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Unless you're looking for a quick cheap adventure to play on iPad I cannot recommend Fire at all… and it's not even on iPad.
While the standard high school drama bullshit is still incredibly prevalent, Life is Strange is shaping up to be so much more than that. Episode 1 showed great promise, and episode 2 delivers on the potential. It brings suspense and intrigue to the forefront, while still tackling the science fiction and drama effectively. Emotions run high in multiple points, always keeping you eager to see what's going to happen next.
A very good continuation of the story then, but I hope and suspect that the "holy s**t" moments will come in Episodes 4 and 5.
All you really need to know though, is this; Pillars of Eternity is a triumph.
In plundering Assassin's Creed: Black Flag practically wholesale, Rogue proves to be a double-edged sword. As much as Rogue succeeds in servicing those who were disappointed that Unity eschewed Black Flag's naval shenanigans, the game also serves as a timely reminder just how little the franchise has evolved in recent years, in spite of its relatively novel take on the series' narrative.
If you liked Evil Within but were disappointed that it wasn't that scary, you should be more than satisfied with The Assignment and when you finish it you'll start looking forward to The Consequence. I certainly am.
Let the series rest now please, or just put a bullet in its head.
White Night's biggest achievement though is clearly the terrifying atmosphere that pervades throughout its duration. Though certainly not absolving the game of its other flaws, the sense of dread and fear is palpable and in a genre which has largely neglected the finer aspects of its craft, White Night stands out as an exceptional, yet mechanically imperfect proposition.
At the end of the day, Empires mode is arguably where the crux of the experience lies and as such it really does add a lot of crucial depth to a series that is regarded in many circles as a largely one-trick pony. It's just a shame that similar evolutions aren't forthcoming in other areas of the game which, some nearly fifteen years on, are now starting to look really quite old in the tooth.
All things considered, LA Cops is a decent addition to the sub-genre but one that falls short of its initial promise. With more sophisticated AI and a comprehensive partner system in place, this could've been a worthy stablemate for its East Coast cousin. As it stands, it's hard to recommend LA Cops when you can pick up the next slice of Hotline Miami's gory abstraction at a similar price point.
There's already a decent roster of maps, ready-made cities, building designs and more to download, and the game's not even hit the shelves yet. It's a sign that Colossal Order cottons on to the reason people like these city-building games; they want freedom, not restriction, streamlined, easy to use systems, not needless complexity. In that sense, Cities: Skylines is a resounding success. In summary - here's the city-builder you've been waiting for. Enjoy.
If you're looking for a more straightforward stealth experience set in a Bioshock-like world you should definitely consider Republique. Better late than never, I suppose.
I did enjoy exploring the world and solving those puzzles, but in terms of HR Giger-inspired adventure games Dark Seed still beats it hands down.
Gearbox Software today owns the Homeworld IP and remastering the originals might seem a 'cash grab' at first glance, but considering the enormity of their effort to bring Relic's space RTS masterpiece of the late 90s and early 2000s into today's gaming arena, they more than prove their commitment.
A game that is comfortable in its own skin and endeavours to toil within its own ambitions is rare, yet that is exactly what Oddworld: New 'n' Tasty achieves. Such honesty should be applauded even if it does little to endear new fans to the fold who might be at risk of not properly adjusting to New 'n' Tasty's idiosyncrasies. Still, for those who take the time to persevere, New 'n' Tasty proves to be as delectable a treat as Abe's original Odyssey all those years ago.
It's the worst game of 2015 so far, and it'll probably hold that title until Alone In The Dark: Illumination comes out. Avoid, please god avoid.
In short: not quite the evolution in multiplayer gaming we hoped for. Get friends together or good all-round players and Evolve can be a blast, but anything less than that and you'll be bored in far too short a time.
Dig beneath the effortlessly stylish veneer of Apotheon though and it soon becomes clear that its impressive calibre bleeds through into its homage to the engrossing Castlevania and Metroid games pioneered back in the 8-bit days. And that folks, minor niggles aside, is a godly thing indeed.
It's a comforting reminder that video games can still hark back to their traditional roots and produce an enjoyable experience without any overblown live-action trailer or day one DLC. This is a delight to play.
Cities XXL represents a serviceable starting point for beginners certainly, but is simply far too riddled with bugs, performance issues and recycled content to recommend to anyone else who has sampled the series previously. Much like how Cities XXL encourages the player to build their sprawling domains from the ground up, so too should the developer look to apply a similar work ethic to this tired series.