Pure Xbox's Reviews
Definitive Edition clearly exists to ensure the best possible version of Ori and the Blind Forest is on the market, and Moon Studios has undoubtedly succeeded in that regard. If you haven't made the time for this magical Metroidvania yet, this is the way to go. If you already own a copy of the original game and are itching for another playthrough, readmission is worth the $5 upgrade. The new additions don't extend the length of the game by much, but they do freshen things up and breathe some new life into an already wonderful experience.
This is a fun puzzle game with a difficulty pitched to keep it interesting for seasoned puzzlers but not beyond the reach of novice gamers. The traps you set and contraptions you create are challenging and comedic in a deliciously evil way that is sure to raise a wicked chuckle or two from all but the most pure of heart. An opportunity to use your creativity in dastardly ways; 101 Ways to Die's use of physics and Rube Goldberg-style chain reactions is an enjoyable entry into the puzzle genre.
The Division doesn't have many ideas of its own, but the way it unites traditional open-world design with online multiplayer makes it an addictive social shooter. The repetition does wear thin after a while, and the end-game content isn't as robust as it needs to be, so there's a legitimate concern as to whether the game will remain engrossing in the long run. Still, Ubisoft has erected a solid foundation, one that can easily be bettered by impending content updates and expansions.
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?
Plants vs Zombies: Garden Warfare 2 builds on the original brilliantly. It takes everything its predecessor did right and does it again with more bells and whistles. There's new characters, levels and quests to explore and the sticker and levelling system have been tweaked to make acquiring the masses of new content feel achievable. The addition of single player quests and AI companions for Garden and Graveyard Ops make it a viable choice for when you just don't fancy playing with others or you want to power level a character you aren't too comfortable with playing in multiplayer. The current balance issues are an annoyance but the developers have already reassured users that this will be fixed soon; leaving little to criticise in this frantic, fun and family-friendly shooter.
With a simple accessible campaign and a whole host of collectibles and zombie modes to obsess over, Tiny Troopers: Joint Ops is certainly not a bad game. It's reasonably entertaining and doesn't suffer from any major technical issues, but it lacks the depth or uniqueness that would propel it beyond 'just okay.' This is a title that is cute and fun when you aren't interested in thinking too hard and just fancy turning your brain off for ten to twenty minutes, but it's unlikely to set anyone's world on fire.
Action Henk is enjoyable and challenging, of that there is no doubt. It isn't going to win any awards for visuals – despite looking good enough to get the job done – and we'd like to have seen the comedy brand placement from the initial playroom area be used more in the levels themselves. With that said, neither of these things is going to interrupt your entertainment and the enjoyment and exquisite frustration that the game provides is more than enough for it to get our recommendation. Good stuff.
Overall, this is a title that is brimming with unrealised potential. If everything worked as designed, Pixel Piracy's customisation options, management mechanics and randomly generated world would be incredibly engaging and fun. Unfortunately, the problems with the AI turn battles from strategic endeavours to long slogs and there isn't as much to do as it first appears. If you're lucky enough to avoid the bugs, Pixel Piracy will provide a couple of hours of enjoyment while you figure out its intricacies and perfect your crew, though we doubt there's enough variation to keep you hooked beyond your first play through.
Fighting back against nature and surviving utterly dire circumstances makes The Flame in the Flood a gripping experience... for a while. It's the unambitious campaign, the repetitious rogue-lite structure, and a number of bugs and technical issues that get in the way and keep the game from reaching its full potential. But even though The Flame in the Flood is somewhat of a disappointment, that doesn't mean there's not enough tinder to sustain the flame for at least a weekend outing. You just have to decide whether or not you want to risk dealing with the pesky bugs hiding in the foundation.
While there are more complex and intriguing crime games out there and it isn't the longest game, The ABC Murders still offers good entertainment for the interested and serves as a decent port into the murder mystery puzzle genre. Some core mechanics need fine tuning, but the balance between the different game elements is generally good. The interrogation scenes as well as the deduction phases could be a bit more elaborate and slightly longer (because they are - hands down - the best bits of the game) but the overall flow of the game is pleasant.
Relatively very minor gripes aside, Rocket League is a genuinely new type of game that provides addictive, enjoyable, skill-based fun that doesn't prevent new players from joining the fray and which never threatens to become dull. Even folks who aren't necessarily excited by football, sports in general, or cars will find something to love here and for many, it'll become their new favourite pastime. This is absolutely superb and will keep you entertained for many, many hours.
Dying Light: The Following's nightmare difficulty setting and additional legend level system along with improved visuals and advanced AI make for a new experience for players of the original Dying Light. The Following content itself - whether bought separately or as part of the new Enhanced Edition - offers a very different but yet worthy test, with the open fields and buggy opening up a completely different set of rules to exploit and best the legions of undead.
Bike Mayhem 2 is the opposite of going mountain bike riding. There's no exhilaration to be had, just boredom, as the game never seems to end. The uphill climb is littered with free-to-play aspects that would be barely tolerable on mobile, let alone on a console where players paid money to play. Sadly, there is no payoff for aspiring bikers, and this is one downloadable title that is better off in the dirt.
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.
Short, simple and fun, Factotum 90 is a must-have addition to any puzzle game fan's collection. With a unique premise and an interesting plot, it only ever tries to be exactly what it is and offers enough of a challenge to be a satisfying experience. A refreshing addition to the ID@Xbox collection.
Painful progression and wonky UI make Albedo a much less enjoyable game than it could have been. If you feel like you are up for the challenge after hearing about our struggles and can get past the game's quirks, then good luck. We applaud you if you can manage to make it through without peeking at a guide.
Electronic Super Joy is a delight. Its simple visuals are elevated by a soundtrack so perfectly in tune with the experience that it turns a punishingly difficult platformer into a trance-like experience and will soothe the pain of your multiple deaths. It will defeat you over and over again, but manages never to feel unfair or to set goals that are unachievable. If you like the sound of a challenging platformer that will push you to the edge of frustration when things are going badly but make you feel like a gaming god when things are going well, Electronic Super Joy may be just the game you're looking for.
This War of Mine: The Little Ones is a fantastically atmospheric, emotional, and compelling game that constantly makes you doubt what you're doing, in a way that feels entirely natural as part of the experience. You have to weigh up every decision in order to keep your crew safe from harm and that coupled with the strong desire to play through just one more raid to see how things turn out, means that you're more than likely to get your money's worth here. Great stuff.
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.
Assassin's Creed Chronicles features a generally solid game engine, nice storyline, and is for all intents and purposes a decent proposition. However, it's constantly prevented from shining by some dire level design and so many instant deaths that if you counted them, would probably see you reaching triple digits by the time you complete the game for the first time. There's some enjoyment to be had here, but it's frequently punctuated by massive bouts of frustration. If you want to try the series, you should grab China, since it remains the best of the three.