This cute action-adventure effort adds a non-hardcore dimension to the PS4's launch line-up, but its graphics and gameplay fail to convince
There's no doubt that Killzone: Shadow Fall is far and away the best PlayStation 4 launch title. It feels fresh and innovative throughout – after playing it, we checked out Call of Duty: Ghosts on the PS4, which felt one-dimensional and strangely old-fashioned – looks stunning and through its beautifully fettled multiplayer side, offers infinite replay value. It towers above previous versions of Killzone in terms of quality and taking a much more interesting approach. All of which makes it the one must-buy exclusive in the PS4's launch line-up.
[I]t's a great game – exactly what we expect from Nintendo. But in a way, that's also its problem: anyone with a Wii U would be a fool not to buy it, but so few people have committed to the Wii U, and in order to rectify that, Nintendo needs to woo the unconverted with all-new gaming experiences. And the gaming experience that Tropical Freeze provides may be rich, enjoyable, challenging and frequently hilarious, but it isn't anything conspicuously new.
However, despite its nods to the oldest first-person shooter of all, it does feel thoroughly honed and reasonably modern. It isn't the future of first-person shooters, but it does rank among the best single-player examples.
Hyrule Warriors ought not to work – it smacks of Nintendo's desperation to get any sort of game out for its overlooked machine – but it will certainly delight the faithful fans, and manages to remain utterly true to the world of Zelda while offering really fresh-feeling gameplay. It's far from perfect, and won't win any awards, but has the attributes required to gain cult status in the years to come. If you have a Wii U, it's a must-buy.
The upshot is that The Evil Within will give survival horror purists a rare contemporary pleasure fix. But be warned: if you prize smooth, silky action above all else, it will drive you insane.
If you like games that are so big you can immerse yourselves in them for months, The Master Chief Collection offers excellent value. It's an absolute monolith of a package, beautifully presented for the 21st century.
What you do get, though, is a zombie scenario which is entirely plausible and believable and that, in itself, takes Dying Light to a higher plane, reaching toward the role-playing depth of State of Decay and the sheer nastiness of DayZ. Factor in the giant sandbox of a huge city, and the end result is a scarily immersive experience.
If you somehow missed out on the Borderlands games in their original configurations, then the Handsome Collection is the proverbial no-brainer. It offers the very essence of pure gaming pleasure (as long, that is, as shooting outlandish comic-book characters in the face is something that floats your boat). And not just as a short, sharp burst – thanks to all that DLC, it should keep you occupied for months on end. Combine that extreme meatiness with gameplay that is never anything less than irresistibly addictive, and you've got a recipe for waving goodbye to your social life. You have been warned.
It seems churlish to visit a barrage of negativity on a free game, but one sincerely hopes that Forza Horizon 2 Presents Fast & Furious isn't the harbinger of a new trend in the games industry.
Kirby and the Rainbow Paintbrush isn't going to single-handedly change the face of gaming, or anything remotely as drastic, but it is nevertheless a very high-quality effort which showcases Nintendo's strength as a developer and provides a thoroughly whimsical and surprisingly deep gameplay experience for those of all ages. In common with a growing number of its peers, it leaves you shaking your head and wondering how Nintendo managed to make such a mess of convincing the public that the Wii U was a worthwhile purchase.
It's true that if you own a PS4, played Street Fighter a while back and fancy returning to it, Ultra Street Fighter IV isn't a bad purchase: it gives you a lot of gameplay for the money and, at a base level is great to play – or will be once updates have been disseminated which fix the more glaring bugs. But the game's core audience is more or less guaranteed to own it already on PS3 or Xbox 360, and it would be well advised to stick to those versions of the game. Even in this day and age, it seems, porting is still a minefield.
Devil May Cry 4: Special Edition is something of a guilty pleasure – it's an archetypal mix of the sublime and ridiculous. It's great fun and offers plenty for those who played the original. And if you've never played a Devil May Cry game before? You, too, will find its considerable charms difficult to resist.
However, such considerations are minor, and there's an awful lot of pleasure to be had from Volume. Its uncluttered gameplay emphasises the puzzle-solving aspect of stealth, the level design is brilliant, the gadgets are sometimes clever enough to make you chuckle out loud and the whole experience is both surprisingly meaty and absorbing to the point of distraction. It may not be as wildly inventive as Thomas Was Alone, but it's a wonderful homage to what constitutes the very essence of stealth games.
Once you overcome the initial frustration engendered by Super Mario Maker's refusal to give you all its tools at once, it provides a wondrously moreish experience that will enthral a generation of tinkerers.
Blood Bowl 2 is definitely one for the board game devotees who prefer to play online rather than solo.
3DS title provides nice, if non-archetypal, way for devotees to re-enter the universe while they await forthcoming XV and VII instalments
Whether by accident, design or an emotive response to criticism of Far Cry 4, Ubisoft, via Primal, has given the franchise a huge new shot of vitality and freshness.
There has never been a better way to confront, or indulge, your inner assassin.
Gearbox Software's latest game is a hilarious good time, but still has a few flaws.