Ken McKown's Reviews
Racing games are not nearly as prevalent as they used to be, and arcade racers even more so. Trackmania Turbo scratches an itch I had forgotten I had, taking me back to the days of massive arcade cabinets and split second failures. The progression is addictive, and the wacky track designs kept me coming back. This is one racing game I think everyone should take for a test drive.
As a standalone package, Hitman's Intro Pack is more than worth the $15, and it is plenty to inform players if they are going to want more of it. The problem is that, again we are paying for a promise of content, as opposed to the actual content. I am sure IO Interactive will deliver the goods, but it is a weird time we live in.
Cel Damage HD is not going to blow anyone away, but it is a solid weekend romp. It has aged well over the past decade, and for anyone who has never played it, it is a nice change of pace. Still, without online and a severe lack of modes the fun wears thin quickly. This is one to wait for a sale to snatch up. [OpenCritic note: Ken McKown separately reviewed the XB1 (6) and PS4 (6) versions.]
Shantae and the Pirate’s Curse is a gem of a game that deserves to get more attention on its second time around. Those that have nostalgia for platformers from the 16-bit era owe it to themselves to check out this quirky experience. There is a lot to love about the half-genie, and certainly not enough of these types of games currently available on home consoles.
The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess HD is a must-have for players that enjoy the series.
Given another year or two this might have turned out to be a solid Hitman alternative, but as it stands Alekhine's Gun fails on every level – poor AI, abysmal frame rate, sub-par visuals, and horrendous shooting. There is nothing here to salvage the premium price tag.
Rocket League lives up to the hype surrounding it. For Xbox One players who have been envious of PS4 and PC players, your moment is here. Everything works even when it shouldn't, and the game provides hours of entertainment. Solo it is fun, with friends it is a blast. This is not a title to miss.
With a cheap price tag and bland visuals, this is an easy title to ignore. However, for anyone who enjoys character actions games with deep, engaging combat, I cannot recommend it enough. I found myself tearing through repetitive wave after wave because of how much fun the combat is. What it lacks in presentation, it more than makes up for with game play.
The Garden Warfare franchise started off as a pleasant surprise, and the sequel improved upon almost every issue I had with the first game. It is a surprisingly competent shooter that breaks the mold, both stylistically and thematically from other titles in the genre. The added single player components and all around improvements make this a worthy sequel that no one should miss.
Unravel is disappointing on several levels, simply because it rarely steps outside the box mechanically to deliver a fun or interesting experience. The narrative is what drives the game, and even some of that feels obtuse at times. I wanted to love Yarny and his adventures, but the game wrapped around it is simply mediocre in design to the point that as brief as the journey was, I simply wasn't having fun pushing through it, which is sad because Yarny appears to have more heart than most bigger-budget games.
While sparse on content, the actual fighting of Nitroplus Blasterz is surprisingly deep and enjoyable. Fighting game fans that usually scoff at these types of games should definitely check it out. It has been a nice title to tide me over until Capcom unleashes the big guns this month. I will likely come back to this game over time, as it is super easy to pick up and play; and most importantly it is easy to have fun.
Megadimension Neptunia VII is a bubbly game that I could easily see getting worn out with its abundance of releases. However, coming into it as a new player I really enjoyed the ride. There is a ton of content, fan service, and solid RPG mechanics to make it entertaining, if not a bit too cute for my own tastes. I have zero clues what happened in the story; as I said coming in on a conversation I missed three quarters of, but I still was able to appreciate the genuine humor in the writing.
LEGO Marvel's Avengers still boasts enormous amounts of content, and those that have not grown tired of the formula will find plenty to justify their money. Still it feels like the series is on autopilot and with LEGO Dimensions still fresh in everyone's mind it can be hard to justify spending another full sticker price for what feels like a rehash.
Low replay value aside this is an enjoyable romp, granted you have the patience and skills to finish these treacherous castles.
I cannot recommend this game enough if things like Transformers, G.I. Joe, and He-Man make you smile. This game will have you grinning ear-to-ear from start to finish.
Those looking for something new and exciting definitely need to give this a shot now that it has a second chance.
Fans of classic B-movies would be remiss to pass on this quirky action title. Its personality and charm make it worth playing through on their own.
There is nothing quite like Dragon's Dogma, even four years later revisiting it, I feel it made strides other games have still yet to imitate. For those that already made the journey though, this PC port feels more like a gesture of good faith, than a reason to return to Gransys. Still for those that have forgotten the glory, or never gave it a chance, this is the version to own.
Resident Evil Zero Remaster is exactly what the name implies. I had a blast returning to this entry, which is easily my least played in the series. It does enough different to help it stand on its own, even if some of those mechanics are archaic by today's standards.
Gemini: Heroes Reborn is certainly not a bad game, it is just excessively forgettable.