When all is said and done, FIFA 18 is a game I can get behind. A lot of the small annoyances have been fixed from last year, especially regarding player movements, and there's nothing like diving full force into The Journey with Alex Hunter. There's also the gorgeous graphics; it's truly a work of art when you stop and take it all in. The lack of FUT improvements knock it down a peg, but all in all the title is worth sinking your cash and time into. If anything, you'll love the way Rolando's perfect sculpted hair deflects the wind in one of the most beautiful stadiums ever constructed as those rowdy Real Madrid fans engage in a bit of tomfoolery. Just remember to take it all it and enjoy the ride.
When all is said and done, NBA 2K18 is a solid title that will carry you long into the winter with its upgraded features, massive amount of content, wide range of game modes, and overall better presentation. Its minor setbacks pale in comparison to the positives infused within this title. Yet again, 2K and Visual Concepts have combined to provide basketball fans another great installment. It's safe to say you can skip the NBA Live resurgence all together and stick with NBA 2K18.
The Uncharted series may have moved away from our old pal Drake, but that isn't necessarily a bad thing. Uncharted: The Lost Legacy is as beautiful as ever, and its storyline is just as captivating as you would expect. In fact, the arch, peaks, and valley, in terms of its plot, are unmatched in the current landscape.
When all is said and done, Crash Bandicoot N. Sane Trilogy delivers and feels like one of the better remakes CheatCC has covered. You can tell a lot of thought and hard work went into making this compilation a solid product.
MLB The Show 17 as a collective whole, from a controls, presentation, and core game mode perspective, is incrementally better.
In the end, Ghost Recon: Wildlands should certainly be on your list of games to check out in 2017. It's quickly becoming my favorite first-person shooter of the year, thanks to its impressive landscape, captivating storyline and fully customizable characters.
When all is said and done, Horizon Zero Dawn far exceeds my expectations and is on course to be one of the best titles the gaming community has seen in a long time.
Do yourself a favor and pass on this compilation of recycled concepts and frustrating gameplay.
Resident Evil 7 truly delivers an experience unlike anything I’ve even been exposed to in the gaming world. It’s fresh, unique, a little bit nostalgic, and downright stressful to play... in a good way. Capcom has taken some seriously impressive strides forward in the franchise and has potentially rescued it from fading into obscurity though this distinct and highly effective new point of view. Resident Evil is back and it will grip your from start to finish until you can’t possibly take anymore.
All in all, Infinite Warfare is just about average with a few sparks here and there. The game feels a lot like the few of the other CoD titles I have tucked away on my shelf but with a few shiny upgrades. Same great mechanics, same beautiful visuals, familiar platform, and the baddest Call of Duty game since the original in Modern Warfare Remastered makes this an average title that won’t disappoint the die-hard Call of Duty fan.
EA DICE came through in the clutch and provided an engaging title that’s both entertaining and challenging. Battlefield 1 is certainly worth your investment and should carry you well past fall and into the winter.
When all is said and done, EA Sports has provided another rock solid title that caps off another impressive year for the gaming giant. Yes, the title still contains all the favorites fans love from the franchise. However, this year is all about so much more - Alex Hunter and his promising career. EA could have stripped the title dry and only provided The Journey and I’d still give it a positive score. The game mode is simply that good. Throw in a few gameplay improvements and you have yourself one heck of a new installment in the FIFA family.
NHL 17 is a piece built for the true hockey fan that understands the game’s makeup. Those fans that have been with the franchise for a lengthy period of time and truly know the game of hockey will fall in love with this title from day one - the casual fan, probably less so as they won’t notice much of a difference between NHL 16 and 17. Plain and simple, the game delivers.
There’s nothing wrong with that concept and I firmly believe it’s better to layer on rather than completely rebuild. For me, the major overhaul in the gameplay mechanics, especially the additions to the run game and defensive strategies make this game a solid buy. If you’re used to buying Madden every other year or every few years, 17 is certainly worth your money. The jump from 16 to 17 isn’t drastic but the proof is certainly in the running back pudding, and boy is it good. Everything else is elementary at this point.
Needless to say, Homefront: the Revolution's overall direction is one big head-scratcher. The developers presented a robust world with a really attractive story premise and some rather awesome map layouts that could have been groundbreaking. The first-person shooting genre is aching for some innovation, and Deep Silver's foundation could have been that trailblazer. Unfortunately, the storyline, game mechanics, and the audio-visual quality issues just don't cut it. Homefront: The Revolution is better suited for the bargain bin rather than the hefty price tag AAA games are known for. Hold onto your Andrew Jacksons, as a few solid titles are slated to debut in the coming weeks and months.
All in all, Battleborn is definitely a title I can get behind with its unique first person shooter approach, awesome cast of characters, gobs of weapons and power ups, and a hilarious framework to tie it all together. The game will take some getting used to and will force a few seasoned vets to step outside their comfort zone to enjoy the genus wonders that lie within. The hefty price tag may come with some initial sticker shock, especially after first firing it up, but those feeling will soon fade as you dedicate some time to Gearbox's latest work by mowing down hordes of enemies and laughing hysterically in the process.
The visuals and upgrade player models, beautiful broadcasting packages, improved game modes, and the epic homerun celebrations are just a few of the reason this game is truly awesome. There's no better way to get amped up for the upcoming baseball season than with MLB The Show 16. This year's version is worth every penny and will go down as the best baseball simulator ever created. It will hold you over until the Cubbies hoist the World Series trophy in October.
However, it also manages to let players down, and for some that'll be in a big way. The flimsy combat mechanics, inconsistencies in gameplay graphics, and the general misunderstanding or misrepresentation of the overall concept leaves Ubisoft's latest offering with slightly more questions than answers. This one is worth your time if you're simply looking for a unique take on the classic sandbox genre. Otherwise, it might not be a bad idea to lay low and wait for a price drop in the future.
Plain and simple, Black Ops III's Awakening delivers and is worth your 15 bucks if you're looking for some fresh maps with solid architecture and an additional Zombies offering for you twisted freaks that love the heart-pounding scary stuff. Dive in with full force and you won't regret it.
All in all, Resident Evil Zero doesn't even come close to being called a remastered version because it offers nothing but minor visual upgrades. Resident Evil nostalgia nerds will go nuts for this one but the average gamer will most certainly have a difficult time forking over the cash for a meager GameCube port. Needless to say, Capcom dropped the ball on this one. The attempted resurrection of an old favorite should have at least included a few extra features to justify a third release. Unless you really want to live in Resident Evil's past, you'd be wise to avoid this one like it's a zombie infected with the t-virus.