Levi van Tine's Reviews
'Assassin's Creed Unity' is a conundrum. Some of its components have been put together well, like the visual quality of Paris and the co-op. Other parts are a bit uglier and have still made it into the final product, the glaring dearth of proper bug testing foremost among them. Ultimately, the latter outweigh the former, and this game can safely be passed over by all but the most loyal fans. The Assassins have seen better days.
'Magic 2015' is frustrating not because it's bad, but because it is so close to being so good. It takes a step forward with the deck builder and two steps back with its cumbersome interface and lack of engaging gametypes for both single and multiplayer. The pay-to-win model has not taken over just yet, but it is creeping steadily closer. If you have enjoyed previous versions of 'Duels of the Planeswalkers' and are a serious 'Magic' fan, it's not a bad play. If you are a newcomer to the series, consider the 2013 or 2014 edition instead.
Being too similar to the first game and finishing far too quickly keep 'Costume Quest 2' from greatness. It maintains its predecessor's wit, although the jokes have been diluted somewhat, as have the mechanics. It could most accurately be described as a playable cartoon, and is a short and sweet romp for any RPG fan who doesn't mind its cuteness or brevity.
'Tropico 5' is less of a sequel and more of an update for the franchise, as could be said of its immediate predecessor. It is more accessible to a grizzled 'Tropico' fan, but the gameplay is still as addictive as ever. The limited multiplayer and lovely sandbox mode give the game legs, even if it's hampered by some visual and tutorial issues. Deep city building mechanics and a sardonic sense of humor make it stand out in the sparse field of simulation titles on the 360.
At full price as of the time of this writing, no substantive upgrades, and nearly an identical experience to the previous version, the Xbox One iteration of 'The Wolf Among Us' is only recommended for those players who are new to the series. For those people, I certainly encourage a playthrough. For those who have played it in the past, there isn't much to see here.
'Fantasia' is a joy to play from start to finish. It has smart, addictive Kinect features, a great (if limited) soundtrack, and uses its source material wisely. It has a few things holding it back, like its weak visuals, frequent load times, and choppy menu navigation. Even taking those into account, this is easily one of the best Kinect-based games to date and is more than worth a long look.
It is not a frame-for-frame clone of 'Dark Souls', but neither is 'Lords of the Fallen' a worthy competitor. Imitation is certainly the sincerest form of flattery, but this game gets more wrong than it does right. Difficult gameplay is its own reward if the player has the proper tools, and while I had some of those tools in 'Lords of the Fallen', I never quite got on board with what it offers. A stronger tutorial or even a minimap goes a long way. Even so, the time I spent with it was not without enjoyment. For those with the patience and conviction, who don't mind taking a beating and putting up with some visual issues, 'Lords of the Fallen' may just scratch an itch not met by anything else currently on the Xbox One.
This is the best Xbox One exclusive to date, although competition is a bit slim in that category ('Dead Rising 3' made the jump to PC this year). It reminds me a lot of 'Saint's Row IV', 'Borderlands', 'Jet Set Radio', and even 'Crackdown', and the combination of a self-effacing world and move-or-die gameplay makes it the rare open world treat. While the crowded release schedule this fall may divert attention from it, it is absolutely worthwhile.
It is a wonderful love letter to fans of 'Alpha Centauri' and certainly one of the best turn-based releases this year.
'D4: Dark Dreams Don't Die' is an odd, quirky little game. It is not for everyone, and its cornucopia of bugs and stutters does not help its case. And yet, it does have a certain charm that started to grow on me during the second episode. Fans of SWERY's previous outings will find a lot to like. It doesn't have the legs of a full gaming "meal," but it could serve as a light snack.
'Borderlands: The Pre-Sequel' offers just enough content to move out of expansion territory and into full release, but barely. For those who can't get enough Borderlands and relish the opportunity to experience some new characters and abilities, this will tide you over for a few dozen hours. For everyone else, it's not exactly a must-play title.
'Minecraft' still has a lot of steam left. The game has been and will continue to be a consuming phenomenon. New console or no, 'Minecraft: Xbox One Edition' is perfect for those who have never played it (are there any of those people left?), or those who have spent a lot of time on their 360 worlds and would be interested in the new features. It is not ideal for those who already spend a lot of time on 'Minecraft' somewhere else, such as the PC.
'Destiny: Rise of Iron' is not a standout expansion but nor is it disappointing the way that 'The Dark Below' and 'House of Wolves' were. The production values remain high with the superb score, attractive Temple of Iron, new Crucible maps and so forth. On the other hand, the PvE content has mileage issues. It is still worth playing and even worth coming back to 'Destiny' for, if only for a short while.