Toronto Sun
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Like the stories from which the characters are borrowed, Code Name S.T.E.A.M. truly is the video game equivalent of a page-turner, and I dare anyone not to be sucked in by its charisma. It may start off slowly, but before you can bellow "STAR SPANGLED SLAMMER!" you'll be telling yourself "just one more level."
It's tough to get excited by video game zombies these days, but by blending a detailed open world, cool parkour moves and a satisfyingly deep system for character and weapon customization, Dying Light has clawed out a novel space in this crowded genre. Long live the undead.
We need more game developers and publishers willing to gamble on made-from-scratch worlds and ideas, but The Order: 1886 feels like it might have fared better as a film, graphic novel or TV series. As a game, there's just not enough propping up this shining suit of armour.
In another year, last-gen ports will be a tougher sell. But for now, another go-around in Los Santos with Michael, Franklin and Trevor feels like a good idea.
Would it have been great to see Ubisoft crack the conundrum of delivering open-world freedom with an equally unforgettable storyline? It would, and I challenge them to do exactly that with the inevitable Far Cry 5. But until then, this trip to Kyrat is well worth taking.
In a holiday season rife with games that are riddled by bugs and glitches of all sorts, it's beyond refreshing to know that I can sit down and repeatedly wail on Mario or pummel Samus into submission to my heart's content in lag-free glory. Smashing truly never felt so good.
True to its name, Unity is a cohesive collection of the fundamental elements of the Assassin's Creed experience, and feels like a much-needed reset for a franchise that was starting to become bloated and scattered. It may not be a revolution, but vive l'unité all the same.
Advanced Warfare brings some new elements to the experience that make it stand out, but some of these changes only serve to remind us how rigid the Call of Duty box is, and how unwilling the franchise is to think outside it.
At its best, The Evil Within offers a few scares and decent, if bland and predictable, combat; at its worst, it's unoriginal, uninspired and plodding. If you're looking for something scarier, try playing through two other recent current-gen horror games, P.T. or Outlast. Heck, I'm betting my nephew's skeleton costume this year will be spookier.
But that's OK. Sunset Overdrive is a welcome response to the gritty, drab and deadly serious shooters that make up the majority of this genre. It sometimes tries way too hard to be funny, but more often than not it's a riotous riff on things that gaming holds dear, and an intoxicating action saga in its own right. As long as you can survive the woozy cough syrup hangover the morning after.
So far, Civilization: Beyond Earth is a stellar – no pun intended – new addition to the franchise, and what it lacks in the familiarity of historical cultures and settings it gains with some clever new tweaks and an even grander vision of humanity's potential. See you in a million days. Give or take.
And unlike Ripley, you can always hit the power button if things get too scary.
It's clear from the critical mass of backers that this style of adventure left a lasting impact on the previous generation of gamers, and now that Wasteland 2 has delivered on its promise, this underserved genre seems poised to capture the imaginations of a new generation.
For the time being, though, this is a smashing return to form for one of Nintendo's most popular franchises, endlessly energetic and electrifying. Not unlike Pikachu's farts.
Good games based on J. R. R. Tolkien's works are surprisingly rare, and Shadow of Mordor is certainly a sword-thrusting lunge in the right direction. It's slick and fun, with solid production values and some new takes on what's becoming an overly familiar formula. There's just not quite enough here to make it truly preciousss.
[Y]ou're always doing something, and there's always something to do in this game. Let's just hope that there's ever-faster cars and ever-more stuff to destroy on the horizon with this series.
Of course, speculation is that Disney Infinity 3.0 will come out next year and introduce Star Wars characters and worlds. In which case, all bets are off. And I'll need more room in my real-world toy box.
Despite its flaws and despite its repetitiveness, I haven't been this invested in a shooter in a long while. Whether that lasts is up to fate.
It's sometimes tough to sing high praises of a re-release being sold at full price. But with all the improvements, the included expansion, better-than-anticipated performance on consoles and serious bang for your buck, Ultimate Evil Edition is an easy recommend, even if you've already played some Diablo III.
For its vibrant visual design, wonderful music and sheer whimsical weirdness, Hohokum is well worth experiencing. But at times it seems to be meandering back and forth between a video game and a piece of interactive art, unsure of which world it belongs to.