Most Overlooked Current Gen Games - Part Five

The "Most Overlooked" series of articles on SuperPhillip Central is one of the longest running in the site's nine-year history. The series continues with our fifth look together at some more of the most overlooked PlayStation 4, Xbox One, and Nintendo Switch games, the latter being the most recent console added to the current generation landscape. After you've looked at these five gaming picks, which do you agree and disagree with?

Check out all four past parts of Most Overlooked Current Gen Games with these links:

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

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

Perhaps "overlooked" isn't as much of the correct term to use here. Instead, Marvel vs. Capcom: Infinite may have just been intentionally ignored due to a combination of grievous errors on Capcom and Marvel's sides. I'm talking about every thing from the omission of the X-Men in the roster, the actual starting roster itself, and the disturbing downloadable content system Infinite uses to the low-budget look of the game and poor marketing leading up to Infinite's release. However, underneath all the bull comes a really worthwhile fighting game that takes some learning to play competently, but the reward for doing so is being able to perform astonishing combos on your enemies that will make onlookers gasp with surprise. Marvel vs. Capcom: Infinite isn't as empty of a release at launch as Street Fighter V was, but it's understandable still why so many in the gaming community (at least so far in Japan and Europe) avoided the latest edition of this famed crossover fighter all the same.

ReCore (XB1, PC)

Let's head specifically to the Microsoft corner of the gaming market with a game spearheaded by some well known minds within the industry, such as Armature Studio, devised up of many former Metroid Prime devs, as well as Keiji Inafune, whose reputation has recently been damaged, but before all that, he worked on the Mega Man franchise with Capcom. ReCore is an intriguing undertaking, and an original game that the Xbox One needs more of to strengthen its appeal. Exploring the open world surroundings of ReCore's realm, players take on the role of Joule as she wanders the world, battling enemies with heavy weaponry, entering mines and dungeons to solve puzzles and find materials, and discover what happened to the once great colony of Far Eden, her former home and what is now dangerous desert. ReCore: Definitive Edition recently released at the end of August, offering new areas and story elements. It's my hope that somehow this update on the game gets a new market for the game, as if not, it might teach Microsoft the long lesson about creating new franchises for its Xbox brand.

Knack II (PS4)

The original Knack launched with the PlayStation 4 several years ago, and even though it sold relatively well (especially in Japan, though the game was bundled with the system), the critic and fan opinion of Knack was anything but solid. In fact, it was pretty awful, resulting in ironic memes being posted on how Knack was the second coming and so forth. Despite the notoriety of Knack, a second game released, Knack II, and the opposite of the original game happened. While the critical opinion was greater, the sales were weak at best. A true shame as Knack II offers much more variety, enjoyable platforming, engaging combat, and stellar visuals to make one package that is both a pleasure to play and a joy to look at. Regardless of the sequel's poor sales, here's hoping a third game somehow gets greenlit in order to round out the series and provide context into Knack's mysterious past. (Yes, believe it or not, there are dozens of us wanting to see Knack as a series expand even further.)

Everybody's Golf (PS4)

Take to the links with Everybody's Golf, formerly known as Hot Shots Golf in North America. After several samey titles in the franchise, Everybody's Golf puts players from linear progression through tournaments and challenges to open courses to explore, play on, and enjoy. The better you perform on the courses, the quicker you can take on special AI challengers to improve your rank and reach new courses to traverse upon. Golf isn't just the only activity in town this time around, as fishing, golf cart driving, and collecting new outfit combinations for your custom golfer are here for you to partake in. Everybody's Golf took Japan by storm on its launch week, but in other regions of the world, the game failed to take off from the tee. Gamers loving arcade golf are already a niche themselves, making Everybody's Golf in Western territories a niche game, being overlooked by countless potential customers. Still, like Knack II, it only takes $40 to invest in one of the more creative and family friendly games on the PlayStation 4 this year.

Puyo Puyo Tetris (NS, PS4)

While Tetris is indeed world-renowned, the Japanese puzzler Puyo Puyo is decidedly not. Having players drop color coded Puyo blobs (each in a pair of two) to try to match four or more of the same color at once while aiming for successive combos, it's a puzzle game similar to Tetris. After all, you're clearing the board before the blobs reach the top, ending your game. Thus, it makes sense for Sega to team up with The Tetris Company to create Puyo Puyo Tetris, colorful and charming take on two popular puzzle games (one obviously more popular than the other). With a full story mode that teaches the basic of each games' rules and modes, multiplayer opportunities both local and online, and so much content outside of the story, Puyo Puyo Tetris sold admirably on the Nintendo Switch (but nothing astronomical), while the PlayStation 4 version didn't have as much success, due to so many other gaming offerings being released on the platform. Still, if you have an iota of love for Tetris, Puyo Puyo, or puzzle games, then Puyo Puyo Tetris should be on your wanted list sometime soon.

Review Round-Up - June 2017

While not being a knockout punch in content, ARMS has a great base for a solid fighting game series.

It was a month of unique games and others that emulated more popular series with the reviewed game lineup of June 2017.

It began with a review of Zelda II-esque Elliot Quest, which got a great grade of B despite how easy and frustrating it sometimes is to get lost. Following that was the PlayStation 2 style 3D platformer Skylar & Plux: Adventure on Clover Island, which was short on hours and polish, but good overall with a C+. Meanwhile, I went back to my Wii U to take a look at The Girl and the Robot, a game which had some clunky controls and other issues, earning it a C-. From games that are inspired by Zelda II and PS2 platformers to LEGO's attempt at jumping in Minecraft's success, LEGO Worlds failed to impress with me giving it a D+ score.

The best reviewed game of the month was Puyo Puyo Tetris (B+), an excellent combination of SEGA's Puyo Puyo series and The Tetris Company's Tetris series. I then spent time with a Mega Man clone and then a Zelda clone with Mighty Gunvolt Burst and Oceanhorn: Monster of Uncharted Seas, both getting a B score. Finally, I took the call to arms with... well, ARMS of all games. It punched and pummeled its way as hard it could, but a lack of compelling content to return to made me give it a B-.

Elliot Quest (PS4, XB1, 3DS) - B
Skylar & Plux: Adventure on Clover Island (PS4, XB1, PC) - C+
The Girl and the Robot (Wii U) - C-
LEGO Worlds (PS4, XB1, PC) - D+
Puyo Puyo Tetris (NS, PS4) - B+
Mighty Gunvolt Blast (NS, 3DS) - B
Oceanhorn: Monster of Uncharted Seas (NS) - B
ARMS (NS) - B-

Whether Puyo Puyo, Tetris, or both, a terrific time was had with Puyo Puyo Tetris.

Puyo Puyo Tetris (NS, PS4) Review

We're traveling towards the end of June with four upcoming reviews. Here's the first, a Nintendo Switch (the version this review is based on) and PlayStation 4 game. It combines two terrific puzzle games into one sensational package. It's Puyo Puyo Tetris, and here is the SuperPhillip Central review.

Someone got some Puyo Puyo in my Tetris! 

And it's dee~licious! Like interesting combinations and inventions over man's time on this great green earth, there have been fantastic ones like peanut butter and chocolate, Oreos and ice cream, and so forth. Likewise, there are also less enticing ones (a popular pick in the current culinary climate is pineapples and pizza). In any case, Puyo Puyo Tetris fits in the former category, a tremendous combination of two puzzle game titans (well, Puyo Puyo less so, of course) that brings a lot of fun and content to both the Nintendo Switch and PlayStation 4.

Addictive is an apt adjective to describe the gameplay of both Puyo Puyo and Tetris. With Puyo Puyo, you have colored blobs (the Puyo) that fall from the top of the screen to the bottom in pairs. To score points, you need to have four of the same colored, adjacent Puyo match to clear them from the board. This is the most simplest form of Puyo Puyo, however, as the strategy, complexity, and depth of the game changes by needing to create chains, where popped Puyo clear the way for already laid Puyo to fall down like a waterfall, scoring more points once they fall onto resting matching Puyo.

Meanwhile, Tetris is more well known as a puzzle series, where the goal is to take the falling Tetriminos (again, falling from the top of the screen to the bottom), move them around, and place them at the bottom of the screen. Your score points by clearing lines -- having one or more horizontal lines completely full of Tetrimino blocks. High points come from clearing more lines at once (achieving that awesome Tetris of five lines at once) and scoring combos.

If you grow weary of one mode in Puyo Puyo Tetris, there are plenty more where that one came from.

Puyo Puyo Tetris will certainly put your skills of both game modes to the test, and if you are a complete beginner (to the point where I was pretty much), there are many beneficial in-game lessons and beginner modes to get a taste of both Puyo Puyo and Tetris. The myriad of modes shows a game seriously loaded with content, whether it's alone, with friends locally, or against players worldwide. Between the half-dozen unique Challenge modes, quick-to-play / tough-to-master Arcade modes, and Adventure Mode, you will be getting a massive amount of value with your gaming dollars.

For any puzzle party game worth its weight in falling garbage blocks, a competent Versus mode is a must, and thankfully, Puyo Puyo Tetris has it, and in spades. When playing casually or competitively with friends and family and in many modes against the computer, a player can choose what ever puzzle mode they prefer, whether Puyo Puyo or Tetris. Thus, two players can be engaged in totally different puzzle modes while competing against one another. For Puyo Puyo players, a simple two-chain combo will send a slew of garbage blocks that get in the way of their progress. Meanwhile, Tetris players need to organize a multi-line clear or set of combos to drop garbage on their opponent. As you can probably guess, one is definitely easier to do than the other, and much quicker. And I'm not feeling any sympathy for the Puyo Puyo player, if that helps you guess any.

The Adventure mode in Puyo Puyo Tetris was my go-to mode for single player action. The story revolves around the universes of Puyo Puyo, featuring a wacky cast of high school anime characters, and Tetris, made up of a starship crew that is on the more serious side (though about as serious as a game with a cute sense of humor allows). Puyo Puyo blobs and Tetriminos are appearing in both universes with no apparent cause, so the two groups form a unity to get to the root of the problem. A whole slew of colorful characters appear in the Adventure mode of the game, 24 in all (which all become playable in every mode), and through the mode's ten or chapters (two of which were DLC in the original Japanese release), the story is presented through full body character stills in all their cartoony glory with fully English voiced dialogue.

Zany, insane, and brilliant, this is Puyo Puyo Tetris' Adventure mode.

Each of the Adventure mode's chapters consists of ten levels, and they vary things up nicely so you're not doing the same types of modes or going for the same goals over and over again. It's true that you'll be doing a ton of Versus matches, yes, but sometimes you and your opponent are playing Puyo Puyo, or one is playing Tetris while the other plays Puyo Puyo. Outside of Versus content in Adventure mode, there are trials like trying to reach a certain number of points or reach a line clear threshold before time runs out. In addition to just completing the levels, you can earn up to three stars on each, with goals ranging from beating your opponent in a number of minutes to reaching a specific number of points.

But did I complete the stage quickly enough?!

One thing I especially liked about Adventure is how that if you find yourself reaching a dead end -- that is, a level that you just can't seem to complete no matter how many times you try -- there is an option to skip that level and move on to the next. As someone whose puzzle game skills of Puyo Puyo and Tetris' type leaves a lot more to be welcomed than anything else, this optional choice was a gift from the puzzle game gods. ...Or Sega. Which ever you prefer. Of course, it was totally a last resort and used sparingly. Totally.

One thing not mentioned in the review body is the wide array of backgrounds
 and appearances of Puyo and Tetriminos in this game.

Regarding other modes, I feel Swap is one that works well. It has two different boards, each with one puzzle style on it, that opponents play on. After time ticks down enough, the boards switch, so if you were playing on a Puyo Puyo board, now you're playing on a Tetris one. The strategy here is when to time clearing lines or chains to drop garbage blocks on your opponent. Not just when it's most opportune like an ordinary Versus match, but on which board of theirs?

Meanwhile, Fusion is true to its name, but a mixed bag. It certainly is a mode that has the highest learning curve to me, and for that reason, it might not be everyone's cup of Puyo Puyo tea. Here, falling pieces alternate from Puyos to Tetriminos and back again, Tetrimino pieces that no more than touch anything stay in place, and it makes for a tough time when a board is stacked high with little room to work with. Though garbage blocks are crushed underneath the weight of any falling Tetrimino, crushed Puyo Puyo fall from the top of the screen. If you've the rules of Tetris and Puyo Puyo hardwired in your brain, you're going to need to do some reconnecting to get a grasp on Fusion mode.

Fusion mode might go over your head the first few matches, but eventually it may click.

Puyo Puyo Tetris is a robust, mode-rich puzzle game perfect for quick burst plays or extended sessions in the single player modes, specifically the wacky, endearing, and delightful Adventure mode. Whether you're a Puyo Puyo fan, Tetris lover, beginner, veteran, never played a Tetris or Puyo Puyo game in your life, or played at tournaments, Puyo Puyo Tetris has something for everyone. Puyo Puyo and Tetris are a winning combination.

[SPC Says: B+]

SuperPhillip Central's Favorite VGMs - "The Calm Before the E3 2017 Storm" Edition

While the press conferences may have already begun, the show floor doesn't truly open until tomorrow. That's when the true storm of gaming excitement kicks off! In the meantime of that and the PlayStation E3 2017 press conference in two hours' time, let's bring out SuperPhillip Central's Favorite VGMs to rock out and enjoy some tremendous tunes!

We begin with a Nintendo Switch game that launches this Friday, ARMS. From there, we move on to Puyo Puyo Tetris for multiple systems, including the aforementioned Nintendo Switch. We turn to some winter-styled themes to combat the hot temps here at SPC HQ with music from Sonic Lost World and Captain Toad: Treasure Tracker. Finally, the heroes in a half shell conclude this edition with Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Smash-Up. 

Remember that all you have to do to hear the VGMs is to click on the giant links below above each game picture. Also, check out the VGM Database for all past VGM volumes from this ongoing weekly series! Now, let's get on to the music!

v1416. ARMS (NS) - Main Theme

Generally I leave games that have yet to be released away from SuperPhillip Central's Favorite VGMs, but ARMS' main theme is simply a delight and kicks serious butt. Plus, what better way to get hyped for its Friday release -- other than Nintendo showing off the game during the ARMS Invitational at E3, of course! Filled with catchy brass, a whistle accompaniment, and killer vocals, the main theme of ARMS certainly has legs.

v1417. Puyo Puyo Tetris (Multi) - Swap Mode - Puyo

A bright and bouncy theme for Puyo Puyo Tetris' Swap Mode featuring those bubbly Puyo, there's few things in puzzle games more rewarding than nailing a chain of Puyo to make them all disappear, racking up a big point score in the process. I am planning on having a review for Puyo Puyo Tetris by the end of the month, so please look forward to that!

v1418. Sonic Lost World (Wii U, PC) - Frozen Factory Act 1

With both Sonic Forces and Sonic Mania due out this year (and both will be at E3 this week), I figured it be a perfect occasion to bring up a lesser appreciated Sonic game, Sonic Lost World. Though it has plenty of problems, especially in the late half, one of its crowning achievements is its stupendous soundtrack. Here is just one of many songs that are terrific to listen to, even when its particular level can annoy.

v1419. Captain Toad: Treasure Tracker (Wii U) - Biddybud Snow Stroll

Since it's so hot here in Central City today and all this week, why not double up on winter-themed levels for this edition of SuperPhillip Central's Favorite VGMs! Using Captain Toad: Treasure Tracker's main theme and remixing it to sound wintry, we have Biddybud Snow Stroll where navigating two floors of a temple-like structure is the aim of this level.

v1420. Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Smash-Up (Wii, PS2) - Dojo

Developed by some of the same team members behind Super Smash Bros. Brawl, this Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles-themed party fighter for the Nintendo Wii and PlayStation 2 featured an assortment of TMNT characters to battle as across numerous modes and arenas. The Dojo arena is a simple one, taking place in the Turtles' fighting quarters. One specific aspect of note with Smash-Up is the really good music that was composed for the game. Such tracks made an adequate brawler even better.