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LEGO Dimensions feels like it wants to be the ultimate LEGO game, but never quite gets there. The mashing of different universes comes together quite beautifully in the humorous story.
Anybody who'd like to replay the series or experience it for the first time before the looming release of Unharted 4 have no reason not to pick up The Nathan Drake Collection; it's simply the best way to experience three great games.
It might be best to put ol' Tony Hawk's Pro Skater out to pasture. It's best to remember what it was, rather than dwell on what it has become.
[W]hat we're left with is a solid game of basketball with meat and potatoes features. It doesn't hold up to NBA 2k16 and doesn't do enough to be the breakthrough the series needed. That being said, EA Tiburon is on the right track and if they spend the next year truly fine-tuning the mechanics and coming up with a dazzling career mode, this could be the penultimate chapter before the Live takeover.
Laserlife had immense potential. Choice Provisions created a game that only they could make, but they did so in a way which doesn't feel complete.
Though it may scare off many players with its plodding pace and immediately complex array of commands, Nobunaga's Ambition: Sphere of Influence is an engrossing and fiercely detailed journey through feudal Japan, offering a deep, lengthy strategy experience that simply can't be matched on PS4. It's not for everyone, but if you surrender yourself to its intricacies you may well find yourself crafting your own ornate strategies for victory long into the night.
Death Ray Manta is pure '80s arcade, but the way we'd like to remember it rather than how it actually was. Quick, accessible gameplay with not an ounce of fat on its bones is backed up by an art style that's more about design than intricacy.
[B]asketball fans will likely have a great time playing NBA 2K16 for hours on end, but there are too many small steps back here that can't be ignored. The good news for fans of sports games is that the first misstep in this great franchise is still a very good game, which speaks to how truly fun its gameplay is.
SOMA is at its best when it's challenging you on a philosophical level rather than on a mechanical one. As a horror game, SOMA feels old and archaic.
Eschatos merges the classic vertical shooter with a modern style of action while avoiding bullet hell, making for a fast, accessible and incredibly fun dose of pure arcade goodness
This title plays like a sarcastic version of a real game. I don't mind being mocked if I can laugh along, but this is just mean.
Side by side, Pro Evolution Soccer 2016 doesn't stack up to FIFA 16 in licenses, game modes, or team selection, but Konami's annual soccer series once again positions itself as a more complex and realistic soccer experience than EA's flashy, but predictable, offering. With individualized players, explosive tactical potential and unparalleled realism, PES 2016 redefines what a soccer game can be.
It might not have the unbridled thrills of World of Warplanes nor does it possess the immediacy of World of Tanks, but World of Warships manages to fill a special spot for action gamers. The deft fusion of strategy and explosives baits the trap for a "just one more game" cycle that can ruin work days.
Assault Android Cactus is a big, bright, blast of twin-stick shooting action, filled with personality and clever design.
Much like its predecessor, FIFA 16 is likely to be picked up by a brand new audience purely thanks to the fact that professional soccer is growing exponentially in popularity in North America. Thankfully, newcomers and veterans alike will find an excellent game of soccer that yet again takes advantage of the higher processing power of current-gen consoles to deliver an experience more realistic than ever.
Disgaea 5: Alliance of Vengeance is a step in the right direction for the series, adding various new mechanics that help streamline the experience. Having the ability to move freely after an initial action is something the series desperately needed, as accidentally placing characters in the wrong location has been a common frustration.
Persona 4: Dancing All Night has managed to surpass all expectations in what it set out to do.
Activision and Vicarious Visions have seemingly done the impossible by keeping Skylanders fresh for its fifth outing. SuperChargers is jam-packed with enough content to fill at least two separate games and it's all quality stuff.
Bungie set out with a goal for Destiny: The Taken King and they have mostly succeeded. While some of the nagging problems from the original game persist – boring patrol areas, recycling of areas and enemies, and bullet-sponge enemies – Destiny: The Taken King does more than enough to make up for the sins of its predecessor.
Corpse of Discovery had promise, but a not-so-great execution. It could use a good coating of polish.