It’s in Senua’s eyes. A blankness. Her stare, her searching for reality. But there’s nothing, except anger maybe. Anger at her past, her birth into violence, and her grief. That’s the only thing real to Senua. Uncanny valley is frequently dissected, that point where a robot or computerized image becomes so real, it’s indistinguishable from… Continue reading Hellblade: Senua’s Sacrifice (PS4)
Two things highlight the apocalypse of Darksiders III. One is the four horsemen member Fury (who leads this Darksiders chapter) continually making snide observations about the human race. While freshman philosophy in terms of depth, the spiteful barbs regarding war and planet-destroying indifference create a character cold, even distant to her cause. That makes an… Continue reading Darksiders III (PS4)
Thirty teams make up the current NBA. At the start of NBA Playgrounds 2, around eight of them offer players. The rest come from packs of virtual cards; it’s luck of the draw. In total, 400 players await unlocking in NBA Playgrounds 2. Five at a time. An hour of play will unlock the highest… Continue reading NBA Playgrounds 2 (PS4)
Martial arts is about the journey; it’s not about punching or breaking blocks, rather the dedication to reach that point. So too then is this reset of Soul Calbur lore, retracing the odds to recapture a sword made of pure evil. It’s both historically fantastical and richly colorful, so fluid in combat as to look… Continue reading Soul Calibur VI (PS4)
The best robot adversary in Mega Man 11 is a small welder bot. He seems genuinely innocent, passing back and forth, heating pieces of metal as programmed. His eyes droop in indifference. Clearly, he’s tired of all of this, the scientific back-and-forth between two lab coat-wearing rivals, Dr. Light and Dr. Wily. Imagine being around… Continue reading Mega Man 11 (PS4)
An interactive pantomime of a real world pantomime, Fire Pro Wrestling miniaturizes the sport, down to its movement essentials. In an era of polygons, Fire Pro retains sprites, choppily animated, but with heightened impact. There’s a speed and a grace to Fire Pro, even without the pop of fireworks, lightshows, or entrance music. This is… Continue reading Fire Pro Wrestling World (PS4)
The NBA employs 491 players. That’s it. Reality for most isn’t having the impact of a LeBron James or even that of an unknown, 11th man bencher. Rather, it’s not being any of those things and quitting the dream. To that point, NBA 2K19 gets it. This year’s created star is A.I., entering the draft… Continue reading NBA 2K19 (PS4)
