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Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

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93 games reviewed
83.6 average score
88 median score
78.4% of games recommended

Pittsburgh Post-Gazette's Reviews

8.5 / 10.0 - Halo 5: Guardians
Oct 26, 2015

"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.

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Nov 19, 2013

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.

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8.5 / 10.0 - MLB 14: The Show
May 6, 2014

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.

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8.5 / 10.0 - Peggle 2
Dec 9, 2013

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.

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8.5 / 10.0 - The Evil Within
Oct 30, 2014

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.

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Apr 7, 2015

"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.

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8.5 / 10.0 - MLB 15: The Show
Apr 8, 2015

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.

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8.8 / 10.0 - Marvel's Spider-Man
Sep 4, 2018

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.

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8.8 / 10.0 - Far Cry 5
Mar 26, 2018

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.

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8.8 / 10.0 - Arms
Jun 8, 2017

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.

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8.8 / 10.0 - Injustice 2
May 22, 2017

"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.

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Jan 23, 2017

“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.

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Feb 18, 2015

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.

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8.8 / 10.0 - Resident Evil 0 HD
Jan 19, 2016

"RE 0" is a reminder that the series used to be different. Before "RE 5" and "6" were all about displaying the awesome force of guns against the undead army, the series used to be about proving that you were smarter than them. Some of the gameplay mechanics like the still frames and the inventory system may be too obtuse for younger players. This crowd is used to today's games that allow players to save anywhere and carry enough guns to arm a small army. To this crowd, I say this: play "RE 0" and see what action games used to be like. Every puzzle is more satisfying to complete than unloading a clip into an undead corpse.

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8.8 / 10.0 - Killer Instinct
Dec 4, 2013

I hope to see "KI" on the main stage during next year's EVO Championship Series. As a pure fighter, this game is that good. It's missing a lot of what fight fans are used to as genre standards, but I'm hopeful that some of these will be added in the future. "KI's" gameplay makes it the best fighting game in years, and one of the brightest titles in the Xbox One's launch lineup.

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May 20, 2014

Aside from the poor sound editing and occasional lull in the action, this game is a surprising success. When a game is strictly single-player, the story needs to deliver. This story does, plus brings polished gameplay as an FPS. "Wolfenstein: The New Order" is a sleeper hit of 2014.

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9 / 10.0 - Mega Man 11
Oct 1, 2018

"Mega Man 11" makes the series feel new again, rather than stuck in the past. It keeps everything that makes the series challenging and rewarding, and flawlessly incorporates the gear system into its design. Even after 11 classic games, this latest sequel is one of the best in the series.

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Feb 7, 2018

Whether you're hunting by yourself or bringing on a full squad of hunters armed to the teeth, "Monster Hunter: World" is a wonderfully unique gaming experience. Even after dozens of hours I still feel like I'm scratching the surface with each new mission. That experience comes with a steep learning curve, but sticking with it just might get you to your new favorite game.

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Oct 12, 2017

Since nobody really expected "The Evil Within" to get a sequel, expectations for "The Evil Within 2" were basically nonexistent. It was up to Tango Gameworks to show us why we should want this sequel, and they have accomplished this. It succeeds where the previous game failed, while adding more to the formula that could win over those who didn't care for the first game. For those looking for something creepy this October, or for those who want to give the series a second look, "The Evil Within 2" is worth your time.

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