Travis Northup's Reviews
I enjoyed Lococycle, but only after abandoning my sensibilities as I've learned to do when playing games from Twisted Pixel. To the uninitiated, Lococycle will prove rather perplexing as it isn't like most games. However, players looking for a short game filled with tons of laughs and ridiculous gameplay will feel right at home. Lococycle won't wow anyone with its graphics, combat system, or replayability, but it just might be the thing you are looking for in your attempts to kill a boring afternoon.
I've played quite a few Kirby games, and Kirby: Triple Deluxe may very well be my new favorite. It has perfected the platforming experience and has more content than even Kirby could fit into his fat mouth.
Yoshi’s New Island looks great, plays flawlessly, and is entertaining and challenging enough for any fan to enjoy—and ultimately, that’s all that matters. If you’re a fan, you’ll find what you’re looking for here, but those still waiting for the next great and unique Nintendo title will have to keep on waiting. Some of the pieces of the game feel poorly tacked-on, but at it’s core Yoshi’s New Island is a worthy sequel to a beloved series that has been out of gamer’s lives for too long.
Dynasty Warriors 8: Xtreme Legends Complete Edition is a great buy if you haven't played a game in the series in a while, and are looking for something to hold you over while you wait for the PS4's library of games to grow, but for fans, this is not the next generation leap forward that you were hoping for.
LEGO The Hobbit is what everyone expected, which can be good or bad depending on your exposure to the series. There is plenty to enjoy here for Middle-Earth fans, children, and those who haven't been burnt out yet by the series, but for those who were hoping for a fresh take on the LEGO video game experience there are few unique experiences to be had.
Child of Light is a bright spot in a genre overwhelmed by mediocrity. Beautifully retro, yet modern, and incredibly addicting–Ubisoft Montreal has created a rich world and style that is unlike anything I've played before.
Super Time Force blew me away. This is a must-own for Xbox One owners, so don't waste any…TIME…buying it.
The good news is that fans can now play a new Worms game on their new consoles; the bad news is that Worms Battlegrounds does almost nothing to advance the series and so makes it hard to justify yet another Worms entry to begin with.
Lo Wang returns with a glorious vengeance in Shadow Warrior, in a hilarious, violent experience that no player should miss.
LEGO Batman 3: Beyond Gotham is a worth addition to the LEGO Batman series, but while all that is good about these games has returned, all of the glaring issues with the series are worse than ever.
While the gameplay in Professor Layton vs Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney consists of each series’ respective experiences, neither feels like the full experience fans would expect from each of the series on their own. The Layton-style puzzles are dumbed down to the point of being overly simple and even boring at times, while the Ace Attorney courtroom battles are shorter and more straight-forward than fans will be used to.
Dragon Ball Xenoverse is excellent fan-service and has a ton of potential, which makes it frustrating as hell to see it held back by technical issues and repetitious combat.
Ori and the Blind Forest sets a new standard for the platform/adventure genre, by managing to handily surpass the games that inspired it in terms of storytelling, gameplay, and presentation.
DmC: Devil May Cry Definitive Edition keeps all the things that made DmC: Devil May Cry great and improves them for the current generations of consoles. While there isn't a terribly large amount of new content, Ninja Theory's gritty Universe is excellent enough to warrant a second playthrough.
Borderlands: The Handsome Collection is the victory lap that every Borderlands fan will enjoy, and packs a tremendous value into one disc. Some performance issues hold it back from being flawless, but all the ingredients are here to sate your chaotic sweettooth.
Dark Souls 2: Scholar of the First Sin improves upon Dark Souls 2 in nearly every category, and is the Souls game that current-gen console owners deserve.
Mortal Kombat X improves upon a classic franchise in nearly every way. From its surprisingly impressive story, to its great new characters, to its expansive amount of new content, Mortal Kombat is a must-play for any fans of the series.
Project CARS is a meticulously-crafted love letter to automobiles. Developer Slightly Mad Studios has put driving cars front and center, and created a simulator that is one of the most realistic than any game to-date. Project CARS certainly isn't for everyone, but it cuts out a lot of fat that is prominent in driving simulators and gives players pure, unhindered cars.
The Escapists is an entertaining open-ended puzzler that delivers plenty of challenge for those possessing the patience to overcome it.
With a $30 price tag, Rare Replay presents an amazing value. You likely have enjoyed these games before, at least in part, and there is no better way to experience them now than in Rare Replay.