One-Sentence Reviews - Volume Four

We have gotten a lot of good feedback regarding this segment. You'd wonder why it's been over a year since we've last done it, then, wouldn't you! It's One-Sentence Reviews, where we take thirty games and try to summarize our thoughts about them and criticize them in one sentence. Sure, we occasionally do a run-on sentence here and there, but that's all right. Some of these games listed have already had in-depth reviews, and many of the games will be reviewed with more detail later. Regardless, let's jump right into this and enjoy ourselves, shall we?

"While nowhere near the game of the generation, The Last of Us is an epic thrill ride from beginning to end." The Last of Us (PS3)

"Columbia is such an awesome place to explore, and the gameplay of BioShock Infinite is a step up from so many others of the competition." BioShock Infinite (PS3, 360, PC)

"Featuring some pretty sensational set pieces, puzzles, and action, this prequel to the God of War trilogy is an adrenaline rush most of the time." God of War: Ascension (PS3)

"Questionable Dante design change aside, DmC: Devil May Cry is an uptempo action game that will get the player's palms sweaty for sure." DmC: Devil May Cry (PS3, 360, PC)

"Forget Resident Evil 6, Revelations is the game that deserves that name and the accolades." Resident Evil: Revelations (Wii U, PS3, 360, PC)

"The inclusion of a casual mode allows the latest Fire Emblem to be accessible to all player skill levels, making it one of our favorite installments." Fire Emblem: Awakening (3DS)

"Most mini-game collections lack depth, but Nintendo Land not has depth, but it is an excellent showcase of both the Wii U GamePad and the asymmetrical gameplay of the system." Nintendo Land (Wii U)

"Our favorite Wii U game, LEGO City Undercover is packed with content, things to do on every street corner, and a story with humor that branches all ages." LEGO City Undercover (Wii U)

"We hesitate to say how incredibly great Xenoblade Chronicles is because it will just make those without the game feel bad (and have to pay through the nose to get a copy)." Xenoblade Chronicles (Wii)

"Featuring some great track design, terrific retro track choices, kart customization, and all-new gliding and underwater sections, the latest Mario Kart is a tour de force for kart racers." Mario Kart 7 (3DS)

"Containing ultra-repetitive gameplay and missions that really outwear their welcome, Project X Zone isn't the dream crossover game we were hoping for." Project X Zone (3DS)

"Shooting and loot makes for a marvelously addicting time, and Borderlands 2 is just that." Borderlands 2 (PS3, 360, PC)

"While Grand Theft Auto IV moved more towards realism to a detriment of that game, Saints Row: The Third simply got even more off the wall and crazy, and that was a truly good thing." Saints Row: The Third (PS3, 360, PC)

"Platinum Games makes dicing and slicing through enemies (and watermelons) an absolute blast in this high octane action game." Metal Gear Rising: Revengeance (PS3, 360, PC)

"Perhaps the only strong points of Final Fantasy XIII are the excellent soundtrack and graphics." Final Fantasy XIII (PS3, 360)

"Taking the franchise from Bungie and making it their own was no easy task, but 343 Industries managed to create a stellar entry in the Halo franchise." Halo 4 (360)

"A great kart racer that is only marred by technical issues and certain tracks being difficult to ascertain where you need to go." Sonic & All-Stars Racing Transformed (Wii U, PS3, 360, PC, 3DS, PSV)

"It took 300 hours of gameplay before we got a little burned out on this game, so that should tell you exactly how great and addicting Animal Crossing: New Leaf really is." Animal Crossing: New Leaf (3DS)

"Possessing RPG elements, a wonderful selection of some of the greatest video game music ever, and addicting gameplay, Theatrhythm Final Fantasy is one of our favorite rhythm games of all time." Theatrhythm Final Fantasy (3DS)

"Showcasing the greatness of the Wii MotionPlus, Wii Sports Resort features excellent motion controls and fun for the whole family." Wii Sports Resort (Wii)

"A game that starts out really slowly, Harvest Moon 3D eventually peps up and creates for the player one of the grandest Harvest Moon experiences to date on any platform." Harvest Moon 3D: A New Beginning (3DS)

"A great collector's item and a fun interpretation of the classic Cave Story, Cave Story 3D is not a necessity to play, as the cheaper versions are just as fun." Cave Story 3D (3DS)

"The Wii U version of the game is the definitive version, due to it being the one that was cancelled." Aliens: Colonial Marines (PS3, 360, PC)

"The mission to create a competent Call of Duty game on the PlayStation Vita is an utter failure." Call of Duty: Black Ops - Declassified (PSV)

"This enhanced version of the overlooked Wii game, Muramasa: The Demon Blade, plays great, looks sensational, and has a good amount of content for solo players." Muramasa Rebirth (PSV)

"While this game started Dimps' fetish with throwing as many bottomless pits as possible into levels, Sonic Rush is a fast-paced platformer with great music." Sonic Rush (DS)

"A bigger and better game than its predecessor, Sonic the Hedgehog 2 introduced more zones, more challenge, and the addition of Tails." Sonic the Hedgehog 2 (GEN)

"It is nice seeing Mega Man in the 32-bit era, and he looks absolutely sensational (plays well, too)." Mega Man 8 (PS1, SAT)

"See the origins of the Metroid series in this game where the hallways are so similar it makes exploration incredibly challenging, and not in the good way." Metroid (NES)

"While no one can replace Mike Tyson, Mr. Dream's iteration of Punch-Out!! is just as difficult, engaging, and entertaining to play." Punch-Out!! Featuring Mr. Dream (NES)

===

If you'd like to take a look at past installments of One-Sentence Reviews, look no further than the following links:

Volume One

Volume Two

Volume Three

Jumpin' June: Eight Games to Look Out for This Month

A new month begins tomorrow, so it's time take a look at eight of the more interesting games to have their release dates planned for the month of June. Generally the summertime is home to the weakest releases. Not true this year. June is absolutely packed with software, and this list of eight is to help you pick and choose which titles are best for you and your wallet. As always, dates are subject to change, and these dates are only for North America. What will you be buying this month, if anything?

Remember Me (Multi)
Release Date: 6/4

Generally it's the start of a new generation that we get new franchises and IPs, but this generation we have Capcom bestowing us with Remember Me, an intriguing futuristic title with a mix of platforming, stealth, exploration, and combat in the hand-to-hand variety. A new gameplay mechanic known as "memory remixing" has you entering the memories of a character and rearranging them for a different outcome. You can also nab the memories of other characters in order to progress through the game. Remember Me is an innovative new IP that seems really interesting and worth looking into. Let's hope the promising gameplay mechanics are executed well.

Marvel Heroes (PC)
Release Date: 6/4

How does a free-to-play MMO/ARPG starring the Marvel universe sound to you? Well, we can't speak for you, but to us it makes our mouths water. Of course, there will be micro-transactions (Marvel's gotta eat somehow, right?), but players need not spend a dime to experience the full options of Marvel Heroes. Unlockable characters include Captain America, Wolverine, The Incredible Hulk and Iron Man, as you play through a Diablo-style game and a story that pits your superheroes against the diabolical Dr. Doom. With a story written by the great Brian Michael Bendis (who worked on our favorite Marvel comic series Ultimate Spider-Man), Marvel Heroes is incredibly appealing to us, and no doubt fans of the Marvel Comics universe.

Animal Crossing: New Leaf (3DS)
Release Date: 6/9

Animal Crossing: City Folk was criticized heavily for being way too similar to the DS installment, Wild World. This was quite true, so the creators of the newest iteration of the Animal Crossing series, New Leaf, have taken the criticism to heart and crafted a totally rebooted style of play. In Animal Crossing: New Leaf you're the mayor of a town, allowing you to make the important decisions of your bustling burg. You can also customize clothing, furniture, and for the first time ever, the full appearance of your own house. The amount of things to do in this edition of Animal Crossing greatly surpasses past games completely, making for a game that will not only last players all summer long but all year long.

The Last of Us (PS3)
Release Date: 6/14

Another new IP to cap off the end of a wonderful (and long) generation, Naughty Dog's The Last of Us is one PlayStation 3 exclusive that PS3 owners are feverishly anticipating. And why wouldn't they when you have the creators of Jak & Daxter and Uncharted making the game? Journey across a post-apocalyptic United States as Joel and Ellie as they do their best to fight for survival-- by any means necessary. Pending on the circumstances, Naughty Dog has it so enemies will react accordingly to the player. if Joel is reloading, enemies will take the opportunity to go after him. It's this level of genius AI that makes The Last of Us so compelling. Well, for some people, that and the intense violence.

Game & Wario (Wii U)
Release Date: 6/23

Mini-game collections are no stranger to Nintendo platforms, and quite frankly many have long since grown tired of them. That said, Game & Wario looks like a satisfying and entertaining party game featuring sixteen unique mini-games, all of which utilize the Wii U GamePad in innovative and enjoyable ways. For instance, in Ski, you control Jimmy T while he skis through a path of twists and turns, twisting the GamePad to maneuver the character. These games earn the player tokens which can spent in the Cluck-a-Pop capsule machine to earn new toys and gadgets. Game & Wario was originally devised to be a pack-in game with the Wii U, so we'll see if Nintendo changing that up was the smart decision when the game releases on June 23.

Deadpool (Multi)
Release Date: 6/25

Who is awesome besides Deadpool? Why, no one, that's who. The game Deadpool stars the titular character shooting and using melee moves to take out enemies of all shapes and sizes. It's a third-person action game where as the game progresses, Deadpool will learn new combos to use on the lackeys he comes across. That's not where the fun ends either, as Deadpool loves to break the fourth wall, and will often critique the player's progress. This M-rated title is sure to excite fans of the humorous comic book character with a bloodlust.

Project X Zone (3DS)
Release Date: 6/25

A game that we wished would be localized actually did get localized, much to our immense surprise. We were halfheartedly thinking Project X Zone could be localized, and then the announcement came. Regardless, Project X Zone is a crossover title featuring characters from Namco Bandai, Capcom, and SEGA. In total, there are over 200 unique characters being represented (both playable and non-playable) in the game from dozens upon dozens of video game franchises. The actual gameplay consists of grid-based maps and real-time battles, making for some absolutely positively splendid action. We are without a doubt excited to finally get our hands on this game that many thought would never reach our side of the Pacific.

Muramasa Rebirth (PSV)
Release Date: 6/25

Muramasa Rebirth is a remake of the 2009 Nintendo Wii Vanillaware game Muramasa: The Demon Blade. The Wii version already looked absolutely gorgeous with its vibrant art style, and that was in standard definition. Muramasa Rebirth will feature all of the content of the Wii game, including four new scenarios and four new playable characters. The icing on the cake is seeing the glorious beauty of the game on the PlayStation Vita's jaw-dropping OLED screen. Feel envious of Vita owners, Wii gamers, as this is the definitive Muramasa experience.