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However, the game is also let down by its fair share of derivative and less ambitious features. Bravely Default disappointingly wastes a lot of its potential, but Square Enix will get another shot with the already-announced sequel.
A lack of decent bonuses makes the Definitive Edition a hard sell for existing fans, but for newcomers it's a slice of platforming perfection that will make the wait for next-gen blockbusters easier to bear.
The brilliant design used throughout Octodad: Dadliest Catch brings out the absolute best from a bizarre concept that simply needs to be played to be believed.
If the first act truly is half of the game, there is some reasonable concern that Act 2 might need to be considerably longer to resolve everything without resorting to an overly-expository info dump.
Nidhogg is definitely a blast if you have a few friends around, and it's easy to see why it has been hyped up over the last few years. It does what it sets out to do, providing plenty of thrills and laughs in the process. But if you don't have any buddies nearby who would be into swordfights, it's worth holding off until the online becomes more stable.
Ultimately, however, it feels like going on an island tour in a hot and cramped bus that's travelling at 10mph. There are things to see and fun to be had, but only if you're prepared to wait for it.
Ultimately, however, it feels like a mobile game, containing breezy missions that aren't much to look at and provide little in the way of a challenge. Oh, and it costs twice the price to access.
Much like the sibling rivalry at its core, Max: The Curse of Brotherhood is a game of extremes. The game can get so frustrating you'll wish it would just go away, but then on the next puzzle everything works as it should and it becomes difficult not to fall for its charms.
Wii Fit U really does take advantage of the software and hardware available, even if there are a lot of individual devices to keep track of. The full Wii Fit U experience is currently available from the Nintendo eShop on a 31 day free trial until the end of January, so there really is no excuse not to try what is another hugely comprehensive and highly entertaining fitness game.
Combat and exploration is still enormously satisfying, and the narrative is powerful, but without enough fresh ideas that it can call its own, 'Freedom Cry' feels like too much, too soon.
Letting go of the past can be hard, especially if it's a past you have great fondness for, but sometimes letting go is necessary in order to move on. Perhaps that is a lesson both Clementine and the players controlling her will learn together during the course of The Walking Dead: Season Two.
Though not as experimental or revolutionary as we would have liked, Peggle 2 is as bright, bouncy and brilliant as ever, delivering the same addictive action as its predecessor.
Just as Kinect was beginning to look like a solid addition to the Xbox One experience, Fighter Within comes along and reminds us why we didn't particularly enjoy the technology first time around. Perhaps as a tech demo and nothing more, Fighter Within would have raised a smile, but as a full-priced, next-generation it really isn't worth the time or money.
This first episode of Broken Sword 5: The Serpent's Curse is a noble attempt at recapturing the spirit of a classic from a bygone era, that doesn't quite reach the same lofty standards as the original.
Ultimately, however, costing nothing to download, we recommend giving the game a try, because even with a lack of content, Killer Instinct is a fun fighting game that's able to appeal to newcomers and hardcore fighting fans alike.
While you shouldn't be fooled by its good looks, with the sense of familiarity with this year's Call of Duty and various issues facing Battlefield 4's online component, Killzone: Shadow Fall could be a fitting multiplayer alternative for the PS4's launch.
[A]s an alternative to the likes of Forza Motorsport 5, Need for Speed Rivals offers a deep, extensive and enjoyable racing experience that seamlessly flits between single and multiplayer.
FIFA 14's next-gen tweaks and improvements are largely aesthetic, but then this is a title that, barring some balancing issues, was always as close to the beautiful game as virtually possible.
Knack has its moments, and PlayStation 4 owners starved for something to play on their shiny new console will appreciate that the game actually becomes more fun to play the second time around, allowing it to keep players busy during the several month drought that seems to follow every system launch. But had Knack released as it plays now at any time other than a new system's launch, it would have been overlooked and overshadowed without a second glance.
Ultimately, however, while there's fun to be had, Ryse: Son of Rome is a little too shallow to conquer the Xbox One's launch lineup.