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Paper Mario has historically given Nintendo free reign to bring something new to the table, all while poking fun at the titular character's notable legacy. In this light, Color Splash is a riotously funny, joyfully eccentric, but disappointingly safe reimagining of its premiere mascot. For every instance of dull combat, though, there's a humorous home run that makes Port Prisma a worthy vacation spot.
Virginia is astounding in many ways. The way it conveys its meaning through visuals, character tics, a few hundred written words and one incredible score without uttering a single line of dialogue is remarkable. Confident and measured use of editing lends a sense of style, but Variable State's swagger turns to over-confidence in the final stretch and leaves Virginia on a befuddling rather than satisfying note.
The Journey is a great showcase for all the new Frostbite engine brings to Fifa, but the move hasn't exactly rocked the boat. Beyond the fancy, and compelling new career mode, Fifa appears to have maintained its form at a time its competitors are running away in terms of quality.What the game lacks in finesse and gameplay, it makes up for with deep game modes and a graphical update to rival competing engines. Fifa 17 is neither a departure, nor a revelation, but a safe entry in a transitional year.
If this review appears overly-critical, it's only because Pro Evolution Soccer is so close to being a complete product on and off the pitch. With the base gameplay seemingly nailed down, Konami should be capitalising by improving other elements of its beautiful game: chiefly its presentation, style, and game modes. Whatever shortcomings it has before and after the whistle blows however, the pure footballing experience of PES remains second-to-none.
Spirit of Justice is yet another enjoyable entry in a cherished franchise, which doubles-down on the delightfully zany aspects of the series to great effect. The back-and-forth courtroom disputes suffer from a weak presence on the opposing bench and several decade-old mechanical flaws, but none of its sins are egregious enough to quash the divine character work and enchanting anime style.An imperfect, but nonetheless victorious, return for Capcom's distinguished defence attorney.
Massive, full and with a list of things to do which borders upon incessant, Forza Horizon 3 is a driving game both without direction and made by a studio seemingly – understandably – bored with cars. It isn't wholly different or worse than its predecessors, but after four years of these games, and with titles like DiRT Rally rediscovering the fundamental, basic thrills of racing simulations, Horizon 3 feels tired.
Like so many indie platformers before it, Hue takes a great core concept and turns it into an admirably inventive game buoyed by some vivid design, a genteel story and a lovely score. That core concept doesn't stretch quite as far as the developers would like to think, but if you like puzzle platforming then Hue is a game that you should certainly pick up.
Bethesda bids farewell to Fallout 4 with a final trot around the Commonwealth that epitomises the base game's glaring issues. Frustratingly inept AI, inconsequential decision-making and an over-reliance on adequate, but far from exceptional gun-play undermines Nuka-World's occasional moments of promise.The minutely-crafted, faux-Disneyland environments pack a visual punch but the obscenely bland, zero-dimensional characters completely suck the life out of the DLC's multicoloured palette. Nuka-World gives ardent fans plenty more to explore, collect and shoot but don't be surprised if its flat delivery ultimately leaves a sour taste in your mouth.
Reigns is a Python-esque text adventure rougelike played out with the swipe-mechanics of Tinder. If that sounds at all appealing, then Reigns is absolutely worth the small investment. Light and undemanding, it offers short, great bursts of play perfect for the mobile platform.
Technical niggles aside, Bangkok is a confident return to form for Hitman's first season – after the characterless trudge through Marrakesh and the fun, but throwaway mid-season summer special episode. While Sapienza is still the undisputed highlight, Club 27's tight, multi-tiered design and wonderfully vile pair of targets show that IO Interactive isn't ready to rest on its laurels.
Deus Ex: Mankind Divided doesn't reinvent the wheel, nor does it need to. Compelling, tightly paced and most importantly, fun to play, Mankind Divided has created an exquisitely detailed world and now it wants to turn you loose in it. A stronger contender for Game of the Year in a year already filled with great games, what are you waiting for?
No Man's Sky is about cutting your own path through a galaxy teeming with possibilities. It is a playground in which to let loose the human urge to explore and discover, supported by a deep crafting system that keeps players engaged in their journey. Improvements could be made, new features could add greater depth, but Hello Games' achievement here is nothing short of incredible.
Abzu is well beautiful and well put-together, but cannot escape its self-inflicted sense of déjà vu. Matt Nava and Giant Squid Studios have played it safe. Too safe. There is an obvious artistry to Abzu however, that we can only hope is put to better use in whatever comes next.
Batman - The Telltale Series doesn't reinvent the wheel and it has plenty of confusing design choices, but in giving it the Telltale treatment, the studio have made a fascinating adventure game and a unique portrayal of the Dark Knight that, if the rest of the series can live up to it, might stand the test of time.
In spite of its myriad frustrations, I Am Setsuna is far from a characterless husk, but its mechanical regurgitation of shallow tropes and the over-complication of a ready-made battle system manages to cast a dim light on its reserved tone and glacial atmosphere. Designed to be a reverential ode to cherished RPG classics, I Am Setsuna is a functional footnote rather than a sweeping fresh stanza.
Accessible and routine, This Is The Police is simultaneously a rich video game and a poor depiction of its subject matter. Whether the game's creators welcome it or not, at times like these, when police officers in the US are under intense scrutiny, This Is the Police's representation of their work bears similarly close examination. By that measure it falls short of relevance and borders on removed.
Furi is an eye-popping, neon-bathed gauntlet which, in its best moments, is an adrenaline rush of lightning-fast, blink-and-you'll-die combat. At times, the delicate juggling act between bullet-dodging defence and stylishly-animated offence is undeniable, but as the game's frustrations begin to creep in it becomes impossible to maintain the kind of singular focus its stern difficulty level demands. There is no room for error, no lucky escapes, just an input that is right or wrong which leaves a sour taste. For all its intermittent brilliance, Furi too often lacks a key ingredient that will keep it from ascending beyond cult curio status: fun.
Aside from these bothersome technical hiccups and an overall feeling that what's here would possibly be better suited to a trilogy-spanning release (or at least waiting to include content from the upcoming Rogue One film), Lego Star Wars: The Force Awakens is an infectious joy. The franchise-in-Lego concept is a little long in the tooth at this point, but for those who have taken a break from TT's nostalgia-baiting charm-fests or anyone who classes themselves as an ardent Star Wars-aholic, there is more than enough block-busting action and nudge-and-wink chortles here to please both young and old alike. May the force be with you Timmy, this one's for you.
Battlefront's Bespin expansion is let down by some functional but uninspired map design, inhabited by the location of choice. New mode Sabotage also feels like a misstep. DICE's next expansion will finally take Battlefront to the Death Star – and the developers will absolutely need to up their game to match what will be very high expectations.
Inside is a worthy successor to Limbo, that improves upon it in many ways. It's visually richer, less obtrusive with its puzzling elements and tells its evocative, grim fairy tale with a greater panache.