Japan Review Check: Knack, Resogun, Yakuza: Restoration

A quick look at the best games coming out in Japan next week, as reviewed in the latest Famitsu magazine:

Nobunaga's Ambition: Creation (10/9/9/8, 36 out of 40 points): The newest installment of the long running strategy series Nobunaga's Ambition was well received by all four of the review editors who praised the graphics and how they added to the sense of immersion. Editor Reona Ebihara said, "The touch screen functionality of the PlayStation 4 controller is very convenient," while Editor Honma Urara remarked that the small HUD clears the screen of clutter and allows the player to be more fully soak-in the battle visuals. The game play was also seen as user friendly and easy-to-grasp.

Yakuza (Ryu ga Gotoku): Restoration (9/10/10/10, 39 out of 40 points): This latest addition to the Yakuza series impressed many of the editors with its portrayal of well-known Yakuza-series characters in the roles of famous historical figures such as Sakamoto Ryoma and Saito Hajime. "Like other entries in the series, Restoration excels at recreating a town environment full of shops and characters to interact with," wrote editor Rolling Uchizawa. Editor Jigoro Ashida praised the graphics and quick loading times of the PS4 version.

Knack (6/7/8/7, 28 out of 40 points): The high profile PS4 launch title received a lukewarm reception by Famitsu standards. Reona Ebihara remarked that "The game is simple and easy to play. The way that the character is composed of small individual parts is unique," however, " I would like to see a more impressive display of the PlayStation 4's power. "It's quite interesting to watch your character increase in size and strength. The enemies are quite powerful so playing certain sections multiple times is required and game progression can get monotonous," according to Rolling Uchizawa. "The game uses the PS4's physics engine, but as an action title the gameplay gets repetitive and often feels like a chore."

Strider (9/8/8/9, 34 out of 40 points): The editors at Famitsu praised the title for preserving the atmosphere and pace of the previous titles in the series. "While the difficulty is high, the control is fluid and, with its intuitive map system, the game is very compelling," said Editor Reona Ebihara. "The bosses retain that classic Strider feel. Slashing enemies feels very satisfying," and "climbing on the walls and searching the map for power ups that allow you to visit new areas is enjoyable." However Editor Honma Urara did mention that she wished there were more checkpoints.

Resogun (9/8/9/7, 33 out of 40 points): Editor Reona Ebihara complemented the game's balance and its use of cylindrical stage designs. Jigoro espoused, "Going for a high score and keeping the combo meter going while saving humans is great fun, however it's sometimes difficult to read the visual cues coming from the hostages." Rolling thought that the game did a great job showing off the PS4's capabilities, but the lack of a tutorial makes it difficult for first time players to grasp the game's systems.