If you are a fan of Dynasty Warriors, there is some mindless fun to be had here, but the open-world design spreads the fun so thin that it is more tedious than exhilarating.
For better and for worse Yooka-Laylee accomplishes exactly what it sets out to do. A throwback to a time when 3D platformers reigned supreme, but it holds on to nostalgia too closely, never quite coming into its own. The lack of new gameplay ideas, a camera that gets in the way far too often, and too much of a focus on old gameplay tropes keeps Yooka-Laylee from being great.
It should be noted that there is an upgrade system in Ghost Recon: Wildlands, but it’s so incremental that you will rarely notice the difference. By the end of the game you will have unlocked the majority of the upgrades, so no real builds are necessary. In a game so focused on co-op, it would have been nice to need builds for different characters, or abilities that would drastically change the way you took each mission. But that’s not what we get here.
Halo Wars 2 does not necessarily add anything new, but its formulaic approach to RTS games is a breath of fresh air for console owners. A bland story, mixed with incredibly realized cutscenes, fun yet repetitive mission structure, and fast-paced competitive multiplayer creates a full package that is definitely worth your time.