One & Done: Games Without Sequels - Part Four

Welcome to the return of One & Done, an article series on SPC that talks about games that never became franchises. They were literally one and done! Now, the purpose of these articles isn't to beg for sequels, as some of these games don't need them and not every game needs to become a franchise. Instead, we're just exploring and fondly remembering these terrific titles from generations' past and giving them some more time in the old spotlight.

Speaking of the old spotlight, check out the games featured in the spotlight on past editions of One & Done with these links:

Part One
Part Two
Part Three

The Last Story (Wii)

From the creator of Final Fantasy, Hironobu Sakaguchi, comes a game with a title that really WAS the final, last, and only game in the IP--unlike Final Fantasy. It's none other than The Last Story. It's a shame that Nintendo of America did not decide to localize the title during the Wii era, as not only could the game been a strong release when the system was winding down in popularity, but it's just an excellent game outright. Xseed Games ended up localizing and releasing The Last Story in North America, and it's a great thing that the publisher did, as Wii owners would have missed out on this ode to classic RPGs with modern window dressing. Between the highly capable and deep combat system with an action-RPG feel, and its abundance of quests to highlight the cast of characters, The Last Story remains a solid RPG, not just for the Wii, but in today's market as well.

Opoona (Wii)

We go from a classic-style RPG on the Wii to one that's quite the refreshing and utterly adorable type with the Koei-published Opoona. The big thing that distinguished Opoona from its contemporaries--other than the obvious whimsical characters with floating orbs over their heads--was the ability to play the game solely with the Wii Nunchuk, if one desired, harkening back to days and nights of playing PS1 RPGs with that one-handed controller, if you remember that. The Nunchuk wasn't just for ease of playing with one hand, one used it to flick forward to attack enemies with projectiles, whose firing angles could be altered based on the combat situation. No worries, though, if motion controls aren't for you, as Opoona does allow the Classic Controller to be used. Though Opoona never received a sequel, the character has appeared in another game: Warriors All-Stars aka Musou Stars in Japan.

Puppeteer (PS3)

Most likely mentioned in one of SPC's Most Overlooked games articles, Puppeteer had the ill fortune of releasing on the PlayStation 3 after the launch of the system's successor, the PlayStation 4. While many PlayStation gamers had moved on to the new hotness that was the PS4, Puppeteer was left to languish on store shelves and out of the spotlight completely. It's a shame because Puppeteer was yet another insanely creative and crafty platformer from PlayStation's excellent first-party studios, this time around Japan Studio. Protagonist Kutaro wielded a mighty pair of shears to slash and slice through the game's myriad levels and fascinating worlds. Speaking of which, the whole world was a stage essentially, as Puppeteer was presented with a clever play-like atmosphere, complete with curtains and the occasional audience. Sony hasn't forgotten Kutaro or Puppeteer, thankfully, as one familiar with the game can see a callback to the game--among many, many other PlayStation games--inside the PlayStation 5 pack-in title Astro's Playroom.

Jeanne d'Arc (PSP)

Jeanne d'Arc has all the makings of an awesome game--tactical RPG, based on the story of Joan of Arc (albeit decidedly incredibly loose in its interpretation), beautiful visuals, and Level-5 as the developer back when it had better success stories. Fortunately, with all of these makings of an awesome game came... an awesome game! There are influences from lots of games within Jeanne d'Arc's genre, such as Fire Emblem most notably with its rock, paper, scissors-like affinity system, and it made for strategic and quite frankly, satisfyingly challenging battles! All of this was balanced wonderfully with battles that weren't slow and plodding but instead fast and fluid in their pace. Really, Jeanne d'Arc stands with the greatest tactical titles in the PSP's impressive arsenal, including the greatest of them all (in this writer's opinion, at least) Final Fantasy Tactics: War of the Lions.

Sphinx and the Cursed Mummy (Multi)

Alternating between two different playable characters, Sphinx and--if it wasn't obvious from the title--a mummy who was originally a prince who received a curse from the game's main villain. While Sphinx's sections play out like a traditional Zelda-like with action-focused combat, exploration, and dungeon-crawling--and who can't have enough of those!--the mummy's sections were dungeon-based but focused heavily on puzzles, particularly involving the mummy being crushed, shocked, set ablaze, and all other manners of non-painful torture to make progress. Although Sphinx and the Cursed Mummy originally released back in the PlayStation 2 era, the game recently received a remastered version on the Nintendo Switch, which by the by, the above screenshots come from. Is it possible we'll see more from Sphinx in the future?

Geist (GCN)

The final game of this edition of One & Done is a first-person shooter with a fresh possession mechanic, though one that wasn't executed to its full potential. It's the GameCube's Geist. The game's story was one of conspiracies and a protagonist whose specter was separated from its body, allowing them to freely enter all sorts of objects and living creatures. The latter, however, had to be spooked first in order to be possessed. So, in essence, part of Geist wasn't just focused on high-octane action with run and gun blasting at baddies, but also puzzle aspects in how to approach possessing specific targets. Geist is an idea that again, wasn't executed perfectly, as the game was quite linear. I would have loved to see more freedom in tackling challenges rather than the game having just one way to go about accomplishing things, but overall, it was an enjoyable shooter published by Nintendo in an era of interesting titles published by the world's biggest game creator.

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What games without sequels are your favorites? Do you want to see sequels to them? Let the SPC community know your thoughts in the comments section below.

The "Worst" Things About SuperPhillip Central's Favorite Games IV

Didn't I just say yesterday that there's enough negativity in our hobby, and now here's an article called "The 'Worst' Things About SuperPhillip Central's Favorite Games IV"? Hypocrite much?

No worries, gang, as I'm delving into some personal favorite games of mine, doing my best to pick out what I feel is the strongest negative for each. With some games it's much harder than others! On this fourth installment of this nearly three-year-old series, games like Super Mario Odyssey, Ratchet & Clank, and Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas are featured.

Check out past volumes here:

Volume One
Volume Two
Volume Three

Super Mario Odyssey (NSW)

We begin with a duo of 3D platformers. The first is a game that got runner-up for Game of the Year at the SuperPhillip Central Best of 2017 Awards. (The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild barely beat it.) I'm talking about Super Mario Odyssey, a delightfully masterful platforming adventure that spanned the entire world, as well as parts of space.

The precision, fluidity, responsiveness, and tightness of the controls made for an exceptional game to play. Mario had a brand-new assortment of moves in addition to his repertoire of classics dating back all the way to Super Mario 64 in 1996. One could pull off some very impressive platforming feats with a combination of maneuvers both grounded and in midair.

Many challenges in Super Mario Odyssey could be completed normally with these analog controls. However, the optional motion controls, used for getting extra height on jumps, for instance, weren't so optional for some players, if they wanted to get every Power Moon in the game. Certain racing challenges for Power Moons would be close to impossible for certain players if they didn't shake the JoyCon controllers to give a boost to Mario's roll, and specific Power Moons would be much more difficult to reach without the aid of JoyCon-shaking to scurry up poles at a quicker pace. Now, no Power Moon in Super Mario Odyssey is designed with motion controls exclusively in mind, but without them, several Power Moons can be quite the pain in our favorite plumber's backside to attain.

Ratchet & Clank (PS4)

We move from a runner-up 3D platformer for SPC's Game of the Year of 2017 to the winner of SPC's Game of the Year for 2016: Ratchet & Clank for the PlayStation 4, the official game of the official movie, with the official lombax and the official robot buddy.

Ratchet & Clank's 2016 romp is a part-platformer, part action game that sees the heroic duo move from planet to planet, cleaning up the mess that Chairman Drek and his cronies have left behind in their wake. For the most part, the action remains steady and the pacing of the game keeps chugging along. That is until you get to some of the slower sections within this series reboot that ends up breaking the flow a little bit.

I'm referring to the Trespasser puzzles within Ratchet & Clank. While these are a lot of fun to solve the first time around, the Ratchet & Clank games generally are meant to be played through multiple times in order to routinely save up bolts to acquire all weapons, as well as level up said weapons through continued use, and to unlock all of the trophies (if you're into that like I am, that is). Playing through the game the second, third, fourth, etc. time and constantly being met with Trespasser puzzles that you've already solved in a prior play-through and must solve them in the current play-through is a real chore.

With Trespasser puzzles, you rotate multiple circles. The inner circle shoots out lasers. The goal is to have each laser hit a receptor in order to clear the puzzle and unlock the door you're not supposed to enter (at least by the standards of the person who originally locked it). Later puzzles introduce more lasers and receptors, as well as shields that block lasers from reaching receptors, so they have to be rotated correctly, too. Despite these slow periods in the game devoted to the Trespasser, Ratchet & Clank is still a top notch game, and the best release I played in 2016.

Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas (PS2)

%#$^ that side mission Supply Lines on the PlayStation 2 version of Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas!! There. It felt good to let that out. Did it get your attention as well? Then, I killed two birds with one stone!

Supply Lines is a side mission in San Andreas where David Lynch will constantly tell you that his voiced character's humiliation is complete after you fail the mission. Over and over. And over. And over. Again.

The goal of Supply Lines is to take out a handful of vans driving around different routes in San Fierro while you pilot a remote controlled plane with a gun attached to it. The RC plane has limited fuel, and it's so limited in the PlayStation 2 version that you have to pretty much perform a perfect run just to take out all of the vans--timing their locations correctly--and land at the ending point to clear the mission.

Supply Lines was so badly balanced and challenging in the original PlayStation 2 version of Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas that Rockstar made the mission significantly easier in all future versions, beginning with the Xbox port. My completed run of the O.G. Supply Lines is worn like a badge of honor... Or tremendous patience. One or the other.

Killzone: Mercenary (Vita)

Unlike Grand Theft Auto post-III, I never really got into Guerrilla Games's Killzone franchise. I know Killzone 2 was a showstopper with its amazing (for the time) visuals and presentation at one of the various E3s in the past, but it just didn't appeal to me. It was a poster boy for that generation at that time where brown and grey were popular colors to use, and Killzone 2 was the epitome of that.

However, when I got my PlayStation Vita, I was yearning for a game that would incorporate those dual analogs on the system into a competent first-person shooter. Call of Duty Black Ops: Declassified failed to be a critical darling (it was the complete opposite, in fact), so I steered clear of that one. Then, Killzone: Mercenary launched, and despite its acclaim from the media and gamers, I was still skeptical. That was until I got my hands on the game, played through it, and loved every hour of it.

The issue here is that there weren't a lot of hours to be had in the main campaign. Instead, the game's nine chapters were over quite quickly. For those who don't care about replay value--replaying and completing missions with three checklists of tasks, making for at least three runs per level total--then there wasn't much to be found in the single player campaign. I've read a lot of criticism about this aspect of the game, and it's understandable criticism for those who don't care to replay the same missions only with different rules and objectives to them. Still, Killzone: Mercenary is a stellar shooter nonetheless.

Kid Icarus: Uprising (3DS)

Pit's return in Super Smash Bros. Brawl for Wii after many decades on hiatus from his own series, Kid Icarus, was a shock to say the least. The popularity of the character and Smash director Masahiro Sakurai's desire to make a game in the Kid Icarus universe led to the franchise being reborn with the Nintendo 3DS hit Kid Icarus: Uprising. This game had it all: blistering fast action, great visuals for the Nintendo 3DS hardware, a stupendous soundtrack (one of my favorites of all time), both on-rails aerial action and ground-based combat/exploration, and yes, a control scheme that could really cramp up one's hands rather easily!

Kid Icarus: Uprising really needed a system with two analog sticks or at least better ergonomics, as holding the Nintendo 3DS with one hand while using the stylus to aim and shoot with the other was quite a bother for many players. When a game needs to ship with a plastic stand in order to ease the strain and burden put on the player's hands, it's probably a bad thing. Just thinking out loud, though. I, personally, found comfort by resting the system on my leg or in my lap while playing, but even still, I, among countless others, would adore seeing Kid Icarus: Uprising put on a platform that's much easier to hold without having to live with inconvenience and occasional suffering to enjoy it.

The Most Disappointing Video Game Sequels - Part Four

Getting one of these games in your stocking might make most of you wish you would have gotten coal instead! Games disappoint for all sorts of reasons, whether they're low quality, broken either mechanically or technically -- whatever you can think of, but the ones that follow up games that you really enjoyed might be the toughest to swallow. Imagine loving a game so much that you yearn for a sequel, and the sequel given to you is... less than spectacular -- and that's putting it mildly. That's what The Most Disappointing Video Game Sequels is all about, and we've reached Part Four of our tour of mediocre sequels. This edition we delve in to three 2017 releases as well as some ghosts of game sequels past.

Once you check out the latest entries on this list, explore the past three parts of this ongoing series, and sound off on which games you'd like to see added to future installments.

Part One
Part Two
Part Three

Star Wars Battlefront II (PS4, XB1, PC)

One's hype can be vanquished in an instant due to someone or somebody's greed. I was seriously hyped for Star Wars Battlefront II from EA and DICE due to the original PS2 Star Wars Battlefront games being my favorite Star Wars-related games of all time, next to Rogue Squadron. But like I said, hype can come crashing down to the ground in an instant like an AT-AT tied up by a snowspeeder's cable.

I have a select few multiplayer games I enjoy playing online. Star Wars Battlefront II looked to be one of them, but EA wanted players like me to fork out not just $60 to own the game, but even more money just to stand a fighting chance online. With pay-to-win loot boxes, that is exactly what EA had in store for players. It's a case of greed at its most distilled in gaming -- putting spending money over the actual balance of gameplay.

It was a decision that made me completely forgo looking into getting Star Wars Battlefront II, and I certainly wasn't alone in that decision either. The situation got so bad for EA that it decided to take loot boxes out of the game temporarily. To my cynical mind, it's merely to buy time for EA to decide a "better" solution that doesn't draw the publisher as much ire and bad publicity. Despite knowing that the actual gameplay of the newest Star Wars Battlefront is of good quality, I also know that I can't trust EA with its handling of this game.

Mass Effect: Andromeda (PS4, XB1, PC)

Together, EA and BioWare have seen a lot of success with the Mass Effect franchise. The trilogy sold remarkably well and was a critical darling. Until Mass Effect: Andromeda, the last Mass Effect game released was Mass Effect 3 in 2012. All the waiting, all the excitement, and all of the hype around the newest game in the Mass Effect franchise led to...

A dud. Mass Effect: Andromeda has become one of the big jokes of 2017, unfortunately, and primarily so due to being mired with a look of inconsistency. The game isn't broken from a gameplay metric, thankfully, but it can definitely be argued that it was initially from a technical one. From its one-week-early release to EA Origin members, myriad clips, videos, and GIFs poked fun at a plethora of creepy and bizarre facial animations that brought up some serious uncanny valley imagery. Bugs, glitches, and freezes plagued Andromeda from its release as well, making the massively budgeted Mass Effect: Andromeda another tale of an AAA game that was too big of a production for its own good.

As a series now, Mass Effect is in a state of limbo as a result of the negative commercial and critical reception to Andromeda. It would be quite a shame to see a franchise that seemed to always be of high quality get put on a long hiatus because of just one game. Then again, as we've seen with studios closing and franchises ending, all it takes is one game in this era of the video games industry.

Marvel vs. Capcom: Infinite (PS4, XB1, PC)

With this next game on the edition of Most Disappointing Video Game Sequels, we finally leave EA alone and focus on Capcom. Well, Marvel and Capcom, to be exact. The latest game in the fabled fighting game crossover, Marvel vs. Capcom: Infinite released this past fall, and it has a lot of good parts to it. The new improvements to the core mechanics of the series, such as the updated means to tag in allies, meant new means in increasing combos and damage output. The addition of the Infinity Stones added some new ways of interacting with opposing fighters and incorporating differing strategies as well.

However, not all was well with the new Marvel vs. Capcom, as evident by Infinite being on a list of most disappointing video game sequels. The most obvious of issues plagued every trailer and screenshot of the game. It was its presentation, offering drab visuals, "off" character designs, and just a flat look to it -- completely spitting in the face of what past Marvel vs. Capcom games possessed, whether the sharp 2D visuals and animations in Marvel vs. Capcom 2, or even the most release, the gorgeous cel-shaded comic book graphics of Ultimate Marvel vs. Capcom 3.

Then, there was the starting roster that was just begging to be ripped to shreds by critics and fans alike. Notable omissions like the 20th Century Fox-owned characters and even those Marvel vs. Capcom characters that were present in Ultimate Marvel vs. Capcom 3 but mysteriously absent from Infinite's roster also disappointed. Marvel vs. Capcom: Infinite made for a package that was not hard to take a pass on at launch with its full MSRP, and it seems that many did just that according to Capcom's missed projected sales target for the game.

Star Fox Zero (Wii U)

Now this one hurts for me to add to this list. While I personally enjoyed Star Fox Zero on the Wii U, it's no question that many people couldn't get their heads around using both a TV screen and the Wii U GamePad for different viewing angles. With the TV, Fox McCloud's vehicle such as the flight-based Arwing was shown, and with the GamePad, the vehicle's line of sight could be altered in a way otherwise impossible with a standard control setup. You could physically (and slightly) move the Wii U GamePad to alter the aim of your Arwing, Landmaster, or what have you. No longer did you have to point the tip of your ship towards enemies. You could unleash missiles and laser fire on them even if they were off the TV screen, a difficult proposition in Star Fox 64.

However, in using such a complex control, movement, and aiming scheme, Nintendo and Platinum Games really isolated many players from having full enjoyment with Star Fox Zero. This led to not only poor critical and fan feedback but also less than stellar sales, and we're already talking about a game that released on the already struggling Wii U that was furthermore on its way out.

Thus, not only may the Star Fox series not get a new sequel in the near future due to low sales, but what we even got out of Star Fox Zero was yet another retelling of the original Star Fox's story. It was hardly uncharted territory for the series, and going through the same story meant that no major new plot threads were expanded on. Now, we'll have to hope Shigeru Miyamoto and whomever else at Nintendo have a will to continue on with the series. So while I might have enjoyed Star Fox Zero personally, it wasn't worth taking on a brand-new, highly controversial control scheme to put the series' future in possible jeopardy.

Mega Man X7 (PS2)

One thing you can count on with the classic Mega Man series is that each entry is of assured quality. Sure, I might have my reservations with Mega Man 9's penchant for throwing spikes and pits everywhere as a means to make the game more difficult in a cheaper way, but all in all, the series is consistent in quality. I wish I could say the same about Mega Man X. That's a sub-series of games that I prefer over classic Mega Man, but it also has two stinkers in the bunch. I'm going to focus on X's jump into the third dimension and the PlayStation 2 generation with Mega Man X7.

X7 is a project of poor design and even worse execution. It attempted to bring the Mega Man X series from 2D to 3D, and in using both as the design foundation, it failed at doing either competently. In 2D sections, the gameplay and level design are substandard compared to the fluidity and placement of objects, enemies, and obstacles in the traditional sprite-based Mega Man X games. Meanwhile, the 3D portions are harmed by a wonky camera, the same camera that isn't serviceable enough to make the transition between 2D and 3D segments of levels without some hangups.

Then, there's the fact that the titular character isn't even available right from the start. You actually have to unlock X as a playable character, instead using a duo of Zero and newcomer Axl, who got bombarded with hate for taking X's place early on in the game, as well as being associated with the "Mega Man X7" name in the first place. It's commendable that Capcom tried to do something new with the Mega Man X sub-series, but the company wouldn't find a better solution until the game installment after.

Bomberman: Act Zero (360)

Sometimes trying new things with old franchises is good. Sometimes it's not. Definitely not. When you try to take a colorful cartoon mascot like Bomberman and turn him into a mature character meant to excite edgy teens or whoever, the end result is Bomberman: Act Zero, rated "T" for "Totally idiotic." Retro gaming fans know all about the world and characters of the Bomberman series: cute animals, explosive gameplay, terrific multiplayer, tight controls, dystopian future, dark hero with realistic proportions... Wait. What the heck did you folks do to Bomberman!?

"Negative" is almost too kind to describe what people who played Bomberman: Act Zero actually thought of the game. With load times long enough to write a comprehensive list of better Bomberman games you could playing at the moment instead of Act Zero, solid characters and objects that can pass through one another with no regard for collision detection, repetitive textures that make being stuck in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean looking at vast amounts of water seem more exciting, AI that is too good in one moment and just plain awful the next, and the inability to save your progress -- as if Konami was laughing at you for wasting your time on its game -- and you have a Bomberman game that was a total misfire. It was on a console where Konami perhaps thought maybe a Bomberman title could work if the game completely stripped itself of its own identity and followed the dark, gritty nonsense of the time. Thank goodness that Xbox 360 owners still had Bomberman Live!

First Things First: Best Openings in Gaming - Part Four

Last week we took a look at some of the best gaming title screens in gaming's history. Today, we're gazing our eyeballs at the thing that usually come at the start of the game, those wondrous game openings! If a title screen is a like a book's cover, then would that make an interesting opening its prologue chapter? Ooh, the analogies go deep here! This edition of Best Openings in Gaming features Persona 5 (we can't seem to get away from that game!), Final Fantasy Tactics (a series in general we can't seem to get away from), and Super Street Fighter IV, to start things off!

Check out the three previous parts of Best Openings in Gaming with these links:

Best Openings in Gaming - Part One
Best Openings in Gaming - Part Two
Best Openings in Gaming - Part Three

(And just click on each game name to watch its opening!)

Persona 5 (PS4, PS3)

Let's begin with a recent release that oozes style, from its title screen, to its characters, to its menus, and yes, to its opening. Persona 5's opening shows off the main cast involved in dancing and other shenanigans throughout a red, black, and white color schemed city. The characters are introduced one by one as they paint, dance, move mysteriously, type furiously, and grind through Tokyo. All the while an insanely catchy vocal theme plays. Despite its relatively brief 1 minute and 35 second running time, Persona 5 packs a lot of vivid imagery and magic into its opening.

Super Street Fighter IV (Multi)

Starting off with a sensational confrontation between Ryu and Ken in a heavily artistic clash along the coast, waves pounding, Hadokens launching, Super Street Fighter IV's opening mixes with pure fist and foot fighting with some moments of levity. Showcasing countless characters in engaging scenes like Chun-Li and Cammy taking on Juri, the aforementioned Ryu and Ken battle, and Cody breaking out of jail to be part of the festivities, this opening is one that has stayed with me and many Street Fighter IV fans long after the game came out and will continue doing so even with Street Fighter V being the newest flavor.

Nier (PS3, 360, PC)

Searching for a cure to his deathly-ill daughter, our main character in Nier isn't the typical protagonist for a Japanese game. He's quite old, and Nier's opening isn't your typical opening either. It shows off both story elements (though without context) and gameplay sequences, including lots and lots of action. The haunting choir theme that plays during everything makes the scenes even more striking and strong to witness. It gets one pumped to play Nier, and as its successor Nier: Automata recently shipped 1.5 million copies across retail and digital, what better time than the present to jump into the rousing and riveting adventure that was the original Nier?

Final Fantasy Tactics (PS1)

Of all of the openings on this edition's list, Final Fantasy Tactics' opening is probably my favorite of the bunch. I'll never forget the chills down my spine as the music went into a crescendo, the Final Fantasy Tactics name appeared letter by letter, and the main theme blared as the full name appeared. The opening itself is a means to show off the main staff of the game while showing a squad of Chocobo-riding soldiers on their way to a destination. Through forests, rock beds, plains, and more, the squad closes in on their desired location which ends up being a monastery. This will be the beginning to the flashback chapters of Final Fantasy Tactics, one of my favorite openings and one of my favorite games in the franchise.

Phantasy Star Online: Episode I & II (GCN, XBX)

Shifting from fantasy to phantasy, Phantasy Star Online: Episode I & II released on the Nintendo GameCube and Xbox with a totally different opening compared to the Dreamcast original. While the Dreamcast opening focused a lot on the events leading up to the story in the game, Episode I & II puts its focus on the world of the game and its characters, particularly its classes. The different classes are highlighted, showcasing their abilities and all the various combinations of costumes and weaponry players can outfit their custom character with. This is accented by a slightly altered but still powerful rendition of The Whole New World (No, not the Aladdin one). 

Gran Turismo 4 - JPN ver. (PS2)

While the North American version of Gran Turismo 4's opening enters into its own jam (specifically Van Halen's Panama) after the introduction of series theme Moon Over the Castle plays, the Japanese version of the game plays the entire piece. Gran Turismo 4 starts out like an indie art film, with a director who really, REALLY loves race cars. The pans and rotations around the various cars in landmarks locations and seeing a white majestic car pull out of the garage while the chorus sings is a glorious start to the opening. Then the rocking part of Moon Over the Castle jams in as fast-paced imagery flies by, views of tracks, cars effortlessly taking corners and turns, and races of unimaginable excitement. An opening as solid as the driving simulator the game markets itself as, Gran Turismo 4 has got the goods and wraps up this edition of Best Openings in Gaming. 

Most Overlooked Current Gen Games - Part Four

One of the longest running traditions of SuperPhillip Central is our Most Overlooked series of articles representing a wide range of video game platforms. The tradition continues with part four of our look at the most overlooked and/or underrated current generation games. This includes the PlayStation 4, Xbox One, and Wii U. Now possessing six games instead of just the standard of five, this edition of Most Overlooked is the biggest yet!

To check out past parts, look no further than these three links:

Current Gen - Part One
Current Gen - Part Two
Current Gen - Part Three

Gravity Rush 2 (PS4)

It was a definite delight to even see a sequel to the once-PlayStation Vita exclusive Gravity Rush. (It's now also available on PS4 in port form, but good luck finding a physical copy for retail price for a North American copy.) Gravity Rush 2 brought a return of the awesome heroine Kat and her powers to manipulate the gravity around her to not only navigate the game's world but also to battle enemies. Gravity Rush's world was big for the Vita, and in the PS4 exclusive sequel, the world for Kat to explore was even bigger. Using gravity to fly around remains one of my favorite ways to travel in a game of this type. Nonetheless, Gravity Rush 2 had the unfortunate side effect of being released in an absolutely packed first month and first quarter of solid game releases. Gravity Rush 2 was lost in the sea of stupendous games. However, if you're able to track down a copy, then you'll find yourself getting a different type of lost-- lost in a charming and enjoyable gravity-bending adventure.

The Last Guardian (PS4)

Here we have another PlayStation 4 exclusive, but this one got caught up in a deluge of holiday releases that were much larger in hype and franchise stature. Still, for many fans of games like Ico and Shadow of the Colossus, a release by director Fumito Ueda and Team Ico is an event in and of itself. The Last Guardian featured a tumultuous and extended development cycle, originally starting on the PlayStation 3 almost a decade before its launch on the PlayStation 4. Players of The Last Guardian no doubt know the great qualities of the game, such as the endearing friendship between the main characters, a boy and his animal companion Trico, and the smart puzzles created to capitalize on the smart AI of Trico itself. Nevertheless, despite being a quality game, The Last Guardian failed to meet sales expectations held by Sony, with the game falling in price months after. Regardless of whether you pay full price, budget price, or any price in between, The Last Guardian is worth adding to your PS4 library.

Tokyo Mirage Sessions #FE (Wii U)

When the news of a Shin Megami Tensei and Fire Emblem crossover project for the Wii U was announced, fans of either or both series were overjoyed and delighted in the possibilities of the type of game that would be made. A problem here, however, is that the project was announced way too far in advance, obviously to give current Wii U owners something to get excited about for the future of the seemingly future-less console. Regardless, what the final game ended up being was Tokyo Mirage Sessions #FE, a game that definitely didn't engage every type of gamer with its Japanese idol appearance and pop music presentation. Fortunately, those who didn't dismiss the game by judging a book by its cover were greeted with a tremendously deep and highly rewarding JRPG that could offer a serious challenge, even to veterans of the genre. Released late in the Wii U's life, it's no wonder that the game didn't fly off store shelves.

Star Fox Zero (Wii U)

If there was any battle towards a current overlooked and underrated game that I'd gladly continue to fight in, it's the battle that Star Fox Zero is a great game. However, if you were put off by the atypical control schemes of games as seen on the Wii or even a more recent release like the Nintendo 3DS's Kid Icarus: Uprising, then there's sense to be found in why you might not enjoy the latest Star Fox game. At the same time, Star Fox Zero does things that aren't possible on any other system, such as the ability to have your ship pointed in one direction while aiming the Wii U GamePad at the side to pick off foes outside of your initial line of sight. The complication arises if you can't figure out when to ration time between the TV screen and the GamePad screen. For those that could, they'd find a fantastic game to aim for high scores on and intense dogfighting action.

Ittle Dew 2 (PS4, XB1, PC)

Looking for a Zelda-like game after getting wrapped up in the world of The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild? Perhaps you're not a Switch or Wii U owner and want an alternative? Sure, Ludosity's Ittle Dew 2 obviously doesn't reach the same highs as The Legend of Zelda series's latest, but it does offer a fun overhead Zelda-like adventure that captures the spirit of the very first Zelda game on the NES. Ittle Dew 2 packs more humor and all the excitement of journeying across the world map, slaying enemies, entering dungeons, and solving clever puzzles. The game's eight initial dungeons can be played in any order, and there's a large array of hidden caves leading to treasure that is spread out all across the map. With Ittle Dew 2 you get a fiercely challenging, always humorous, and delightful action-adventure that isn't Zelda, but it is somewhat close in quality.

Aqua Moto Racing Utopia (PS4, PC)

While aquatic racing games aren't in fashion at the moment for the big publishers and their franchises (where's our Wave Race and Jet Moto, for instance?), smaller devs are filling the gap quite nicely. Developer Zordix has created a challenging take on the jet ski racer with all the goodies of the genre. Slalom races? Check. Realistic physics? Check. Competent AI to make races have a good amount of difficulty to them? Check. Enough races and locale types to keep things interesting? Check. I could go on, but in a nutshell, Aqua Moto Racing Utopia checks all of the boxes for a wonderful alternative to the kings of the genre on a shoestring budget. It won't replace your need for a new Wave Race or Jet Moto, but it will help curb your appetite for them.