Adam Beck's Reviews
It has been over a decade since the masked hero has graced his own game, but Strider is back and better than ever. Double Helix has done a phenomenal job in bringing the futuristic ninja into the modern day by not only upgrading the visuals while maintaining the two-dimension plane, but adding an addictive and well-constructed progression structure to keep the campaign interesting.
Tomb Raider remains one of the better action games to have been released in the last twelve months, and it gives the next generation consoles some life in a rather dry time. This is without doubt the definitive console edition of Tomb Raider, but the completeness and subtle visual enhancements are not enough to warrant another playthrough.
The PC port of Metal Gear Rising: Revengeance has its share of issues, but it still gets the nod over its console counterparts. While there are only six different resolutions, it does support native 1080p along with various graphical options that should have fans joyful just how sharp Raiden can look.
While there's an intriguing setup here, 'All That Remains' starts the new season off slowly and fails to deliver a sensible and concrete outlook at the future. There are notably fewer meaningful choices to be found and the action scenes are without much suspense as Clementine is far too susceptible to be grabbed by a walker.
SimCity: Cities of Tomorrow is a visually appealing addition that unfortunately only runs skin-deep. It's an attractive new world that can be developed under your whim, but it doesn't fix any of the core issues SimCity had in the first place, and actually makes them more apparent.
If for some reason you don't have a PC or a Wii U, then the PlayStation 4 version is going to be the best you can get. There's a strong variety of unique puzzles, and with the gorgeous world that can be taken-in, Trine 2 ends up being a luscious adventure.
Castlevania: Lords of Shadow – Ultimate Edition is a solid package for anyone who didn't get to play the game back in 2010, but at this point, it just feels like a stepping stone that allows the sequel to be released on the platform.
Even with all of its glamour and polish, the story of young Jerry Hazelnut is weighed down by disappointing shortcomings. Offering an appealing world resembling that of Alice and Wonderland, it’s not that The Night of the Rabbit is a bad game by any means, but the inconsistent puzzle complexities and dull main character drags this adventure down farther than the rabbit should go. With that said, the visuals are absolutely spectacular and the soundtrack has some of the most memorable orchestrated tracks this year. It breaks my heart to even talk about The Night of the Rabbit in a negative manner because, while it has its issues, it’s still an imaginative experience.