Pure Xbox's Reviews
We Are Doomed makes a good attempt at being a compelling and addictive twin-stick shooter, getting a lot of things right along the way. There are some problems with the basic design though and the very limited amount of modes on offer means that unless you're hooked by beating your own best scores or unlocking the limited (but tough to obtain) number of achievements, it'll be over way, way too soon.
Ultimately, Goat Simulator is a hilarious mess that is worth experiencing for a few hours, just one you probably shouldn't buy.
We're still recommending The Handsome Collection because, despite its blemishes and the general shortcomings of the Borderlands formula, it's often an absolute riot of a time – playing with friends, whether local or online, is the way to go.
There's the essence of a good game in here - make no mistake about it - but it really is very, very hard to see it with all the problems in the way. We'd like to think that the development team at Milestone is working on patches for the game, but whether that's the case or not with their next attempt – MotoGP 15 – being released in only two months, remains to be seen.
There's no doubt that Tower of Guns will be a game that you either love or hate. An interesting take on the FPS genre, the game feels like a cross between a more traditional shooter and a gameshow. It lacks polish in places and desperately wants for more game modes or something to extend the amount of provided game time beyond beating your best score or run, but there's potential here that the developers could – and should - build on in the future.
Stealth Inc 2: A Game of Clones is not only one of the best stealth games ever made, it is up there with the best platformers. Everything good from the original game has been improved upon and polished while its flaws have been fixed. Stealth Inc 2 is what other developers should look at when developing a sequel: it is one that makes the previous game obsolete. Curve Digital has developed a near perfect game that should be experienced by all gamers.
Pool Nation FX is hugely disappointing
Whether you want to play a platformer that will make you think or just want to experience a piece of gaming history, New 'n' Tasty should satisfy your cravings.
Outside of the noted problems though, the game controls perfectly and doesn't miss a step, and if you were a fan of the original then this is an absolute no-brainer.
While we weren't particularly impressed with Battlefield Hardline's multiplayer offering, we did like the intense ride that the campaign took us on. The story might be fairly throwaway, but the environments, set pieces, and the gameplay scenarios you'll often find yourself in are memorable and make up for the clichés and nonsensical plot details.
Ultimately, LA Cops is a decent, short run through a cop-themed shooter that doesn't do enough to really impress.
Episode 4: Metamorphosis has a lot resting on its rotting shoulders and, for the most part, it does an adequate job tying up all the loose ends. The real revelation comes about unexpectedly, in the form of either a good or bad ending. And while we did feel a bit cheated getting the bad ending the first time through, it's hard to fault the rest of the episode for it. If you managed to do everything right, then this finale wraps things up really quite nicely.
It's a half-hearted attempt at bringing the series into the current generation, and is only barely recommended for the absolute die-hard fans of the original. This is a real shame and even if you can get past the bare-bones approach to remastering that Omega Force have taken, you probably won't get past all the bugs.
For the past week we've been delving through the dungeon on a nightly basis, and we anticipate our interest in monster slaying won't cease upon completion of this review. That may be a bigger compliment than you realize.
As penultimate episodes go, Episode 3: Judgment does a rock solid job of keeping players engaged in its story as it leads into the game's final chapter. We're now eagerly anticipating the finale, but we're also a little bit apprehensive about where things will go next. Like all good serialized story-telling, that means the creators are at least doing a great job keeping us invested.
Shiftlings is a game that will frustrate many people, but ultimately it's one that's worth playing through. Due to the focus being on just a few simple mechanics, puzzles that at first seem impossible can often have a simple solution. These moments of brilliance are what keep Shiftlings a compelling experience and one that continues to test your wit until the very end.
White Night is a great concept with a really nice art style. The atmosphere it provides is incredibly convincing and genuinely unsettling, right up until the time that the perceived threat becomes a reality and things take a nosedive. A tad more polish would have seen this become a real benchmark for the genre, but a number of missed steps mean that it will likely just fade into the darkness.
Episode Two: Contemplation is hands down, a better, stronger, and more satisfying entry than the Revelations 2 premiere episode was.
OlliOlli is a fine indie game that will most likely get its hooks into you and not let go. It isn't a perfect port, and it's a little galling to be paying for the original game when the sequel is currently free on PlayStation 4 as a part of PlayStation Plus. But, if you haven't been exposed to the game before now, there are definitely worse ways to spend £8.
DmC: Devil May Cry is one of the best hack-and-slash games out there, and now it's even better thanks to a higher frame-rate, fresh difficulty settings, and a slight speed boost. If you didn't get around to slaying demons with Dante back in 2013, now's your chance to do so.