Ryan Reilly

Yakuza Zero is a game that is so many different things that it’s hard to pinpoint its greatest strength. A game of many faces and opportunities for enjoyment. Virtually every aspect of the game is well executed. For me this game is about flying fists and fits of laughter. That’s where it strikes a chord with me. Is that all it has to offer? Not even close, my friend. The world of Yakuza 0 is incredibly dense so expect 50 to 150 hours of gameplay AT BARE MINIMUM. At times it can be brutal, and compassionate. Serious, and silly. Whatever it is, it’s hilarious and soulful with much wisdom contained in its proverbial arsenal without ever taking itself or its message too seriously. The main storyline is very intense in its sense of gravitas and maintains a sense of focus while mini games and side quests generally provide a bit of counterpoint in the form of levity. It’s a contrast that works. If things get too intense, just help a few people with side missions. Who knows. You may see a few familiar faces... You’ll spend time upgrading your fighting skills to remain relevant in combat but unlike most beat em ups within the genre, the fighting aspect of the game, while fluid and engaging, becomes less interesting than the opportunities for improvement it encourages. You’ll find the quickest way to make a buck ... and how to lose it. It’s tough living on the mean streets but it’s also fun as hell. There is opportunity there and it’s limited only by your own understanding of the games mechanics. So many moving parts here but these elements are coordinated with utmost care. The action is pretty incredible in that it’s a beat em up with rpg and adventure elements. A throwback in all possible respects with updated graphics, text and production. The main storyline campaign is intense and drives you to want to understand the motivations and perspectives of the characters along with what it means to endure and be subjected to the horrors of life as a thug, kingpin, real estate developer... and budding movie producer. As I’ve said yakuza zero is a game with many hats so wear whatever feels right and you are sure to have a good time. The character building works because the approach is sincere and emotionally driven. Some of it is pretty over the top but it nails being emotionally sincere when it matters. It’s a very emotionally dynamic game but is it fun? Hell yes it’s fun. The controls are intuitive and simple to command. Tactics become important on the higher difficulties. It’s seldom this much fun to throw kicks and punches at enemies. If you enjoy the beat em up genre and cultural nuances and Japanese eccentricities then you’ll be in high heaven! You can’t make a game much better than Yakuza Zero.

Lost Legacy does just about everything right. It’s not as long as some of the other Uncharted games in the series but it doesn’t need to be. I really want to comment on the graphics and the art design. It seems so few games utilize the hdr technology properly. This one does. It’s the best looking game for ps4 if I’m to be honest. Lush. The art design for the game is virtually unassailable. It’s almost miraculous how good this game looks and plays. Sweeping valleys, moss covered peaks, and incredible looking virtual expanses everywhere you turn. For a while I felt like I was in a dream because you never anticipate a game meeting the limits of your sense of beauty and imagination. This one needs to be seen to be believed. Gameplay is sharp. Exploration is fun. There is so much for your eyeballs to experience. The narration and writing is, like always with Uncharted games, wonderful and emotionally affecting. The scope of the art design simply met my needs and then some. Fantastic game.

Wow. Not sure what I was expecting here but my eyes are in heaven right now. From a technical standpoint alone this game has some problems. The graphics are not the best and there are many times where there is screen tearing and random dropouts. Some of the characters do not even load properly. Though these are pretty annoying things they in no way are a match for the type of game Eastshade aspires to be and is successfully able to establish in almost all meaningful cases. This game is something special for being under 3 gb of space. The art assets are used with magnificent efficiency in setting a unique color and tone in building a beautiful world. It is incredibly artistic in theme and execution. The world and terrain design are impeccable, with great dynamic contrast displayed between a wide assortment of colorful flora and fauna. The lighting systems are wicked good. While I’m speaking of ‘light’, there is a lighthearted intimacy in this game that I haven’t believed possible until now. In the music, the sound, the story, the characters... Flowers will pop out at you, dialogue will make you chuckle, the sea will glisten with the amber glow of the afternoon sun, waterfalls and fountains babble pleasantly in the background, sailboats in the distance seem to smile at you, a strange cat-creature meditating on a raft of balloon flowers amidst reefs and the flowing waters of a nearby river talking in a slow cockney drawl will not only surprise but enchant you. Not enough games take such an artistic approach to framing scenery but it makes so much sense here as you will be painting these landscapes to progress in the game. This game is gentle in every facet. In the age of dark souls such a game may initially seem out of place. I would make the argument that this is the kind of game we need in the time we live in. There is so much turbulence in our social and political order that we need games not only for playing, but for healing. If video games have a potential as therapy for our soul, then I can think of no example that better illustrates this fact than Eastshade. The characters in this game are charming. The dialogue is light hearted and amusing. The writing is typically well done and funny. The voice acting is phenomenal. This is a game worthy of getting lost in. This is a game to chill to and to find peace in. This is a game we didn’t know we needed. The music and environmental sound effects, accentuated by flowing melodies and dynamic environmental water effects, sooth the savage, tired soul and provide fantastic immersion to accompany outstanding visuals. Also. This game needs vr support. It’s design would make it a perfect addition to the psvr library. Do yourself a favor. Get lost in this game. It’s freaking sexy.

I think we all had reservations about the ff7 remake. How could a remake of one of the most beloved rpg’s of all time live up to the original? There were pretty lofty expectations to fulfill amidst the doubt of Final Fantasy fanbois, myself included. Amazingly, the ff7 remake lives up to the hype and delivers on all the magic of the original and then some. Painstaking effort has gone into re-imagining the characters of the world and the end result is nothing short of spectacular. Opting for micro instead of macro, the developers have created main characters and bit players that exude a sense of emotional nuance that was greatly lacking in the original. You learn more about them in greater capacity and this pays off dividends as the story plays out. The graphics are easily the best of this console generation. The arrangements of Masashi Hamauzu shine in nearly every circumstance. Battles are engaging and fun. I could write a thesis on how good this game is but I think it’s better to leave it at that. It’s not only a great game but it’s an important one and shows how far games have come while also shining a light on the magical premise of nostalgia. Simply put, you owe it to yourself to check this game out.

If you love Star Wars and Dark Souls then you will love this game. Very emotional storytelling along with amazing music and solid gameplay. It exceeded expectations in virtually all respects.