Thursday, August 25, 2016

Most Overlooked Current Gen Games - Part Three

The Most Overlooked series of articles is one of the longest series ever seen on SuperPhillip Central. And as long as there are games that don't get the due attention they deserve, then this article series will keep on keepin' on. Today's edition is part three of our look at the games on the PlayStation 4 and Xbox One that have slipped through the cracks, being overlooked by the mainstream market for the most part. To check out past editions of Most Overlooked Current Gen Games, look no further than part one and part two.

TrackMania: Turbo (PS4, XB1)


We kick part three of Most Overlooked Current Gen Games with a release from earlier this year, TrackMania: Turbo. The game features the similar arcade-style racing gameplay of past games with over 200 unique tracks to speed through. Turbo's focus is on performing stunts while racing through tracks that generally don't take any longer than a minute to complete. However, getting gold medals on tracks is all about that perfect run. With the ability to play cooperatively with friends or in split screen with up to four players, something that makes it stand out as the first game of its type on both the PlayStation 4 and Xbox One, as well as create your own tracks, TrackMania: Turbo is a super-charged arcade racer that like a lightning fast race car, many gamers blinked and missed it.

Digimon Story: Cyber Sleuth (PS4, Vita)


The fifth game in the Digimon Story series, Cyber Sleuth brought the Digimon sub-series to a home console for the very first time, offering a JRPG absolutely drenched with content. While the turn-based battle system doesn't innovate exponentially, and the dungeon design is a tad linear, what Digimon Story: Cyber Sleuth does get exceptionally right is being an overall entertaining experience for fans of the Digimon series as well as those who love a traditional RPG with lots of longevity. Seriously, you can enjoy Digimon Story; Cyber Sleuth upwards of 100 hours, and that includes the bonus New Game Plus mode that allows you to keep all of your collected Digimon, money, and more.

Hand of Fate (PS4, XB1, PC)


Card-based gameplay in video games in nothing new. We've seen it in games like Baten Kaitos and Lost Kingdoms, for instance. However, the Defiant Development-crafted Hand of Fate takes card-based gameplay to a new frontier, offering a tabletop card game experience brought to life. Here, the game blends that experience with rogue-like gameplay and action-RPG combat. The ability to customize your own deck is here, allowing you to build unique strategies to fit the given situation at hand (no pun intended) as you go on an adventure to take on 13 different bosses to complete the game. Hand of Fate encourages multiple play-throughs which only further sweetens the proverbial pot. Those looking for a card game unlike any other, be sure to check out the digital delight that is Hand of Fate.

Super Mega Baseball (PS4, PS3, XB1, PC)


With the Major League Baseball season racing towards the finish line, perhaps you're searching for a baseball game to play that is easier to pick up and play than a simulation-style game like MLB; The Show. Now, while Metalhead Software's Super Mega Baseball lacks the licensing of Major League Baseball, what it does offer is arcade baseball goodness that harks back to the glory days when baseball games were easy to pick up a controller and enjoy with buddies or by your lonesome. Nonetheless, don't think that Super Mega Baseball is overly basic. It's not. It delivers the full baseball experience, giving you full control of every player on the field, even allowing the customization of all 216 on the various teams in the game. With Super Mega Baseball, Metalhead Software hit it out of the park.

Kick & Fennick (PS4, XB1, Wii U, Vita)


Kick & Fennick is a touching adventure, starring a boy and a helper robot that he encounters in a mysterious lab setting. Together, the two assist each other through a concrete jungle of skyscrapers and buildings while being pursued by a large robot. Kick & Fennick's way of mobilization is quite unlike any other game. Kick has a special propulsion cannon of sorts that can be used to shoot him at various angles to reach new platforms that he otherwise wouldn't be able to access, as the game provides no basic jump button. The player can shoot Kick into the air, and then launch him a second time in midair. Careful precision movements and timing are required to get through later levels where the hazards are quite challenging to dodge and evade. Full of dozens of well designed levels, beautiful visuals, an innovative gameplay premise, and lots of secrets to unlock, Kick & Fennick is a great game that deserves more attention.

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