Mehdi Zadnane's Reviews
Transformers: Devastation is a very solid installment in the franchise that lends itself to excellent fan-service and strong core gameplay, though its technical and design-based drawbacks do hold its basis back from achieving greatness, rather than hovering in between the upper echelon of decent to good. Combined with the fact that the game does seem a little light on content, Transformers: Devastation remains a solid title, but not one that should be bought at the price its being offered at.
Calling FIFA 16 a bad game would be an unfair remark, as the game is incredibly fun and well-made, but it’s simply very safe in nature, which will be very noticeable for returning players, where the game offers a slightly less exciting rendition compared to last year’s stellar release. None the less, FIFA 16 is still a very solid title, albeit a bit Messi (horrible pun intended.)
The Forza franchise is a prime example of a franchise that not only builds upon its strengths, but also learns and adapts from it weaknesses. Whilst Motorsport 5 served as a stepping stone onto current generation hardware, Forza Motorsport 6 excels and takes what the franchise has learned to form a racing game that is not only full of content, but also challenging and incredibly addicting. Building upon the foundations laid before it and applying a fresh new layer of features and visual effects, Forza Motorsport 6 might be a serious contender for 2015’s racing game of the year, if not the prime contender.
The Coalition has done great work in bringing Gears of War to a new generation, though it’s not always without its problems. Changes in general are welcome and well-executed, though some unkempt issues of the original and some compression artifacts do arise here and there. Some technical issues aside, Gears of War: Ultimate Edition is an excellent ode to the original which along with backwards compatibility for the sequels will make for an excellent opportunity for new players to introduce themselves to the franchise, along with returning players who want to re-live this classic Xbox 360 title.
Rory McIlroy’s PGA Tour would’ve been a much easier sell on platforms that didn’t already have a game or two in the genre available, but there really isn’t a lot that should make it appeal to players who want a long-lasting experience. Despite its improvements and additions it just takes too much away from its arsenal to stand on its own in strong posture.
Arkham Knight’s price of admission to the season pass may be steep, but is A Matter of Family a good opener and a sign for its run? Not really. Suffering from a lack of narrative depth and actual noteworthy additions to the gameplay A Matter of Family really does feel like filler material, despite the excellent design of its areas which would seem to be suited for a much better run that it’s been given to work with. Next month’s Season of Infamy may be the turning point regarding many’s expectations for Arkham Knight’s season pass, but the glimpse we’ve gotten isn’t anything to be excited about.
Ending a trilogy in the videogame industry can be as tedious as it is in filmmaking, but Rocksteady has managed to deliver a narratively comprehensive and engaging experience that is accessible to both returning and new players. Experiences may vary when it comes to variety in gameplay, but ultimately Batman: Arkham Knight succeeds in what every superhero game wants to do: make us feel like we’re actually the hero in question. This may be the last we’ll see of Rocksteady and Batman in a while, but if anything they’ve managed to go out with a bang, which is already quite a feat by itself.
Jurassic World is obviously a great theme to pursuit when creating a game in this genre, though whereas the game has its moments to shine it more often stumbles. Fans of the movies and returning players who want some more to play should have a decent time with LEGO® Jurassic World, but it is definitely one of the weaker instalments in the LEGO® franchise.
As history has told us, baseball isn’t for everyone. But for those who have embraced the sport MLB15: The Show offers the essential experience for any baseball fan, providing players with an authentic, well-designed and comprehensive experience that will take fans for a sensational ride.
Battlefield: Hardline offers both returning and new players a slightly more fresh take on the classic Battlefield formula. But where the game delves into new territory, it often returns to the classic formula after getting cold feet. The strongest points of Hardline are when the game tries to be something different, but the fallbacks to old ways are where the game keeps itself from being great, rather than just good.
Ori and the Blind Forest may reinvent the wheel when it comes to gameplay, but it always aspires to do what it does best, and succeeds on almost every one of these fronts. Taking ques from the best titles in the genre, the best elements of the genre are present in this artistic, well-written and well-designed title. Wether you're a fan of the genre, want a challenging game or just want a well-refined emotional story, Ori and the Blind Forest has a little bit to offer everyone.
ScreamRide brings some of the most fun sections of the Rollercoaster-game formula into a mix of destruction and adrenaline, which is incredibly fun if that's your thing. The problem with ScreamRide in the end is the fact that it does feel like a much smaller game than it's advertised to be, and whilst it's solid, it's definitely not worth the advertised $40 price tag.
Grim Fandango has a style of gameplay that isn't for everyone, but if you're into that sort of thing, or if you're simply riding along for the story, you're in for a great and well-written adventure that is certainly worth the price of admission.
From a narrative standpoint, Dead Kings is one of the lesser iterations in the franchise, even considering it's only downloadable content. However, when it comes to gameplay and graphics the DLC seems to provide a fair amount of fun and intuitive gameplay that will keep fans busy for a short while longer.
LittleBigPlanet 3 may not be perfect on a technical level, but the story and amazing level editing tools are pretty amazing once you get the hang of it. The game has a little bit in it for everyone, and there simply aren't that many games that nail the Play.Create.Share concept as much as LittleBigPlanet.
Rockstar's current-generation release of Grand Theft Auto V doesn't reinvent the wheel, but it does improve it to a state where we can definitely call if the definitive edition on consoles. Its graphical and gameplay improvements make the game a much better product overall, and Rockstar seems to have put a lot of work into this rendition rather than delivering a straight port. It remains to be seen whilst remaining players will want to upgrade to this version, but newcomers will definitely be in for a delight. Its only drawback is the fact that GTA Online seems a tad bit lacking at times and doesn't always perform as it should, which puts this game at a hair-length from a perfect score.
Assassin’s Creed: Unity is an evolution of the franchise’s core in every way, but its next step into the next generation is a problematic one. Whilst Unity offers an amazing environment, great gameplay and a great atmosphere, its technical issues hold this good game from being great. Unity may not be the most stable and technically-refined title on current generation hardware, but once you overlook technical difficulties and its lackluster narrative, you'll without a doubt have an amazing time with it.
With Advanced Warfare, Sledgehammer Games has proven that it can stand on its own legs when developing a Call of Duty title. The game introduces some new and fun concepts, and is a step in the right direction. The game has made leaps forward in a lot of departements, but there are still ways to go when it comes to software design. Ultimately Advanced Warfare is a great title worth playing, but a troubled one none the less.
Middle-earth: Shadow of Mordor may be one of the biggest surprises this year so far. Offering incredibly robust and fun gameplay, along with a detailed world of lore and characters this title doesn't only have the right to be called a great Lord of the Rings game, but a great game in its own right. Its only drawback is that it may be held back somewhat in favour of cross-generation programming.
FIFA 15 is a well-formed successor, and excels in both gameplay and graphical departments, resulting in a well fabricated product that is both visually pleasing and fun to play. The game contains some glitches and issues as the franchise has always tended to do, but none of these issues take away from the great design and the major improvements that have been made. Much of the formula of FIFA 15 is the same, but pretty much all of it is better. FIFA 15 is a must have for FIFA fans and soccer enthusiasts alike.