Levi van Tine's Reviews
'Darkest Dungeon' is the rare game that gets my heart pumping while playing, not because it's scary (even though it is a little scary), but because the stakes are so high. One battle can make the difference between waltzing out flush with loot, and returning home defeated, with the party dead or completely insane. It will punish your mistakes and it will even punish your good fortune, on the rare occasion it happens. Despite all of this, or perhaps because of it, I cannot seem to stop playing 'Darkest Dungeon'.
'Crashlands' has heart and soul in spades. It is capricious, engrossing, and highly addictive. It has such a pleasant mix of genres that it can be appealing to a wide variety of gamers, not just the ones who enjoy a good craft. Its flaws, like the slow start and smudgy menus, are small and easily overlooked.
It has been a few years in the making, but the Xbox version of 'The Banner Saga' is a wonderful experience. I sincerely hope that Stoic releases the sequel on this platform as well, because they have a good thing going here and the more people who experience it, the better.
'Assassin's Creed Chronicles: India' takes a step back from the modest success of 'China'. The narrative adds little to the overall 'Assassin's Creed' storyline, most of the characters are thin, and the gameplay is inexplicably disheartening. Perhaps Ubisoft can eke out a victory with the Russian installment next month, but this entry isn't worth the price of admission.
'Homeworld: Deserts of Kharak' is a good game and a worthy addition to the lofty 'Homeworld' canon, but its technical issues are a serious concern. Despite the weaknesses in its visuals and performance, it is a strong RTS with a first-class tactical formula and decent narrative.
These are strong tables, especially the 'Force Awakens' one. They rank right up there with Zen's other great offerings, like most of the Marvel superhero franchises. For 'Star Wars' fans and those who spend a lot of time with 'Zen Pinball' in general, these tables will not disappoint.
'Jack the Ripper' is a miniature 'Assassin's Creed' experience. Rather than enlarge the existing 'Syndicate', everything about it is smaller - the story, the open world, the Assassin skills. It isn't exactly innovative, but nor is it cheap or boring. Hopefully it is a stepping stone to even better expansions to come.
I had preconceived notions about 'Batman: Arkham Knight - Season of Infamy' when I started it; I'll be honest. The series as a whole has been much better about making great campaigns than it has great downloadable packs, which of course is still much better than that litany of games out there that can't get either one right. But, with 'Infamy', the series has perhaps saved the best DLC for last. It is a welcome addition to Gotham, but just a bit too small for my liking.
'Starcraft II' remains a household name in the RTS genre, and 'Legacy of the Void' joins an already great pair of games to make a compelling trilogy. The replay value is high and strategy gamers can enjoy many hours of play after finishing the decent campaign, especially those interested in the robust multiplayer options.
'King's Quest: Rubble Without a Cause' is no slouch, but its gameplay doesn't quite live up to the standards set by 'A Knight to Remember'. It is definitely still worth playing, especially for those who fondly remember the golden age of adventure gaming.
'A Block and a Hard Place' is a return to form for 'Story Mode', shoring up the series after the last few episodes have faltered. The climax comes a bit sooner than expected, but the pacing during the wither episodes felt rushed at times, so there's no harm in moving on before the final outing.
'Darksiders II: Deathinitive Edition' sits firmly in the camp of "probably didn't need a remake, but here it is and it's actually not bad". It takes care of some video issues from the original release while adding a few of its own, has no new content, and premieres at a relatively high price point fo a returning title. What it does offer is a very competent action adventure game from 2012. It has little to entice the diehard 'Darksiders' fans but if you're new to the series, this is a worthwhile outing.
I'm keeping my expectations in check for 'Minecraft: Story Mode', but I can't shake this nagging suspicion that we've seen the best the series has to offer, in 'Order of the Stone'. The characters and their motivations just can't seem to keep me invested. At any rate, we'll be sticking with the season until the bitter end, hoping for redemption.
'God's Acre' continues to provide a great story for the overall 'Republique' title, but has some major flaws with its technical presentation. They are not game-breaking but definitely drag down what otherwise would have been a very sharp episode. I still heartily recommend the series, but players should expect to notice some touche engine level changes in the fourth episode.
The reboot of 'Star Wars Battlefront' rises above the mediocre level of many licensed games to be something quite enjoyable. But as I play, and the energy level slowly wanes, I can't help the feeling that it could have been more. Like 'Evolve' and 'Titanfall' before it, 'Battlefront' has a great premise and strong initial gameplay, but a short honeymoon period.
Call me nostalgic, but I miss the great 'Rainbow Six' campaigns of yore. The franchise has been rebranded as a different kind of game, similar to its predecessors but with more style than substance. A few days of casual play with 'Rainbow Six Siege' is quite enough to sample most of its charms, and while I enjoyed it, I doubt it will remain lodged in my memory for very long.
Telltale's 'Game of Thrones' does far more than just trade on the good name of the accompanying TV show. In fact, it has nearly surpassed it in storytelling on several occasions over the last year. Even its low points have been entertaining, and I have relished the chance to have my own little story within Martin's sweeping fantasy epic. Like most of Telltale's recent work, the season is worth every penny.
'Rise of the Tomb Raider' is a slightly larger, slightly better version of the last game. The devs have played it safe in terms of adding new mechanics and content, opting for what has worked in the past. It still works, of that there is no doubt - 'Rise of the Tomb Raider' is a great game and should be played by any action fan. It could have been more, but is far better than most games of its ilk.
'Minecraft: Story Mode - Assembly Required' came so quickly after the first that I can't help but wonder if it was rushed. Parts of it seem that way - the duration, the weaker script, the lack of entertaining interactions. It's almost as though the episodes were created by different people. It's still early in the season though, and Telltale has some time to pull it together.
'Halo' becomes more agile as 343 works on it, both in design and in gameplay. There are some story issues that keep 'Halo 5' from being a top-notch sci-fi epic, but the campaign is still a pleasure to play, especially with others. The multiplayer is hearty out of the gate, with the hypercompetitive Arena suite alongside the more bombastic, arcade-oriented Warzone. 'Halo 5: Guardians' has a lot to offer the consummate shooter aficionado.