Brian Albert
Great horror stories are many things, but tedious isn't on the list, and that's exactly the feeling that's born of Knock-Knock's inability to explain itself. A game that doesn't tell us how to play and has no consistent rules is a frustrating experience, no matter how eerily beautiful it is. Knock-Knock's confusing mechanics give little reason to answer the door.
Resogun is a smart, speedy game that reinvigorates the shoot 'em up genre.
Wii Fit U's variety of exercises and routines are fun, fast, and most importantly, they work.
Ryse is an entertaining ride that often values spectacle over skill.
Samurai Gunn's fast-paced combat is a ton of fun, but only if you can round up four friends.
Zumba Fitness: World Party isn't great at bringing in new people, but the dance workouts are fun regardless of skill.
Plants Vs Zombies: Garden Warfare does right by its namesake, putting the characters and charm to good use.
Kinect Sports Rivals isn't a knock out, but it does enough well that I'm excited for Kinect's future.
You don't have to be a hardcore golf fan to get hooked on Mario Golf: World Tour. It rewards good play, gives plenty to do, and is a great teacher. Its incremental approach to challenge kept me coming back to test myself, and the post-game challenges and multiplayer modes inspired me to play in new ways even after I thought I was a pro.
Daylight's horror atmosphere starts strong, but repetitive corridors and nonthreatening enemies squander it quickly.
Minecraft on PS4 and Xbox One is the same amazing game, but with even bigger worlds than we've see on consoles before.
Advanced Warfare is faster and more focused than any Call of Duty before it.
Battlefield's first foray into stealth makes for a fresh campaign, and the multiplayer has something for everyone.
Her Story's deep, dark story makes excellent use of old-school full-motion video.
Despite some ho-hum combat, Zombi's handling of death and exploration make it a worthwhile horror game.
Gears' strong style and great gameplay make it enjoyable even today, nine years after the original was released.
Where single-player has its successes and failures, Halo 5's multiplayer is one big, sustained high point.
From its four-player co-op campaign to the brand-new powers and a fleshed-out Zombies mode, Black Ops 3 meaningfully pushes the Call of Duty series forward on several fronts. Even where it doesn't innovate, it still meets the high bar Call of Duty fans should expect. Black Ops 3 isn't the best Call of Duty game ever, but it's the biggest and most feature-packed game we've seen out of the series yet.
Umbrella Corps is a bad competitive shooter that doesn’t even know how to take advantage of its few strengths. Its mechanics frequently contradict each other, balance is absurd, controls are clumsy, and it fails to pull anything meaningful from the Resident Evil universe other than some recognizable settings. With no great story hooks for horror fans and mechanics that can’t compare to most modern shooters, Umbrella Corps feels like a game made for no one.
Like its flat, plain protagonist Qbby, BoxBoxBoy! is deceptively capable. With one simple yet flexible mechanic, it uses crafty level design to constantly push the boundaries of what seems possible with just one tool. There are a few times when this puzzle-platformer leans too heavily into classic run-and-jump territory it’s not suited for, but when it stays the course, BoxBoxBoy! is a great example of how to do a lot with only a little.