Stephen Wilds
Gungrave G.O.R.E is resurrecting a franchise, but it's mindless bullet-slinging fun that has its problems and may not hold everyone's attention.
The Quarry is incredibly entertaining and a blast to go through. Even with a list of small flaws, I still can’t wait to go through again and unlock some more of the 186 endings, as well as numerous death sequences. I’m not sure how much of that majestic sheen will still be there after multiple playthroughs, but I’m going to find out. Summer camp was never this thrilling when I was a kid.
Swansong boasts an incredible world with intriguing characters and a deep story that does the source material justice, but the gameplay is long in the tooth and irritating at times.
Uncharted: Legacy of Thieves Collection is the return of two stellar adventures from an excellent series. The fresh coat of paint is sparkling and there's still fun to be had, but not too much else to experience.
Guardians of the Galaxy is a spectacular, albeit lengthy adventure with enjoyable mechanics and a surprisingly deeper story than what is on the surface.
Deathloop is an awesomely entertaining ride with stealth and puzzle elements that help make it feel like the big crazy sci-fi adventure it wants to be.
FORECLOSED wants players to embrace its brightly colored future, but watch out for a little jank and some frustrating sections that may scare some people off.
The Master Collection for Ninja Gaiden is an enjoyable look at two and a half great games, but not in their best forms. It has much of the DLC and extra bits thrown in, but nothing new that makes this collection worthwhile, except to new fans.
There’s still a lot to appreciate about Of Bird and Cage, such as the music, the tone, the desire to do something like what we almost saw. Hopefully, this isn’t the last from the developers as I respect the drive, but slow down, pull it back, work with the good ideas, and don’t let the music go flat again.
Ethan Winters is having another bad day as he fights to save his daughter in an adventure that has a lot to offer, even if it falls just short of its predecessor.
Arthur, the ghosts, and goblins are all back in a tough but satisfying adventure. Ghosts 'n Goblins Resurrection is an updated take that keeps the good and the bad without losing its identity.
There's a new hero taking up the name Spider-Man with his own style and a brand new set of problems, but Miles Morales' adventure is just as amazing.
G.I. Joe: Operation Blackout takes the iconic franchise and slaps it onto a mediocre at-best third-person shooter.
An action-packed adrenaline shot to the head that lives up to the rest of the classic FPS series, Serious Sam 4 provides a lot of high-end fun sprinkled with death and destruction.
WWE 2K Battlegrounds is an interesting distraction that wants to appeal to everyone, but will have trouble keeping a headlock on anyone for too long.
A bundle of joy for fans of these mega beat ‘em up franchises. The new polish looks nice, but there isn’t much to keep any newcomers coming around.
Vampire: the Masquerade - Coteries of New York holds a lot of depth in its world and melds in some small mechanics to help add an element of strategy. Better suited to players who are already familiar to the world, but easy enough for fledgling vampires to embrace it.
An experience for those focused and patient snipers, but the performance issues may hamper the immersion and fun in a world with a structure that only has so much to offer.
The series is back up to its old tricks, the bad ones, as this new installment hosts a crazy number of glitches and annoyances. Some fun can be had playing with WWE’s toys, but the cost of entry seems steeper than ever this year.
One of the original beat 'em up franchises is back and it hasn't felt this good to knuckle up in quite a while. As with the games that came before it, River City Girls is a brawler and RPG spliced together to create an amazing and silly adventure that provides a ton of fun.