'Assassin's Creed Liberation HD' is different from many of the Assassin's Creed games that came before it in that it is an Abstergo product - the player is playing in the Animus, rather than playing as the typical Assassin through the Animus. It provides a rare, yet incredibly strong female protagonist that has quickly become one of my favorites from the series. She is deadly and determined, wrapped in beauty and grace. Her heritage amid the game's pre-Revolutionary War setting promotes the idea of an incredibly deep character when faced with the tragedies of slavery and you cannot help but root for her throughout her journey. By porting this once Sony PlayStation Vita exclusive to the PlayStation 3, Xbox 360, and PC, Ubisoft Sofia has made her story, her struggle, and her adventure, available to millions of Assassin's Creed fans around the world. Common Assassin's Creed gameplay issues aside, it is a game worth experiencing, regardless of your devotion to the franchise.
Movie tie-in video games have almost always been hit or miss. Some have been worth the effort, while most become regrettable purchases. Even fewer live up to or exceed the movies they are based on. 'The Amazing Spider-Man 2' falls somewhere in the middle. Although it's a visual let down when considering the console it was played on, the overall gameplay was consistently fun and enjoyable and it mostly accomplished what it set out to do – make the gamer feel like Spider-Man. If you can look past the freshman attempt at telling a good story, and have the patience for repeated loading screens, you may enjoy what the game has to offer.
Space shooters like 'Strike Suit Zero' fit a specific niche genre. They can be tedious and simulation-like, or a straight up arcade action experience. 'Strike Suit Zero: Director's Cut' fits nicely somewhere in the middle. The controls translate well from PC to console and are generally approachable very early on in the game. While I have never experienced the original version of the game, it does seem apparent that the developers at Born Ready Games put a significant amount of effort into the port. The visuals are simply stunning, but the repetitive nature of the gameplay as a whole has a tendency to dilute the overall experience. Given the option to replay 'Strike Suit Zero' with some form of co-op or multiplayer may certainly change my opinion and make the game a must-play. In its current, revised form, the game is diverting to play and better to look upon, but stops short of full engagement.
'Don't Starve' has done a nice job of introducing me to a genre of videogames I had not yet experienced. The randomness of the world and unexpected, yet consistent, surprises were reason enough for me to stick with the game, but the repetitive nature ultimately sullied the experience. If there's one aspect that I truly appreciated about 'Don't Starve' it's in the understanding that Klei Entertainment is the team to watch. I may have been more partial to the tight brawler experiences of 'Shank', but their level of creativity and ability to broaden their development skills are enough for me to anticipate future titles.
Pinch hitting for the highly anticipated 'DriveClub' as a part of the PlayStation 4 release was certain to be a daunting experience for the development team at Compulsion Games. Annoying bugs and short game play aside, they have nicely accommodated for those oversized shoes they needed to fill. 'Contrast' presents a wonderfully crafted and intimately personal story, while promoting an avant-garde take on the increasingly popular game play mechanics of light and shadow. The style of the game will keep you entertained from start to finish, but there isn't enough substance there to prompt a replay.
'UnEpic' for the Wii U is a nice distraction, a change of pace between AAA titles. It is a reminder that videogames do not necessarily require huge budgets or cross-continent teams to be both successful and fun to play. Although the game doesn't introduce anything new in terms of game mechanics, it represents a new option for owners of the Wii U who may be struggling to find a reason to turn their consoles on. The utilitarian use of the gamepad elevates 'UnEpic' as a better than average port from the PC and serves as a proper item management tool. It's hard to argue against the $9.99 asking price based on the amount of time you can spend with 'UnEpic', just don't expect the experience to be overly memorable.
There were no dice to be rolled or event cards to be read, the idea of a competitive of co-operative option was non-existent, and the end result was simply an interesting take on a turn-based strategy mobile game. That's not to say that I didn't enjoy the time I spent with 'Hitman GO'. Each boxed mission took anywhere from 10-15 minutes to complete, with an additional 10-15 minutes to perfect. I look forward to future downloadable content the team at Square Enix Montreal may be currently developing, and can only hope they provide additional missions specific to the 'Hitman' universe.
The fantasy RPG is more than a little crowded, and breaking into that genre is likely to be a difficult task. With the help of Focus Home Interactive, the marketing campaign behind 'Bound by Flame' raised more than a few eyebrows, including my own. Everything about the game had me interested and I was more than a little excited to occupy my time with this new adventure in between some of the bigger AAA titles still to release. Not without its shortcomings, 'Bound by Flame' is still an ambitious title for developer Spiders. It sets an interesting, albeit familiar, tone, and delivers an enjoyable and addictive combat system. Unfortunately, this being a grand adventure, the developers should have realized the importance a well-acted character can have on the final product. Had the game been voiced by more qualified actors 'Bound by Flame' could have become a major sleeper title for 2014. Instead, these poor performances have left an unfavorable impression. It's worth visiting for the combat mechanics, but staying for the duration may be a difficult task.
New IPs can be a risky proposition. Add a new console into the mix and the idea becomes even more daunting. Although I applaud the developers of Japan Studio for taking this risk, 'Knack' simply was unable to live up to expectations, and its difficulty negates its possibilities as a great family title. The story was less than exciting, the gameplay was repetitive, and the entire experience felt like one big missed opportunity as a flagship game for the PlayStation 4. 'Knack' has some interesting moments, but they were short lived and never fully realized. Gamers picking up a PlayStation 4 shouldn't cross 'Knack' off their list, but they may want to start with a different title.