Legend has it that Shigeru Miyamoto designed his original Super Mario Bros. levels on long rolls of graph paper. The tools have certainly changed over the decades, but the magic – in the right hands, at least – remains exactly the same.
Fury Road was a big, expensive, risky film that paid off because of the irrepressible will and talent of its director, George Miller. In video game form, Mad Max lacks that same kind of originality and danger. It's familiar and formulaic, competent but rarely exceptional. This Max could have used a little more madness.
It's like an adults-only Scooby-Doo mystery with blood, swearing and sphincter-clenching scares. Only the good kinds of fear.
A new face and name certainly brings a sense of freshness to Rory McIlroy PGA Tour, but the novelty isn't enough to make up for the lack of content. While there's a decent game of golf here, it won't be occupying the top of the leaderboard any time soon.
I've never played anything quite like Guild of Dungeoneering, and while its lo-fi look took some time to win me over, it's become my go-to game for quick, bite-sized gaming that still satisfies an overall sense of achievement. As the Killer Rabbit of Caerbannog taught us, we shouldn't judge something on cuteness alone.
Still, Rocket League is one of those games that almost anyone can pick up and enjoy, yet still find themselves getting better at after dozens of hours of play. It's a throwback to the good old days of gaming, when fun mattered more than anything.
Massive Chalice's personality and ingenuity ultimately win out over its shortcomings, and it's certainly worth a try for strategy fans who don't want anything too ponderous or serious. But its cup does not, as they say, runneth over.
Still, Batman: Arkham Knight is a game that shows what can happen when an insanely talented development studio is completely invested in a fictional universe and has mastered the technology to bring it to life. We've become the Batman before, but never quite like this.
[U]nless you're a kid who thinks this sort of thing is edgy and cool – hey, we were all young and dumb once – your $22 is better spent elsewhere.
Splatoon is a lively, vibrant, clever game that turns the shooter genre on its ear, and in the early going it's a blast to play. But unless Nintendo can quickly adapt to the fluid nature of these sorts of games and ensure it remains fun for all types of players, it might not find the long-term audience it deserves. Like a beautiful coat of paint on a wall that wasn't properly primed, the cracks are already beginning to show.
Now that I've returned to the world of Castle Wolfenstein [by finishing Old Blood], I'll definitely pull my copy of Wolfenstein: The New Order off the shelf and give it a go. And I suspect – or at least hope – it will be a little more fulfilling.
Just make sure your Wii Remotes have those rubber cushion thingies on them before you play. Less chance of someone getting "accidentally" injured.
There are a few other niggling issues, like occasionally problematic camera controls, the baffling lack of an instant replay feature and some overall rough edges in the presentation. But for that narrow subset of players who like racing, puzzle and construction games – and who have a slightly sadistic streak, to boot – Screamride is not to be missed. It's almost enough to make you forget high school physics. Almost.
It's tough to get excited by video game zombies these days, but by blending a detailed open world, cool parkour moves and a satisfyingly deep system for character and weapon customization, Dying Light has clawed out a novel space in this crowded genre. Long live the undead.
We need more game developers and publishers willing to gamble on made-from-scratch worlds and ideas, but The Order: 1886 feels like it might have fared better as a film, graphic novel or TV series. As a game, there's just not enough propping up this shining suit of armour.
Would it have been great to see Ubisoft crack the conundrum of delivering open-world freedom with an equally unforgettable storyline? It would, and I challenge them to do exactly that with the inevitable Far Cry 5. But until then, this trip to Kyrat is well worth taking.
True to its name, Unity is a cohesive collection of the fundamental elements of the Assassin's Creed experience, and feels like a much-needed reset for a franchise that was starting to become bloated and scattered. It may not be a revolution, but vive l'unité all the same.
Advanced Warfare brings some new elements to the experience that make it stand out, but some of these changes only serve to remind us how rigid the Call of Duty box is, and how unwilling the franchise is to think outside it.
But that's OK. Sunset Overdrive is a welcome response to the gritty, drab and deadly serious shooters that make up the majority of this genre. It sometimes tries way too hard to be funny, but more often than not it's a riotous riff on things that gaming holds dear, and an intoxicating action saga in its own right. As long as you can survive the woozy cough syrup hangover the morning after.
So far, Civilization: Beyond Earth is a stellar – no pun intended – new addition to the franchise, and what it lacks in the familiarity of historical cultures and settings it gains with some clever new tweaks and an even grander vision of humanity's potential. See you in a million days. Give or take.