The Last Tinker: City of Colors is like the nicest kid in school. He's not the best athlete or student; he's just nice and because of that, you want to like him. To some extent, you do.
Contrast is aptly named. Its disappointing instability contrasts sharply with its wonderful ambiance and concept, and you're left feeling somewhat unsatisfied. The adventure is moderately fulfilling, the story is worth hearing, and the atmosphere is captivating, but in the back of your mind, you know what it could've been.
Thief was one of my most anticipated games of 2014. I have to say, I'm disappointed in its lack of cohesiveness in terms of story, its lack of stability and solidarity in terms of technical stuff, and the missed opportunities. At the same time, I never seem to tire of looting the most difficult-to-approach treasure caches, and Garrett is a suitably entertaining character.
Murdered: Soul Suspect is a valiant effort and that's always worth acknowledging. In spite of all the flaws, I do continue to go back for more, and I'm frequently driven by a desire to learn more about that ghostly world. This experience has nothing to do with making a character more powerful, or taking down a host of rampaging enemies (via weapons or guns).
Sniper Elite III is a step in the right direction. We've still got a ways to go but the improvements here are obvious and appreciated, and greatly enhances the fun factor and general quality. It's on next-gen consoles and although it doesn't feel "next-gen," there's no doubt that Rebellion took advantage of the extra power.
The Evil Within is an example of a great idea that lacks execution. There are scares a-plenty and very often, the fear factor is sky-high. The pacing and variety we see in this adventure are worthy of praise as well, and I appreciate how the atmosphere continually drags you into the experience.
Final Fantasy Type-0 HD has its ups and downs. The narrative falls well shy of the intended mark, as none of the characters really stick with you after playing, and the writers explain very few of the minute details. The camera and blurring effect puts a crimp in the flow of combat, and I wish some of the fighters had more originality in terms what they can do on a battlefield.
BRAWL is a decent game that hearkens back to the glory days of Bomberman. It's what Basement Crawl tried to be. The single-player difficulty is just too crazy, there still isn't quite enough content, and the technicals are sorta ho-hum.
The Escapists doesn't take itself too seriously but definitely asks you to be serious about your approach. Observation, methodical planning, and timely execution lie at the core of the experience, and if you're particularly detail-oriented – and diligent – this game will deliver. You have to like the fun twist on a normally gritty, hopeless situation, and the basic controls are just fine.
Star Wars: Battlefront offers excellent set pieces that act as nostalgic playgrounds. At the very least, it's a great experience for the "Star Wars" faithful, and the solid and accessible control cements a production with far-reaching appeal. That appeal may not reach to the core group of gamers that are bound to complain about the lack of depth, customization and overall gameplay innovation, but they're not the intended demographic.
Overall, LEGO Jurassic World is an entertaining game that is large in scope and high in fun factor. If you're a fan of the "Jurassic Park" movies and you've got kids (or you're just a big kid yourself), this is a definite must-try. Playing co-op is always the best option but even playing alone will put a smile on your face.
UFC isn't as polished as it needed to be, but I suppose it'll give avid fans a thrill. There's plenty of content and if you've got the requisite diligence and patience, your training can really pay off. The designers do a good job recreating the tension and invigoration one feels when squaring off against an equally powerful opponent, and the freedom to create and build any fighter you wish is intoxicating.
I really want to love Lords of the Fallen. Being a big fan of Darksiders II and appreciating the mystical, forbidding darkness of the Dark Souls games, it really appeals to me. But there are issues I just can't ignore and the more I play, the more I realize I can't, in good conscience, gloss over them.
Danganronpa Another Episode: Ultra Despair Girls is oddly named and really, the game lives up to that tone: Odd. But that’s part of the charm and appeal and fans of past entries will quickly embrace this style. What’s questionable is whether or not they’ll embrace the new third-person action gameplay, which is a dramatic departure from the courtroom scenarios seen before.
It really just boils down to one question: Can you ignore the missteps and missed opportunities and simply focus on the entertaining gameplay, or will you be unable to get past those flaws? That's the key. This is why you're seeing such a discrepancy of scores. Some people can get past the flaws and enjoy themselves; others can't.
Alien: Isolation desperately tries to give us something fearsome and memorable. But the inconsistent approach leads to periods of tedium thankfully interrupted by flashes of unmitigated terror. If you can revel in the highs and forge through the lows, you should emerge satisfied.
Dying Light has its moments. It has a great concept and that concept is executed relatively well, with a few minor drawbacks. I still say the villain seems awfully familiar and the story is just way too predictable, and some of the main missions feature design choices that are definite head-scratchers.
Need for Speed is a fun, accessible racer that's both aesthetically impressive and technically stable. The always-online requirement means server problems can affect your game and oh yeah, you can't pause, either. I'm sorry but it just wasn't necessary.
The game will only last you four hours and the puzzles aren't overly difficult, but it's still fun. With a wide variety of weapons, equipment and tools, and a well-paced adventure that delivers some quality dungeon-crawling entertainment, Lara Croft and the Temple of Osiris is probably worth playing. There are a few glitches and hang-ups, the story isn't what it could've been, the control isn't perfect, and sometimes, four players can bog things down.
Resident Evil Zero HD Remaster will remind you of the good 'ol days when horror was horror. You will appreciate this supposedly "outdated" mode of gameplay, especially if you recall the early days of this franchise with extreme fondness. Yeah, like most remakes, this one has to thrive on some nostalgia.