Alex Langley
Magicka 2 is here, boasting the same elements, same spells, and pretty much the same, well, everything.
While Republique far from perfect, it has more heart behind it than a thousand triple-A games, delivering pleasantly puzzling stealth espionage action with cinematic flair.
Thanks its many selling points, like its cheeky writing, brutal gunplay, and easily-accessible, unique multiplayer, Helldivers is well-worth your time if you're looking for something quick, casual, and brutal to be enjoyed in a group; for anything more substantial, look elsewhere.
[I]f you're the patient sort who likes to slowly explore every nook, or who craves a gaming experience that's less exciting and more thoughtful, Everybody's Gone to the Rapture might be the light in the dark you've been looking for.
Despite its age, Homeworld still managed to provide a quality RTS experience unlike any other.
Lichdom: Battlemage is an experience that's empowering, but obtuse. The magic and combat are often thrilling, fast and rewardingly tactical, but the dull level design and overly-complex upgrade system mar what is, for the most part, a mystical, ass-kicking good time.
Thanks to Coffee Stain Studios' Goat Simulator, now you, too can goat, and you can goat with gusto.
World of Final Fantasy throws on a pair of rose-colored glasses to take a look at Final Fantasy’s past with a Japanese role-playing game that’s indelibly modern.
Ultimately, Until Dawn is a bold experiment that pays off far more than it doesn't. Though the story's set pieces are set, the outcomes are not, and if you've got the snooping skills to find all the totem guides, the reflexes to ace every QTE, and the luck to pick Hide instead of running away at the wrong time, everyone just might make it out alive.
Get ready to have your energon blown, baby-bots, because there's so much more to this than meets the eye.
With so many ways to play for so little a cost, it's hard not to recommend Dr. Luigi. The Dr. Mario gameplay has held up over the years because, like Chess, Checkers, or Don't Take a Whiz on the Electric Fence, it's easy to pick up but constantly shifting. Plus, it only costs fifteen bucks to download Dr. Luigi, which, given the amount of replayability here, is a friggin' steal. If you've got a fever, you know the prescription. No, it ain't more cowbell. It's more Dr. Luigi.
From the very first time you load up the menu it's clear that Abyss Odyssey comes from a place of passion and expertise. Its strange blend of Metroidvania, roguelike, and fighting game elements might turn off those who prefer their gaming experiences to be more straightforward, but anyone who's not too afraid to leap into the unknown abyss will find a finely-crafted, unique experience well worth the jump.
Galactic Civilizations III stays the course on the strong path laid by Galactic Civilization II— at times to a fault. The tactical, political wheeling-and-dealing action is more streamlined than ever before, but outside of a few relatively small changes the core gameplay is essentially the same.
Serious server woes aside, whether you're returning to WoW for the first time in years or have never stepped foot in Stormwind, Warlords of Draenor makes for a great way to whittle away the hours. World of Warcraft's new zones are huge and full of adventure, the story's grand, and the new garrison feature is soul-suckingly addictive, all of which make for a triumphant return to form for this gaming giant.
The Lego Movie Video Game should be looked to as a shining example of a movie game done right. It's fast, it's fun, and it feels like a well-polished, video game, version of the movie. Traveller's Tales mastered the format of these Lego games and can pretty much set things to cruise control from here. The Lego Movie Game may not be the most original or complex title out there, but it's an enthusiastic, uncynical bit of fun, filled with brightness, cheer and awesome.
Gamers hungry for a bit of creative/critical thinking should most definitely put out the cheese and let this mouse come out to play.
Whether you're a lifelong fan of tower defense games or have no idea what "mazing" means, Defense Grid 2's smart gameplay, strong level design, and great writing make it a strong contender for any strategically-minder gamer's library.
Stick It to the Man is so much more than random insanity— it's also a delightful point-and-click-style adventure game draped in the wrappings of a platformer.
If you enjoy SimCity, any of the previous Tropico games, or city-building games in general, you'll probably find a lot to like here— unless you get it for PC, in which case you may not be able to play it until its developers get their coding under control.
Nier: Automata is a kickin' rad action game that's also a twin-stick shoot-’em-up and a 2.5D platformer and role-playing game, and anything else it might need to be at any given moment.