Aragami

While 'Aragami' has its shortcomings, style is not one of them. Everything from the cutscenes to the in-game HUD (which is all seen on the player's cape) looks fantastic, and it's one of the most striking games I've played all year. Sadly, some technical shortcomings such as a poor frame rate ('Aragami' has been built on Unity) and some clunky animations keep it from being a visual tour de force. Still, Lince Works have managed to create a game that manages to impress the majority of the time.

Featuring some good, yet ultimately forgettable, Japanese-inspired music, 'Aragami' has a soundtrack that complements the rest of the game. It's not as memorable as 'Okami's OST, but its classic music still manages to make players feel like they've traveled back in time. The gameplay is also strengthened by a great use of sound cues, that help players know when they've been spotted and where enemies may be. The sound may not be phenomenal on its own, but it really helps the overall package.

'Aragami' is an ambitious stealth game that occasionally brushes shoulders with greatness. A poor frame rate and sub-par enemy AI really hampers the experience, but stalking from the shadows remains fun throughout. Hopefully some patches will make this fulfill more of its potential, but until then players will have to settle for a heavily flawed, yet entertaining experience. It's especially worth playing if you have a friend to play with, as so few stealth games feature cooperative play, and it's simply more fun that way.