Pixel Dynamo
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Media Molecule have set the bar for Vita games; Tearaway is a clever, compelling and charming adventure that plays to the unique strengths of the console, leaving other games looking washed out, outdated and thoughtless. If Tearaway was the only game you played on the Vita, it would be well worth it.
Watch Dogs isn't just another open-world game. It redefines what is possible in the genre and sets new standards which the competition will be hard pressed to match. Here's hoping that this is just the first chapter in the story of ctOS and vigilante hackers, and that Ubisoft can find a convincing way to continue the series in the future. The first piece of DLC, another single-player campaign, has already been confirmed. Chicago is a pretty big place and could still be concealing all kinds of interesting characters we've yet to meet.
For now we will say that Always Sometimes Monsters is best described more as an interactive story rather than a video game. There simply isn't very much video game about it. Instead you try to guide your character forward during the strangest and often darkest point of their entire life.
Constantly testing, endlessly fun
Compelling and evocative, it's a story that simply has to be experienced
A Paws-itively Claw-some way to whittle away some time
Freeform, creative and compelling, despite the odd rough edge
Gods will be worth it
Akiba's Trip: Undead and Undressed is on the cusp of being something special on nearly every front, but thorough mediocrity can be just as damning as incompetence. It exploits a few of my weaknesses – namely anime wackiness and widely customizable outfits – and anyone with similar vulnerabilities will find themselves with a similar added affection for it, but strictly on technical merit it leaves something to be desired with its short draw distance, load time issues, and overly simple systems. Unless you're a particular fan of the concept behind it, this is a decent but safely skippable title.
Ultimately, Hohokum feels like it's not entirely sure what it wants to be. It gives the impression of wanting to jettison typical game tropes, but then has a very clear level structure, and is at its best when it plays up its more typical video game features. It wants to appear to be all about the joy of exploring the space the developer has created – to be a true freeform, gameplay experience – but has specific goals to achieve and a set way to achieve them, even if it does leave you to work out these things alone.
Overall, Wasteland 2 has stayed true to its premise, and deserves a place alongside Divinity: Original Sin as one of the best cRPGs of its era. Immersive and intriguing, the game balances risk and reward; pushing the player to the limits of their inventory and capabilities time and time again; like only the best survival games can.
It's time to step off the hype train
Exceptional fun
Scary good
Loot-a-licious
Prepare to 'Feel the Game', and not feel fresh air on your skin for a while
ArcheAge's robust free to play model, which is much fairer than many of its peers, will likely keep interest high and the population steady, which is an absolute necessity in a game that relies so heavily on its player-base to create meaningful experiences within its world. If you like some of the concepts of EVE Online or Darkfall but want a more relaxed approach then this is possibly the MMO you've been waiting for.
An imperfect but atmospheric opening song to Chapters
Beyond Earth is a bold step into the future for the Civilization series, and one that is well-judged and deftly executed. While hardcore genre fans might not get much of a kick out of its – in places – stripped-down take on 4X, what it provides is something quite unlike anything the series has provided before – one that fully embraces its potential for creating unique stories with every game, and provides the tools through which they might be more fleshed out than ever before.
Pretty, but pretty forgettable