Drew Hurley's Reviews
Game of Thrones: Episode Four - Sons of Winter again meets the high quality set by previous episodes. The superbly written characters continue to keep people truly invested in their stories and the choices are really beginning to show just how much player choice can influence the tale. This and Tales from the Borderlands are fantastic examples of just why Telltale's games are so well loved.
This is another superb example of how DLC should be done, again investigating other methods of play and other stories within an established world. Sadly, in comparison to the previous DLC, this just doesn't stand out. Regardless of the issues shown, though, for the low asking price, the enjoyable arcade action and enough unlockables to create incentive for a few playthroughs, this is still well worth picking up for The Evil Within fans.
Another fantastic example of both DLC and survival horror done right, these two parts have been such a joy to experience, it cries out for a full sequel to The Evil Within to be made entirely in this style - less action, more terror! With The Consequence wrapping up Juli's story, the next DLC, The Keeper, looks like it will be something completely different. Stay with Cubed3 to see how it feels to play on the side of the monsters when this is released next.
Fans of the genre will adore Toukiden: Kiwami, and this is a good entry point for those interested in getting into the hunting genre. The fluid arcade action brings a new spin and there is a ton of content for both players of the original and for those new to the franchise.
The Sword in the Darkness truly lives up to the first episode after the exposition-filled second and goes to show fans of the Song of Ice and Fire universe that this story is truly worth a place alongside the canon of the series. Now exactly halfway through the season, there's a ton of promise and a lot of foreboding for the remainder of the series. So far the Foresters are getting knocked down and kicked harder and harder and harder… which, much like the Starks, will make it all that much sweeter when they finally have their revenge.
There are so many aspects of Final Fantasy Type-0 HD that work well, but as a whole it just feels off. It's like so many good ingredients being put into a bad recipe. At its core there's a great game here with a fantastic combat system, but it's buried under the story, graphical issues and frustrating gameplay aspects. It's certainly worth giving this a go… but wait until it's on sale. It's a shame this wasn't ported to Vita where it would have worked better.
This second episode feels a little slower (curse of episode two!) but even taken as a standalone it's superb. The storytelling and development are top notch, and if the low point is this good, it shows some much promise for the future.
Superbly atmospheric with some truly chilling aspects and moments, The Evil Within: The Assignment further explores the twisted world that Shinji Mikami and the team at Tango Gameworks have crafted and opens the door for more with its upcoming follow-up. This is definitely a great example of Survival Horror done right and, equally, a perfect show of how DLC should be done.
The Order: 1886 has moments where it really shines and lives up to the potential shown in early previews of the game, but, sadly, the end product feels like it was rushed out before being finished. The story is full of unanswered questions, and there really is no replay value. Despite all its flaws, there is a story worth experiencing, and some great moments. Hopefully the studio gets a second chance, expanding the franchise and rights these wrongs, along with further developing the world in a sequel.
There are a number of choices made that the consequence of which the player will be dying to see, which is bound to make the next two months pass awfully slowly until episode three hits, especially with the "Next Time" trailer at the end of this episode teasing. Bring on Episode Three!
Crazy. Unique. Fun. Addictive. Although Saints Row IV: Re-Elected is not much of an upgrade of the original, a low price point, tied together with all of the DLC bundled, makes this is well worth a purchase for both those that finished the original version on the previous generation of consoles, as well as those that missed out and are intrigued to find out what all the fuss is about.
As a standalone title, Saints Row: Gat Out of Hell is fun enough, but it feels like a stripped down version of what it should have been. It's a real shame; there are moments where the game really shines.This game is a fun distraction, but sadly a forgettable one. It feels like it could have been so much more...
Considering Underground was developed originally as a simulator and will hopefully assist in the development of surgical skills, it's great to see it works well as a standalone game, too. This type of tangential learning, using games as teaching tools, is amazing, and it's fantastic to see it being used here. There are a million places this sort of idea could succeed; hopefully it will be used a lot more in the future.
Although Game of Thrones: Episode One - Iron from Ice is yet to test new waters with its gameplay, the difference of multiple lead characters and their impact on the bigger world is very promising and it's going to be interesting to see how it pays off in future releases. As a standalone chapter, whilst a little narrative heavy and gameplay light, it's a great start that fans of Telltale and Martin's series will adore, capturing the tone of the source material perfectly.
The comedy, the story choices, the setup - it's all done well in Tales from the Borderlands: Episode One - Zer0 Sum. The next episodes can't come quick enough! Grab the season pass and enjoy waiting with baited breath for each episode to be released. The team here at Cubed3 certainly will be!
While Persona Q: Shadow of the Labyrinth is very much aimed at a core audience and may alienate potential newcomers, the fans are going to adore it. It keeps many aspects the series is famous for, while expanding a new and fun story with a ton of fan service. For fans of Persona it's a must-buy, and for those new to the genre it's worth a shot - even without getting all the in-jokes there's still a great game here.
Shadow of Mordor shows that the Tolkien licence still has a lot of life in it yet. It falls short a little in that some of the aspects feel like they don't quite live up to what they promised, but this is a great first step for a brand new IP. Hopefully this won't be the last we see of Talion.
There's little more that can be said; Bioware seems to have taken every negative thing said about Dragon Age 2 on board and improved upon each and every one of them. This is a real love letter to its fans and one of the best games to hit in a long time. Now about that next Mass Effect game… and the ending of number three...
As far as LEGO games go, this is par for the course. It's highly enjoyable with a good amount of collectables and unlockables for extending the lifespan. Unfortunately, it does feel like a small step backwards after Marvel Super Heroes, with the missing open world being the biggest loss - this is LEGO Batman 3 and not LEGO DC Comics or LEGO Justice League, so there's still hope that an open world will come later, as this most certainly won't be the last in this franchise.
This game is not what was originally promised, but that's not a bad thing. While many were hoping for the next Silent Hill 2, it became the next Resident Evil 4, instead. With The Evil Within, Mikami has taken the highlights of a number of his other games and combined them into one terrifying amalgamation of gore, horror and action. The Evil Within is a great game. Survival horror fans will find it a great addition to their collection, and even for those with little experience of the genre it's well worth a play.