I was not expecting to love Unity, but I do. Ubisoft nailed the big assassination missions and everything in between. I lost several days to this game, and I'm looking forward to losing a few more. I want to see if I can find all the highest-rated equipment. I want to do some more multiplayer missions. I want to solve the rest of those brilliant murder cases. I want more Unity.
Sunset Overdrive is a really good time. If you also regularly run with an online crew that enjoys a good "us versus waves of baddies" modes, you will likely get even more mileage out of it.
Bayonetta 2 is surprising. Some of that is because it is an M-rated Wii U exclusive. It's also because it is a good game in a genre that doesn't seem long for this world. With everything moving open-world and online, Platinum is still sticking to it's area of expertise. And it's working.
At its core, Shadow of Mordor is a fresh, exciting game. I love what it does to make every enemy feel special. Open-world games like Assassin's Creed and Grand Theft Auto haven't really done much to expand on the possibility for emergence in the genre. They look like a pair of Casio digital wristwatches compared to the complex moving parts of Shadow of Mordor's intricate cuckoo clock.
I'm not a huge car guy, but Forza Horizon 2 makes me realize that I am someone who loves driving. It combines all the best elements of car culture and empowers players to take and leave the things they enjoy. For example, it has deep tuning options for you mechanics. You can adjust the level of air in your tires if you want. And if you don't, then don't even think about it.
Tomodachi Life reminds me what I love about Nintendo. Another developer might try an experience like this on iOS or Android, but it's unlikely they would leave it unsullied by in-game purchases. I also doubt that many other studios could nail the effortless humor that makes this so refreshing to play. It's not about shooting people. It's not even about jumping on heads. It's about mixing people together to see what happens, and I'm not sure anyone but Nintendo could figure out how to make something that simple so much fun.
Mario Kart is typically the best racer for most people. That's no different with Mario Kart 8.
I have issues with Mario Golf: World Tour, but they are completely unimportant when I'm playing the actual golfing parts. It feels great, it looks very nice, and it plays at a fast pace. And while the campaign packaging is a faint echo of Mario Golfs gone by, that didn't stop me from loving the 20 hours I spent with this entry in the franchise.
It's good to see Nintendo flexing the strength of its back catalog. NES Remix was a nice start, and NES Remix 2 is an improvement. Plenty of people, including me, love this era of gaming, and this game does a good job of capitalizing on that.
For me, Trials Fusion plays like a nearly perfect game.
Nintendo didn’t do Yoshi’s New Island any favors by adhering so closely to the game that spawned this Mario subseries. For Yoshi’s Island fans, New might feel odd. Despite that, solid gameplay and diabolically well-hidden collectibles have me sticking around.
Octodad is a great example of a game that conveys a message through gameplay. In conjunction with its story, characters, and setting, the controls offer an empathetic look into the life of an extreme outsider trying to fit in and trying to do right by his family.
Peggle 2 is a delightful game. The basic gameplay is still satisfying, the world is more colorful and alive than ever, and the music will cause your ears to explode with joy. Outside of the framerate issues, PopCap nailed the presentation.
Forza 5 is a fine way to spend a console launch. I'm not all that into cars, but I found an exceptionally built game that is welcoming to rookies.
I love Super Mario 3D World. As a single-player experience, it's on the same level as either Galaxy game or the memories I have of playing Super Mario 64 for the first time. In many ways, it's a more refined game than any other 3D Mario.
With Burial at Sea, Irrational's greatest accomplishment is resuscitating Rapture. The city is a visual feast, and the developer once again proves that it has some of the most talented environment artists in the industry.