Old school merely in looks, Axiom Verge is the definition of a great action and explorations game. The Metroidvania genre has rarely been done this well and this adventure deserves to be held up there among the greats like Symphony of the Night and the original Metroid.
Despite the manner in which it will punish and abuse you, Bloodborne will have you crawling back to it and saying, "Thank you, sir, may I please have another." It's a gorgeous and dreadful world that sucks you in, and then kills you. Beautiful in every single aspect of the game and sense of the word, this progression of the Souls franchise is more accessible and addicting than ever.
An excellent debut for Kirby on the Wii U, Kirby and the Rainbow Curse is amazing to see in motion. Too bad players won't get to do much of that, as spectators get the best seats for this show.
Evolve offers an excellent mix of competitive and cooperative gameplay but it is buried behind a muddled progression system and lengthy matchmaking / loading times.
While I'm not sure that I would call Ultimate Tetris the ultimate version of Tetris, it certainly is an adequate version of the classic. They nail the basic concept of the classic game but fail to really take it anywhere new. Plus, the online issues are just plain horrendous.
Without a doubt the most accessible Guilty Gear game to date. Plus, it is absolutely stunning to see in motion thanks to its unique and impressive visual style. Screenshots alone just don't do this game justice.
An absolutely gorgeous update to a timeless classic, Resident Evil is every bit as thrilling and enjoyable now as it was when it was originally released in 1996. The controls still feel rough at times, even with the updated options, but the atmosphere and experience is second to none when it comes to the survival horror genre.
Magic 2015 is like taking 2 steps forward and one step back. While true deck building has finally been added, the loss of other modes that have become staples of the series diminishes its overall impact. This is still a solid offering for fans of the classic trading card game. This is about as close to Magic as you can get without actually dealing out the cards.
As a dedicated Destiny player, I have been happy with the new content included in The Dark Below, but find myself hoping for a bit more variation in future content. I can't imagine that anyone other than the hardcore fanbase will find value in this expansion.
Project Spark won't have you churning out incredible games like a development powerhouse. It will, however, provide you an accessible set of tools and assets to begin the process of bringing your dream games to life. This won't happen overnight, so plan on spending a lot of time here if you are ever going to make something memorable.
Middle-earth: Shadow of Mordor is the biggest "pleasant surprise" of 2014. A solid side-story from an established universe with spot-on gameplay makes this a surprise contender for one of the year's best games.
If it weren't for the multiplayer options, The Master Chief Collection would have garnered a much lower score. The multiplayer suite is truly the saving grace of this package and worth the price of admission alone.
Chariot is a decent adventure when you go solo, but an excellent one when you bring a friend. You'll definitely want to sit a partner down next to you to get the most out of this experience.
Despite hitting a few speed bumps along the way, Sunset Overdrive's excellent and addictive gameplay are what stands out from the experience. It make take this gs a little while to get rolling but once the game hits its stride,you're in for one hell of a ride.
A year-and-a-half later and Castlestorm is still a complete blast to play. The added content and updated visuals round out an already stellar package. As long as you can get used to the controls, this is one that will keep you entertained time and time again.
Toys for Bob shows that they make better Skylander games than anyone. It's simple, fun, and there is an absolute crap-ton of things to do. Once again, I find myself completely engulfed in the Skylanders world and endlessly exploring these worlds with my daughter.
Disney Infinity 2.0 has made some big strides from the original release. There is a ton to do, especially when you dig into the toy box, which should keep fans occupied for a long, long time. Things are just a little complicated for the younger gamers to do all on their own.
Destiny is an engaging and immersive experience, albeit one that requires some serious legwork on the players half to get the most out of it. While I love it personally, I can't ignore the lack of direction given to players which robs them of all the game has to offer. At the same time, I fully recognize that this is something that is going to grow and evolve exponentially over its lifetime.
Warriors Orochi 3 is a much more accessible Warriors game the most of the others in the series, and as a result becomes a much better experience. The focus here is on the action and the fun, which is wiping out the hordes of enemies and it does so like no other. There are a variety of technical flaws, but the overall experience really out shines all of them.
While not the best "game" there is, this is one of the best displays of the latest Kinect technology. The move to digital is a great choice, as is giving you the ability to compile the soundtrack of your liking in the long run. There just needed to be a lot more meat on the bones of this meal, as well as the ability to get to the main course a bit quicker.