Samuel Guglielmo's Reviews
Jotun: Valhalla Edition features some of the most exciting boss fights in gaming mixed with lovely visuals and a decent story. It just needed some trimming of the filler to truly be a classic, but this new mode at least introduces a mode that's just that.
Somehow not even getting the basics of a free to play city builder right, Big City Stories is easily one of the worst releases of 2016.
There's a good game buried somewhere in ReCore, but it's lost in the massive inconveniences the game throws at you. From constantly refusing to let the player move on until they complete side content (even in the middle of dungeons) to loading times that put Sonic 2006 to shame. This ensures that ReCore starts off interestingly and ends up horrid.
The Uncertain's first episode has an interesting premise, but ultimately goes nowhere. It has some smart puzzles in its 4 hour run time, but it also has some awful moments and seems like it's scared of trying to stand on its own. Hopefully a second episode can correct some of this.
The Metronomicon has a few faults, but nothing that stops it from being my favorite rhythm RPG mash-up to date. With a killer soundtrack, some fun mechanics, and quite a lot of content, The Metronomicon is a beat worth getting down to.
Continuing from the first episode, Batman: The Telltale Series is still impressive and making me want to see more of Telltale's version of Batman. There's some nagging tech issues along the way, but as the episode kept going I was forgetting all about them.
If you're willing to look past some flaws, Claire mixes wonderful atmosphere with great writing to create a 2D indie horror game that I found scarier than many major efforts.
Four Sided Fantasy has a fantastic central mechanic, but it doesn't do anything with the mechanic. When later levels become glitchy and the game never really impresses in any other area, there's little to keep you in this fantasy.
It's always a shame to see a company hand in their final game, but Two Tribe's RIVE is a fantastic swan song. Featuring some tight shooting and platforming with difficult and creative fights and some really entertaining and well-acted characters, RIVE shouldn't be missed by anyone looking for a fast-paced explosive romp.
While it could have used some better side quests and maybe a bit more graphical polish, Mafia III's narratives is one of my favorites in 2016 so far.
Once upon a time Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare was the cream of the crop when it came to FPSs. Nine years later and Modern Warfare Remastered reminds us that FPSs have come such a long way. At its best, it's still a genuine competitor to current FPS, but Modern Warfare Remastered isn’t at its best enough.
Thumper looks great and has some interesting ideas, but it's bogged down by strange decisions, obstacles that blend in with the environment, and a soundtrack that doesn't have much to do with the on-screen action.
A slight step back from previous episodes, New World Order is still an interesting chapter that provides the best twist to come from the game yet.
Call of Duty: Infinite Warfare is easily the best entry into the series in a long time. While I'm not a huge fan of zombies, the campaign is easily my favorite Call of Duty has had to offer while the multiplayer is still a blast. If you want a lot of bang for your buck, Infinite Warfare has a ton to offer
Shu's platforming is well made and intense, leading to a fun game that speed runners and casual platform fans alike can enjoy. It's just a little on the short side.
A massive improvement over the first game in nearly every way, Watch Dogs 2 is an extremely successful entry into the open world genre that should not be missed by fans. Hopefully future entries into the series can knock it out of the park.
Here They Lie has some scary moments, and some totally bizarre ones, that will stick with me for a while. Sadly, I'm more likely to remember the game making no sense, ultimately being rather boring, ugly, unintentionally funny, and requiring VR without actually making use of the system.
The London Heist and Scavenger's Odyssey both provide well made and fun experiences that serve as great introductions to VR. Danger Ball is a decent, if not exceptional, Pong-like, while Ocean Descent offers a neat short film and two uninteresting ones. VR Luge is a total disaster in every sense of the word. Overall, PlayStation VR Worlds is a good starting package that would have done better as a pair of full games.
Batman: The Telltale Series' fourth episode successfully avoids the pitfalls Telltale's penultimate episodes usually have, Guardian of Gotham is another great entry in to what may end up as Telltale's finest hour.
Batman: Arkham VR offers some fun puzzles and use of tools, but its lack of action scenes and short running time keep the game from really making you feel like Batman.