If you're willing to push past a large number of technical issues and poor stealth gameplay, there's a fantastic story buried deep in The Occupation's heart
When Shadow Warrior 2 is firing on all cylinders, it's an enjoyable action-packed experience, but those moments are few and far between in a campaign that's too long for its own good
Luckily the foundation of the series is still strong in and out of the campaign, with the multiplayer suite of Horde and Versus being as fun as ever. Escape, clearly inspired by Left 4 Dead, is also a great way to kill an hour if you've got competent squaddies for the ride. Ultimately, I had a fair amount of fun tearing my way through swarms of foes with shotguns and chainsaws, but there's definitely a part of me that's disappointed Gears 5 isn't the evolution its bloody heart is set on being.
Perhaps the best that can be said about this expansion is that it's ultimately a step in the right direction for one of last year's most disappointing games and offers a glimmer of hope that Destiny might, within a few years time and a handful of updates, actually be a consistently great game rather than a pile up of both great and poor design decisions that frustrates just as often as it delights.
When the credits rolled I was relieved. The final part of Roundabout was agony, a funny game that had overstayed its welcome and told all its jokes four times over.
The delightful story and atmosphere just narrowly make up for the lack of compelling gameplay
The Pact weaves a convoluted story that's an improvement over the first episode and ultimately entertaining if you're willing to suspend your disbelief.
Ruiner's messy brand of violence and stylish visuals make for a fun and chaotic (if brief) ride
Provides the challenge hardcore players seek, but the experience comes with its fair share of frustrations
The rest of Brutal doesn’t live up to its inspired visuals but it still makes for a good time
A charming story and enjoyable combat make the journey worth taking even if sub-par puzzles, technical issues, and frustrating controls drag down the experience
After a dull start the tension amps up, resulting in a promising-but-rocky beginning
On the whole Syndicate is entertaining and good at providing an enjoyable time while you thoughtlessly grind away at the completion meter, checking off lists of items and missions as you go along.
The finale is an inconsistent episode, but its highs are memorable
Like Don’t Starve, Shipwrecked is fun for a time but often too punishing and meandering for its own good
The primary characters are more fleshed out now that the story is occupied with making us sympathetic to them rather than showing off Westeros and Essos. As a result, this is a game that now feels more confident and standalone than it did a couple of months ago, more of a work that justifies its own existence than it does a dull, flimsy tie-in being hawked by HBO for marketing purposes.
When it isn't dragging its feet, the latest episode of Telltale's take on Batman offers some engaging twists and turns.
Fire Emblem Warriors manages to stay consistently entertaining despite pacing issues and an uneven balance between action and strategy
The costumes are loot for fans, and the Trial of the Sword is an entertaining test. Even so, nothing here substantially builds upon the core game
As short as it is, Super Hot VR is a thrill ride unlike any I’ve taken in the past few years