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.

Review Round-Up - December 2014

Captain Toad was ready for adventure
and so was I in December.

The final month of 2014 brought with it seven unique reviews. SuperPhillip Central started this month of reviews with the infamous heroes in a half-shell in Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Danger of the Ooze. This game booyakasha'd its way to a competent 6.0. The highest score of December was Killzone: Mercenary, a game that far exceeded my expectations and has become one of my favorite FPS games ever. The score it received was a 9.25. Some mediocre games then followed with my reviews of Mario Pinball Land (4.75) and Sonic Boom: Rise of Lyric (4.5). Then, a great surprise in the form of Super Mega Baseball scored in some runs for an 8.25. Next up was a retro review with Banjo-Kazooie: Grunty's Revenge (7.25). Lastly, SuperPhillip Central's featured game of the month, Captain Toad: Treasure Tracker, warmed my heart to earn a 9.0. Its clever design might have also helped, too.

The first month of 2015 will see SuperPhillip Central's 550th review, reviews of games like Fantasy Life and LittleBigPlanet 3, and lots more fun surprises for games you otherwise wouldn't expect.

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Danger of the Ooze (PS3, 360, 3DS) - 6.0
Killzone: Mercenary (Vita) - 9.25
Mario Pinball Land (GBA) - 4.75
Sonic Boom: Rise of Lyric (Wii U) - 4.5
Super Mega Baseball (PS4, PS3) - 8.25
Banjo-Kazooie: Grunty's Revenge (GBA) - 7.25
Captain Toad: Treasure Tracker (Wii U) - 9.0

"Whee!" That simple exclamation exemplifies
everything about Captain Toad: Treasure Tracker.

SuperPhillip Central Best of 2014 Awards - Best Download Only Game

This is a first for SuperPhillip Central. I've never had a Best Download Only Game award before, but here it is this year! I've been able to review and experience so many different digital games this year across a fair amount of platforms. I'm of the opinion that indie games and digital games are just as important as full-scale releases, and I hope you do, too! Here's the five download-only games I enjoyed most for 2014!

5) Super Mega Baseball (PS4, PS3)

Baseball isn't football, so I don't care for it that much. However, playing baseball games that aren't entirely simulation-like in structure makes for a very entertaining time. Super Mega Baseball is one game that released late this year that combines a wacky arcade aesthetic with accessible gameplay. However, don't think this is some dumbed down baseball experience, as Super Mega Baseball presented plenty of options and detailed mechanics to make for a game that swung for the fences and hit a home run.

4) Armillo (Wii U)

Reminding me of a mascot-driven N64-era 3D platformer (and I don't say that in a bad way), Armillo featured the titular character rolling around spherical planets in order to clear each level. Perhaps because it reminded me so much of games in my favorite genre that I grew up on that I hold Armillo to such high regard. Still, its creative design, fun levels, and amount of content made for a game that I really enjoyed.

3) Stealth Inc. 2: A Game of Clones (Wii U)

Temporarily a Wii U eShop exclusive, Stealth Inc. 2: A Game of Clones was a 2D puzzle platformer that brought a robotic hero through the testing chambers of an industrial facility. Using different tools to solve chambers full of deathly traps and means for our hero to wind up in a crushed, incinerated, or sawed apart heap, Stealth Inc. 2 crafted ingenious puzzles that wracked my mind in solving them, fun platforming challenges, and a stunning presentation.

2) Guacamelee: Super Turbo Championship Edition (Multi)

Guacamelee: Super Turbo Championship Edition was released on a multitude of home consoles this past year. It was designed as a Metroid-style adventure that used luchadore moves for combat and allowed for insane combos. However, these moves were also helpful outside of combat, great for finding secret little alcoves on the map and various upgrades. The ability to team up locally with a friend or family member, humorous dialogue, and myriad of game references added to just how fantastic Guacamelee was.

1) Shovel Knight (Wii U, 3DS)

Winner of the Biggest Surprise of 2014, Shovel Knight took the classic Mega Man style of gameplay and made it its own with amazing level design, polish, and new game mechanics. Everything about Shovel Knight was crafted with stunning care, creating a 2D action platformer that delighted every step of the way. With it releasing on PSN next year, PlayStation system owners will get the chance to see what the big deal is when they get to play Shovel Knight, my favorite download-only game.

Super Mega Baseball (PS4, PS3) Review

'Twas the night before Christmas, and all through SuperPhillip Central, a new review was posted for a charming little baseball game. The boys of summer might be in hibernation with it being winter and all, but that hasn't stopped Metalhead Software from creating an arcade-style baseball game for the off-season regardless! Here's my review of Super Mega Baseball.

Because Mega Baseball just wasn't super enough

Lately, if you wanted your baseball fix on a PlayStation home console, you needed to play Sony's own MLB The Show franchise, a series that isn't known to be very beginner-friendly, being a simulation of America's national pastime and all. It's taken a small, dedicated team of individuals at Metalhead Software to create a much more accessible baseball game for their first foray as a team in creating a game. While nowadays "more accessible" might make you think "dumbed down", Super Mega Baseball couldn't be anything further from the truth. It's a game that swings for the fences, and while it doesn't get a grand slam, it does knock one out of the park with spectacular style.

The accessibility of Super Mega Baseball is in how easy it is to learn the controls. Even after the controls have been learned, there's the challenge of beating opponents that presents itself. If for some reason you forget how to do something while in a game, you can hold the Start button to have a tutorial menu brought up.

Swing for the fences-- just don't pull
a muscle in the process!

Pitching is relatively simple, requiring the player to select a type of pitch by pushing the right analog stick in one of eight directions. Then it's a matter of selecting a place to throw the ball and line up the cursor with the target mid-flight to create the best pitch possible. Missing the target by a lot makes for a pitch that is easy for the batter to get a piece of, while getting the cursor as close to the target as possible results in a very strong pitch.

This pitcher puts the hot sauce on this pitch!

The greatness of Super Mega Baseball is how you can set the controls to be as simple as pressing X to throw as well as hit pitches or more complex as drawing an analog stick back and then pushing it forward to swing.

Fielding is in part handled by the AI, moving automatically under fielded balls, though it's not entire streamlined. You do have to make the occasionally jump or dive for the ball, and there is the requirement of throwing the ball to the right base to get the desired out. As each base is designated with a face button (e.g. pressing the circle button will throw the ball to first base), it's a quick concept to learn and makes playing defense fun, engaging, and simple all at the same time.

The Ego system allows players of all skill levels to enjoy Super Mega Baseball. The higher the Ego level, the more difficult the CPU becomes. This ability to fine tune the difficulty of the game makes the game able to appeal to a wide audience.

Use the Ego system to make Super
Mega Baseball as hard or as easy as you want.

Super Mega Baseball's main modes consist of one-off exhibition games and the Season Mode. The latter pits all twelve fictional teams, such as the Beewolves, the Sirloins, the Crocodons, and more, against one another in a short, medium, or long length baseball season. It's this mode that offers plenty of stats for you to track, whether it's for your team or the entire league.

On top of Season Mode is the ability to fully customize the look of each player on each team. Whether it's their hair colors, hair styles, facial hair, body type, headgear, or names (but seriously, why would you want to change the adorable name of Johnson Swanson?), there's plenty of means to alter your teammates your way.

No worries. While these bats aren't
MLB-certified, they're allowed in this game.

The cast of players in Super Mega Baseball are indeed larger than life, cartoon-inspired caricatures that have a fair amount of personality. Little things like tears that pour out of a hitter's eyes when he or she strikes out and celebrations when a home run is hit add to the charm of the game. Super Mega Baseball's four stadiums are brimming with the same personality and wackiness that exudes everywhere else in the game. Although, it would have been nice to see a couple more stadiums, or at least the ability to choose the time of day each game takes place in. Additionally, some long loading times and spelling issues detract from the overall package as well.

Outside of my desire for more stadiums and some small technical flaws, Super Mega Baseball sadly only offers local play. There is no online multiplayer to speak of, though there are leaderboards to be found. However, this is a pretty poor substitute for being able to play with folks around the country and the world. That said, Super Mega Baseball does offer local play for up to four players, two to each team, splitting up the duties between batting, pitching, and fielding each inning.

He's opening up a can of corn with this swing!

Super Mega Baseball is best played in small chunks. However, at the same token, it's the type of game that you will come back to time and time again. It frees you from caring about how faithful the graphics are to the real thing, instead delivering a satisfying to the eye visual style. The game makes for a baseball title that all skill levels can pick up, play, and enjoy. All in all, Super Mega Baseball is worth several trips around the bases. It's got heart, it's got fun, and it's got just enough to keep you coming back for more.

[SPC Says: 8.25/10]

Review copy provided by Metalhead Software