides hours of fun and challenge. With Playstation Plus currently offering it for free, it won't lighten your wallet but it will give you hours of entertainment.

 

7.5 Octodad Dadliest Catch

 

As a cephalopod protagonist, Octodad Dadliest Catch is nothing if not original. Your flailing tentacles create charm and humor in spades. There is truly no other game like it. If it wasn't for a few maddening levels, I would want another order of this tasty calamari.

 

9.0 Transistor

 

With the release of Bastion in 2011, Supergiant games burst onto the gaming landscape. Bastion was critically acclaimed and was on several Game of the Year lists as well. Transistor is Supergiant's latest game, which has been three years in the making - and it was well worth the wait.

 

8.5 Wolfenstein The New Order

 

Wolfenstein The New Order is a surprising showcase of powerful, alternate history storytelling. This latest entry in the revered shooter series, which is credited by many for creating the genre, still contains the “classic” gunplay intact, for better or worse, while having its exceptional presentation at the center of attention. Developer MachineGames, which is made up of past Starbreeze Studios members well ...

 

9.0 Child of Light

 

When playing Child of Light, I felt a bit melancholic. Ubisoft Montreal’s own unique take on the RPG genre elicits a sense of somberness throughout its, roughly, 10-hour adventure. Though it doesn’t sport a complex or even original story, the way it is told is Child of Light’s best strength. By using the UbiArt engine that was created for Rayman Origins several years ago, Ubisoft Montreal is able to perfectly ...

 

6.5 Ground Zeroes Jamais Vu

 

If there was one complaint about Ground Zeroes, it was its size. Despite the fact that you could easily spend tens of hours exploring that little base off the coast of Cuba, it was quite samey and, ultimately, failed to hold all but the most dedicated of Metal Gear fans to its 100% completion.

 

8.5 Final Fantasy XIV A Realm Reborn

 

Final Fantasy XIV was surprisingly announced in 2009, was released in 2010 to terrible reviews and was closed in 2012. There aren't many AAA titles that get to be classed as unmitigated disasters, but the latest Final Fantasy MMO fit the bill. Not content with writing it off, Square Enix began repairing things that fans had disliked, and in 2013 released Final Fantasy XIV A Realm Reborn onto PlayStation 3 and ...

 

7.5 inFamous Second Son

 

When playing inFamous Second Son, I received a deluge of visual satisfaction. Sucker Punch’s third attempt at its superhero series is a great showcase of PlayStation 4’s technical prowess. Particle effects galore, a breathtakingly gorgeous open-world, and great facial animations make Second Son the best looking PS4 game by a mile. But for all of Sucker Punch’s technical advancements, the game’s storytelling ...

 

7.0 Metal Gear Solid V Ground Zeroes

 

Metal Gear Solid V Ground Zeroes has all the makings of a very good game. An interesting beginning that has you waiting for answers, gameplay that goes beyond what you expect and offers depth and choice, all with the kind of production value that big budget movies wish they could approach - that's Ground Zeroes, a checklist of what all interactive entertainment should strive to achieve. There's only one major ...

 

6.0 Thief

 

Thief, developed by Eidos Montreal, is a reboot of the beloved 90s first-person stealth series of the same name. Penned by Ken Levine, who would go on to create Bioshock, and forged by the now defunct Looking Glass Studios, 1999’s Thief: The Dark Project was the birth of the first-person stealth genre. It successfully introduced several innovative mechanics, like the clever use of light and sound as an integral ...

 

7.0 Call of Duty Ghosts Onslaught

 

Infinity Ward have fixed a lot of the issues that plagued Ghosts at launch, but there's one thing they can't fix: the size and shape of the original multiplayer maps. They're too big, with too much going on. In trying to combat camping (by creating a "always open" feel wherever you go), they've made it ten times worse. That's why it's fantastic news that Onslaught - the new DLC pack, available on Sony platforms ...

 

7.5 LEGO Marvel Super Heroes

 

The game nobody ever thought would be made: LEGO Marvel brings together almost every single noteworthy Marvel hero and places them into a world of blocks and building. Combining the likes of Spider-man and Captain America with the bright, colourful humour of the LEGO franchise was a genius move, and it hits almost all the right buttons.

 

8.5 Tomb Raider Definitive Edition

 

Tomb Raider Definitive Edition fails to offer any sort of substantial additions or changes from the original 2013 release. But its lack of deviation is slightly marred by the better looking next-gen versions of the game. Tomb Raider is still the same thrilling experience jam-packed with satisfying gameplay, fantastical set-pieces, gorgeous visuals, and a likeable main character. It is undoubtedly flawed, most ...

 

6.0 Knack

 

Knack perhaps got more attention that almost all the other PlayStation 4 launch titles put together. It was directed by PS4 lead architect Mark Cerny and is Sony's big non-shooter push for the launch window. Although there have been many things said about Knack - that it's "kiddy," too simple - it definitely has its good points. It's just a shame you'll see most of them in the first ten minutes.

 

9.0 Assassins Creed IV Black Flag

 

Yearly franchises rarely manage to surprise, but this year Assassin's Creed did just that. The franchise that originally had you climbing up rectangular buildings in the Middle East has now taken to the waves, adding ships, exploration and naval combat aplenty. It wasn't a change that happened over night, but Black Flag shows how far the franchise has come, and, as our view at the top our pirate ship attests, it ...