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Kirby and the Rainbow Paintbrush is one of the best-looking games on the Wii U, yet its creativity fails to reach the same dizzying heights where gameplay is concerned. It's fun and accessible, but doesn't offer enough substance to serve as anything more than fodder for a few lazy Sunday afternoons.
There is the odd flourish of creativity, but it is hard not to feel like it's all been done before, and better. There's still plenty to enjoy, but it doesn't quite carve out its own identity. In short: it's finely crafted, if a bit woolly.
This isn't a casual gamer's sim-style racer, but if you're looking for a more authentic driving sim Assetto Corsa might just win your heart.
The Sims 4 takes a step forward in some ways, while taking two steps back in others.
There's no doubt that The Sims 4 is all the richer for 'Get to Work', but it is merely one small step towards building the game into a worthy successor to its classic counterparts and satisfying a vast fan base.
F1 2015 lays the foundations for the future by getting it right on the race track where it matters most. Ultimately, however, it's still in need of some bodywork to bring it fully up to speed with feature-heavy past releases.
Just like the game part, LEGO Jurassic World's entire presentation - its cinematics, its atmosphere - is predictable. Good enough, but incredibly safe, and definitely a factory line production that inspires little other than blandly trundling through the game, chuckling a bit at some jokes and ignoring most of them.
Payday 2: Crimewave Edition has been given a spit shine and a sprinkling of new features, but unfortunately the nuance ends there. If you already own the original on PS3 or Xbox 360 there's not an abundance to write home about. If you don't, Crimewave Edition is still worth your time, but it's far from the perfect score.
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.
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.
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.
The LEGO Movie Videogame recaptures much of the charm and playability of its forebears by rehashing their hallmarks, but doesn't quite have the same appeal. Controlling a team of Marvel superheroes made of LEGO or an army of toy Jedi is far more exciting than re-enacting a movie from start to finish, especially if it's one you've already seen.
Infamous: Second Son looks great and plays well enough, but ultimately, the combat, world and story never proves gripping enough to come back for more. It's a game that makes the most of the PS4's visual capabilities, but whether it'll keep you entertained while your eyes are treated to its graphical flair is a less likely.
To be clear, Strike Suit Zero: Director's Cut is still not an easy game. It is a better-paced and better balanced game, allowing even relative newcomers to zero-gravity dogfights to be able to build up the skills to become ace pilots.
Wolfenstein: The New Order is not the most sophisticated of games and it's certainly not perfect, but it wears its silly plot and over-the-top action like a badge of honor, and for that we applaud it.
Worms Battlegrounds continues to impress in multiplayer, offering more of the same team-based battles and outrageous weapons. But i's not the most unique or exciting Worms release, and you'd be hard pressed to pick it out of a lineup.
Plants vs Zombies: Garden Warfare is not an exceptional shooter by any means – and in the case of its progression, can be quite frustrating – but seeing its classes brought to life in a shooter so effectively, with its trademark humor intact, will win you over for at least a short while.
CounterSpy is a stylish game with wonderful art direction and a humorous tone - it's just let down by a few sneaking flaws.
For us, nothing in First Light ever really stood out. It's well polished, but plays it so safe that there wasn't anything to really love or hate. Perhaps using it as a taster before investing in the full fat Second Son experience is a good idea.
While fundamental gameplay problems make it difficult to create a truly exceptional gaming experience, Disney Infinity 2.0's real strength lies in the creation aspect itself, something which makes it ideal for a younger audience.