So what I have found while playing Overwatch is that once again Blizzard is still going about game development like they have before. The game is incredibly polished with a unique set of heroes that are evenly counter balanced.
Even with the long load times, annoying pop up messages from the ranking server login, having to play challenges to level up or even wondering why I am trying to free a country that from all appearances does not need to be freed, Just Cause 3 keeps compelling me to log in and play. Maybe it's the ability grapple onto enemy vehicles, toss the driver out like a wet dishrag and then drive it into a fuel depot.
There appears to be enough going on in the great Boston commonwealth to keep players questing and exploring for quite a while to come.
Even though there is currently a high learning curve and players need to do a little research on their own to get the most out of this galactic sandbox, Frontier Developments has so far demonstrated that they deliver on their promises. Compare that to the 'other' space sim Kickstarter that everyone has been talking about and I think the choice for your next space sim is an easy one to make I would strongly suggest if you are looking for a bit of challenge and want to get sucked into a deep, rewarding game that promises to only get bigger, pick up your Xbox One controller and give Elite: Dangerous a try. I think you will be pleasantly surprised.
Gameplay wise, younger gamers should be in love right out of the gate regardless which version you opt for. Just be prepared to plot your path through stores more carefully if you want to pace how rapidly you add on new figures. Older gamers will also enjoy the game for a time, but will most likely move onto other titles once they have completed the play set scenarios. Still, the appeal of taking control of a young Yoda wielding a lightsaber, bouncing around the screen, slicing battle droids to shreds is appealing to any age.
So, Grand Theft Auto V finally is available for the PC and thankfully Rockstar took the time to do it right. Taking the additional time to ensure that the game runs smoothly, beautiful and fast should make players accept the large amount of time it took for it to be released.
Yes, Turtle Rock has a proven track record with Left 4 Dead, and I do enjoy a good player vs. player game every so often, what I can't quite decide on is if Evolve is going to live up to its heritage and grow on people enough to still be relevant in a few months or if it will succumb to the Titanfall effect: Hot out of the gate, but assuming room temperature not long afterwards. My head hurts.
Dying Light is an interesting mix of standard, now over used gameplay features but with a (mostly) well-implemented parkour slant.
The Crew is not a bad game but one targeted at a very specific group of gamers. Not quite the pure race and unlock gameplay offered by other car titles and not enough of the usual trappings us twisted MMO fans look for to find a long term home on my hard drive. In short, it's a fun distraction for the short term but unless this is the kind of meal you'd like to eat three times a day for the next twenty five years, you are going to find yourself not quite sated by what The Crew has to offer.
For people looking to get lost in a detailed world brimming with political intrigue, warring factions, tough choices that affect the story and gobs of replayability that will last you well beyond Fall and into the new year, Dragon Age Inquisition is a must buy.
The single-player campaign in Call of Duty Advanced Warfare is more engaging but it still makes some mistakes in the end with characters making decision and choices I felt were rushed or simply did not make sense. Technically speaking the game is the best Call of Duty to date and even the story issues can't detract from that. Coupled with the new multiplayer modes, both co-op and PvP, Call of Duty Advanced Warfare delivers on its purchase price.
In almost every way Disney Infinity 2.0 earns its sequel badge as it has improved on the original. Disney Infinity 2.0 has improved on level building with in game helps, templates and automation (optional) the ability to download other player's creations, added RPG elements with the ability to level your characters and make them more powerful (including characters from the original game) and added a couple of new gameplay types (which I hope to see more of in the future). While some gamers might dismiss it as a kids title or choose to give it a pass because of the collectible figurine aspect are missing the point. Sandbox games are popular with gamers because of the fun players get to experience due to the freedom they allow. Infinity offers the same sort of freedom of play but does so with a cast of characters that are well loved and instantly recognizable to fans of all ages. The cost for the upgrades might seem as a barrier to entry, which was off putting for me at first but the amount of enjoyment my whole family gets out of the Infinity series has completely erased that concern. Plus who wouldn't want to control and play with the stable of Disney characters? Things will really get interesting when the Star Wars sets hit the market as I am pretty sure the tag team of ObiWan and Stitch will be a force not even the Avengers could compete with.
Well-polished shooter/MMO hybrid with addictive loot hunt properties, great visuals on next gen consoles, fun multiplayer experience with co-op and PvP options; Some dialog cheese, party search and creation could be improved, episodic missions can endlessly be replayed but with long term effect on the world.
If you have never played any the Metro series, are looking to experience the stories again but with a lot of updates and some new content, or just need a post-apocalyptic fix , this might be the perfect opportunity for you. While the updates did not fix some of the little issues I had with the games, the performance and visual boost go a long way to help minimize them. Metro Redux is available today on all systems.
I keep finding more and more things to do and work towards in Wildstar that I sometimes find myself torn by what to focus on next. When I attended the media event two months before the game launched Carbine promised that they would be delivering updates and new content regularly. As we enter into the second month post launch they are making good on that promise with their second content drop hitting the servers today meaning even more options for players to get lost in. In short, the game is already getting bigger. Yes it's an MMO, yes it has a lot of the same features or game play we have seen in other titles and yes its so freaking huge you might feel overwhelmed with your options but if you are fan of the genre, but even with the little technical issues currently in the game, you can find no better option than Wildstar.
The final concern is one that will not be answered until a much later date: Content. Yes Bethesda pulled out all the stops and got professional talent to voice the NPCs. It has a huge impact on the gameplay and I have to say I like it. My concern is that as with all the content that MMO players are used to consuming, Bethesda will either not be able to keep up with the demand, will go broke trying to maintain the star power quality of talent or will end up cutting corners to get it done. Based on the monthly cost of $15.99 on top of the purchase price, players will not be happy with any perceived change in quality. That leads to the inevitable question of can it maintain the subscription for the life of the game. However, Bethesda has invested a lot in the game already and ESO appears to the crown jewel in their product crown so I would wager they will handle it appropriately. History has shown that RPG fans are more than willing to part with their cash when they get the chance to play in the land of Tamriel. With ESO helping migrate these players to the online subscription based model, Bethesda might have a money printing machine on their hands and might be able to continue their streak of block buster titles. We will keep playing and providing updates as we progress in game.
Titanfall is a must buy. Yes, I have admitted I have a thing for giant robots and the game is overflowing with a variety of sexy, lethal robots. While we are not seeing anything truly new or groundbreaking in the multiplayer shooter here, the execution and style more than make up for innovation. The leveling and unlocks that accompany them, the variety of well-designed maps and game modes, the paper-rock-scissors balance of man vs. robot combat and overall polish that is present throughout this online only multiplayer shooter make it great fun to play. Period. Buckle up Pilot. Prepare for Titanfall!