Somewhere in Son of Nor, there's a great game desperately trying to get out, but ultimately the game suffers from poor execution and a lack of polish.
If you already own Borderlands 2 and The Pre-Sequel!, you probably won't get much out of The Handsome Collection. Anyone else will likely have a great time with its hours and hours of addictive RPG gameplay.
While highly derivative of The Legend of Zelda series, Oceanhorn is a beautiful and expertly-crafted game that will delight fans of the genre.
Harold is a beautiful game, but that's not enough to make up for sloppy design and maddeningly difficult gameplay.
Gat out of Hell is not perfect; it's shorter than it should be, and the missions are disappointingly unimaginative. As a full release, it'd be very tough to recommend the title, but taken simply as a slice of Saints Row silliness, it's much easier to endorse.
Sumo Digital had the unenviable task of taking on one of Sony's franchises, and pulled it off with gusto. A more technical advancement to go with the new hardware would've been nice, but the new additions are numerous and significant enough to ensure plenty of ambitious and exciting content from the Little Big Planet community.
This deceivingly simple-looking 2D platformer is one of the most empowering games I've played.
What the episode lacks in excitement, it makes up for with strong characters and rich, detailed environments.
Every aspect of Middle-earth: Shadow of Mordor feels like it was designed to be the ultimate power trip. At the same time, thanks to nemesis, your actions have very direct and visible consequences on the world you inhabit. It's this combination that makes Shadow of Mordor not only an excellent game, but one which sets the standard for all open-world titles to come.
Risen 3 never ventures into uncharted territory, but remains enjoyable thanks to a beautiful and varied world, solid questing and interesting level design.
You can't fault its ambition, but ultimately due to pacing issues, hit-and-miss writing and story that is altogether too long, the game is never very enjoyable. If you've got the patience to put up with the occasional periods where nothing much happens, Always Sometimes Monsters will reward you with a memorable, if very uneven, experience.
The Last Tinker: City of Colors is a breath of fresh air for those fed up with the brown modern shooters we've become accustomed to. Aside from the occasionally tedious combat, it's a fun and memorable experience for kids and grown-ups alike.
Despite its vast complexity and many mechanics, Age of Wonders III remains remarkably accessible for a newcomer to the series such as myself. The variety of gameplay, environments, units and leaders means you'll rarely be bored and allows you to play in whichever way you want. If Triumph Studios are also able to provide quality post-release content, Mr. Meier might just have to watch his back.
Windforge is the shadow of the game that it should have been. There's plenty of systems here that should be great, but the package doesn't quite come together - primarily due to a lack of multiplayer, but also due to a number of design issues. Those who prefer their sandbox games as a solo experience will likely be thrilled with the RPG elements, while others should probably steer their airship clear of Windforge.
Hardcore fans of the genre and Daedalic Entertainment will find enough to like here with the developer's trademark stunning art, believable voice acting and interesting setting, but an underwhelming story prevents 1954 Alcatraz from matching their stellar previous efforts.
You might want to stay away if you plan to play alone, but with its extremely responsive controls, lightning-fast pace, and easy-to-learn combat, Nidhogg is one of the most enjoyable and competitive local multiplayer games on the market.
Teslagrad suffers from a few frustrating moments, but it more than compensates for these issues with a beautiful visual style, impressive puzzles, and smart storytelling.
Contrast isn't without its faults, but it still provides a memorable gaming experience.