Mike Splechta


172 games reviewed
81.9 average score
85 median score
76.9% of games recommended
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There is no denying that Twilight Princess HD, despite it's new HD moniker, is a dated game. Now whether those dated mechanics are a pro or a con is certainly subjective. Much of the gameplay mechanics we take for granted like waypoints are really nowhere to be found here. On the flipside, those who like the challenge of exploring the world themselves and discovering where to go next, will certainly love to return to this darker Hyrule to get lost in it all over again.

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Unscored - Alienation
May 1, 2016

I had a blast with Alienation, and if you have friends willing to invest to play it with, you'll have a ton more on top of that. The loot system is appreciated as well as the various ways to progress your character and your gear. Yet another top notch game from Housemarque under their belt. Now we just wait to see whether Matterfall ever see the light of day, whatever that game is.

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Feb 5, 2016

Gravity Rush Remastered is a damn fine example of thinking outside of the box when it comes to traditional 3D platformers, and I'm super glad that both Sony and Bluepoint gave PS4 owners the ability to experience the game, if they were previously unable to.

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Unscored - Far Cry Primal
Feb 22, 2016

I went in not really wanting to play Far Cry Primal, or at the very least, not enjoying it. However, I was pleased that Ubisoft Montreal didn't simply copy their formula from their other games, and paste it into a Stone Age setting. A lot of the mechanics are updated and refined, and frankly, just make a whole lot more sense given the time period.

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Feb 22, 2016

Six months ago, console and PC fans were treated to a six-game collection of the original NES Mega Man games. You know, the ones you might have played as a kid, that strengthened your resolve and made you the amazing gamer you are today. Or, on the flipside, made you rage at your NES, resulting in thrown controllers and NES carts. Whatever childhood memories you have of Mega Man, there's no denying that it took the platforming world by storm with an intense difficulty, and some kickass music.

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Feb 16, 2016

Arslan: The Warriors of Legend is yet another fine example of what Koei Tecmo can do with their standard Warriors formula, and tweak it just enough so it works for a completely separate licenced property.

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Mar 17, 2016

I'm a little confused whether Pokken Tournament is meant for a casual crowd, a hardcore crowd, or perhaps even both. The mechanics are simple enough for anyone to simply pick up and play, and potentially master, but the game does seem to have some slight nuances to give it an edge in the competitive space. Considering Pokken Tournament is already schedule to headline EVO 2016, it seems that both Nintendo and Bandai Namco are considering the game to certainly be competitive enough to appeal to the hardcore fighting game market. However, my time with it didn't really showcase that, at least not on that level.

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As you could see from the previous page, there isn't a whole lot to dislike about Popcap's latest foray into flora versus the undead. It takes the core foundations from the previous game, such as the tight controls, and great gunplay, and adds a plethora of layers on top of that, with the inclusion of more modes, a solo option for us loners, and even more classes to play as.

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Unscored - Street Fighter V
Feb 23, 2016

It seems as though Capcom primarily targeted the hardcore, competitive Street Fighter players, rather than casual fans, like myself. While I'll certainly delve online here and there, I'm not nearly good enough to go up against the hardcore SF players that occupy that space on a daily basis. That's why I was really hoping for some other modes to keep me occupied in the meantime. Sure, Survival is the game's single player bread and butter, but without standard modes like Arcade mode, or even something as basic as a Versus CPU option, it seems like Street Fighter V is seriously lacking in content, for a game that retails at full price, with a promise of more content in the future.

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Jan 27, 2016

LEGO Marvel's Avengers is easily one of TT's best attempts as both a LEGO title, and a licensed one. It's proof that TT understands both the LEGO properties and whatever licensed property they're tackling at any given time.

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Dec 12, 2015

Looking back at Hollow Fragment, and then playing Lost Song is somewhat jarring. While the gameplay elements of Lost Song lend themselves well to an action game, and the flight mechanics are fun, I can't help but feel this game lacks the finesse of Hollow Fragment.

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Unscored - Battleborn
May 14, 2016

Ultimately, Battleborn left me with a lot of mixed feelings. I really disliked the cheap-ness of the Single Player campaign, whether it was some of the un-soloable missions, the repetition of the same bosses, or the very, very dumb final boss fight. However, with that said, it is more fun when you do have other players with you. So the moral here is, don't buy the game if you're planning on playing it by yourself.

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Mar 26, 2016

The Division is a fantastic game that has presented its core ideas and mechanics extremely well. When comparing the game to Destiny, which might seem somewhat unfair, it's still clear that Massive certainly borrowed some mechanics that made that game so wildly popular. It's the grind; The promise of ever better loot; The potential to kill a boss and see that orange glow from a distance, that's the stuff that makes The Division worthy of time investment. The gameplay loop is fascinating, even if somewhat repetitive.

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May 18, 2016

I really tried to give Homefront: The Revolution a shot. From the very beginning, however, the game has been fighting me, practically begging me to hate it, despite me pushing back, and trying to praise it for some of its truly great concept ideas. Alas, it was a futile attempt. Homefront: The Revolution is indeed, an absolute mess of a game.

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Sep 8, 2015

If you were among those that felt that Forza 5 was a small step in the wrong direction for the series, Forza 6 seems like the perfect apology letter to its dedicated fans. Everything about it, from presentation to gameplay is refined to maximize fun, and eliminate grind. If you own an Xbox One, considering yourself lucky to be able to play, what is easily the best racing simulator on the market.

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Mar 11, 2016

While we've generally strayed from reviewing individual episodes of games here at GameZone, Hitman's approach to the episodic format is quite different. Since there is very little story to tell, and rather a whole lot of experimental gameplay that rewards multiple playthroughs, Hitman gets a pass on this.

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Unscored - Rock Band 4
Oct 5, 2015

On one hand, those coming in from past Rock Band will ease right into the new game. All past DLC is there, legacy controller support is there, and a suite of customizable gameplay options make it one of the most user friendly rhythm games to date. However, for those that are investing in Rock Band 4 for the first time, will find a rather slim track list on disc, one that they'll certainly want to increase in size with DLC.

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If you're just looking for a good hack and slasher, with a decent story, fantastic voice acting and some solid gameplay, Darksiders II is definitely worth checking out. However, if you're looking to get more out of the game, like satisfaction from the narrative, know you're only really getting half the experience here

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It's a must-play for Warriors fans and Dragon Quest fans alike, but I wouldn't discount fans of neither. This seems like a perfect gateway title for those who might want to give these kinds of games a shot.

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Oct 6, 2015

Transformers: Devastation gets an Energon powered recommendation from us.

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