It’s a peculiar week for new releases, especially given the time of year. But while there’s no easily identifiable big name title, we still have a few titbits to tide us over.
Planet of the Apes: Last Frontier on PS4 (Xbox One version due at a later date) had the potential to be a sleeper hit. Sadly, reviews suggest this isn’t the definitive PotA game fans of the franchise have long waited for. It’s less of a game and more of an interactive movie, only requiring minimal input such as dialogue choices. Despite the £15.99 asking price, it’s reportedly quite short too. Think along the lines of a typical Telltale adventure.
Then we have Hidden Agenda, a choose-your-own-adventure wrapped in party game exterior, from the creators of Until Dawn. It uses Sony’s PlayLink tech, but not to the best possible extent – some critics claim that the interface is clunky. Scores are wildly mixed so far, varying from as low as 4/10 to as high as an 8.5.
Monster of the Deep: Final Fantasy XV also makes waves on PSN, being an expanded version of FFXV’s fishing mini-game with VR support. Reviews have been just as mixed as those for Hidden Agenda, perhaps even more so.
Also of note this week is the lovely Lumo on Switch – a homage to ZX Spectrum isometric adventures of yore – and The Count Lucanor on PS4, a slightly sinister pixel art adventure likened to Undertale. It’s great to see the Arcade Archives series make a surprise return too – Elevator Action is a game with more ups than downs.
New release showcase:
Planet of the Apes: Last Frontier – PS4
Reviews:
6.6 – IGN Spain: [Translated from Spanish] “As an animation movie, Planet of the Apes: Last Frontier would be better. Understanding this product as a videogame, we believe that it is quite limited and we only have a couple of dialogue options to choose, being irrelevant in most cases”
6/10 – Spazio Games: [Translated from Italian] “Planet of the Apes: Last Frontier is basically a story driven tie-in, inspired by the trilogy from 20th Century Fox’s franchise. Too short, too smart. In one word: forgettable”
5/10 – Game Reactor UK: “It’s not one you’ll need to keep your stinking paws off necessarily, but neither is it a particularly memorable cinematic romp”
Hidden Agenda – PS4
Reviews:
85/100 – Gaming Trend: “Hidden Agenda is like stepping into a crime drama and influencing how it plays out. The branching narrative is a welcoming aspect and makes me want to play it multiple times. It’s fun to play alone, but taking it on with friends is a treat all on it’s own”
6.5 – PlayStation Universe: “Hidden Agenda is a great concept with some impressive set pieces and performances, but its narrative lets it down and it lacks any major impact”
2/5 – Slant Magazine: “The game is already pretty bad at getting people to interact and discuss the rationale for their choices, and this is especially true in the last chapter, which gives everybody a different final agenda and one hint on how to achieve it”
Monster of the Deep: Final Fantasy XV – PS4
Reviews:
8.5 – PlayStation Lifestyle: “Getting to see these iconic characters and creatures in a new way is simply fascinating, and it has me delighted at the prospect of future Final Fantasy virtual reality titles”
7/10 – Destructoid: “It’s just silly enough to work for the select few that will meet all of the requirements to actually boot it up”
1.5/5 – Hardcore Gamer: “The visuals are stunning and it could have been a great fishing simulation, but ends up being lazy and broken”
New digital multi-format releases:
Plants vs. Zombies Garden Warfare 2 – Frosty Deluxe Edition – PS4/XO
New on PSN:
Rec Room
Knowledge is Power
Discovery
The Count Lucanor
Professional Construction – The Simulation
ACA NEOGEO THE KING OF FIGHTERS ’97
ACA NEOGEO MUTATION NATION
Arcade Archives ELEVATOR ACTION
New on Xbox One Store:
The Jackbox Party Quadpack
ACA NEOGEO SOCCER BRAWL
New Nintendo retail releases:
New Style Boutique 3 – Styling Star (3DS)
Lumo (Switch)
Let’s Sing 2018 + 1 Microphone (Switch)
Poi Explorer Edition (Switch)
MXGP3 – The Official Motocross Videogame (Switch)
Next week: Xenoblade Chronicles 2, Gear. Club Unlimited, Azure Striker Gunvolt: Striker Pack, Super Putty Squad, Stern Pinball Arcade, Syberia 2, LEGO Marvel Super Heroes 2, The Ultimate VR Collection, Demon’s Age, Black Mirror, Blue Angels Aerobatic Flight Simulator, Sky Force Reloaded, and SOMA.