Headlander’s vibrant sci-fi trappings can’t make up for dim execution
There’s a mystery to be solved and adventure to be had, sure, but that’s standard operating procedure for fantasy games like this. Where Tokyo Mirage Sessions ♯FE stands out is in its approach to modernity.
For a game about running fast, Mirror's Edge Catalyst sure is slow
A welcoming sportsmanship sets Pokkén Tournament apart
Firewatch sees relationships rise from the ashes of loss
Chibi-Robo! Zip Lash tries to clean up the series but just makes a mess
Without an ounce of real musical talent required, Rock Band helped people feel like real-life superstars in the comfort of their own homes. Rock Band 4 takes that feeling and makes it personal. It's no longer just about being a rock star but finding the rock star in you.
As both a user experience and dream fulfillment, Super Mario Maker is far from perfect, but it is still hugely charming and packs a copious helping of fan service for longtime Mario aficionados. Its greatest accomplishment, though, is showing how such a simple collection of toys can be used in so many different ways. With an active and passionate community, Super Mario Maker could very well be the last Mario game we ever need.
Like the cartoons that inspired it, there are big ideas displayed within Galak-Z, ideas that are exciting and worthy of deeper exploration. Also like those cartoons, the resulting product feels rushed and indistinct.
[F]or now, it's clear that Nintendo has succeeded in crafting a new, idiosyncratic take on the modern shooter. The bright colors, peppy music, and short bursts of action make it fun and easy to keep coming back. It's the sort of no-brainer we should have been playing for a long time now, and just like getting those hard and soft taco shells in the same box, it's sure to be a crowd pleaser.
The first game, like a precocious child, asked a simple question: "Why do we like killing?" Wrong Number, like a disillusioned teen reading Vonnegut and lighting up a spliff, asks back: "Why do we, like, kill?"
Upcoming chapters promise more action and excitement, but "Chrysalis" has already given me something I didn't expect: a representation of modern teen life that is neither romanticized nor condescending. Just as a chrysalis is the transitional stage in a butterfly's growth, Life Is Strange knows that teens are just humans in transition.
In an environment where so many games are about achievement and experience, Elegy For A Dead World proves to be a game about inspiration.
There's a game here that wants to be played. It's just buried beneath a game that wants nothing to do with you.
The most promising surprise, though, is how Nintendo transformed a popular genre that had become all too steeped in darkness and hand-wringing seriousness into a family-friendly affair without losing any of its edge.
With an almost staggering variety of new creation tools and a whole new training area designed to teach about them, LittleBigPlanet 3 is clearly a game with creators in mind. Those tools alone cannot justify the price of admission, though, and the package that accompanies them lacks the series' signature imagination.
While Hyrule Warriors could've gotten away with a simple "you got your chocolate in my peanut butter / you got peanut butter on my chocolate" mash-up and wiped their hands all the way to the bank, the end product is more of a love letter to its audience than either series could have attempted on its own. This may not count as a proper Zelda game, but it is still a valiant step forward for both Zelda and Nintendo in its efforts to explore new territory with the nearly 30-year-old series.
Above all else, Hohokum is a constant reminder that the verb used when we interact with games is "play."
[I]t's not just about exploring a lost civilization but also about giving back in some way to ensure that ours is not left to the same fate.
Second Son wants players to experiment and decide what kind of hero they want to be, and it gives them plenty of leeway to do so.