GamingTrend
HomepageGamingTrend's Reviews
It's with a heavy heart that I write this review of Fighter Within. When I saw the announcement, I was excited, knowing what the Xbox One Kinect could do for a genre like this. Daoka bit off far more than they could chew, and this time it wasn't the hardware. The Kinect was purpose built for exactly this sort of game, but Daoka simply wasn't up to the task. As a fighter and a gamer, I'm deeply insulted by Fighter Within.
Problems aside, Tiny Brains is an undeniably enjoyable experience. While it may not amaze you, it'll definitely be worth your time if you and a few friends are looking to have a go at a co-op puzzle experience that isn't extremely demanding.
Teslagrad is an exceptional example of non-verbal storytelling, relying on delightfully smooth animation and clever puzzles to see the player through to the end.
Frustrating and generic gameplay rounds out an otherwise technically impressive package. Killzone: Shadow Fall should have been another solid entry in an above-average franchise, but instead it succumbs to all of the usual launch game pitfalls, and a decent though unimpressive multiplayer suite can't save it from mediocrity.
The PlayStation 4 and Xbox One launch has been pretty successful, but the PlayStation 4 suffers from a gap in the initial lineup – a solid fighting game. Injustice: Gods Among Us Ultimate Edition fills that gap nicely, delivering all of the previously available DLC and a staggering number of challenges to tackle for this new generation. While it doesn't knock your socks off graphically like you might expect for a 'next-gen' title, the extremely-accessible fighting mechanics make this title a must-have.
This darker romp through a zombie outbreak is one that I will be replaying as soon as time permits, and hopefully with a friend. While Dead Rising 3 doesn't showcase the next gen visuals like that of Forza Motorsport 5 or the far more realistic presentation of Ryse: Son of Rome, it gives us more and pushes us further in an otherwise samey sandbox genre. Entertainingly enough, the game also remembers where you've ditched every item, vehicle, or parts forever – something no sandbox game can boast. Given its tight release schedule, it is one of the must-have launch titles of the new generation. The online co-op mayhem is a blast, and I heartily recommend this to any new Xbox One owner looking for an M-rated way to kill time (and reams of the undead).
Whatever downsides Risk of Rain has are absolutely outweighed by the many things the game does right. The gameplay is refreshing and fun, the graphics are charming, the setting is unique, the music is pleasant to listen to. On top of all of this, there's a slew of unlocks on offer that make the game an achievement-addict's dream, and each of the ten available classes (which, I stress, require unlocking in order to acquire) are wonderfully distinct, giving Risk of Rain some serious replay value.
This is how I hope all indie games fare on the PlayStation 4. Beautiful, high-res, 60 fps graphics, with a pulse pounding soundtrack that wonderfully compliment the chaotic yet expertly crafted gameplay. This classic arcade style shooter will keep your thumbs and your senses occupied for many, many hours.
Knack would have been a passable game twenty years ago, but now it just feels tired and uninspired. It's a bland, boring adventure, made only more frustrating by its sheer difficulty curve and questionable design choices. There's a soul somewhere in this golem, but it's buried under a pile of ancient video game dreck.
Angry Birds Star Wars is a shameless 50 dollar repackaging of a 99 cent iPhone game. There's little to nothing added in the console release. The only person I can see this appealing to is an Angry Birds fan whose level of obsession gets into the clinically problematic spectrum. Do yourself a favor and either skip this one, or if you absolutely must get your Angry Birds fix, then find a way to play it on iOS.
Super Motherload may not be the most action-packed or technically impressive game on the PlayStation 4, but what it does offer is surprisingly addictive, especially for a game entirely about digging. Puzzles, strategy, multiplayer, a haunting atmosphere, and a fantastic soundtrack — Super Motherload packs a wealth of material into a small, though somewhat repetitive, package.
On the eve of the next generation of consoles, it's comforting to know Super Mario still has potential to excite and astound with some of the best gameplay found on the Wii U, or any platform. It may be short and easy, but Super Mario 3D World finds a place within the cacophony of this year's whiz-bang shooters and next-gen tech demos. This is exactly what the Wii U needed.
Like the soldiers in the game, XCOM: Enemy Within takes everything introduced in Enemy Unknown, polishes it, enhances it, and redeploys it into the field. It's stronger, it's meaner, and it's awesome. The new additions force your hand to make tactical decisions that can and will lead to the death of soldiers that you'll become attached to now more than ever.
Need for Speed Rivals is a great entry in the series and a huge improvement from Most Wanted and Hot Pursuit. AllDrive brings multiplayer to a new level, and the experience sets the bar for all racing games from now on. That said, since AllDrive is so important to the overall experience, multiplayer gamers will likely get a lot more out of it than those who play alone. But, if you're looking for a racing game that's rewarding, fun, and visually impressive, then Need for Speed Rivals is the game for you.
More than just fan service, The Legend of Zelda: A Link Between Worlds is a modern approach to the world established by the 1991 SNES adventure, A Link to the Past. Traverse the same overworld to uncover a brand new system of delightful dungeons — a familiar formula injected with fresh abilities and mechanics. This homage to a classic is itself an instant classic on the Nintendo 3DS.
Deadfall Adventures is a game that doesn't stand out. It has few redeeming qualities, and if you're a FPS fanatic, there are much better games out there for you to play.
Ghosts doesn't leverage the PS4 beyond providing a more visually immersive experience, it stands as a more than capable bridge for the franchise. While the campaign is relatively short at eight hours and at times feels very derivative, the high points really shine and the multiplayer experience continues to set the bar for the genre.
It's frustrating to see the same developer who gave us the decent campaigns of the Bad Company games continue to fall flat with the story modes in the core titles. But while it feels as if DICE is standing still while the industry passes them by in terms of single-player experiences, they continue to innovate and raise the bar for multiplayer warfare. With new game modes, an enhanced interface, evolving maps, and greatly improved small-scale battles, Battlefield 4 continues the franchise's trend of setting the standard for the squad-based multiplayer shooter.
While the awkwardness of the campaign mode's storyline is unfortunate, the game more than justifies its cost in terms of inventive mechanics, a refreshing setting and a well-thought-out realtime tactical system – all without the looming threat of microtransactions and booster-pack expenditures that so often are matched up with any card-based game.
Clearly, Lord of Shadows wants to feel “cinematic” but it goes too far by sacrificing gameplay on the altar of visual splendor.