Intriguing, intense and extreme, Killer7 is as relevant, playable, and valuable as it has ever been.
This game alone catapults Square Enix's most important franchise right back into the circle of most elite properties in gaming, proves that AAA games can be intelligent and meaningful, and deserves every plaudit and accolade out there.
I'd like to say that Beyond: Two Souls is for everyone. I honestly believe that anyone can enjoy it, but that there are many out there that would not approach it the right way simply because their expectations of a video game are not what this offers. I did not know a thing of Cage's work prior to reviewing Beyond: Two Souls, but the excellent storytelling, the spot-on acting and the technical prowess that explodes out of the PlayStation 4 has made me a huge fan instantly.
The game is deep, meaningful, and powerful. It's reflective, different, and beautiful. It may well end up being more divisive than Ueda's previous masterpieces, but that doesn't mean it's not a masterpiece, from one of the industry's true auteurs. Play this game. Even if you hate it, it's going to broaden your horizons around what games are truly capable of.
Heavy Rain is very much the kind of game I like to play; it's smart, interesting, different and highly focused. Cage might be a one-of-a-kind game director and thinker, and I do wish more developers paid attention to how he approaches his storytelling.
It's hard to argue against the notion that Armello might just be the best Australian game ever produced. Highly refined, beautiful to play, deep and intelligent, it's as endlessly replayable as the very best board games, and deserves to be respected as such.
Total War: Warhammer is, simply, the best Warhammer game ever developed.
Blues and Bullets is without a doubt the most true, and also most effective, crime noir game we have to date, with a masterful understanding of the themes and visual motifs that comprise a noir tale, and an understanding on how to work within those without being clichéd or trite.
Unravel is truly something special, and full credit to both the developer, and indeed EA, for stepping back from the blockbuster nonsense to back a more personal, artful project. It's a beautiful game about human emotions and memories, and while I hope there's never a sequel, I cannot wait to see what this team comes up with next.
This game has been more meaningful to me and had a greater emotional impact on me than any game I've played since Nier itself, and as far as I'm concerned that means it's as close to perfection as games can get.
[I]t is a 5-star game
Effortlessly, it’s the best game that has been released on the Wii U, and, given the games to come, discounting Zelda as an NX launch title, it will be the best game that will ever be released on the Wii U.
Persona 4: Dancing All Night gets almost everything right. There’s a narrative that not only follows on from one of the finest stories ever written (and I'm not just talking in terms of video games) but succeeds in actually enhancing it.
Ar nosurge has instantly become one of my favourite games of all, up there with the likes of Nier and Persona 4. Even when it's not at its best, it's still better than almost anything else. Emotional and poetic, deep and intelligent, it's the kind of game that will fly under most people's radars, but it's also one of those games that will hold a place of pride in the libraries of those that are lucky to discover it. This is a game you will hear me celebrating for many years to come.
Valkyria Chronicles is, simply, one of the best tactical games you’ll ever play. It’s serious, but doesn’t take itself too seriously. It’s emotionally compelling while never losing sight of the fact it’s also a game. It’s a popular and well-regarded game that, for whatever reason, people simply don’t talk about it enough.
Sophie herself is beautiful and adorable, and I hope she gets to come back in the other two games in this series come (we assume), because with her, Gust has a new heroine that deserves real attention.
Not only is it hugely enjoyable in its own right, focused as it is one one of the most dramatic moments in living memory, but it has also managed to completely upstage an Academy Award-winning film that looked at the same moment in history.
Now I genuinely do not feel the need to own a physical pinball table, which was something I had been contemplating before. That’s how good this is.
While Hatsune Miku: Project Diva X isn’t as brilliant as Future Tone, nothing is, and the core rhythm game action is faultless. An inspiring, entertaining soundtrack, coupled with stunning characters, costumes, and choreography makes this essential. Not just for Miku fans, but for anyone who enjoys fun. And you enjoy fun, right?
As someone who has been a lifelong fan of Final Fantasy, World of Final Fantasy was specifically designed for people like me, and I love Square Enix for it. Respectful of its heritage, but creative with how it presents it, this game has had a far more meaningful impact on me than almost any other game I’ve played this year. So, thank you, Square Enix. It feels like a gift.