Shawn Zipay's Reviews
Through the Woods is a terrific atmospheric adventure title held back from true greatness by some disappointing character work and voice acting. I quite enjoyed my journey through the unquestionably unique environments and I would like to think that I learned a few things about Norse mythology along the way. This game took a chance with its focus on combining an atmospheric horror game with Norse mythology and it paid off for the most part. The price point and lack of "in your face" scares may push away many consumers, but the style and gameplay scored some high marks for my personal gaming tastes. For their first offering, Antagonist shows off a ton of promise and I would love to see what they bring to the table in the future.
Repetitive, bland, broken, and disappointing. It's so difficult to recommend this game to anybody, even to fans of the previous games. The game feels more like a poor attempt at the first entry in a new open-world series rather than the third main entry in a series that has now been around for 14 years.
Forza Horizon 3 is, without a doubt, the best open-world racing game on the market. Its looks are stunning. Its sounds are rich and impressive. Its driving and handling can be tailor fitted for novice arcade racers up to veteran sim drivers. It's full of content that could, theoretically, never dry up. It's just flat out fun to play! The only problem is that the PC version has some significant issues when it comes to stability and smooth performance.
The Turing Test isn't just another "dime a dozen" puzzle game. It is a thoroughly enjoyable experience that does a tremendous job of separating itself from the herd. It is a game that compliments and neatly expands upon some of the best that the puzzle genre has to offer, games that you have come to know and love over the years.
Abzu is a game that is better experienced than explained. Featuring gorgeous visuals and a story that leaves the door open enough for your own personal interpretations. The only real drawback to the game is that it may be a bit too short for those overly concerned about cost per hour.
Coming off of the phenomenal Layers of Fear, the Inheritance DLC lacks the charm and the atmosphere that the original offered in spades. The scares came across as forced and weak. Bundled with the original game, it's not a bad value proposition, but as a stand-alone purchase it can safely be avoided.
Quite possibly the best "Souls" game to date, even surpassing the original, and much beloved, Dark Souls.
A great game held back by some tired tropes.
It's sad that Battleborn came out when it did, that being right around the same time that Overwatch had its beta and subsequent release. The game was overshadowed before it ever saw the light of day. It also didn't help that there was a preconceived bias against the game due to Gearbox's past efforts. However, Battleborn has shockingly filled that action-MOBA void in my heart that I didn't even know was missing.
Just buy it. If you ever played the original two Doom games and/or Doom 64, then you owe it to yourself to buy DOOM right now.
The best team based multiplayer game since Team Fortress 2.
If you are looking for a fresh, colorful, fun twin-stick shooter with a dash of personality, then you should look no further than Assault Android Cactus. With a number of levels, daily challenges, and game altering unlocks, you and up to three friends will have an absolute blast with this game. Yes, it can and will be difficult for many players but what fun would a twin-stick or bullet hell game be without a good challenge.
At the end of the day, Guild Wars 2: Heart of Thorns managed to reignite that spark I hold that once burned bright for the franchise. The story was enjoyable, despite the occasional grind between major story quests, and the new guild additions alone would be worth the upgrade. However, ArenaNet also included a new class, new specializations, and new skills that make the game feel like an entirely new experience at times. Heart of Thorns is an absolute must-buy for fans of the base game and for those looking to see a "buy-to-play" game done right.
Without sounding too hyperbolic, SOMA is a better BioShock than BioShock managed to be. It nails the atmosphere and hits all of the notes that makes the story one of the best in the horror genre.
Even with the few, and consequently minor, shortcomings in Madden NFL 16, it is by far the best football game in years. The new additions to the passing and receiving game alone are more than worth the purchase price. These new game mechanics, coupled with the new defensive additions and refinements, bring the game to a level of realism that has never before been reached by the Madden franchise. On top of all of that, Draft Champions looks to be one of the best new game modes added to a sports game in recent years.
Rory McIlroy PGA Tour for the PlayStation 4 takes about one step forward and two steps back when compared to previous entries in the franchise. It's a game that looks and plays well but it's also a game that feels light on content. This entire package is then tied together with one of the most horrendous menu interfaces in recent memory. To put is simply: The game feels unfinished.
White Night is a curious game, even if it's a bit predictable. With its references to two distinct genres, where unexpected twists and turns are welcome and interesting, it instead plays it safe. The game's big redeeming qualities are its style and presentation but without much in the way of story and gameplay to complete the package. If nothing else, your morbid curiosity may help you to see this one through to the end.
I think it's safe to say that Dying Light is one of the most enjoyable zombie based games I've played in quite some time. The game certainly ups the ante a bit by tossing in some solid parkour movement mechanics, four player co-op, and optional, but fun, competitive multiplayer. All of these elements blend in nicely with a more mature narrative when compared to other games in the genre.