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"Uncharted: The Nathan Drake Collection" is more than the typical remastered collection. It's a great way for fans to relive some of the best games of the last generation. It's also great for anyone who never owned a PS3. This is a huge piece of Sony's exclusive pedigree. This is the adventure genre at its best.
It was unclear if the "Uncharted" series had any new ground to explore after three successful chapters. "Uncharted 4" could've just been a bigger version of the "Uncharted" games before it, but instead it grew up. It's the most sophisticated story of Nathan Drake's illustrious career that sets out to discover humanity in the character that was never found in his previous tales. That narrative, plus the best action gameplay in the genre, make the game an outstanding achievement. "Uncharted 4" reaches the peak of what the series can be.
Give it a chance, stick with it and make each death a learning experience. It might just become your new favorite series.
From little things like a damage system to gameplay on a larger scale like world exploration, "Rise of the Tomb Raider" expertly nails everything it sets out to do. From the narrative angle, Lara is developed as a driven force better than she ever has been before. In a genre that has been dominated by characters like Nathan Drake or whichever assassin leads the annual "Assassin's Creed" series, Lara stands as the new queen of action.
"Ori and the Blind Forest" is much more than a pleasant surprise of 2015. This is a must-play game in the Xbox One and PC library. It's a rare find that molds gameplay, level design and a heartfelt story to tie it all together.
If any game in the "Super Smash Bros." series has ever been the go-to game to play with your group of friends, this new Wii U version will replace it. A new "Super Smash Bros." game is the only suitable successor to a previous "Super Smash Bros." The king is dead, long live the King.
Genuine comedy in video games is a rare find in today's gaming landscape of hyper-realistic shooters and pretentious fantasy realms. It's refreshing to have a game that is consistently hilarious, but also has gameplay chops. I hope that Matt Stone and Trey Parker continue with the path of video game writing. They could offer a lot to this industry. But I can't blame them for going out at the top of their game.
This is a wonderful callback to the original games that adds new ideas.
Talion's story captures the essence of a Tolkien story. It's all about the journey. Friends are made, strangers are met and the true evil of Middle-earth is ever-present, but each story revolves around a true hero. Now Talion can stand next to the legends of Gimli, Frodo, Legolas and Aragorn.
"God of War" is the culmination that the series always had the potential to be. Better yet, it's just the beginning of a new legend forged by the God of War.
"Mario Odyssey" is the perfect blend of wonder, creativity and nostalgia. This is the truest evolution of video games' most iconic character. When the world seem bleak, "Mario Odyssey" is a wonderful, whimsical counterbalance that's custom made for escapism. The video game world doesn't just need more Mario. The world needs more Mario.
What Rocksteady games has accomplished with the "Arkham" series is nothing short of historic for video games. This used to be a medium where games based on comic book heroes were comparable to the quality of games based on movies. Some may have had decent action or gameplay, but games based on comic heroes always lacked the depth that was found in the source material. The "Arkham" series found that depth that is essential to any great Batman story, and then built some of the most satisfying gameplay in the action genre. "Arkham Knight" is the perfect sendoff for their work; the perfect exclamation point. Batman's "Arkham" story has come to a close. Let us celebrate what it has given world of video games.
This is a special game. It also puts me in a bit of a quandary. The original game came out last year, but should this version receive game-of-the-year consideration? I have five months to figure that out, because it's the best game I've played in 2014.