Like its younger brother, UFC 2 looks to simulate the most complex contact sport on the planet, and in some ways does so with perfect accuracy. The new animation and knockout system looks better than ever, and the career improvements are a welcome sight, but the barebones career mode, consistent bugs, and ever-present AI cheating are a pretty nasty cut that, if unchecked, may stop fans from wanting a round 3 with EA Sports UFC.
There are times that The Flame in the Flood feels like the world is against you. And it is. But that's the mechanic you are dealing with here. You will die, a lot. If that runs counter to what you find fun, this game might not be for you. But if you'd like to try something entirely unique, look no further.
With the addition of so much additional content, and all of the previous DLC packed in, there is no doubt that this version of Hitman: GO truly is the Definitive Edition. Coupled with a sweet-spot pricing of just $7.99 for two platforms, if you've not taken the leap already, and enjoy head-scratching puzzles, this is a must have.
It is rare when the sequel surpasses its predecessor, but XCOM 2 does it with style and verve. Unlike grenades in Enemy Unknown, everything in XCOM 2 matters. Choices have purpose, lives are no longer trivial. Maps no longer repeat, and neither do outcomes. XCOM 2 is punishing, but that just makes success taste that much sweeter.
A bevy of incredible technical advancements offer vast improvements in some areas and minor ones in others. With a highly variable framerate, it's clear more optimization is needed, but the game is highly playable on a variety of settings and hardware levels. The Xbox One version is no slouch, but if you've got the kit to run it, this is the ultimate edition you've been waiting for.
While Blackbird's HD update of the original Homeworld titles may have shipped with a few nagging bugs, this original and inventive prequel reinvents the series in way I hardly even hoped could be possible. It's fresh but familiar. It's Homeworld, but it's something new. Like its story-chronological successors, Homeworld: Deserts of Kharak is amazing — there's simply nothing else like it.
It sounds like I'm being fairly hard on Chapter 2 of the King's Quest reboot, and to some degree I am. The first chapter was a triumphant return for the series, setting the bar fairly high for anything following. While Rubble Without a Cause can be a little obtuse and less intuitive than A Knight to Remember, it is still a worthy installment. Let's hope that Chapter 3, which is rumored to focus on Graham meeting his future queen Valanice, takes a few more risks when it comes in Q1 2016.
StarCraft II Legacy of the Void is the culmination of years of improvements. Archon and co-op modes provide a stair step for new players and veterans alike to rejoin the multiplayer ranks, whereas the incredibly strong single player ties up the story arc nicely. While most sequels don't feel the freedom to innovate, Blizzard has done exactly that, making the venerable series feel fresh and new.
While not revolutionary in terms of storytelling, Bethesda is still the king of interactivity. Fallout 4 delivers on that interactivity in so many forms, it's mind boggling. Crafting, modification, and stronghold building trump a few nagging technical hitches. New enemy AI, coupled with an overhauled combat system, creates gunplay that feels better than ever before. Fallout 4 may be an iterative step forward for the series, but it is every bit what RPG fans know, love, and expect. Just play it on the PC, if you can.
Might be worth a double dip — it's every bit as fun as you remember, and this version comes with all of the bells and whistles, as well as rebalanced combat, tighter controls, and better loot tables. There are some framerate hitches to go along with the graphical and lighting overhaul, and there isn't a whole lot new here, but if you missed out the first time, don't let this one pass you by.
With over 13,000 changes to the base product, a graphical overhaul, and a bevy of UI additions, Divinity: Original Sin Enhanced Edition improves on the original release in every way. There are a few hiccups in translation, but they are minor bumps in the road for this incredible RPG.
With a proper DM, Sword Coast Legends feels every bit like the pen and paper game come to life. On the other hand, running modules or playing through the 40-hour single player game makes it feel like more of a standard fare dungeon crawler than a Dungeons & Dragons game. Multiplayer with a DM realizes the promise of Sword Coast Legends, conveying freedom of storytelling and imagination in real time. Come for the co-op and live-DM, but be patient with the tools as they evolve.
Overlord: Fellowship of Evil is, by a wide margin, one of the worst games of the year. I don't know what the team at Codemaster was thinking, but they've wrecked everything Triumph Studios had built. Either give it back, or let this franchise die — it has suffered enough, as have we.
If you enjoyed The Bloody Baron quest line in The Witcher III: Wild Hunt, you will absolutely love Hearts of Stone. While it is the first piece of DLC with a price tag, the storyline justifies that at twice the price.
Guitar Hero Live gives us an offline first-person rock-and-roll fantasy, but it's Guitar Hero TV that gives this series new life. The new guitar gives veterans new challenges while breaking down the barrier to entry for new players. While the on-disc tracks are, in my opinon, throwaway, Guitar Hero TV should keep players busy for a long time to come.
Put plainly, there is nothing quite like Wasteland 2 on consoles. Unforgiving, incredibly deep, and expertly written, inXile has built something that defies the conventional standard. Cleanly mapped to a console controller, Wasteland 2 is a must-have for any RPG fan.
The parts of the game we fell in love with feel like they've gotten a fresh coat of paint, but the feature set, and currently incomplete pieces, feels like a Kickstarter title that didn't quite hit all of its funding goals. The parts that matter, however, are rock solid, and the new solo improvements are a hit. Harmonix has pulled off some amazing games. While this launch is a rough opening act, the platform is good, the game works well enough, and as soon as my library is back in order I'll be getting the band back together.
With improvements in literally every area, Forza Motorsport 6 positions itself as the absolute best racer on the market. There are a few oil leaks, but when compared to the upgrades, they are easier to ignore. Come for the incredible racing and showcases, stay for the best rain physics in any game, ever.
Disney Infinity 3.0 improves combat, adds space combat, and couples it with the most storied franchise in history to create a hit. The story is worth playing, and (most) of the vehicles are a great addition to the formula. With dozens of hours of content on top of the Toy Box's modes virtual sandbox, this year's iteration truly has the potential for infinite fun.
Satellite Reign is an incredible successor to Syndicate that gets more right than not. Where it falls down on bugs and control issues, it shines brightly in aesthetics and fantastic combat mechanics.