Max Parker's Reviews
"Always Sometimes Monsters" is as much of a mirror of the player as it is a looking glass to view the world through the eyes of the creators. It elicits thought about life philosophies. Any game that explores the existential crisis is a welcomed break from the tightly compartmentalized genres of contemporary gaming. Assigning a static review score to a game such as this seems silly. Play it and see where it takes you.
"Valiant Hearts" is able to convey this very real story of war through its cartoon-designed characters. It's gut-wrenching as realistic stories of wartime loss often are. That story occasionally gets lost while shuffling between the four main characters, but the message remains. The perils of war are far more real than the glory of the battlefield that is often depicted in today's games.
"Sniper Elite 3" isn't trying to be a groundbreaking display of social commentary. It's not begging to be analyzed. It's shooting Nazis in the most violent way possible. That's what it set out to do, and that's what it accomplished. It's not the most polished experience, but it should be a bullseye for fans of the stealth and sniping genre.
This is a special game. It also puts me in a bit of a quandary. The original game came out last year, but should this version receive game-of-the-year consideration? I have five months to figure that out, because it's the best game I've played in 2014.
"Hohokum" is an example of how abstract a video game can be when it strips away the conventions like a plot, tutorial or anything that is a virtual representation of something found on the Planet Earth. Its vagueness is both its strength and its weakness. Players will either love it for being different or hate it for the same reason. I'm stuck somewhere in between. I don't see myself revisiting "Hohokum," but it will certainly stick out in my mind for the foreseeable future.
If "Diablo 3" is any indication, there's a reason that this is an influential series in the annals of video games. This has the makings of being a serious timesink for me, but I'm looking forward to wreaking further havoc in the underworld.
"Counterspy" begins as a novel approach to 2D stealth when the levels begin with a simple layout. The gameplay declines in the later levels when it becomes a shoddy shoot 'em up. The action in small doses is tolerable, but the final level tries its hardest to ruin the entire experience.
Overall "Disney Infinity 2.0" improves on many aspects of the first game. The experience clicks perfectly when playing one of the better Play Sets, and seeing novel creations in the Toy Box often amazes. If you're willing to throw down the money to collect many of the better characters, the experience a memorable one. If you're just planning on checking out The Avengers starter pack, there's more to "Disney Infinity 2.0" than this subpar representation.
Talion's story captures the essence of a Tolkien story. It's all about the journey. Friends are made, strangers are met and the true evil of Middle-earth is ever-present, but each story revolves around a true hero. Now Talion can stand next to the legends of Gimli, Frodo, Legolas and Aragorn.
Eventually, the game's catalog will grow to contain dozens of fan-favorite tunes from different corners of popular music. When you feel the beat of your favorite song and then wave your hands to alter that song with various layers and tones from the remixes, "Fantasia: Music Evolved" feels more like magic than a video game. Walt Disney was driven by the need to create new avenues for artistic expression. He would be proud of "Fantasia: Music Evolved." It's worthy of his name.
When you actually think about it, was "Resident Evil" really ever about the story? Was Wesker a well developed villain? That series has always been gameplay over narrative. "The Evil Within" continues that trend. "Resident Evil" has been on the decline for the last decade, but "The Evil Within" can be its honorary resurgence.
The "Halo" series has had a pristine record when it came to online stability at launch, but now that record is tarnished. This review will be updated again once these multiplayer issues are rectified, but right now this is a major disappointment. This is a series that was built on multiplayer action, and the online features are a mess.
Regardless of the innovation that is or isn't present in "LittleBigPlanet 3," the series' PS4 debut will undoubtedly make longtime fans happy. The numerous new features will pave the way for some of the deepest user-created levels the series has ever seen. I can't wait to see where users take this experience.
If any game in the "Super Smash Bros." series has ever been the go-to game to play with your group of friends, this new Wii U version will replace it. A new "Super Smash Bros." game is the only suitable successor to a previous "Super Smash Bros." The king is dead, long live the King.
But is "Far Cry 4" fun? I enjoyed "Far Cry 3," so it's safe to assume that I also enjoyed "Far Cry 4." There just isn't much new here to call it a sequel. "Far Cry 3" was a change in direction from "Far Cry 2." I expected that same innovation from "Far Cry 4," but instead saw more of the same. Kyrat is a wonderfully crafted open world that encourages players to seek out all of its hidden adventures, but the sense of discovery is lost when it feels like the second time around.
"Grim Fandango Remastered" is a great opportunity to introduce a new generation of gamers to this timeless classic. It still plays like it came out recently, and the story remains unlike anything out there even after nearly 17 years. Pay the $14.99 and see how influential it is to many of today's popular games.
For 3DS owners and people who missed "Majora's Mask" 15 years ago, this is the perfect time to experience one of the most underrated games in the series. The game seems to force itself to take advantage of the 3DS hardware, and not every part of the game is enjoyable, but that's par for the course when it comes to the "Zelda" franchise. The layered narrative is worth your time and money. It's a shining example of why "Zelda" is such an artistic representation of the medium of video games.
"The Order" will likely become a long running franchise for Sony. It will be interesting to see how it evolves. It could stay in content with being a game that is only interested in presenting a cinematic story with gorgeous graphics, or it could evolve into a game that grants players with more creative freedom. Its current form is a step back from what modern games have become. "Shadow of Mordor," "Dragon Age" and "GTA V" achieved accolades because their settings were molded and enhanced by the player's freedoms. "The Order" feels confining. Galahad is trapped between the gorgeous buildings of London with nothing to do other than play out his story. The player has nothing to do but watch.
"Screamride" could have been a respectable evolution of the popular "RollerCoaster Tycoon" franchise, but it veered off the track along the way. The roller coaster design sections contain strokes of genius, but that genius is constantly mired by boring gameplay that make up two thirds of the game. This lack of cohesion creates a seriously bumpy ride.
"Ori and the Blind Forest" is much more than a pleasant surprise of 2015. This is a must-play game in the Xbox One and PC library. It's a rare find that molds gameplay, level design and a heartfelt story to tie it all together.