AusGamers's Reviews
And just like the action-RPG direction of the second outing, Dawn of War III once again has made us eagerly anticipate what's next for the series.
At its core Yooka-Laylee features solid 3D platforming, all wrapped-up in a charming and funny package that oozes with the quality that drew a lot of players to Rare's output during the N64 era. And although this may sound like strange criticism, we would have preferred it if the game featured fewer ideas, smaller worlds, and a more focused design. Yooka-Laylee's better moments far outweigh its troublesome ones, and for the most part you'll feel like you're playing a Rare platformer from the year 1999. And when that's what Yooka-Laylee promised to be, you can't fault it for delivering on that promise. Warts and all.
It's arguably not the best Zelda game, but damn, it might be the most polished, and the most ambitious.
It's unashamedly silly, and brilliant as a result.
In the end, Ghost Recon Wildlands suffers because it plays things a little too safe and fails to make proper use of the gorgeous fictional world of Bolivia in a way that offers more than solid stealth shooting, fun co-op, and small bursts of player-created fun.
The War of Factions stuff sounds great, but feels lacking in its overall presentation. But there are memorable flashes of brilliance when playing the multiplayer modes, and you come up against another player. And through sheer skill and understanding of the combat, you're able to gain the upper hand in a heated and intense exchange of metal. And then, put the exclamation point on the outcome with a suitably violent execution.
But even so, it's still an often-thrilling experience, and a great entry in both the Halo franchise as a reminder that there's always room in the market for a good RTS game.
All my gripes are just areas for a brand new, spectacular franchise to grow from though. It even feels a bit off talking about them, because Horizon came out so big to begin with. It's odd to think that a team could get away with doing less — probably a lot less — and still earn acclaim.
Or, if you're simply a fan of the comic book series. Basically, if you like Batman and the idea of an interactive story set in that universe is something that appeals to you then it's probably time you were given the choice to confront an irate Harvey Dent on the roof of a building as either Batman or Bruce Wayne.
It sees Blizzard go back to where the series began, bringing its seasoned bag of tricks to a new Terran campaign.
I'd love more dedication to the snowboarding and skiing parts of the game, but as an out-of-left-field product, Steep is engaging, fun and most of all yours to play, however you want to play it.
Even in a world where a magical Edict by an evil Overlord can engulf an entire region with earthquakes and deadly sandstorms.
They've injected more fun and diversity this time around, and they've done so with a city backdrop that is truly alive, and is utterly inviting.
Definitely worth a seat at the gaming table.
Dishonored 2 is definitely worth playing. You might want to buy it on console, or wait a while before you get it on PC, but it's a must-play game for 2016. There's so much to explore, to experience, that I think it's essential playing — despite the slightly disappointing stealth.
In the end, I thought Call of Duty: Infinite Warfare was two things: a triumphant return to form for Infinity Ward, but also a return to safety and sameness in at least two of the three pillars. Multiplayer, while solid and highly replayable, is fraught with deja vu and I have concerns that some of the OP, built-in gun perks will devolve this into pay-to-win.
[Gears of War 4] takes positive and familiar themes from the first game and dresses them up in modernity and pretends it’s an entirely new, and fresh start. So it’s not bad, but it’s not groundbreaking either. However, with Horde mode and multiplayer, as well as cross-platform play, there’s enough value here for anyone looking for a decent co-operative experience full of big guns, big explosions and big violence and gore.
I think Titanfall 2 is worth playing, but it's not a must-play game right now. The two levels that I think will influence game design for years to come--they'll still be there next year. But therein lies the rub--with a playerbase split over multiple pointless variants of team deathmatch and a handful of other standard multiplayer modes, the population might not be there next year when you get it.
The community is open and inviting, the world is lovingly detailed, and the questing and lore is expertly crafted.
The fact of the matter is that DICE has created one of the flat-out best multiplayer games in years. And with 60hz servers from the get-go and no noticeable issues with hit detection, it has clearly learned from Battlefield 4's launch.