Hayes Madsen's Reviews
In terms of a console RTS, Halo Wars 2 stands just about at the top. It’s easy for newcomers of the genre to pick up and play, but still has a enough meat and complexity for veterans to be satisfied. Because of how the campaign wraps things up, I truly hope it gets a sequel. But until then, Halo Wars 2 is definitely a quality exclusive to add to your Xbox One lineup.
With everything from combat to story Tales of Berseria feels fresh, fast paced, and exciting.The darker tone for the story is a welcome change and works wonders, while the cast manages to be as memorable as any others you’d find in a Tales game.
If you don’t have a Wii U, Super Mario Maker on 3DS is still a great way to get a never ending stream of interesting Mario levels. If you do have a Wii U, however, you might be better off just sticking with the console version.
Dead Rising 4 evokes much of the same style and quirkiness that the first two games did, but ultimately isn’t able to spread that fun across the entire experience.
Pokemon Sun and Moon does more than just appeal to players’ nostalgia; it harnesses and combines it with new experiences to provide something that feels both familiar and fresh. The new experiences are bursting at the seams with new content and creatures, and it’s undoubtedly one of the best experiences available from the 3DS’ library, and the best Pokemon games to release since the beloved era of Gold and Silver.
Xanadu Next is definitely a game that feels dated by many standards with its lack of a detailed map, frustrating menus, and simple combat. Even despite all this, there was an immense draw to the game with its gameplay loop that proved to be incredibly fun, and really made me want to keep going.
Battlefield 1 is a hugely refreshing take on not only the series but the shooter genre in general. It’s exciting to see the series explore such an underused time period in video games, and properly represent not only the insanity of battle but the horror of it all as well.
Distant Memories shows hints of what worked so well in Hotel Dusk: Room 215, and even if it felt too short, I’m definitely interested to see where this one goes in the future.
I can’t say that this is a game that will appeal to everyone however, as the grinding it requires can easily turn you off of the experience. So much of the game feels like superfluous padding that oftentimes gets in the way of enjoying the story and aesthetic.
Apocalypse is a game that can easily stand on its own, even if you haven’t played the original Shin Megami Tensei IV. Of course, having played the original will give you more context and understanding of the world and its different characters and factions.
Spirit of Justice’s new setting and characters really are enough to make the game feel fresh, even if most of the gameplay is what we’ve seen before. It’ll be interesting to see where Capcom takes the series, along with Phoenix Wright and Apollo Justice, considering the resolution of everything in the game.
Giant Squid Studios clearly wants Abzu to be as evocative of an experience as Journey, and while I enjoyed how calming it was, I ultimately found myself unsatisfied after my three-hour playthrough. The game's world and setting is incredibly beautiful and atmospheric, but there just isn't enough meat to the game to really sate your hunger.
Song of the Deep feels like a distinctly different experience from the Insomniac that we’re used to. It’s a beautiful, lonely world and the Ghibi-like aesthetic work incredibly well in its favor.
As phenomenal of an experience as Limbo was, Playdead somehow managed to top it with Inside. It’s a hauntingly beautiful game, especially for how violent and dark it turns by the end.
With every iteration Fire Emblem seems to add on just enough to make it feel fresh, and Fates certainly has a host of new features. Birthright may be the best place to start out of the two versions, as it's easily accessible to anyone regardless of their experience with the series.