The Witcher 3 is an engaging, overwhelmingly lengthy gaming experience with a staggering amount of characters to meet and places to explore. With solid quest structure, great voice acting and a killer soundtrack, there's really not much we can say or add that could further sugar-coat our sentiment, which is as follows: "this is the game to buy right now, like, NOW!"
Suffice it to say, there's absolutely nothing arousing about this game and yet it made me stop surfing for porn – for a bit. I'd call that one hell of an achievement.
Gorgeously enough, the simplistic notion that this is merely a product of someone's pleasantly twisted imagination overqualifies as entertainment. It's fucking art and I love it.
At the risk of getting a bit too philosophical about this, Journey really is just about the journey itself, not about explanations and hard facts. The game just tosses you into a lovely dream-like experience. This experience you probably won't forget.
The platform-esque nature of Ori and the Blind Forest might hold off gamers who feel that the genre isn't really their cup of tea. So, overall, I don't think there's much room for casual gamers here. This saddens me in a way, considering how much effort went into Ori's captivating animation, stunning backdrops and delightful tunes. However, even if I could persuade everyone to try Ori, chances are a majority of them won't play much of the game beyond the first several segments, because then the game shifts towards hardcore platforming. You seriously have to sweat and pant your way to your goal. Even those who are keen on platformers will have a hard time overcoming the challenges Ori has in store.
Dark Souls 3 is a never-ending maze, filled with brilliant secrets, dark perils and wonderful treasures. Bear in mind that losing yourself in such a world has its price and that price is endurance. It can get frustrating to the core, but facing up to the challenge feels grand.
If Kojima wanted to end his time with Metal Gear on a high note, he certainly pulled it off with Metal Gear Solid 5: The Phantom Pain. Nice work indeed.
Killing a boss is more rewarding than in other games out there, because you know how much practice went into that effort. I enjoyed Bloodborne as much as I have enjoyed the Dark Souls games. That means it kicks ass. Get it, play it, be punished by it and say you're a hardcore gamer. Nobody will argue with you.
Bear in mind that this is more than just another interactive storyline with zombies in it. There are so many different layers to the experience. Weaving your own thread around the main story arch and deciding which characters to support and which to shun makes you feel better than watching top-notch TV shows like Breaking Bad or True Detective. It's almost like you're writing the story yourself and you're right in the middle of it, making all the decisions. It's a sensation few games can match.
Anyway, away with such idle talk. The promise of riches and delicious loot hangs in the air.
Enemy Within is how XCOM was meant to be played. It takes all the great things from the original and refurbishes them with all sorts of cool new additions to the gameplay. If you haven't been introduced to the XCOM universe yet, this would be the right time to start.
Dirt Rally can rightfully claim the throne of rally racers in 2016, assuming something doesn't beat the game to it. At this point, we can freely claim that Codemasters have outdone themselves and have finally come back to splendid form, giving us a racer worthy of both Dirt and the legendary CMR series.
The only fly in the ointment here are some technical issues to prevent you from fully enjoying the masochism: issues with the game failing to start for some users, quirks with aiming, soldiers warping to different locations when reloading and even some crashes to desktop are the stumbling blocks that have a number of gamers asking when can we expect a patch. In the meantime, I will live with these issues so I can continue having my head kicked in.
The game's slick design and the simplicity of the envornments makes it unique, beautiful and alluringly mysterious. Your character overcomes problems by using intelligence not fists (oh wait, sorry, you do use fists, though not for punching, just for manipulating objects). Q.U.B.E.: Director's Cut is a great experience, and it's a shame we don't have more games like this out there.
We often encourage developers to push the boundaries when it comes to gameplay. It's different with Uncharted. This is still good stuff. And sometimes we don't have to seek revolution or innovation.
Enter the Gungeon is one of the most entertaining pixelated rogue-like shooters I played in recent times. It can lure even those who are not particularly keen on the genre. Great work, guys.
Professional gaming aside, StarCraft 2: Legacy of the Void offers a pretty solid amount. While I'm still not entirely behind the idea of splitting Terran, Zerg and Protoss campaigns into three separate releases, I must admit that Legacy of the Void won me over. It has everything I expected it to have: addictive gameplay, solid plot, great characters, Blizzard's trademark kick-ass cinematics, exciting campaign missions and a rich multiplayer package.
Real-life problems and real-life challenges. Nobody's gonna hold your hand. You have to fight for yourself and to protect the ones you care about. This War of Mine is a brave endeavor. We see wonders done with this game in a potential sequel; one that will hopefully get a bigger budget, so we can see the genre evolve even more.
Playing the iterations consecutively feels good and you can actually witness how Naughty Dog progressed as a story-teller. Every title absolutely holds up and can take its rightful place among current-gen releases.
I think what I'm trying to say is: I like Destiny. It only took me a year to admit it.