Pure Xbox's Reviews
It would be harsh to overly punish Kaiju Panic for the problems that it contains, simply because the mix of tower defence and RTS gameplay works so well. It surely won't be to everybody's tastes and some will get frustrated when a lack of knowledge or a varying enemy attack path causes them to fail a level, but those that like a challenge will enjoy what Mechabit have created here.
Lego Dimensions is easily the best Lego game so far. The interaction between the physical Lego toy and the game beyond the portal really sets Dimensions apart from other toys-to-life games and each build, level and vehicle seems to have been carefully thought out.
The Jackbox Party Pack 2 is a compilation of four great games and one that misses the target. There's easily more than enough laughs to be had here for the asking price. Some may feel a little bit short-changed by the inclusion of Quiplash XL if they've already paid money for it as a stand-alone product, but even they should find that there's more than enough entertainment here for their money. This is a well-made and entertaining collection that's sure to put a smile on the face of the most curmudgeonly party guest and become a staple amongst regular gaming buddies.
Rugby League Live 3 contains a multitude of impressive features that you'd usually really only expect from the 2ks and EAs of this world and that's to the developer's credit. Extremely detailed off the pitch and generally fun on it, the game is it's only let down by a number of areas where the polish hasn't been applied as well as it could have been. Sadly, those issues do start to mount up with extended play but was it not for the player selection issue, it would have scored an extra point here for sure.
While the combat is undoubtedly satisfying and rewarding, the sense of repetition, the last-gen visuals, and the brevity of the adventure feel more matched for a budget price. We suggest waiting for a sale and a nostalgic craving for Saturday morning cartoons. That's when you have our full permission to transform and roll out!
Ultimately, we feel the short length of the campaign and a few mechanical grievances are what keep it from higher praise. It's not a bad game whatsoever, but it's far from being remarkable.
The retro-inspired pixel graphics and frenetic pace will ultimately not appeal to everybody but there's enjoyment to be found, even for even novice players.
The Book of Unwritten Tales 2 is a sprawling adventure that does not take itself too seriously, yet offers up fantastic storytelling in an immersive and gorgeous-looking world. Its slow pace and lack of true action will not appeal to everybody but with popular culture references galore and a cast of heroes that you can't help but develop a fondness for, it's a title that can sit proudly with others in the genre...if it can get away with mocking them all mercilessly, of course.
It may be passé to say, but FIFA 16 is a game of two halves. Off the field, not much has changed that you could really write home about. The stalwarts of career mode and Ultimate Team feel much the same as they did before with very minor changes. With the ball at your feet though, the tooth-and-nail fights to hold on to a 1-0 lead against superior opposition or to take advantage of an entirely organic mistake to equalise in the final knockings of a lower league cup match, along with the general feeling that you're taking part in a decent tactical battle are stellar. The things EA hasn't shouted about are the things that they've clearly worked the hardest on and while there are still flaws, this is the best on-pitch representation of the beautiful game since Konami's PlayStation 2 efforts.
Whilst Blood Bowl 2's strict adherence to the franchise's rules may dissuade some from even trying this out, those that do take the plunge and stick with it will find that despite its faults, it can be a deeply rewarding and enriching experience. The AI isn't really up to snuff though, so expect to ride a long learning curve to be able to become competitive online - if you can find a game.
It's as if the developers of Rugby World Cup 2015 hate you for daring to hope that they'd made up for the near-intolerable Rugby 15. If you've shelled out for this then it's fair to say that you'll hate them right back. This is easily the worst game available for Xbox One - sports or otherwise - and is without any shadow of a doubt one of the worst officially-licenced sports games of all time. Absolutely atrocious on every single level.
Penarium is one of the best arcade-style games we've played this console generation. The campaign doesn't last all that long, and more multiplayer options would've been appreciated, but all in all, there's a healthy amount of content for the price. If fast-paced gameplay and high-score chasing are your thing, we suggest planning a trip to this sadistic carnival. Just don't be surprised if you end up imprisoned, losing hours upon hours of your life to the addictive chaos.
Blues and Bullets isn't perfect, but Episode 1 definitely left a positive impression on us. The visual style is infectious and atmospheric, and while it takes more than a few cues from Sin City, it adds a surprising amount of immersion to the storytelling. The first episode is also nicely balanced between casual exploring, action scenes, and a lengthy but satisfying crime scene investigation. There certainly seems to be a lot of adventure games around these days, and we're happy to state that Blues and Bullets is yet another one you should keep your eyes on.
Pro Evolution Soccer 2016 is a strange entry in the series. The improvements are obvious and clear to see from the outset but the areas in which it has taken a step backward take a lot longer to actually uncover. You don't realise that you haven't conceded a free kick for ages until you've played more than a handful of games. You don't realise that the keepers pretty much can't save low shots until you've conceded a dozen goals in the bottom corner. This means that your time with PES this year will be spent playing for an hour or two and then putting the controller down in frustration. It's to Konami's great credit that it somehow always calls you back to it.
Pumped BMX+ is a good advertisement for mobile game ports on Xbox One. Crafted with care and not just spit out onto the platform in under five minutes, the game is easy to pickup and tough to master. Despite the amount of gameplay addicted players will get out of it, a little more variation and the inclusion of any sort of multiplayer play – H.O.R.S.E. anyone? – would have seen it score higher, though there's plenty going on here to justify the price for lone players. Good fun.
Toy Soldiers: War Chest could really be something great but unfortunately choppy performance, uninspiring missions and a repetitive single player experience put paid to this. The licensed properties present in the game aren't enough elevate the game to anything more than a very workmanlike version of your favourite childhood moments.
Some of the off-track functionality in Forza Motorsport 6 is sometimes surprisingly lazily implemented but you'll tend to forget that when you're in a battle with the elements, trying to shave a tenth of a second off your laptime in your newly-tuned favourite racer, or simply gawking at the outstanding visuals. Time ebbs away when you're playing. "One more race" becomes "one more series" and then you just pop online to have a quick League race, then you just have to take on a rival's laptime real quick…and soon it's 5am and you realise exactly how much game you get for your buck. Warts and all, this is well worth the investment.
Asteroid Base have done a fine job with Lovers in a Dangerous Spacetime, providing that you're a co-op gamer. Single players will likely find that they enjoy things up until the game becomes too overwhelming. Still, as a whole, there's a lot to like here – including genuine innovation - and it's definitely something different.
Leo's Fortune is platforming as it should be and is definitely reminiscent of a time gone by, when little blue hedgehogs and Italian plumbers adventured across the screens in games that were as simplistic as they were enjoyable. There is enough variety in Leo's adventure to keep it fresh as the game progresses and the overall length, while shorter than we may have come to expect from modern games, will leave you wanting more.
Mad Max's frame may be built from familiar parts, but that doesn't mean there aren't enough surprises under the hood to make for a furiously enjoyable ride.