A stealth game that sticks to its core values and offers some excellent level design, Styx: Shards of Darkness is a solid sequel. It is not without some presentation issues and could really benefit from some better controls on the more delicate maneuvers. If you can get past the crassness of the main character there is much to like.
Destiny has evolved in so many ways since it's release. It still boasts some of the best combat mechanics around in a game that moves both horizontal and vertically across engagement ranges. With two years worth of content behind it already there is a wealth of gaming for the uninitiated; and with a decent endgame, variety in play styles, and a dynamic and active community, there's still enough in the Rise of Iron expansion to keep year one diehards happy. Shame about the story though. I really hope Bungie can figure out that crucial element before Destiny 2. But until that day comes, Rise of Iron does set the scene to keep a massive community playing through this next stage until what will likely be the reboot into the inevitable sequel.
Over the years Worms has tried a few times to freshen up its franchise by changing the formula a bit, sprinkling in 3D, and other gimmicks. Worms WMD is a back to the basics effort that proves the original formula is the best one. There is nothing broken about the gameplay. While it could use an injection of pace, it delivers a great experience both offline and in online multiplayer.
With a length about that of a major motion picture, and a price to match, is Breached worth the cost of admission? It's a game that feels like an amazing demo for a full length title that never came to be. The building blocks are there for a better game. A more compelling narrative, or one better told could have really lifted what is on offer. Breached is good and pretty. There's just simply not much of it, and it never convinced me it was worth the grind to unlock all of its secrets.
Overall this game is super easy to pick up and fun to play. It doesn't have great depth but uses a swift pace to iron out any disappointment that might have introduced. It's a good little time-waster, and comes in at an attractive price point for what's on offer.
Total War has been striving to capture this feeling of Epic iteration after iteration and looking to a historical context for inspiration. But it's the realm of fantasy, the Warhammer universe and its wonderful storytelling, where I think the formula has found its true home. This is probably the best Total War game to date, and certainly the best Warhammer game. Put together the two make wonderful companions. Some of the minutiae of the campaign can be a bit of a slog, but the real artistic genius of this game is when the lore of Warhammer becomes the brush to paint broad strokes across the canvas of the Total War foundation. The end result is Epic. Fantastic battles that can be enjoyed alone, or that become the spearhead of a richer narrative in the Campaign.
There's a lot going on around a game that doesn't really have a lot going on in it. At its core Soul Axiom is a first person puzzler with a minimalist look and feel and mostly underwhelming puzzles. While the game won't really draw you into its narrative or challenge your abilities, it does provide a pleasant stroll through an imaginary world. You don't have to play this game, but if you want to sit back and have someone walk you through a tale while having to pencil in a few puzzles along the way, then Wales Interactive have a story at the ready. It won't blow you away, but you should be entertained enough to appreciate the effort.
I can't say I ever really had fun playing Dark Souls III once I was immersed. It was something to be endured more than something to be enjoyed. But I do believe there is a future in the game where that pleasure would come. I just didn't get there in time for this review. I am unwilling to be overly forgiving of its flaws, but do recognize the community that surrounds the game make up greatly for the pitfalls of the game itself. In most games there is a simple pleasure of success that accompanies them. The payoff for Dark Souls isn't guaranteed, but goes somewhat deeper than that. It feels a little more like genuine accomplishment, found in small does along the way and promised in large measure when you finally find yourself skilled at this wonderfully unique little corner of the gaming world.
I never enjoyed Gears of War the first time around, and although this iteration looks and plays beautifully, it hasn't made a convert out of me. For the Gears of War fans out there, this is probably a great pick-up and should get you drooling over Gears 4.
The Flame in the Flood is a good game, and offers a bit of fun getting the hang of the crafting, the environment, and figuring out what really is important to keep and what else you'll need to consume or discard to make room for the former. It's not without it's bugs and frustrations, but in the thick of it, it really does drive you to push for one more camp, to explore one more section of river before putting it down. But once you've had your fill and finally do put it down, I'm not convinced you'll go running back to it. There is a bit too much repetition in the experience. It's a good game, but lacks staying power.
Based on a classic, but bringing new features and perspectives to the table, Mordheim: City of the Damned provides a challenge, with some interesting party and game management thrown in. I am not a fan of the wonky overhead map, and sometimes feel cheated in battle, but the over-the-shoulder camera is a pleasure. The end game of trying to keep in your benefactor's good graces, regardless of the outcome of each battle, and the variety among the factions, make for a good game that invites you to have another go—even after it leaves you bloodied in some nameless alley in the City of the Damned.
Ronin is fun to play and its strengths more than overcome its weaknesses. It lacks much by way of plot but sets a mood that creates the atmosphere it needs. It offers enough strategy and variety in its combat to overcome a somewhat short length, and invites players to playthrough again with its unscripted encounters. It has a fantastic little twist to the gameplay mechanic at the end that leads to a satisfying payoff in the final battle.
In the end, while the gameplay and repetition required can be frustrating, The Masterplan is very well put together from an aesthetic standpoint. It's a unique gaming experience at a price point that's low enough to forgive some of it's faults. I like the idea behind the game, I like the character interactions with stickups and traversing the world via various paths. I just don't like having no idea what's around the next corner until you actually peek, and if it's bad news it likely puts your game in a state where you're better off starting the mission all over again. The Masterplan is a good game held back by a necessity for trial and error. Give me the intel on who has the key, let me catch him on his break and leave him out cold in the bathroom stall, while I sneak in though the backdoor and use the security cams to my advantage to direct my partner past the patrolling guards. Now you've created a game deserving of the title The Masterplan. Instead I'm fumbling through the dark, my only illumination coming from past mistakes.
Lost Orbit features an endearing story that is wrapped in a wonderful package with great attention to detail. However, even at 40 levels, the game is over too soon and the wonky controls can be problematic for a genre that requires lighting fast timing. It's a good game that tells a narrative that will stick in my heart long after I've forgotten about the gameplay.
This is the type of game that needs two scores. One for the diehards of the genre and one for the newbies. The development team catered to their core group, and I feel they made the game that they wanted to play. But ultimately I also feel I have to hold them responsible for making a game that feels inaccessible in so many ways. Once you get over the learning cliff, there is a better game out there than this score represents. Pillars of Eternity is like a speakeasy. If you know the dirty, dark alley you need to go down and have the password for the doorman, there is a wonderful, vibrant, and robust world on the other side filled with dancing girls, jazz music, booze, and cigarettes.
For the uninitiated, Total War: Attila does a good enough job introducing a very detailed world and mechanics. What it does best is allow a player to get right into the meat of combat and enjoy orchestrating campaigns across gorgeous battlefields. While micromanaging the war effort and empire can be detracting, there are enough game modes and variety in the campaign to ween someone into the thick of it. At the end of the day, the battles are satisfying and the AI is good enough. It is not without it's problems, but it's as good a strategy game as you'll likely to find.
Shadow run is a campy romp that doesn't take itself too seriously. Its fun to play through, but only mimics (and doesn't quite stack up to) the exceedingly excellent XCOM. There is better weapon class variety, character customization, and a few other points where it might exceed its muse, but it measures up just a shade below on most other occasions.
Top notch presentation and a compelling main character really set Blackguards 2 up to deliver a solid tactical strategy RPG. Everything about the game, the weapons, abilities, characters, and options are varied enough to keep things interesting but simple enough not to get lost in the tedium of micromanaging a party. It is not without its flaws and the battles can sometimes bog down, but it is a good experience to play and uses a wide cast of allies and enemies well. If you're interested in experiencing a story that isn't just the standard fantasy lore, then Blackguards 2 is worth a try.
Ultimately, Warhammer Quest is an enjoyable experience, a fun little time waster that delivers slices of dungeon action at an easily digestible pace. But it does so at a price point for content it just doesn't justify. It feels like a game that was meant to be played a few minutes at a time on a tablet while sitting on the throne of your own household, and that's what it is, an iOS port to the PC. If you want to try the game, get it for the iPad and have a fun time. There is just no reason to buy this for PC unless it is on a massive Steam sale discount.