At the end of the day Sniper Elite III is a pretty good game. From large game levels and lots of extra tasks to that non-linear approach to how you can complete said tasks and the ability to play the whole campaign cooperatively, there really is a lot to like. Let's not forget that the gruesome, but cool kill-cam is back too! Sure, the AI can be unpredictable and a bit wonky at times, the competitive online is not that busy, the story can be cliché and there is the odd visual glitch, but in the end it's not enough to overtake all the good. Many people should find a lot to like here, and fans of the previous two games can come back knowing there is still a lot to enjoy.
Part of the addictiveness is opening up as many characters as possible and coming back to each level to access areas you couldn't before. As much as I enjoyed this aspect I found something new that overshadowed it, and it was playing as some of the dinosaurs in the game. You can play as some of the famed movies dinos as part of specific levels, but you can also hunt for amber stones and open up other dinosaurs for play later. You'll get to relive that famed scene from the original Jurassic Park movie where the T-Rex fights off a pack of Velociraptors in the park's visitor center or take on the role of a Triceratops and help Ellie and one of her friends get back to safety as a storm hits the island. Playing as a dino is fun, and adds a bit more to the game's overall experience.
It's a recycled formula that has worked over and over again and it has left some gameplay issues that should have been fixed long ago (e.g. floaty control or collision detection); however, the "if it ain't broke don't fix it" formula works and for many that will most likely be fine for them.
At the end of the day, even with its faults, Ryse is a game that one should experience as it does offer a glimpse of what next-gen can be on the Xbox One.
Make no doubt about it, at the end of the day House of Wolves DLC is an improvement over The Dark Below DLC, but it could have been so much more.
While not perfect Strike Suit Zero: Director's Cut is not a bad game at all. Although it can get tough, and can seem repetitive at times, there are far worse games out there. Those who are fans of space combat games can do no harm by checking out this game on the Xbox One, and those who haven't delved into the world of space combat to date should take a close look at this title too, as there is some fun to be had.
At the end of day Powerstar Golf isn't a must own game, but it does stand as a downloadable title that Xbox One owners may want to seriously look at as it offers up a nice change of pace from the big budget launch games during the winter gaming season.
Sure, it's not as long as one may hope for as it's over sooner than later, but it stays pretty true to its source material, which is refreshing.
A plus sign doesn't always mean better
At the end of the day Spartan Assault is not a bad game, but there are a few hiccups that hamper what could have been.
At the end of the day I find myself mixed in regards to my impressions of Mario & Sonic at the Sochi 2014 Olympics. There are some enjoyable events to play, but there are also some that can just be forgotten about, and the control's inconsistency really caught me off guard. Overall my thoughts were leaning to be more negative than positive, but then I watched my kids play and the smiles on their faces said a lot. Sure, they still had some issues with the gameplay now and then, but they were enamoured by the visuals and being able to play with the mascot characters they have gotten to know over the years is something they fully enjoyed. With this in mind, I think I am safe to say that this is not the best game out there, but it is far from the worst, and it can provide kids with some definite fun over the winter months for sure.