Baja: Edge of Control HD is one of a kind in the racing world, using momentum and control as its main focus. Events are a relentless fight from start to finish and that certainly keeps the driving title refreshing through its tons of tracks.
With its foul intentions clear, Dark Souls 2 is a behemoth either way. It’s the best worst game ever created. Designed to be flawed, unforgivable beyond redemption and yet it’s robust enough to withstand any criticism.
Routine or not, Cooking Mama: Sweet Shop is a delight to go to and make a few dishes, opening up the appetite. The game may even serve the most adventurous among us to go forth and make some elaborate treats for themselves.
While Hello Kitty and Friends Happiness Parade might not be expansive and, at times, a little tricky, its most impressive quality is that it radiates fun, like a Hello Kitty game should. This rhythm game is downright jubilant, even in its limited scope, which will make it easily playable and entraining for an extended audience. Particularly as its music is the driving force, the game has a simple, entrancing quality that can forgive a lot of its milder, frustrating parts.
There are some troubles in Deadcore. They aren’t many and there are tons of breathtaking parts in this captivating puzzle platform game, but they do prevent it from reaching the heights it would otherwise so deserve.
Bayonetta 3 is a story of love, years in the making. Both good and bad, this project has gotten stuck in time. That time dilation might be annoying for some clunky design choices, but it might also be the last time you'll be able to play something like this; and that in a package that has never been wrapped up any better. Maybe Bayonetta 3 is also a redemption story.
With less spectacular combat or dryer dialogue, this squishy shooter wouldn’t have been the glorious escape it is now, lasting a dozen hours or more. Knock on wood. Wood is also a penis reference.
Short but oh so sweet, Shelter 2 is an experience that is meant to be felt more than it is an endurance test. It has some technical kinks and could be a bit deeper, but the tradeoff in emotional value is more than satisfactory; it’s downright beautiful and not just visually.
Way of the Samurai 4 certainly is a unique take on the open world mechanism of ultimate freedom. There’s a lot to see and a lot to experience, but in a small yet versatile package that contains tons of little things.
Don’t play Far Cry 3 expecting a great story or a traditional shooter experience. This game is meant to be seen as an enthralling adventure amongst the trees and jungles of some tropical paradise, waiting for one brave hero to save it from its woes.
As an archival effort, Atari 50: The Anniversary Celebration is, indeed, a joyous effort. In fact, it's arguable that this is the best that Atari has put out in recent years. The historical timeline alone is a pristine and impressive feature, as only developer Digital Eclipse can make it. And while the game selection has plenty of pitfalls, pun intended, there is enough to go around, both for classics as well as rare items.
Aside from issues, both big and small, in many of its designs, FIFA 14 does make up a lot by providing expertly produced gameplay in a range of content.
At just a day’s worth of entertainment, SteamWorld Dig feels light. Yet, that time will be spent in glee, as its spaced out gameplay elements drive the action down into the digging depths, searching and uncovering more and more, to play in more varied ways.
Betrayer knows exactly what it’s doing. Adventurers are weak amidst a cast of angered ghosts and mysterious events. Penetrating sounds keep tensions high. Isolation is strengthened by frustrating, esoteric design.
When everything comes together, Luftrausers is a blast of skillful maneuvering; using the wobbly controls exactly to the point of swerving through bullets and taking down baddies in retaliation.
Regardless of foibles, there is a ton of entertainment value to be found in the wacky shooter that is Screencheat. Looking at an opponent’s screen and trying to collect that kill with a weird weapon, while another player might be doing the same, is exhilarating.
Despite some callous priorities in ensuring paychecks, Mortal Kombat X is a sturdy fighter with sound technical design and enough auxiliary choices to stay exhilarating for dozens of hours.
Those who haven’t played Tokyo Twilight Ghost Hunters: Daybreak Special Gigs can now pick up a cleverly built mix of RPG and visual novel on PC. From its animate characters to the toys and fights the game offers, there’s a lot of effort put in to make its audience a participant, instead of a passive element.
The Gardens Between is a well-needed bite of escapism, both for the two protagonists as for the player. With cute and, more importantly, uniquely clever diorama set pieces, this tiny adventure that spans just a few hours feels as innovative as it is refreshing and heartfelt.
Metro Redux is the same old horrifying shooter classic, some technical flaws strangely included, but now shinier, more welcoming and with a lot more to go on than before.