Hitman's second episode continues the good work that started in the first installment. The concerns we raised last time with regard to the AI have mostly been addressed, and possibly over-compensated for, which greatly increases the difficulty of the mission overall, and makes obtaining a Silent Assassin rating almost a forlorn dream, at least without a serious investment of time spent in learning the layout and the patterns of the targets. Of course, this has always been the case with Hitman games, but the jump in difficulty from Paris is quite a large one. The level design is great, with lots of possible approaches to choose from, but somehow it seems to lack focus, being more of an open-world approach to a mission than before. Overall, we can recommend a second dive into Agent 47's murky world.
All in all, Hitman is a very promising start to the reboot series. The visuals are good, the voice acting is excellent, and with the longevity promised in Contracts mode it should be a series that runs and runs. The issues with the AI can be addressed in future episodes, we hope, and if that happens then the game will certainly hit a higher score than we can give it this time. With five further episodes to come in 2016, the future's looking bright for our shiny-headed assassin.
In conclusion, Teslagrad is a very polished puzzler, which ramps up the difficulty almost mercilessly until the very end. The way the powers you obtain enable to you to backtrack and open up new areas is very well done, and with the challenge of the collectibles the game has a good lifespan. Make no mistake, this is a tough proposition, but it's a fair one and the feeling of satisfaction as you finally work out what you need to do to pass an obstacle is enormous. Charming storytelling and a stiff challenge marry up with a reasonable price to form an almost perfect package.
In conclusion, if you have three friends who come to your house to play games, or a number of siblings, then Cel Damage HD is a fun game, whose shortcomings can be overlooked. However, for the single player, this is sadly a game where the frustrations outweigh the good points. There is fun to be had for sure, and the achievements are easy to pick up, but ultimately this is a game that despite the graphical overhaul is showing its age and just isn't as good as the premise would lead you to believe.
Ironcast is the very definition of the saying "easy to pick up, difficult to master". The world, the characters and the art style are all top notch and really serve to draw you in, and once you are in, the compulsion to just have one more go is almost irresistible. The gameplay is balanced very nicely and we can't not recommend it, with only the freezes and crashes to really report as drawbacks. If you are looking for a puzzle game for your Xbox One, look no further than this. Picking it up would be a capital idea, what what?
D/Generation HD is a game that is a product of the early 90s. Story? Not much. Scenario? Ridiculous. However, what it does bring from that era is character and gameplay that all too often today are replaced by graphical flashiness. This is an unashamedly retro experience and even with the (gamebreaking) bugs we found, the urge to finish the game remains strong. To us, that stands in its favour. However, this isn't going to be for everyone, and there's no getting around the fact that if you're unlucky, you won't be able to finish the game. Add to this the relatively high price point of £19.99 and it turns into a product that we can't really, in good conscience, give a recommendation to. Fans of the original will enjoy it as a slice of nostalgia, but that's about it.
In conclusion, this another Traveller's Tales LEGO game, with all the baggage that entails. As an example of the breed, it's a very good one, but the age of the model is now starting to show and some sort of revolution (rather than a gradual evolution) must now be overdue. However, given the strength of the source material of these films, it makes a very decent fist of being a good game, as opposed to just being one of the better LEGO games.
In conclusion, Sparkle 2 is a lot like Sparkle Unleashed, which in turn was a lot like PopCap's Zuma. If you are a fan of this genre of game, then Sparkle 2 has a lot going for it, but it unlikely to convert anyone else to its cause. We found it weirdly addictive, with the "just one more level" effect being very strong, and the usually pretty graphics and reactive music all helping to hook us in. At its heart, its another colour matcher, but this is a little different to the run of the mill mobile ports that we see, and with the new modes to unlock as you play, it could well keep you hooked a little longer than normal.
This, then, is the whole experience of Cubot. Move cubes, solve puzzles and unlock the next chapter. Rinse, repeat, and then rinse again. With 80 levels to complete, you'd be forgiven for thinking that there would be an element of longevity to the game, but sadly that is not the case. We completed the 80 levels comfortably inside three hours, and even for the low, low price of £1.59, that isn't a long time. Looking at it from a different angle, three hours for 1000 Gamerscore is a bit of a bargain for players who hunt achievements. There could be more to it, but Cubot is a relatively fun experience overall, with a nice mix of difficulty and frustration.
Starpoint Gemini 2 is a big game, with a lot to do and many missions to undertake. The somewhat unpolished nature of the grind won't be to a lot of people's taste. If you can look past the issues that we've raised in the review, can get past the somewhat steep £28 asking price and like space exploration, Starpoint Gemini 2 might be right up your space lane. It probably isn't going to drag many non-fans in, though.
If you are primarily a single player, then we can't really recommend Toto Temple Deluxe. If, however, you have a group of friends who aren't averse to some couch multiplayer, or have children to entertain, then this provides some decent entertainment for as long as it lasts.
Wasteland 2: Director's Cut is a sprawling adventure, and it never fails to be engaging and the game world is an interesting place to be. The combat can get samey and the range of enemies is not massively varied but the required strategy and different approaches to fights kept us coming back for more. The sense of accomplishment when you take out a superior force by the clever use of cover is very gratifying, and helps to increase the game's longevity. We've put a good number of hours into this over the course of this review and can honestly say that we've barely scratched the surface. If you have even a slight interest in post-apocalyptic games, we don't think you'll be disappointed here.
Skylanders Superchargers could have been a contender, but the enforced arena vehicle sections mean that it only sputters along in the middle of the pack.
Disney Infinity 3.0 is the very definition of a game of two halves. The Toy Box and community content promise to be the most robust yet, with a massive range of different enviroments and characters to unlock and buy. Based on the Playset included in the starter set, it seems that the Disney-developed missions are shorter and more to the point, but there is still a lot of playabiliyt after the main missions are done, whether it be collecting Mynock kills or completing all the side missions and challenges. For the younger players especially, bouncing around as a Jedi or flying the landspeeder around the desert is unlikely to get old anytime soon.