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For 3DS owners and people who missed "Majora's Mask" 15 years ago, this is the perfect time to experience one of the most underrated games in the series. The game seems to force itself to take advantage of the 3DS hardware, and not every part of the game is enjoyable, but that's par for the course when it comes to the "Zelda" franchise. The layered narrative is worth your time and money. It's a shining example of why "Zelda" is such an artistic representation of the medium of video games.
“RE7” marks the return to form for the long-running series. This is the best “Resident Evil” game since “RE4.” It combines scares, puzzles and gameplay, and its inclusion of VR is a bold choice that pays off for those who want to experience the scares on another level. Even if it doesn’t quite stick its landing, “RE7” is one of the best mainstream horror games in a long time.
"Injustice 2" does everything a fighting game sequel should do. The original "Injustice" was a great game that added some new ideas to the fighting genre. "Injustice 2" just polishes areas that needed to be polished when it comes to the gameplay, and added a gear system that's never been seen before in the genre. The game has plenty of content for DC fans, hardcore followers of fighting games and casual gamers just looking for a fun experience.
Creative, unique and just plain fun first-party games continue to be the best reason to have a Switch. This is the beginning of a new franchise, and an excellent starting point for this fresh new idea. "Arms" is poised to appeal to kids who are new to games, experienced gamers and can even support a competitive esports scene. There's room for "Arms" to grow, but this is already the new big thing for the Switch.
There are few open world games that can match the pure escapism of the "Far Cry" presentation. With a few sanded edges, the gameplay can match that presentation.
This is the Spider-Man we know and love, but so much so that it's to a fault. "Spider-Man" for PS4 does more than enough to make comic fans and webhead fans happy. It clears the middling bar for Spider-Man games. It's the best Spider-Man game ever made. But, its uninspired narrative keeps it from reaching the heights of the "Arkham" series. Admittedly, that's a tough series to top. This is just the beginning for this new vision of Spider-Man and his journey, and his best tales may be waiting around the corner.
This year's "Show" continues the series' tradition of being a gorgeous taste of what its like to play professional sports. It's so gorgeous that it's not only the best looking sports game out there, it's in the running for best looking game period. Some scenes make it difficult to differentiate from the real thing. This is the baseball sim gold standard, but compared to what? It's the best baseball game because it's the only baseball game. Marginal improvements will continue to be the trend for this series until another team comes along to give it some competition.
"The Handsome Collection" doesn't reinvent the wheel of remastered games. It's a standard fare that we should now be used to in the current-gen era of rehashing old games with new graphics. That doesn't mean this collection isn't worth the money. "Borderlands 2" alone is nearly worth the price of admission for serious vault hunters. If you're gung ho about revisiting the world of Pandora, "The Handsome Collection" is an attractive offer.
When you actually think about it, was "Resident Evil" really ever about the story? Was Wesker a well developed villain? That series has always been gameplay over narrative. "The Evil Within" continues that trend. "Resident Evil" has been on the decline for the last decade, but "The Evil Within" can be its honorary resurgence.
Is "Peggle 2" worth $12? It's still a new "Peggle," so I still recommend it. It doesn't quite match the amount of content as the original game, which leaves the door wide open for future DLC. If you're OK with that practice, you'll be satisfied with the existing package. Add some online friends to play with, and you'll be happy you made the purchase.
If you waited to buy a next-gen version of "The Show," you're in luck. The PS4 version isn't worse than the PS3/Vita version, but it isn't any better either. All of its visual sheen brings new problems, but it's still a big league sports sim.
I'll admit that my expectations were high going into this game. I wanted to relive that feeling of awe that washed over me when I witnessed "Galaxy" for the first time. I wanted this game to make me root for the Wii U. It still continues the trend of Nintendo's quality when it comes to first-party titles, and it's even better if you have friends to play with. It just doesn't take enough chances to achieve that rare level of greatness that Nintendo can sometimes reach.
"Halo 5" is a mixed bag, and its value depends on the interests of the beholder. Fans of "Halo" lore will be sorely disappointed. "Halo 5's" campaign fails to deliver the action and emotion of "Halo 4." It's clear that 343 Industries focused on multiplayer offerings, and that focus led to the most inspired multiplayer suite for the shooter genre in recent memory. Smooth Arena modes will appeal to the ultra-competitive while Warzone is terrific for casual fans. There's room for improvement when it comes to storytelling in the next "Halo" game, but multiplayer modes brilliantly usher in the series to the new generation.
Despite some of its problems, "Lego The force Awakens" is still a step in the right direction for the series, and is enjoyable for any "Star Wars" fan. It's a great way to revisit the excellent movie, or introduce a younger audience to the iconic series.
"Horizon Zero Dawn" hits the mark in almost everything it sets out to do, and it's that much more impressive that it's the team's first attempt at an open world game such as this one. Unfortunately, the character experience gets stale toward the second half. But, story woes don't ruin everything the game has to offer. It's still absolutely gorgeous and the combat is varied enough to be satisfying. There's room for improvement, but that just makes me more excited to see what's possible in the eventual sequel.
But is "Far Cry 4" fun? I enjoyed "Far Cry 3," so it's safe to assume that I also enjoyed "Far Cry 4." There just isn't much new here to call it a sequel. "Far Cry 3" was a change in direction from "Far Cry 2." I expected that same innovation from "Far Cry 4," but instead saw more of the same. Kyrat is a wonderfully crafted open world that encourages players to seek out all of its hidden adventures, but the sense of discovery is lost when it feels like the second time around.
"Valiant Hearts" is able to convey this very real story of war through its cartoon-designed characters. It's gut-wrenching as realistic stories of wartime loss often are. That story occasionally gets lost while shuffling between the four main characters, but the message remains. The perils of war are far more real than the glory of the battlefield that is often depicted in today's games.
For now, it's a wonderful social experience that kept me wanting to see more. And when I wasn't playing, I was looking forward to returning to the open sea.
Overall "Disney Infinity 2.0" improves on many aspects of the first game. The experience clicks perfectly when playing one of the better Play Sets, and seeing novel creations in the Toy Box often amazes. If you're willing to throw down the money to collect many of the better characters, the experience a memorable one. If you're just planning on checking out The Avengers starter pack, there's more to "Disney Infinity 2.0" than this subpar representation.
"Hohokum" is an example of how abstract a video game can be when it strips away the conventions like a plot, tutorial or anything that is a virtual representation of something found on the Planet Earth. Its vagueness is both its strength and its weakness. Players will either love it for being different or hate it for the same reason. I'm stuck somewhere in between. I don't see myself revisiting "Hohokum," but it will certainly stick out in my mind for the foreseeable future.