GameWatcher
HomepageGameWatcher's Reviews
Thea: The Awakening is something of a surprise, really. From an unknown indie developer comes a game that blends RPG and strategy together very well, in a fashion that means one doesn't dilute the strengths of the other. It is complex, sure, and perhaps that will be off-putting for as many as it will be endearing for, but there's an original game here - one that ought to appeal to fans of both spectrum of genres.
There are bugs in the game that make it feel frustrating and unfinished. At many points I felt like I was fighting the game simply to play it, and while there's tons of promise, the current product just doesn't feel worth the effort it takes to play.
Syndicate is another Assassin's Creed. Its characters and setting are likeable, it's not a technical mess, and it has some fun new features, which certainly puts it in the upper tier of the franchise since Brotherhood. This is another pseudo-historical playground, another set of Templars to stab, and another checklist of collectables to grab. It's a solid entry in a series that's been far too prolific, and while Syndicate is good, it's tough to be excited about it.
Nevertheless it can't be denied that Battlefront is quite simply a fun multiplayer game that utilises the license very well. And in the four years since Kinect Star Wars that's all I ever wanted.
Pretty soon you're not just a part of the story, you're the storyteller. Then you realize that not all stories have happy endings, and not all heroes make it unscathed through their hero's journey.
[T]his game is the ultimate product of a bygone era made for the faithful fans it has gathered over almost two decades. It's a damn good real-time strategy game and a damn good StarCraft game.
Still, a handful of flaws aside and in light of its highly modest price tag, Circuit Breakers still reliably offers a lot of entertainment. It's clearly not perfect, but in a world increasingly dominated by time-consuming, social-life ruining games, it can sometimes be a lot of fun to hop back in time with a tight, ultra-responsive twin-stick shooter whose humble charms magnify in the presence of friends.
There are a few missteps, like a lackluster tutorial stage and no real explanation of certain mechanics (I had to watch a YouTube video before I learned how to "Subdue" enemies), but the game is fun to play even if you fail a mission or two while learning. The graphics and music are solid, but nothing that will blow your mind.
Construction Simulator 2015 is the game you never knew you wanted to play that simulates the job you never really wanted to have. Ok, apologies to construction workers worldwide. But seriously, Construction Simulator makes the hard work of the construction world fun. The games weaknesses - spotty optimization and too much early focus on transporting materials - are overshadowed by its generally solid gameplay.
It's a charming, lighthearted game of resource gathering and production. Unfortunately, it's only really fun when things work smoothly and easily. Figuring out mistakes and solving problems - which should be the core of a good strategy game - are built around solving pathfinding issues, and Valhalla Hills doesn't do much to make those problems more palatable.
In many ways, Prison Architect feels like the 'Theme Prison' game from Bullfrog's golden years that we never actually got. Certainly, if Prison Architect's extended stint in Early Access was any indication, developer Introversion, much like the aforementioned legendary British developer, had no shortage of ambition and this is certainly something that has translated into the final product because minor niggles aside, Prison Architect is a one-of-a-kind prison building experience rife with emergent stories the caliber of which we haven't seen in some time.
The final episode of Telltale's Game of Thrones story is the strongest since the first, with everything coming to a head, all your terrible choices coming back to haunt you, and a few major excruciating ones left to finish things off. However the lack of any real resolution robs the season of feeling like a complete game. Moreover it still shares a lot of the weaknesses of the season as a whole, including the now decidedly unimpressive game engine and the absence of any witty character conversations (that are the hallmark of the show and books). Telltale still tell a good tale, but I think Game of Thrones will go down as the moment they bit off more than they can chew - or at least a licence they can't quite replicate. Still, cracking final episode chums.
Darksiders II has satisfying combat, a terrific variety of puzzles, and great, consistent art design. It starts to wear out its welcome deep into its lengthy runtime, and its story fails to deliver on the original game's promises, but it's still an exciting adventure well worth embarking on. Unfortunately, this edition on PC is full of minor technical issues that prevent it from realizing its full potential. Darksiders II is worth playing, but Deathinitive Edition is not worth the upgrade.
A Return To The Open-World RPG Well That Has Run Dry
But it's so difficult to access that depth behind the poor tutorials, terrible interface and lack of feedback. You've got to work for hours upon hours to reach anything approaching competence, and it's tough to recommend that investment to any but the most hardcore of space strategy tactical RPG simulation enthusiasts.
Fallout 4 is an amazing game that I doubt anyone will be disappointed by, but it's not unique. And I still prefer New Vegas.
Rebel Galaxy has a ton of style and an incredible atmosphere that captures the weird little subgenre of space western to wonderful effect. But its repetitive combat and focus on trucking across the galaxy means that it's not as exciting as it could be. There's a lot to like, but you've got to work for it.
The graphical bugs seemed to get worse the farther along the game progressed as well, leaving me with the impression that the game was released too soon. Overall, Coast Guard is a good game, it just needed some more polish.
Anno 2205 has so much going on and makes all of your tasking varied and interesting. One game is three different building sims with real-time strategy naval battles peppered in and everything moves in a way that makes it compelling and addictive instead of overwhelming. It's an ambitious improvement in a lot of ways over Anno 2070. Unfortunately, the technical issues keep it from being the perfect entry in the series that it wants to be.
The Witcher 3: Hearts of Stone may skirt the line between DLC and Expansion Pack by merely adding more of what was already in Wild Hunt, but gets away with it by being sizeable and awesome. The story, quests, characters, choices, twists, gameplay and wild adventures on offer are well worth the extra money, and the return of Shani is a neat bonus for fans who have been with the series since the first game. If you're not completely sick of The Witcher 3 then it's well worth getting Hearts of Stone since the content here is some of the best and most memorable in the entire series.