Like any good episodic series, the first outing for The Detail has a pretty good hook. The obvious cliffhanger is a bit predictable but leaves one curious about where things can go, and the escalation of events for other characters can open up some intriguing things later on. The gameplay might be a little short, and the choices don't make too much of a difference yet, but it's too early to tell if that will always be the case. Aside from the short play time, it's rather engaging, and while it is way too early to say whether The Detail ends up being a great adventure, the first episode will certainly whet the appetites of those who love a good police procedural.
Though imperfect, Resident Evil HD Remaster is a good update to a now-classic remake. The core game holds up rather well after more than a decade, and when compared to some of its contemporaries, it's still gripping in the action and scares. The improvements to the controls help greatly, and the various technical options ensure that just about everyone gets a near-perfect version of the remake. The compression artifacts are disappointing to see, especially when compared to the work done on the polygonal elements, and some of the sounds could have been done better. Those elements don't cripple the gameplay, and fans of survival-horror will be happy to experience this, especially if they didn't try it on the Nintendo consoles.
Funk of Titans is a game that sounds fine on paper but falls apart in the execution. The endless running mechanic can make for a viable game, but the ease in which levels can be beaten, along with the lack of any incentive to replay the title, makes this a "one and done" game. The presentation is fine enough until you notice that it is also lacking in variety and wastes the potential of its novel setting. The result isn't a bad game, but instead of snagging it at the asking price of $12.49, wait until it's offered at a significant discount or as a free Games with Gold title.
The Talos Principle can easily be called the next big puzzle game in the same vein as Portal. The story fosters some thoughtful discussion and sticks with you. The puzzles are clever and have a natural progression in difficulty, and the tools make them fun, even if none are completely new to the genre. The presentation is beautiful, and the game's overall length means you'll spend quite a bit of time on your initial playthrough. In a nutshell, you must pick up The Talos Principle.
Swords & Soldiers remains a great real-time strategy game for the Wii U. The mechanics may have been simplified when compared to other RTS games, but the fun and challenge is still there and enjoyable. The overall presentation is on par with the other releases made after the original Wii version, and the dual control schemes handle very well, so that's a boon for the revamped multiplayer. It could've used some of the newer things, like the extra campaign DLC and online play, but at a price ($2.99) that matches the tablet versions, there isn't much to complain about. Unless you already own it on another platform, you should pick up Swords & Soldiers.
Kalimba is a solid puzzle platformer that is trickier than expected. The puzzles and platforming are done so well that the ability to control more than one character simultaneously doesn't feel like a gimmick. The game may have a relatively short campaign, but there are many modes and difficult goals to keep the player coming back for more. Puzzle platforming fans should flock to this sleeper title.
Game of Thrones: Episode 2 - The Lost Lords is like the first episode in that it feels like a prologue to something bigger. Asher's appearance is more of an introduction to an upcoming bigger quest, and Rodrik's portion acts as a reboot of Ethan's story. Gared's tale features the least amount of progress. Only Mira's plot feels like it progresses, but the tension is kept at such a high level that the game remains intriguing and pushes things along nicely to the next episode.
There's a lot of interesting setup in the first episode of Life is Strange, and this is a great start. There's the overarching mystery of the missing girl, but the smaller ones have the potential to open up interesting subplots later on. The time rewind mechanic is very convenient for solving simple puzzles and ensuring that the choices you make are ones you're comfortable with, but it remains to be seen how much of an impact this will all have. Like all episodic adventure titles, it's too early to tell if the entire game will be good. Based on this episode, there's enough intrigue that the wait for the second episode, which is currently scheduled for March, might be a tad unbearable.
Zombeer is bad. The humor is scattershot and groan-inducing, while the gameplay is barely functional. The graphics spend too much time on useless animations and not enough on anything useful, while the sound is awful except for parts of the soundtrack. The short play time is the only positive thing about the game, but even that isn't enough to recommend the title to anyone.
Dynasty Warriors 8: Empires breaks Omega Force's streak in releasing games that can change the minds of series critics. By reverting back to basics with so few modes, the title returns to something of a monotonous grind if you aren't playing as the kingdom leader. Campaigns blend into one another and have very few differentiating factors between them. The creation system is vast but not as much as the PS4 version, and the lack of modes makes the game feel quite small, even though the campaign can last countless hours. It spares Xbox One owners from dealing with a deluge of cosmetic DLC, and it doesn't have to compete with too many other Musou games on this platform. However, it is still the weakest in the series thus far and can only be recommended to lapsed fans and die-hard fans who play all of the entries.
There's a good game in Harold. The frantic pace at which environmental manipulation can be done and its use in sabotaging the competition breathes some life into an otherwise straightforward genre. The presentation is fantastic, with excellent audio and visuals. The difficulty is appreciated, but the apparent grind is disappointing, and the controls seem better optimized for a touch-screen instead of a control pad. For fans of endless runners with a twist, Harold is worth checking out.
In the end, Grey Goo is an interesting attempt at a simple but effective RTS game. Aside from the Goo, which is fun to play once you get used to its nuances, the other units are familiar enough that genre fans can immediately jump in without much complication. Genre beginners will appreciate the simplicity that eases them into the game while everyone will appreciate the presentation. The net code could use more tweaking, and the small pool of maps is a disappointment, but if that can grow alongside the community, then RTS fans will have a solid game to add to their libraries.
Game of Thrones: Episode 3 -The Sword in the Darkness puts the series in a good spot. Asher has a decent amount of action, and his straightforward story is a nice contrast to everyone else's tales. Mira's situation is as tense as ever, and it doesn't look like the game will let up anytime soon. Gared's tale has gotten traction and gone from boring to exciting in one fell swoop. Rodrik's part in the episode still feels like it's spinning its wheels, but if you played things out a certain way, the events at the end signal the beginning of a spark . As long as the pacing of episode releases is right, there's enough here to keep players invested while the TV show rolls on.
In the end, ScreamRide proves to be fun in short doses. The four modes are quite entertaining if you love some chaos with your fun, though Engineering has some nasty difficulty spikes toward the end. The game is light on original content, but the leaderboard and many extra quests help give it legs, and the user-made creations give it some longevity. The presentation may be a little underwhelming, but few will mind since it provides such a distinct experience on the console. Gamers who are looking for something just a little different should check out ScreamRide.
Painted with a mostly authentic blend of 8- and 16-bit with a few modern touches here and there, Axiom Verge is the perfect game for those who can't get enough of the genre.
Blue Estate is surprising in both good and bad ways. On the one hand, it delivers some good action with a surprising amount of cinematic flair. It also shows that the lack of an actual light gun can work quite well. On the other hand, the rather short game can feel too long, and the humor fails at being funny. If you can live with those shortcomings, the game is worth checking out for light gun fans who are jonesing for a new experience.
Overall, Mortal Kombat X is great. The small improvements in the fighting system make a huge difference for the better, and the new fighters feel like they fit perfectly with the old cast. Despite missing a few modes and features, this is still one of the most packed fighting games as far as content goes, with enough hooks beyond the Story mode to keep players engaged. More improvements need to be made to the online performance, however, and the constant presence and reminders to purchase DLC characters can be off-putting.
Tower of Guns is a nice application of the roguelike formula to the first-person shooter genre. The old-school mechanics fit in well with the game's pure randomization to create an addictive experience no matter how many times you go through it. Though the title could use some more variety in enemy types and boss fights and the presentation could be a little better, there's no denying that the experience is fun enough to constantly beckon for just one more round. If you don't mind mindless shooting, Tower of Guns comes highly recommended.
In the end, Paperbound is a good game if you enjoy local multiplayer action. The core mechanics provide a good amount of chaos and strategy while remaining fun for players of all skill types. Though the modes don't seem to have much variance, the gameplay is solid enough that few will find the lack of variety to be detrimental, and the presentation is distinct enough to stand out in what is starting to be a rather crowded fighting sub-genre. The lack of a true single-player mode and online multiplayer hurts the game when you compare it to other titles, but if you play lots of local multiplayer anyway, you and your friends will have plenty of fun with Paperbound.
In the end, Guns, Gore & Cannoli is a pretty good side-scrolling shoot-em-up. The action is intense and challenging due to the mob mentality of the enemies and the sheer quantity of foes. The gunplay is solid, so each gun feels useful, and the gameplay flow is just right, whether you're playing solo or with others. If you can live with some projectile and platforming flaws and are a fan of the classic side-scrolling, run-and-gun titles, you'll have some fun with Guns, Gore & Cannoli.