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Mortal Kombat X improves upon a classic franchise in nearly every way. From its surprisingly impressive story, to its great new characters, to its expansive amount of new content, Mortal Kombat is a must-play for any fans of the series.
Come for the dungeon management, stay for goofy minions like Jayzee, Am'Adamss, and Kato. We've seen a lot of "spiritual successors" to Dungeon Keeper, but none have lived up to that genre-defining product. Dungeons 2 is the culmination of a lot of hard work, and it's great that Kalypso and Realmforge could finally deliver on that often-promised and hardly-delivered goal. Sure, we may not always know what we want, but when somebody shows up and does it right, you immediately know.
Son of Nor has it's moments of brilliance where its strengths are realized, but ultimately none of its best elements are developed enough to make them feel meaningful for more than a few hours. Nor isn't bad, but it's so uninteresting it can hardly claim to be good.
Neverwinter fails to nail the social aspects and adapt to consoles effectively, but it's still a great solo experience. A solid F2P loot-grind with D&D flavor, but it lacks the social aspects that highlight the MMO genre elsewhere.
Affordable Space Adventures is a great example of a game that takes advantage of everything Wii U has to offer. There are a few drawbacks but this is the best use of the GamePad to date.
Stardrive 2 is an extremely ambitious title which I'd strongly suggest for fans of compulsively intricate gameplay. There are several different tactical genres in one here, which while varying in quality, are all filled with customization options and functional design. The only real downside is all this diversity can easily become too much for players not willing to invest the time and energy required to master Stardrive 2's numerous mechanics over and over again. This is a very niche game, and it would take playing it to know if it's right for you.
BOXBOY! is a fun puzzle platformer that gets a lot of mileage with a simple concept.
Dark Souls 2: Scholar of the First Sin improves upon Dark Souls 2 in nearly every category, and is the Souls game that current-gen console owners deserve.
Get to Work is all about the careers of your Sims, and it does it well. It is the first expansion of the Sims 4 and is a great addition worth any Sims fans attention.
I've never been one to buy into the concept that sports video games do not change enough from year to year. I have always felt that if you are dedicated to a series, you will notice the changes. Unfortunately for my positive mind, MLB 15: The Show broke that idea as the game I called the "king of sports franchises" last year, has put out a mostly underwhelming product. There are one or two minor additions that are enjoyable, but the Diamond Dynasty continues to bore despite its overhaul. The King's crown has fallen off with MLB 15: The Show, and only time will tell if Sony San Diego can pick it up come MLB 16: The Show's release.
Out of the Park Baseball 16 is the gold standard of sports simulator games, and can provide gamers with infinite hours of fun and deep gameplay.
Obsidian's Pillars of Eternity is a love letter to those gamers who remember RPGs of old – when parties were large, adventures were world-sprawling, and you read a book or two worth of words before the world was saved.
While Jaws of Hakkon is neither revolutionary or ultimately necessary, it is gorgeous and offers 6-8 hours of gameplay for the price of a solo trip to the movies. The new end-game content fits nicely into the fold, even if it offers very little deviation from the well-established formula.
Tom Happ's Axiom Verge keeps the best of the past and improves on every facet, crafting a game about singularity, identity and pure pixellated fun. This is concentrated, unfiltered, Super-Nintendo-excellence given the modern treatment, and a landmark indie title.
Borderlands: The Handsome Collection is the victory lap that every Borderlands fan will enjoy, and packs a tremendous value into one disc. Some performance issues hold it back from being flawless, but all the ingredients are here to sate your chaotic sweettooth.
Bloodborne takes what made Souls amazing in the past, and infuses it with speed, risk-reward play, and a haunting atmosphere. Only a few technical hiccups hold back a masterpiece from Miyazaki and From Software. This is a must-play game for any PS4 owner with a masochistic side.
When all is said and done, Resident Evil Revelations 2 takes the franchise in the right direction. There are plenty of suspenseful set pieces to keep you entertained throughout the entire game, and the focus on teamwork is refreshing. It's just a shame about the lack of online co-op. As a survival horror game, it doesn't add much to the genre but as a Resident Evil game, it changes up quite a bit of things to keep the series fresh and relevant, which is something it desperately needed.
Mario Party 10 is fun at times, but the experience is often dampened by its reliance on luck. The game may have a few redeeming qualities, but its strong random element and lack of compelling minigames makes this installment feel like a step back rather than the gameplay revamp that the series needs.
Dreamfall Chapters is a strong adventure game, held back only by the required knowledge base for entry. A fascinating game with interwoven tales, beautiful set pieces and believeable protagonists, Dreamfall is going strong and only getting started.
All and all, Sid Meier's Starships on the PC turns out to be a mixed bag of mostly sour elements. It's a nice distraction and even a good bit of fun depending on how much you enjoy space combat titles, but only if you go in knowing full well that this is a port a mobile game, absent of much the charm and detail we've come to expect from Sid Meier titles. In concept, this game is a fantastic way to build upon the fledgling Beyond Earth legacy, but in function, this game feels like a cheaper version of another Sid Meier's Starships that was never actually made.