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Simple like a classic Swatch watch, it's Minutes' exceptional mechanics that make this indie worth your time. Clean, colourful, and effortlessly cool, this is a reminder that you don't need a million dollars to make something special.
Costume Quest 2 is a pretty bog standard RPG, but it's outfitted with charm by the bucket load, and that's its real appeal. Sure, the gameplay doesn't exactly elevate a well-established genre, but it's strong enough to suck you into the game's light, carefree fiction, and that happens to be enough. In a world where games are getting darker and darker, this is like a welcome breath of fresh air, and, if nothing else, it's nice to feel like a kid again – even if the experience won't necessarily last that long.
Despite the dull plot, basic character design, and occasional buggy boss fights, the overall mood of Lords of the Fallen is fantastic – even if you're forced to play it alone. The punishing difficulty may not please everyone, but fans of the Souls series should definitely consider taking a swing at the Rhogar. Those looking for a quick and easy adventure should duck and roll elsewhere, though, as this game will test your patience, skills, and dedication.
Pix the Cat is a fiendishly addictive arcade experience. Featuring a bevy of different modes, rock solid core mechanics, and a ludicrous level of polish, it has the potential to devour gaping chunks of your time. Unfortunately, slightly shonky controls let the title down, but if you can look past this misstep, you'll find hours of leaderboard climbing action.
Shadow Warrior is more than just puerile jokes and demons – there are some quite interesting technical faults in there as well. The personality of the game is enough to recommend to those that enjoy old-school shooters, but it comes with a warning: Wang should probably be taken in small doses.
Overall, Just Dance 2015 is much like its predecessors, but in the struggle to do something 'new' with the game, Ubisoft has added a lot of features that are not really worth bothering with. Luckily, these don't interfere with your enjoyment of the very entertaining main game, and as long as you've got some good friends and enough self-confidence, this title could well give you the licence to be the dancing buffoon that you've always wanted to be.
While The Legend of Korra can be an entertaining game, camera issues and often frustrating difficulty spikes mean that the release never reaches the potential of its brilliant source material. For fans of the series, the four to six hour completion time coupled with good replay value will make the cheaper price tag worth a shot. For everyone else, though, this is a sometimes enjoyable but largely forgettable action romp.
Peggle 2 is a good little game that's worth a go if you're new to the property or are a big fan of its predecessor. While addictive, though, the core gameplay can get repetitive at times, and this isn't helped by some samey level design and a general lack of fresh ideas. Indeed, the experience here is largely comparable to the original, but it does at least manage to mix things up with new characters and special abilities. These, sadly, aren't enough to make the title feel brand new – but it's at least working with some strong existing blueprints.
If you're already hooked on Telltale's post-apocalyptic plot, then this sophomore series is most definitely a must play – even if it never quite hits the highs of the inaugural escapade.
Disney Infinity 2.0 is very light on pre-made content – its bundled Playset being far from impressive – but it's the enhancements to the other areas of the package that make the sequel worthwhile. Indeed, the Toy Box is a fantastic tool, and it's brimming with potential for those with a strong imagination. As with its competitor Skylanders, it'll cost you a fortune to get the most out of the game – but if you've already invested in this franchise, there's no reason to hesitate over assembling those Avengers.
Bursting back onto Sony platforms with a vengeance, Samurai Warriors 4 cuts down Dynasty Warriors 8: Xtreme Legends Complete Edition and KOs Warriors Orochi 3 Ultimate. Boasting a superb story mode, a delightful cast, and countless improvements to the Warriors formula, musou fanatics shouldn't even blink before buying. Move over Lu Bu, the Demon King won't be beaten any time soon.
DriveClub's balanced physics and impressive presentation make for an all-around excellent racer, even if there's still a lot of room for Evolution Studios to expand and improve upon. However, the overly aggressive AI and archaic progression system may deter non-racing fans, while the ongoing online issues remain infuriating. If you can look beyond the tire smoke prompted by the release's poor launch, there is a really enjoyable game here. Still, the uncertain among you may be better off riding shotgun in the elusive PlayStation Plus version before buckling up in the full title's driver's seat.
MXGP: The Official Motocross Game hasn't found itself unseated on the PS4, but this isn't enough of an improvement to warrant a second buy. The title's scrubbed up just fine on Sony's next-gen system, but it still bears the telltale signs of a PS3 game. A straightforward campaign and surprisingly solid online mode make this an enjoyable enough ride for newcomers, but those that are a little pickier about what they play may want to wait and see what improvements next year's edition brings.
Stating that 'you'll enjoy this game if you're a fan of the genre' is arguably the most meaningless and overused video game review cliché of all time. But in the case of Pier Solar HD, it's startlingly accurate. This is a retro RPG down to its very core, and if you aren't prepared to accept its charmingly archaic quirks, you probably won't relish your time with it. However, if you are willing to embrace its idiosyncrasies – some amiable, some aggravating - you'll find a veritable wealth of content to explore.
Those of you expecting NBA 2K15 to be a revolutionary basketball simulation may be a bit disappointed that this is more of a refinement. Fortunately, the small changes do improve the overall package – and Visual Concepts already had an outstanding basis to work from. Basketball fans will find everything that they want and more here.
At its controller clutching best, The Evil Within evokes memories of Silent Hill's high points – but it's the Resident Evil comparisons that are most consistent throughout. Unfair difficulty spikes swap out the title's pervading sense of fear for outright frustration at times, while technical issues undo the developer's outstanding art direction. Thankfully, legendary director Shinji Mikami doesn't disappoint in the gameplay department, forcing you to get creative with your plentiful combat options due to an unending absence of resources. It's here that developer Tango Gameworks finds the breathless brilliance within.
Skylanders: Trap Team brings enough new tricks to keep Activision's cash cow entertaining for another year, but we sense that there may need to be some more meaningful changes next time around. For now, though, kids and adults alike are going to love this charming romp – even if wallets will be hit harder than ever before. It turns out that you can buy happiness after all.
Sleeping Dogs: Definitive Edition provides a good excuse to get involved with Hong Kong's shady dealings if you haven't already, but a lack of new features makes it difficult to recommend a return trip – at least at full price. It's still a fantastic sandbox title, however, sporting cohesive, engaging mission design, satisfying gameplay, and a great story – a formula which makes Wei Shen's tale a fantastic alternative to the likes of Watch Dogs and even Grand Theft Auto V if you're looking for an open world time sink.
Chariot is quite the surprise. Its endearing style, smart design, and intuitive gameplay really hooked us, and we ended up having great fun in both single player and co-op. With a Platinum Trophy, and tons of content to tuck into, this is one carriage well worth riding.
Though not perfect, Defense Grid 2 presents one of the best tower defence options on the Japanese giant's shiny black box. It has everything that a fan of the genre could want, loads of modes, challenges, and, at its core, is just plain fun. The back and forth between the excellently voiced characters is entertaining, even if the narrative is messy and the excellent dynamic maps are few and far between. Those willing to overlook these few flaws, though, are in for a good time.