Pure Xbox's Reviews
Whether your favourite is Stunt Car Racer, Out Run, Ridge Racer, Burnout, Project Gotham Racing, Blur, any Need for Speed game, Gran Turismo, or good old Metropolis Street Racer, there's something for you here. In terms of excitement, fun, style, and a sheer wealth of things to do, Forza Horizon 2 can stand proudly up against any of the games in that list, despite the trifling imperfections that we've noted.
In the end, Chariot is one of the best cooperative gaming experiences we've ever had. It's immensely rewarding, abundantly creative, and the sense of accomplishment that it instills within the player will lead to high-fives being thrown around the room on a regular basis. You will harbor feelings of contempt when player two unintentionally pulls you off that hard-to-reach ledge that took five minutes to reach, followed by moments of utter gratitude when they latch on at the last second and save you and the chariot from falling out of view.
If multiplayer Versus is as good as the single player, then this game deserves a slightly higher recommendation. Unfortunately, at the time of writing this review, the only multiplayer modes which were functional were the repetitive and, frankly boring, survival modes. Don't be put off by this though, as there's an awful lot to keep you busy in single player, and it would be a shame to miss out on this quirky gem. . . . Simply put, CastleStorm has a lot going for it.
D4 is a wacky and weird adventure game that takes a familiar core premise and spices it up with quirky characters, trippy plot developments, and time travel. Motion controls have been integrated in an intuitive way, which helps to invest the player in their role, but occasional recognition issues and arm fatigue might have you reaching for a controller instead. Either way you play, D4 is a solid start to the series, and it offers up enough offbeat humor and intrigue to satisfy the Deadly Premonition fans. There are gameplay elements that miss their mark, and the pacing isn't perfect, but it's not enough to kill these dark dreams dead. Someone tell SWERY that we're ready for more.
A game without a goalkeeper slip-up is still a much better game than you'd find anywhere last year, but those slip-ups happen too often for our liking. Still a fantastic game for football fans, but probably not one that those prone to tantrums should play.
In our opinion, Destiny is at its absolute best when the odds stacked against you require teamwork to overcome, and there's no shortage of those moments.
All in all, Kickbeat is an entertaining diversion for a rainy day, but it isn't what you would call an essential purchase.
Although comparisons can be made to other co-operative shooters, Warframe has more than enough novelties to set it apart from other games in the genre. Thus it seems Digital Extremes have at last been successful in the pursuit of a concept nearly fifteen years in the making. Our time with the game has in no way been brief, yet so much remains to be explored. Community events, an evolving storyline, clans, and the sheer number of missions and locations will keep us returning to this space opera on a regular basis for months, maybe even years to come.
If you're into puzzle games though, or if you're missing the good ol' days of Lemmings, you might like it as a substitute as it does cater to fans of both.
NHL 15 plays a great – if somewhat atmosphere-free – game of hockey, but the sheer amount of modes missing from the package as a whole mean that unless you become obsessed with Ultimate Team or enjoy playing severely limited career modes, there's very little to actually do.
Warriors Orochi 3 Ultimate is a tough game to score, make no mistake. Fans of the series will chastise us for rating it so low, and that's probably fair. If you're a fan, you'll enjoy it due to the sheer amount of characters on hand from all of the Warriors universes, and that over-the-top hack and slash gameplay that you already like. If you're not already deeply involved with any of the franchises though, you're going to find a game that is inescapably fun at times and that shows an awful lot of promise, but which is ultimately let down by some poor design decisions and some somewhat dodgy AI.
Stick it To The Man is a total blast to play. The puzzles may not be all that challenging, but the beautiful visuals, catchy soundtrack, and wonderful humour make it stick out above other adventure games. The campaign tells a silly but charming story with many unpredictable twists and turns. And despite it's short run time, Stick it To The Man is a truly fun and memorable experience that will have you glued to the screen.
Depending on your personal preferences, there may be a hiccup or two on a rare occasion that doesn't sit well, but these shouldn't be sizeable enough to take away from what is easily one of Pinball FX2's best tables. Now let's hope Season Two gets the FX2 treatment sooner rather than later.
There's no doubt that Metro Redux represents real value for money. Neither game is perfect and Metro 2033 does show signs of aging, despite the improvements, but that doesn't mean that it isn't an entirely playable game which serves as a sort of hors d'oeuvre to Last Light's main course.
The structure of the new adventure mode, overly easy leveling and accessibility of overpowered weapons have removed some of the sense of wonder and exploration from the game, but the Ultimate Evil edition is undoubtably an improvement on Diablo III and earns a well deserved bump in score. Highly recommended.
To assign a score to The Golf Club is tough. On one hand, you have a practically unlimited sandbox in which to enjoy the development team's genuinely revolutionary approach to a sport that has been simulated the same way a thousand times over. On the other, you have a game that has some quite disturbing graphical issues and that is in dire need of a stability patch.
Guacamelee is a fusion of intense platforming and beat-em-up combat, framed in Metroidvania conventions and topped off with a memorable cast, distinct setting, a stellar soundtrack, and zesty humor. These ingredients combine to make for a flavor that's genuinely fresh and incredibly satisfying.
All-in-all, it's decent enough to pick up and play through a mission when you have a little bit of spare time, but not really something worth making the time for.
Let it be known that Outlast is a genuinely stressful and nerve-racking experience, but that's exactly what a true survival horror game should be, and we wouldn't have it any other way.
The five hours or so of gameplay that you'll get from a single playthrough are rewarding and memorable, with that fantastic storyline backing up some great puzzling action. Some may find themselves frustrated when bugs occur, but we think most will be forgiving of them once the end credits roll. As a package, we're sure that Valiant Hearts is something that you'll never forget. And you should indeed never forget.