Never Alone is beautifully presented on the Xbox One and successfully tells the story of the Iñupiat people through the eyes of Nuna and her pet fox. Sure, it may not be the most original title with its gameplay but its captivating characters and information create a thoroughly enjoyable experience on the Xbox One about a world encompassed by a never ending blizzard with magical spirit characters.
Elite Dangerous successfully takes the original game and turns it into a true 21st century revolution as you explore the furthermost reaches of the universe as you attempt assassinations, protect spaceports and search for those illusive credits in order to better yourself in this gaming world. The learning curve is a little steep and the controls can be at times fiddle some but overall, the developers of Elite Dangerous should be commended on creating a truly visual, immersive and memorable experience on the PC that not only pays homage to the original but takes it to a new level thanks to the MMO component and inclusion of the Oculus Rift DK2.
Although quite a short game, Life is Strange Episode 1 Chrysalis definitely brings a unique freshness to the gaming world and definitely gives a great twist and alternative to the Telltale Games. It has a very likeable character that when combined with the interesting gaming mechanics of time travel, it really makes you question the choices you make for Max that ended with me craving for more.
Dragon Ball Xenoverse is definitely a bit better than the previous game on the PS3 and XBox 360 and does offer the gamer some great replay value, especially when it comes to unlocking all the goodies such as costumes and items. With that said, the game still feels a little previous-gen in terms of its controls and I'm still waiting to see that true next-gen fighter on either the PS4 or the XBox One.
Screamride is a very entertaining game on the Xbox One that successfully creates that virtual roller-coaster experience from start to finish. There's some great replay value included in the game and some very good use of real-world physics with some over the top challenges for players to complete.
Being a fan of the series, I actually installed this latest instalment even though it does become repetitive but the mindless hacking and slashing on the battlefield is quite fun. The mechanics work well but the gameplay is definitely showing its age and once again, hopefully Koei can try something new in their next instalment besides making it a 1080p game.
Xenoblade Chronicles is a game that ticks all the right boxes
Life is Strange Episode 2 once again successfully ticks all the right boxes and creates a very interesting game driven by player choice and repercussions.
Mortal Kombat X takes this franchise to totally new levels of entertainment with amazing next-gen graphics and revamped gameplay that truly separates this current game from its predecessors. Add in a great story mode with depth plus some really fun online gameplay and Mortal Kombat X for me is one of the best fighters in a long time, especially with those brutal finishing moves which is also the reason this game deserves a much needed R18+ rating. Needless to say, Mortal Kombat X is bordering on perfection!
It's great that developers Slightly Mad Studios have moved away from the more modern approach of racing games that include gaining experience points to unlock new aspects of the game. Rather, they give the player a more holistic and realistic race experience by throwing everything at you.
If you loved the previous two episodes, Chaos Theory is a must, especially the amazing ending of this episode… wow… what a mind bend!
Sure, Elder Scrolls Online Tamriel Unlimited has been on the PC for awhile now and although the graphics may not match the PC version, it's definitely a far smoother experience in terms of gameplay and ZeniMax Online Studios should be commended on creating a great control system that really makes this a sturdy MMORPG experience on the XBox One. The only cost that you need is a valid Xbox Gold account and most players can dodge the premium transaction aspect of the game if they want too.
God of War III Remastered almost feels like a new game and considering it's been almost 5 years since since I played the original, I still thoroughly enjoyed this experience on the PlayStation 4. Seeing Kratos rendered at 1080p with all the detail is how this god killer should be seen and the gameplay is just as fun. Add in some DLC costumes and God of War III is definitely a worthy purchase which retails for around $55AUD.
Deception IV: The Nightmare Princess is great in small doses but unfortunately it does become a little repetitive, even with the new content and the game has this real last-gen console feel to it. Nonetheless if you enjoyed the previous games and want to try something different, there are far worse games than this!
All in all, episode 4 is a good instalment and let's hope that the next episode comes sooner rather than later which may hurt the revelations found in episode four but if you enjoyed the previous stories, you'll enjoy this one. So how does Amber, Frank, Nathan, Veronica, Warren, Chloe and Max all connect? The answer will be found out in episode 5!
Until Dawn may have gone through some development problems and lengthy delays but after completing this title twice, I can safely say that the wait was worth it. It's also one of those games that heavily focuses on storytelling and even though the gamplay does take a back seat, the interactive plot is equally as satisfying. All in all, Until Dawn puts the player into the world the unknown which makes your choices a very hard chore that will leave you with mixed emotions when you "think" you've made the wrong decision. Until Dawn is the perfect interactive medium on the PlayStation 4 that succeeds at drawing you into your own personal horror story.
If you missed Gears of War the first time around and own an XBox One then I could happily recommend the admission price into this franchise and best of all, it's loaded with content and entertaining gameplay. This also means that players will be able to download the original Xbox 360 games on their next-gen console (November 2015) plus get unprecedented access to the beta of Gears of War 4.
Madden NFL 16 definitely streamlines the American football experience on the PlayStation 4 with its enhanced gaming mechanics, especially with the new catches and accessible in-game goals. Controls work extremely well and the tweaked gameplay creates a new direction for the series, more so with the next-gen graphics that just boom out of your TV.
If you're a fan of strategy games and own a PlayStation 4 then you should check out Nobunaga's Ambition Sphere of Influence because it successfully creates a PC strategy experience on this console. Sure, the DualShock Controller will never replace a mouse but the developers have fine-tuned the mechanics to create a very compelling game that is not only easy to manage, both on a micro and macro level but it's quite a good looking game as well.
If you allow yourself to get lost in the world of Mad Max, you could easily spend around 40 hours in this game as you explore this world, search for valuable scrap and upgrade your abilities as you seek our additional quests and bonuses. Even though the third person mode as Mad is a little dull at times, the hand to hand combat is flawless as are the spectacular vehicle battles. In the end, Mad Max is a great addition to the open-world action adventure genre that is as slick and memorable as the Hollywood blockbuster film, Mad Max Fury Road.