Simply put, Batman: Arkham Knight is an awesome game for any fan of Batman, any fan of action games, and I would even say any fan that enjoys just good games. It is easily the best entry in the series and I am very curious to see what the future holds for Batman in the Arkham universe. Do yourself a favor and get this game as quickly as possible before someone spoils it for you on the internet. It's what Batman would do.
Even with these complaints, The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt is one of the best RPGs I have ever experienced in gaming. There's so much to this adventure, you'd be missing out on a great experience if you pass it up. It's absolutely perfect for the current gaming drought, but even if it had hit with a handful of other triple A titles, I would still stand by this being the best game of the year so far, and it's going to be a tough one to beat.
That's really the golden thing about Borderlands: The Handsome Collection. It's just a great package. For newcomers to the franchise, as I said earlier, this is a great jumping on point. For the older fans of series this is not much beyond what you already know, but it is definitely worth a look simply because of the graphic upgrades and the new four player split-screen option. If this is not a reason to get a remastered version, I'm not sure what is. Just in case, though, remember you are getting two great games with an enormous amount of DLC. We're all hungry for more Borderlands, but until a new game comes along, Handsome Jack is happy to provide this quality interlude.
Bloodborne is not a game for everyone. It simply is not going to appeal to the mass audience. However, I can say that in the time I ended up spending with the game I grew very fond of what was before me. It's not punishment just because, it's more in line with challenging you to become a different type of player when enjoying these games. You can't just hack your way through things, even when you feel like your latest upgrades should make you unstoppable. You have to have a strategy to how you play no matter what. For that, I say this is probably my new favorite title of next-gen consoles, but then again I could have just become assimilated to enjoy the pain. Now I just have to figure out if I should say thank you or just sit quietly until my next punishment.
Mario Party 10 does not drastically change the mold. It does not evolve things into unfamiliar territory, nor does it become some gaudy, hollow version of its former self. It's simply you everything you want it to be. I cannot rave enough about how important this simple approach is to the survival of Nintendo. Not just for this franchise, but the gaming industry as a whole. Mario Party 10 has reminded me of the purpose and importance of gaming with friends. These are the games that stand out in a field full of tortured heroes, fallen worlds, and apocalyptic destruction, and it is these games people are in desperate need of to get back to basics of gaming – having fun. It might not be that for everyone all the time, but if you ever find yourself on the brink of ending your gaming experience due to one reason or another, grab some friends and punish each other the old fashioned way with harmless fun. Mario Party 10 has that fun in spades, and will remind you why you are a gamer in the first place.
The premise is solid, the graphics are great, the voice casting is excellent, but in the end you have to ask yourself, are we buying games to watch them or to play them? This is something you need to ask yourself before picking up The Order. It's a shame, too. Werewolves are always getting a bum wrap in entertainment, and this game isn't going to help their cause.
In the end, should you pick the latest Saints Row chapter? Why the Hell not? The Saints games have continued to walk their own path and if you've been enjoying the recent experiences they've been throwing at us, then there is simply no reason to not get this one. Tons of gameplay, awesome new abilities, and probably the most enjoyable time anyone would really spend in Hell. Yeah I'm sold and you will be too.
Captain Toad: Treasure Tracker is a lot for the price. It's a value game, and it's just a fun little title for everyone. Nintendo continues to prove why they are the legends of the industry. They deliver time and time again with solid titles, and Captain Toad: Treasure Tracker is one such title. Admittedly I was not looking forward to this title when it came across my desk, but I am really happy that I sat down with it. If you are looking for a last minute gift idea for your Nintendo enthusiast, this is one to get.
As I mentioned earlier, I am not a fighting game expert, but I know what I like. I also know the enjoyment I had playing this with friends and the enjoyment I saw when my kids played. In the end Super Smash Bros. is a great game. It is a game meant to be played by every one who has ever wanted to fight Mario versus Peach, and then some. But it is also more about the players who love just smashing the buttons to make their character do cool things, and that's alright too. If you want a fighting game that is easy to get into and even easier to enjoy Super Smash Bros. for Wii U is the only fighting game you need to have.
There are two kinds of people that will play Far Cry 4. Those that will look at it and complain about how similar it is to Far Cry 3 and then there will be those that rejoice in those similarities. That is the simplest approach to this title. There's nothing to make it not an enjoyable experience, but for those that lovedFar Cry 3, for all of its beautiful distractions, will find hours upon hours of glorious gameplay waiting for you. Plus, with a villain like Pagan Min, you just can't go wrong with the latest installment of the Far Cry franchise.
LittleBigPlanet 3 is by far the best in the series. It is the breath of fresh air the franchise needed going into the next-gen cycle. I can't say that all future installments will feel this fresh and alive moving forward, but I can say I am glad this is where the franchise is at the moment. LittleBigPlanet 3 is more than a sequel, it is a reimagining of what the series can be, and in the end this is what LBP is all about.
GTA V was a great game last year. Now it's more than just a great game, it's damn near perfect, and I don't say that about many games. The attention to detail Rockstar has put into this new version is above and beyond what we are used to getting and set a new bar for all other developers out there wanting to re-release a great title on next-gen platforms. If you've never played (hell even if you have) GTA V, now's the time to experience all the greatness Rockstar has put into this version. And if you happen to know someone who works for or with Rockstar's development team, tell them thank you for this and to get started on remaking Vice City for me!
While I was not on board with Assassin's Creed Unity from the announcement to the moment I started playing, I have to say I was pleasantly surprised with the level of enjoyment I have consistently had with the title. It all feels like this is my assassin right from the very beginning of the game. While this was not something I have been asking for, I am most certainly excited to see where things progress with future installments. Who knows, maybe I will eventually be able to be the assassin in the game… told you I might need to get out more.
While I pointed out a few faults in the game, they are nitpicky at best. At its core this is a collection worth the price tag. It's the franchise that changed an entire generation of gamers. It is the franchise even non-Halo fans want to play. Halo: The Master Chief Collection may not hold all things Halo, but it's got it where it counts. It's these areas that I enjoy and look forward to see what's next. Simply put, there's no reason for an owner of an Xbox One to not have Halo: The Master Chief Collection, well unless they happen to also be a robot. Robots can't make good decisions.
Sunset Overdrive delivers on everything they revealed in the E3 trailer. There's so much fun in this game. The script, the story, the weapons, the graphic color palette, the kinetic way you get around in the massive world, everything. I mentioned earlier I loved the freshness of this game, but I can sum it up better than that. Sunset Overdrive is the freshest game of the year, and if you aren't excited to play it then there will be tons of mundane repeaters coming out soon enough to keep you busy. For those of you looking for a little more than the norm, Sunset Overdrive is the game you've been waiting for.
I could sit and talk about Destiny all day long, but my wife summed up best what Destiny was to gamers. "It's like Halo and Borderlands got together one night for some great fun and had a beautiful baby." I personally think she hit the nail on the head, but there are obviously a few things that imply other genres stepping in as well. It's because Bungie knows the areas they need to play it safe, and because Bungie knows the areas they want to attempt to explore and make better that I am glad this is the game I have waited for all year long, and why I feel this is another example of why the next-gen console cycle is ready to take off into new, exciting, and interesting ways. Destiny, simply put, might just be the game of year, but definitely makes you want to join the next generation.
So that time of year has come--new games, new FOOTBALL!!! Ultimate decision time. Madden NFL 15 could be skipped, but you'd really dislike yourself if you missed out on all the good this year's installment brings. So stop debating, stop delaying, stop procrastinating and get your copy--you'll be glad you did. See you on the field!
inFAMOUS: Second Son is a title you need to own. It exemplifies what is to come from next-gen while keeping the game rooted in pure simple fun. I have played several games throughout my career, some have been glorious train wrecks, and then there are a few which scratch the surface of extraordinary. Second Son doesn't scratch the surface, it blows a damn hole through it, and you will enjoy every time a new hole is made. If you have a PS4 you have no reason to not get this game, if you don't have a PS4 what the hell are you waiting for? Second Son paves the path for next-gen capabilities by being the best there is at what it does.
Dead Rising 3 is exactly what I wanted. I wanted a game that focused on some of the issues the previous entries had and tried to fix them while staying true to the series. In some cases, this is done perfectly. In others, well, let's just say we might need to revisit the old drawing board. Are those things bad enough to prevent you from having a good time with the game? Absolutely not. It's fun. It's as fun, if not more, than any of the previous games. It's not going to change the world ten times over, but for a launch title, this is where we should be. Dead Rising 3 might not be the game everyone wanted, but it is a game we needed. I, for one, am thankful it is here.
With all this said though, Knack is a game you need to have. I say "have" because you will want to keep playing Knack. Much like Jak & Daxter, which I have gone back and played numerous times since originally completing, Knack has that same allure. It is an accomplishment not many games can tout. If you picked up the PlayStation 4, you owe it to yourself to pick this game up: You owe it to the kid inside you and the friends you know who don't know how to have fun anymore. Knack may not be the most revolutionary game, but it is yet another promise from team Sony for what the company plans to achieve with the PS4. A promise I am glad I experienced. You will be too.