Max Parker's Reviews
"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.
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.
"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.
"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.
"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.
Aside from the poor sound editing and occasional lull in the action, this game is a surprising success. When a game is strictly single-player, the story needs to deliver. This story does, plus brings polished gameplay as an FPS. "Wolfenstein: The New Order" is a sleeper hit of 2014.
Therein lies "Mario Kart 8's" dilemma. The Wii U has the tools to make this a standout game in the series, but instead it's just a pretty look at more of the same. It's still all about racing friends in a chaotic battle for first place. That old form of fun is present, but this latest edition fails to drive the series forward with meaningful change.
If you waited to buy a next-gen version of "The Show," you're in luck. The PS4 version isn't worse than the PS3/Vita version, but it isn't any better either. All of its visual sheen brings new problems, but it's still a big league sports sim.
"TowerFall" ascension is a must-buy for PS4 owners, but there's a caveat. You have to have local friends who are ready and willing to play it, not to mention four $60 controllers. If you have all of that, prepare to have some of the most multiplayer fun available on a gaming console. But in today's online-heavy gaming landscape, that's not the easiest thing to find.
"Second Son" has all the appearances of a next-gen game, but its gameplay and stunted karma system appear dated. Delsin is a more sympathetic character than Cole, but the simple choices he's faced with fail to further develop his character. This game has a gorgeous exterior, but that shimmer fades when digging deeper.
Demos are free to try. Even if you consider this a short prequel, DLC is usually between $10 and $15. I'm against the business practice that "Ground Zeroes" has introduced. Therefore, I can't recommend this game, demo, prequel, or whatever you want to call it. Wait for it drop significantly in price, or to become free on PlayStation +. I'm sure that will happen as we get closer to the real game, "The Phantom Pain." "Ground Zeroes" has the stench of a cash-grab, which is an unfortunate thing to happen to a series that is as artistic as "Metal Gear Solid."
Genuine comedy in video games is a rare find in today's gaming landscape of hyper-realistic shooters and pretentious fantasy realms. It's refreshing to have a game that is consistently hilarious, but also has gameplay chops. I hope that Matt Stone and Trey Parker continue with the path of video game writing. They could offer a lot to this industry. But I can't blame them for going out at the top of their game.
A basement is a room built well below the good stuff to hold a bunch of junk. The name "Basement Crawl" is appropriate.
Put all of this together and you have a game that is overflowing with grin-inducing charm. But once you peel back the bright and gaudy layers of decaying skin and leafy greens, it's a semi-stable shooter that has plenty of room to grow.
"Thief" is an easy game to make excuses for all its shortcomings: "The combat is lacking, but it's OK because it's a stealth game. The world is dreary, but it's OK because that's the style. The A.I. is moronic, but it's OK because it would be too frustrating if they worked harder at tracking you down." None of this is "OK," and the summations of these sub-par gaming experiences make for a sub-par game. It excels at nothing. Not even blind nostalgia can save it. Don't let Garrett steal your time.
This is a wonderful callback to the original games that adds new ideas.
"Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze" is a top-tier offering for the Wii U, but it doesn't break the mold the same way "Super Mario 3D World" did late last year. It's a Wii U exclusive, but it fails to take advantage of the GamePad. This is a good game that missed opportunities to be great.
"Tomb Raider: Definitive Edition" would be an absolute must-buy if it were priced between $40 or $50. Even an inclusion of some single player DLC would increase the value. Currently, a 360 version of "Tomb Raider" costs $23.99 on Amazon.com, and the PS3 version is less than a dollar more than that. You're essentially paying almost $40 for updated graphics, and maps for a multiplayer mode that I was never a fan of to begin with. "Tomb Raider's" single player holds up extremely well, and was arguably better the second time around. If you never played the original, I'd suggest picking up the "Definitive Edition," but it's a steep asking price if you're revisiting the game.
"Don't Starve's" gameplay is unique, but it's very much a throwback to trial-and-error gaming. It's reminiscent of games that employed a baptism-by-fire approach. In turn, these aspects make the game a social experience despite being strictly single player. Half of its fun is talking to other people who have played the game to share ideas.
Is "Peggle 2" worth $12? It's still a new "Peggle," so I still recommend it. It doesn't quite match the amount of content as the original game, which leaves the door wide open for future DLC. If you're OK with that practice, you'll be satisfied with the existing package. Add some online friends to play with, and you'll be happy you made the purchase.