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NHL 16 is a triumphant return to form. After the debacle that was the razor-thin NHL 15, EA has restored all of the beloved modes to the game and they're better than ever.
Super Mario Maker is a special video game, period. You could include all of the lengthy, metaphor-laden nonsense that your little brain can come up with as to what is and isn't perfect about it, but at the end of the day, this is a title that allows you to create and play Super Mario Bros.
It isn't easy to recommend Warhammer 40,000: Regicide since it is in many ways it's own thing. Some people who enjoy chess may not like the unpredictability inherent in the non-chess parts of Regicide, while turn-based strategy fans may not enjoy the restrictions presented by still being on a chessboard and following all of chess' movement rules.
A common complaint about previous Inquisition DLC was that it didn't add anything to the main story, that it had no consequence. Not so here, where consequences abound.
There is a tremendous amount to love about Dropsy (both the game and oddball protagonist). Beyond the positive gameplay focus of bringing joy to everyone around you, the visuals, characters and variety of landscapes provide one heck of an experience.
It can be argued that the actual "game" parts of King's Quest- Chapter 1: A Knight To Remember can be lackluster. Figuring out solutions to most of these don't bring forth a feeling of intelligence from the player, just one of "that part is done, on to the next. Despite this, the experience to be had here is absolutely enjoyable.
For all of the faults that can be pointed out, there is a great game here. The combat starts flawed, but becomes rewarding. The stealth sections were annoying, but contrasts well with the combat and highlights it more. The story isn't handled in the best way, but leaves the player wanting more.
While the PC port of One Piece Pirate Warriors 3 is weak in technical terms, the game itself is very playable. The Dynasty Warriors formula has been honed over endless iterations to be great fun, and if it's a bit on the easy side that's not necessarily a bad thing.
We're getting to the point where denying the greatness of the Forza franchise is borderline ridiculous. The saddest part about Forza Motorsport 6 is that it will likely be brushed away by critics and gamers alike as a fantastic racing game rather than a fantastic game in general.
Both hardcore and novice gamers alike have likely found their match in Lovers in a Dangerous Spacetime. This is controlled chaos in a playable form, complete with all of the visual bliss that expected from a game with the silly title that it sports.
The best way to describe Runbow is that it feels like the kind of idea that would've made for a creative series of one or two levels in a Mario game, but here that's the entire game from start to finish with little variation. I can't stress enough that you probably just shouldn't bother with Runbow unless you have at least three or four friends with whom to play with on a regular basis.
Unfortunately, Calvino Noir doesn't meet the expectations that come with this genre and style. From the faulty mechanics to unfair challenges, it fails to present itself as anything more than visually beautiful.
While Mad Max avoids being the disaster that the development hell storylines surrounding it suggest that it could have been, it's an absolute testament to mediocrity. Its characters and the world itself provide a great deal of intrigue, and they will keep some players interested, but there are too many flaws to consider it a solid video game.
Metal Gear Solid V: The Phantom Pain is the epitome of stealth action. It contains not only some of the best combat mechanics available, but everything you could have wanted from a Metal Gear Solid game. Plus Kiefer Sutherland.
Volume isn't without its flaws, but the highs that it's able to hit completely squash the minor gripes players might have. One of the best pure stealth titles in recent years, Mike Bithell and his team have not only captured some of the storytelling magic that made Thomas Was Alone so special, but they also managed to capture the best parts of a genre that sees a great deal of failures.
Maybe the flurry of remastered games this generation has changed what we picture when a game has a subtitle like "Definitive Edition" attached to it. With Rare Replay, Grand Theft Auto V and Mega Man Legacy Collection feeling like works of love rather than profit, it can be disappointing to see such a straight port emerge on the PlayStation 4 and Xbox One.
Disney Infinity was a bold venture even by Disney standards, but it's one that has rapidly come into its own. 3.0 is a leap forward for the franchise, offering an exceedingly well-presented universe that's easier to explore than ever, but features enough content to easily keep devotees occupied for as long as desired.
Xeodrifter condenses the core gameplay of Metroid into an experience that blends action and strategy without much filler and that doesn't waste a moment of the player's time in the process. The controls are smooth, while the animation and sound design fits the NES-to-SNES era that Renegade Kid loves to a tee.
Spotty performance, a terribly boring aesthetic and a messy, cobbled together combat system amounts to something that had potential, but was beaten over the head with a cricket bat.
While Back To Bed is not a terrible puzzler by any stretch of the imagination, it is terribly underwhelming. There is simply so much more that could have been done to really make this a gem.