And more!
Look, E3 is coming up soon and that means we’re about to get super excited about games. Let’s take a minute and be thankful for the games we have right now, ok?
Kero Blaster (PC [reviewed], iPhone)
Developer: Studio Pixel
Publisher: Playism
Released: May 11, 2014
MSRP: $7.99 (PC) $4.99 (iPhone)
If Cave Story was Amaya’s answer to Super Metroid, Kero Blaster is his Mega Man X. It’s dense and perfectly paced, just begging to be replayed over and over. If I were to have to introduce someone to the genre of 2D action/platformers, it is probably the game that I’d give them, as it starts off easy-yet-engaging, and ends with giant bosses, swarms of enemies on screen, and everything else you could want in the genre. It’s a game you may beat in a day, but will be playing off and on for a lifetime.
Verdict: 9/10 – Read the full Kero Blaster review
Moon Chronicles: Episode 1 (Nintendo 3DS)
Developer: Renegade Kid
Publisher: Renegade Kid
Released: May 15, 2014
MRSP: $8.99
It’s really difficult to give Moon Chronicles a strong appraisal one way or the other. It’s far from a stellar experience, but isn’t a bad one either. There just isn’t anything here that hasn’t been done better elsewhere, and I can’t see anyone other than FPS-starved 3DS owners or hardcore fans of the original being too interested.
Verdict: 6/10 – Read the full Moon Chronicles: Episode 1 review
Wolfenstein: The New Order (PC, PS3, PS4 [reviewed], Xbox 360, Xbox One)
Developer: MachineGames
Publisher: Bethesda Softworks
Release Date: May 20, 2014
MSRP: $59.99
In many ways, Wolfenstein: The New Order is “First-Person Shooters: The Game,” but it gets most of the important details right. It’s still weird to me seeing Wolf games developed over and over by new devs, but MachineGames did a great job adapting the franchise in its own way. With a few tweaks, the next iteration could be something truly special.
Verdict: 7.5/10 – Read the full Wolfenstein: The New Order review
Drakengard 3 (PS3)
Developer: Access Games
Publisher: Square Enix
Release Date: May 20, 2014
MSRP: $59.99
It’s not too challenge of a game all things considered, because the difficulty curve is meticulously designed to not overwhelm or frustrate players. It’s well made to the point where you won’t feel like everything is too easy, and if you really need that extra edge to overcome a certain task, you can go back and level-up with sidequests. If you want to do everything you’ll probably find yourself around a 100-hour completion rate, but the story is roughly at the 40-hour mark.
Drakengard 3 is a bit unconventional at times (like its developer) with tales of extreme hair cutting and dragon piss, but action fans will want to seek this one out immediately. Within 15 minutes I was drawn into its world and its cast of characters, and I wanted to see Zero’s journey through from start to finish. If you like games like Nier, you’ll loveDrakengard 3.
Verdict: 8.5/10 – Read the full Drakengard 3 review
Transistor (PS4, PC [reviewed])
Developer: Supergiant Games
Publisher: Supergiant Games
Release: May 20, 2014
MRSP: $19.99 / £14.99
While Transistor initially feels like a whole new game, structurally it sticks closely toBastion. Both games feature a beautiful but abandoned city that has undergone huge tragedy. In Bastion it was called the Calamity; in Transistor, it’s dubbed The Process. Both feature areas where the player can rest and take stock; Red finds special doors which take her to a deserted island where challenge rooms are located (much like the Proving Grounds in Bastion). If the game isn’t sufficiently challenging, Limiters can be installed that will make things harder for Red but at the benefit of gaining extra XP or other bonuses. These can be installed like Functions, swapped in and out at access points, but work the same way as the Idols in Bastion.
Verdict: 8.5/10 – Read the full Transistor review
R-Type Dimensions (PS3 [reviewed], Xbox 360)
Developer: Irem, Tozai Games
Publisher: Tozai Games
Released: May 20, 2014
MSRP: $9.99
If you have any fondness for the series, or if you’re just looking for a solid side-scrolling shooter that’s about as hard as can be, R-Type Dimensions faithfully re-creates the original experience and before long you’ll be wondering why you did this to yourself.
Verdict: 9/10 – Read the full R-Type Dimensions review
