Anthony Taormina's Reviews
Fans of anything Marvel has created in the last 75+ years will come away from LEGO Marvel Super Heroes satisfied, as will those who regularly turn up for and enjoy TT Games' LEGO releases. The game by no means introduces any fundamental changes, but it's charming, well designed, and endless engaging all the same.
That being said, there will be die-hard LEGO game fans who enjoy this release, doubly so if they loved the feature film. It's by no means a bad game, it actually runs silky smooth, looks quite nice on next-gen hardware, and the controls are fluid and responsive; it just doesn't evolve the base formula enough to make it stand out. The LEGO Movie Videogame is better than most movie tie-ins, but for a LEGO game it's passable at best.
Octodad: Dadliest Catch knows exactly what type of experience it wants to deliver and, for the most part, it succeeds in doing so. The mechanics work well and the concept is charming and enjoyable. But a few rough patches will likely keep players from seeing the game as anything more than a pleasant distraction or a fun sandbox to mess around in. Luckily, Octodad is a relatively short experience, and even when it starts to get a little dull or frustrating, there's always something different for Octodad to struggle to do.
There will be some who perceive the game's specific design decisions as flaws, and they aren't necessarily wrong, but they were likely never going to enjoy Broken Age anyways. Broken Age falls into a very specific genre, one that rarely gets much attention anymore, and makes a strong case for why it should.
It runs with minimal loads, has a wondrously vibrant color palette, and the sound is exceptional on home theater systems. But ultimately, players' need for more Peggle will dictate whether they pick this game up now for $12, or wait for the inevitable, and likely cheaper, mobile release.
There may be a good idea buried somewhere within LocoCycle, but what Twisted Pixel delivered disappoints on practically ever level.
Like we mentioned in our current-gen review, Madden NFL 25 comes across as little more than a stop-gap before the big improvements hit in one or two years time. And the next-gen version is a slightly better playing iteration, with visuals that are more detailed but still flawed. Overall, fans of the series will like how EA Sports has leveraged the power of the next-gen systems, but the casual consumer is better served waiting till the franchise makes more sweeping changes.
With the difficulty dropped down to easy, Knack might find a place among younger gamers/new PS4 owners, but it's a tough recommendation otherwise.
Resogun might seem innocuous at first, but once players peel back the layers, they will see that Resogun is a challenging, yet rewarding, space shooter with a fantastic sense of style. Granted, some players might not find the challenge worth it, or simply find that this very niche genre is not for them, but those who live for these types of unforgiving shooters will count Resogun among the top tier.
As a continuation of BioShock Infinite, both mechanically and narratively, Burial at Sea: Episode 1 is a worth playing, even if it doesn't capitalize on its potential as much as fans might hope. The combat is still as enjoyable as ever, if a bit same-y, and the game's stunning detail will leave fans searching every nook and cranny. However, the story beats packaged around that gameplay are surprisingly straightforward, which is a bit odd for an Irrational-developed game. But, by the time the credits roll BioShock fans will likely look at the overall experience as an entertaining one. And most importantly they will be desperate for Episode 2.
So, while the game looks the best Call of Duty ever has, it also carries too many flaws to make it a must-have title for next-gen console owners, or casual Call of Duty fans for that matter. Die-hards will still log countless hours, but long-time detractors will finally have new ground from which to criticize the franchise.
Picking up FIFA 14 now won't leave gamers dissatisfied, but it might be worth waiting to see what the next-gen has to offer.