Steve Hannley's Reviews
Call of Duty: WWII will be fascinating to study from a business standpoint: will consumers embrace the product they have long been clamoring for and how will Activision handle its business strategy moving forward? Will they dive exclusively back into World War II until gamers tire of it again or cycle between different eras from here on out? Whatever happens, there's a fantastic game at the center of this future case study that proves that no matter the ballyhoo, Activision will ensure a superb experience is delivered.
It's starting to feel pointless to review Just Dance titles since it's hard to grasp what exactly Ubisoft is trying to accomplish with them at this point, but darn it I've come this far and I'm going to see this through, even if it takes until Just Dance 2049.
Skylanders Imaginators remains the same great game on Nintendo Switch as it was on other consoles, but with a few drawbacks and additions.
Just Dance 2017 on Nintendo Switch is the definition of a port as besides allowing for new control options, there's nothing to distinguish it from other consoles.
It’s good to have Bomberman back and in a meaningful way.
It may not take Call of Duty to the heights of its galactic setting, but Infinite Warfare is out of this world.
This is our third year in a row criticizing Just Dance, but we’re not trying to beat up the series.
With other toys-to-life franchises seemingly folding by the day, it’s amazing that Skylanders has managed to stay not only wildly successful, but also so fresh and entertaining year after year.
The adjective "ridiculous" has been used several times in this review as it's the most apt available. Just Cause 3 is a ridiculous, over-the-top experience that wants so hard for you to blow it up. Playing around its 400 square miles, it's almost as if the game can be heard yelling "OH MAN, THAT WAS SICK" in the background. It's hard not to feel like a complete badass as you fly around the island dropping grenades and vaulting enemies into the air; in fact, you basically have super powers.
It's shocking how little content there is in Mario Tennis: Ultra Smash. As much as we'd love to explore the title further, the rabbit hole doesn't go any deeper.
Call of Duty: Black Ops III was created in a three-year development cycle and it shows. This is basically five standalone games wrapped into one deep package. While it will have DLC released for it, there's enough content out of the box to keep players busy until the next Call of Duty and probably some time after that. The campaign is perfectly paced and entertaining throughout, the multiplayer is rich with customization and Zombies is refreshingly challenging. The only real black mark is a story teetering on the on the brink of pretension, but the existentialism of it is undeniably fascinating. Jam-packed with meaningful content, Black Ops III is the Call of Duty you've been waiting for.
While there's still trepidation due the fact that much of its appeal rests on unproven promises and its currency system is needlessly complicated, the idea of new songs being added on a weekly basis could render Guitar Hero Live into a persistent experience for rhythm and music lovers alike. Time will ultimately tell how Guitar Hero Live shapes up, but it's alluring enough to once again raise your plastic axe to the sky and rejoin the virtual rock god army.
Dragon Quest Heroes is a perfectly-balanced marriage of Dragon Quest sensibilities with Dynasty Warriors dynamics. That sounds exactly like what it should be, but easier said than done, and Omega Force has done it.
Anybody who'd like to replay the series or experience it for the first time before the looming release of Unharted 4 have no reason not to pick up The Nathan Drake Collection; it's simply the best way to experience three great games.
[W]hat we're left with is a solid game of basketball with meat and potatoes features. It doesn't hold up to NBA 2k16 and doesn't do enough to be the breakthrough the series needed. That being said, EA Tiburon is on the right track and if they spend the next year truly fine-tuning the mechanics and coming up with a dazzling career mode, this could be the penultimate chapter before the Live takeover.
Much like its predecessor, FIFA 16 is likely to be picked up by a brand new audience purely thanks to the fact that professional soccer is growing exponentially in popularity in North America. Thankfully, newcomers and veterans alike will find an excellent game of soccer that yet again takes advantage of the higher processing power of current-gen consoles to deliver an experience more realistic than ever.
Activision and Vicarious Visions have seemingly done the impossible by keeping Skylanders fresh for its fifth outing. SuperChargers is jam-packed with enough content to fill at least two separate games and it's all quality stuff.
NHL 16 is a triumphant return to form. After the debacle that was the razor-thin NHL 15, EA has restored all of the beloved modes to the game and they're better than ever.
Disney Infinity was a bold venture even by Disney standards, but it's one that has rapidly come into its own. 3.0 is a leap forward for the franchise, offering an exceedingly well-presented universe that's easier to explore than ever, but features enough content to easily keep devotees occupied for as long as desired.