GameCrate's Reviews
Ivory Tower did have some great ideas in putting together The Crew, but they don't all pan out the way they should. Getting new cars can take forever, and some of the missions are a tremendous pain on your own. However, if you've got a few racing buddies that don't mind cruising with you, you'll find the game's true potential – and even have some fun while you're speeding along. So grab some friends if you can. Otherwise, if it's a single player endeavor you're after, you might consider Forza Horizon 2.
Lara Croft and the Temple of Osiris may be a late arrival in the holiday release game, but it's a not-miss title for fans of Tomb Raider and adventure games in general. It looks and sounds terrific, and has plenty of replay value to offer. The fact you can enjoy it on your own or with friends is a startling surprise, especially considering how bumpy Tomb Raider multiplayer has been in the past. Fluff up your couch and prepare for action.
It seems like Lego Batman 3: Beyond Gotham played it safe, keeping in most of the familiar and liked aspects of the game, without venturing into anything too different. Being able to change Suits at will, and the space vehicles missions are good new steps, and hopefully will help fans forgive the lack of real free roam.
Game of Thrones Episode One: Iron and Ice isn't an easy game to play, mainly due to the nature of the theme at hand and the fact that no matter what you do, someone close to you is still going to get it. But that's just how Game of Thrones works, and the more of a fan of the show you are, the more captivated you'll feel playing the game. And if you're not a fan, it just might make you one. That Red Wedding, though…
A worthy add-on to a franchise that we'd never thought would return, Geometry Wars 3: Dimensions is a twin-stick shooter that's well worth the recommendation. The online multiplayer may not feel like much, but single player and co-op have a lot to offer, and the gameplay and presentation gel nearly perfectly together. It's good to have a little Geometry back in our lives.
While this version of Tetris doesn't go leaps and bounds over the others, it's quite enjoyable, especially if you've got other Tetrimino-maniacs to compete against. The gameplay clicks, the presentation is about where we expected it to be, and the additional modes will truly test your line-dropping skills.
In six months, it's likely we'll be seeing some fantastic user-created content for Little Big Planet 3, and I can't wait to see what the community produces. As the game stands now, it offers a fun but shallow Adventure Mode, bottomless charm, and all the tools you need to make your own fantastic platformer experience -- provided you have the creativity and patience the franchise has always required.
Is Far Cry 4 the best game in the series? Tough to say, but it's definitely a step forward in terms of story, gameplay, and art. You'll be spending a lot of time Kyrat this holiday season.
The first episode of Tales from the Borderlands is a lukewarm start to the new Telltale franchise, but that's par for the course in an episodic installment. Telltale hasn't disappointed yet, which is why I'm excited for what awaits us deep in the trenches of Pandora. If anything we'll get to see bandits performing insane acts of stupidity; that's always fun.
After beating Escape Dead Island, I'm still not sure what the game was trying to do. It stripped out the parts of the Dead Island franchise that were fun and didn't present anything good to replace them. The combat was frustrating, and only made me wish the stealth actually worked. Cliff's hallucinations were the only interesting thing about him or the story, and that doesn't say much.
While Peggle 2 is hardly as innovative a sequel as we've come to expect from PopCap, it continues the status quo of challenging with puzzles and delightful characters, and for some, that will certainly be enough. The inclusion of additional challenges and multiplayer helps as well, even though we'd prefer something co-op related down the line. Oh, well, you'll still have a ball here. In fact, several.
Lords of the Fallen offers an easier experience and a few fun twists to the Dark Souls formula, but in the end there just isn't enough at which the game excels to make it a real challenger to the dominance of that series.
In the end, despite its lacking content and some questionable character designs (is Triple H from 2002 some form of Frankenstein?), WWE 2K15 definitely feels like a worthy grappler to fans of the "sport." The gameplay is a good time, especially with friends in tow, and the presentation has really stepped up for a new generation. Plus, they brought along CM Punk, so obviously the game isn't a total loss. But here's hoping next year brings a more complete package – this is one brand deserving of that.
Super Smash Bros. for the Wii U lives up to its promise by delivering stellar gameplay, superb production value, and endless multiplayer opportunities. It is a must-have for those who own a Wii U, and a great incentive for those who don't yet have one to do so.
The goal of This War of Mine was to showcase what life is actually like for the people left behind while the battle rages on, and it provides a marvelous representation of that. The choices are difficult, it's not easy to help everyone, and sometimes you have to do awful things just to stay alive. The power of video games continues to amaze, and This War of Mine is a shining example of the endless learning possibilities games have in store.
Assassin's Creed: Unity suffers from a stale plot, occasionally intolerable gameplay mechanics, and the lack of novelty when compared to other titles in the Assassin's Creed franchise. Nevertheless, its superior graphics, wonderful sense of atmosphere, and replay value prevent it from being a flop.
Those seeking an affordable and worthwhile adventure should certainly get their money's worth here.
Based on my experiences with the four Halo campaigns, it's clear that Microsoft and 343 Industries have set the new bar for remake collections. They could have easily just packaged Halo 2: Anniversary as a stand-alone title, exactly like they did with Halo: CE Anniversary on Xbox 360, and it would have been justifiable to recommend. Add in three more full Halo games, all with graphical and framerate enhancements, and The Master Chief Collection is very easy to recommend.
Bayonetta 2 does a great job of capturing the essence of what made the Devil May Cry series great and delivers some of the best action and production value you'll find in any given Wii U game. While the game does suffer from its short length and lack of replay options, it will delight you with its engaging combat and unique setting.
After the misstep that was Dragon Age II, Inquisition is a triumphant return to what made Dragon Age so popular in the first place boosted by a huge injection of Skyrim-flavored additional gameplay. If you enjoy what Bioware has done in the past or if you're a fan of RPGs with exciting combat and rich stories and characters, here's the game you'll be playing over and over again until a sequel is released.