Jim Hargreaves's Reviews
Natural Doctrine was never going to bring hardcore strategy to the masses. The developer knew exactly who they were targeting with their debut title and, for those players, the game will prove a worthwhile experience. For those who aren't too hot on their strategy role playing games, however, Natural Doctrine is a risk, yet one still worth taking if you're looking for something testing and out-of-the-norm.
Shadow of Mordor is without doubt the best Middle-earth game available on consoles. Though not entirely original (then again, what is nowadays?) all of the elements which it borrows flow in sync with Monolith's intuitive Nemesis system, creating something both immensely fun and replayable. That's not to say the game doesn't start to lose steam, especially once you've hit the thirty-hour mark, long after you've finished the story and explored the world. Still, when you eventually come to that milestone you will undoubtedly have had your fill.
Whether looking to expand the original Disney Infinity experience or joining the series for the first time, 2.0 is a sound follow-up. Though mature gamers will find it hard to warm towards its basic mechanics and lack of stock content, younger audiences will relish the freedom and creativity it instills. Avalanche Studios and its cohort of developers have gone a long way to capture the essence of its super hero line-up while still ensuring plenty of heart-warming Disney magic throughout. Overall, 2.0 may not have the impact of the original but it's still one of the best "toys to life" gaming experiences on the market.
Games like Disgaea 4 are what the Vita was built for. Although the console has recently been rebranded as the home of indie gaming on-the-go, there are dozens of stellar Japanese imports to be had, A Promise Revisited being one of them.
With that said, Blue Estate's asking price is a little steep for a game that barely stretches past the four-hour mark. Sure, there are collectibles to find and high scores to beat, though this won't be enough to coax some into replaying the game.
Ubisoft has certainly upped its game in the past several years, with Watch Dogs being yet another display of both the publisher's ingenuity and willingness to take risks, all for the benefit of players.
After four years with the license, Beenox has yet to deliver a truly ground-breaking Spider-Man experience. Yet, despite not having that "Arkham" effect, this latest movie tie-in is still worth a punt. It may be a little rough around the edges and could have done with more substance, but it's still fun for a good few hours and ideal for younger gamers.
If you're eyeing up the PlayStation 3 version of Xtreme Legends then I can't strongly recommend it. New characters are always great, as are new stages, but the lack of thought put into the addition to Ambition Mode is disappointing to say the least. The same negative applies to the PlayStation 4's Complete Edition though doesn't impact on the game's other contents, taken from the original Dynasty Warriors 8.