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Rise of the Tomb Raider's "Baba Yaga" DLC is a relatively short return to Lara's adventure, but an enjoyable one nonetheless. While the story doesn't quite hook you as much as that from the main game, and the lack of a new challenge tomb was disappointing, you'll still be glad that you had the chance to return to the Siberian wilderness. Once again you'll find yourself wanting the next piece of Lara's story.
If you've played any of the recent LEGO titles, LEGO Marvel's Avengers will be familiar to you. The overall formula remains the same and there is still plenty to find and collect in the form of bricks and characters. If you look at the very first title in the series, though, it is clear how much has changed and evolved since then. Combat in this instalment is far more fluid and exciting, characters are unique in design and there are plenty of abilities spread throughout. There is also so much more to do other than completing story levels. The speed of the story leaves a distinct desire to get to the hubs but exploring them is not nearly as frustrating as it used to be once you make it. Problems and glitches still crop up every now and then, but don't let that stop you from enjoying the game. While the LEGO series could do with switching up the formula to reignite it, this latest romp with our favourite heroes is still an enjoyable one.
Although the game may feel short, the story doesn't outstay its welcome and players will likely appreciate the shorter amount of time spent listening to the variable quality of the voice acting. Adventure fans shouldn't pass this one up, and even those who don't normally play this type of game should perhaps consider splashing out on an easy and enjoyable completion.
Anyone who's a fan of this type of puzzler will be in for a good time with Sparkle 2, but the last four achievements will definitely take some time and effort.
Outside of the officially licensed WRC franchise, Milestone's first attempt at the rally sub-genre does little to reinvent the wheel. However, Sébastien Loeb Rally Evo does offer a pleasant alternative to the previously rigid career modes found in similar titles by offering a wide range of different events in which to take part.
This War of Mine: The Little Ones forces you to make tough decisions throughout and the real consequences from these actions are seen in the game. Whether you choose to steal from the hospital, an old couple on medication, or a homeless man's squat, you are made to feel guilty. Consequently, you feel good for helping out a stranger. Keeping track of all your supplies and having enough of everything to keep your people alive is not an easy feat, and it feels like the first story that you are given is a little too hard. The ability to create your own scenario is a great addition and it allows you to tweak the game to your own survival ability. Whilst the days can get a little repetitive and boring if you have to catch up on sleep and not much else, the game challenges you, your morals and your survival instincts against the backdrop of the serious subject of war.
The Banner Saga paints a bleak world with its dialogue, artwork and soundtrack, one that engages the player with every tough choice that it presents. With each decision, the player helps to write their own story of survival against the odds, although the overarching storyline can at times pale in comparison to the struggles of the caravan. Thankfully, it also presents a tough tactical RPG that rewards the use of careful strategy and punishes those who rush in without a plan. Those with a penchant for a tightly woven narrative and tactical thinking will enjoy the deep layers that The Banner Saga provides.
ZHEROS is a 2016 title that too closely adheres to 1990 game design, and doesn't even do some things as well as its quarter-century old predecessors.
Cubot - The Complexity of Simplicity does indeed offer complex puzzles set in an extremely simplistic environment. Featuring an easy-to-use control system, minimalistic design and clever game mechanics, players get a competent puzzler that has made the jump from mobile to console with few issues. Some may find the lack of replayability a factor to discourage a purchase, but the extremely attractive price point means that most players will be satisfied once they have gotten their initial 2-4 hours worth of gameplay out of the title. Add to this a relatively easy achievement list and players would be a fool to pass this one over.
Unepic probably won't be for everyone with its Metroidvania style and death prone areas, but once you get stuck in, it is an enjoyable experience. The skill system is simple but complex enough for those who like RPG's and the boss battles are memorable and exciting to witness. The castle itself is huge and there is plenty to see, so for the price there is a hefty amount of content. The requirements for the challenge related achievements is peculiar, but the completionists among us will forgive the developers as we roam through every nook and cranny, lighting up every torch and lamp that we see. There are so many indie titles that are available now and it's tough to shine above the rest when you're a 2D sidescroller like Unepic, but it is a worthy title in the ID@Xbox library and is a great throwback to those games of old.
Our trip to India is not dissimilar to our original trip to China; the style and gameplay are almost identical to the first game, not that there is anything particularly wrong with that. Being given the choice to play stealthy or by using full on combat is refreshing and you are able to go through the whole game without directly harming a single enemy, but it does sometimes feel like you are forced into combat with the layout of the levels and the frequency of the enemies. The 2.5D style is used to good effect and works well for the assassination based gameplay, being able to dodge enemies and hide in hidden doorways in the background, or ledges in the foreground. Whilst there is no new ground being broken here, Assassin's Creed Chronicles: India is more than enjoyable to play through, especially if you enjoyed the first game, and it will surely keep you entertained until we get the chance to visit Russia the next time around.
Lovely Planet is a throwback to the 80s/90s when games were a test of skill, patience, and determination. That being said, its bare bones design and technical and design hiccups make it all the more frustrating. If you're in search of a game to play "pass the controller" with in a group of shooter-loving friends, Lovely Planet may be worth checking out, but is otherwise easily worth a pass.
Baseball Riot contains a lot of content for a low price point, but it will only really be enjoyed in short bursts. The gameplay is easy to learn but difficult to master, especially with the differing enemies, various obstacles and, unfortunately, somewhat random ball physics. The latter factor will frustrate some players and luck does play a larger part in a player's chances of success than it should. While the levels do, predictably, get more difficult as the player progresses, the difficulty can spike unfairly in places. Finally, all of the achievements are tied to optional objectives and one of these is slightly buggy -- the completion is not easy.
In this day and age of gaming, we are used to high-end graphics and extremely fluid controls and mechanics. Chivalry: Medieval Warfare doesn't really fit the bill in that respect. It's not a pretty game and it lacks in content as well as having slightly awkward mechanics. However, there are decent maps to be seen and a couple of the modes work very well for the game, namely Team Objective and Free for All. You'll get frustrated with the game deign, but also laugh out loud at how ridiculously entertaining it can be at times. It's a bit pricey for what it is, but the achievement lovers among us will be drawn in by a doable list. Chivalry is clearly not the best that current gen consoles can offer, but at least it's not a complete trainwreck.
Just Cause 3 delivers in everything that it set out to do and doesn't pretend to be anything that it's not. It's a solid and light-hearted game that offers a sprawling open-world playground for you to explore and destroy in as many creative and humorous ways as you can imagine. There are bugs that need to be addressed, it lacks the depth of other games in its genre, and it can be repetitive over long periods of play, but in short bursts of a couple of hours or so there's no hiding from the fact that being given the freedom to blow things up to your heart's content provides some of the most chaotic fun you'll find on the Xbox One right now.
Whilst it is hard to justify the $24.99 price tag, the "Orsinium" DLC does add all of the extra content that we were promised. You can easily spend over 20 hours here if you explore all of the areas, complete all of the quests, and finish all of the levels of the Maelstrom arena (normal and/or veteran). The quests with which you are presented are interesting and allow you the chance to complete them in different ways, depending on how you want to play the game. The new area of Wrothgar is exciting to explore and you will, quite possibly, spend more than a minute or two admiring the landscape as you run through it. A few bugs and glitches with the quests and the sound stop it from being perfect, but for gamers still knee deep in The Elder Scrolls Online, this DLC will be a nice addition for you and your character to go and explore.
Is Star Wars Battlefront the galactic fantasy for which we've been waiting? Well, yes and no. The multiplayer can be fantastic at times and battles play out beautifully and smoothly in all modes. The game looks sleek and listening to those iconic blasters adds to the thrill of play. However, with lackluster battle and survival missions replacing a proper campaign, it stops the title from being as amazing as it could have been. Multiplayer is extremely enjoyable, there is no doubt about it, and it's accessible for everyone who jumps in, but you will quickly see everything that the game currently has to offer and the wide variety of online modes won't stop that. If you absolutely love the battles of Star Wars and shooters in general, you will have a blast with this, but if you want to immerse yourself in the richness of the characters and story, you will be pining for just a bit more. If you take the game at face value, it is still an enjoyable ride to a galaxy far, far away.
Like a lot of licensed games, there are very distinct levels of enjoyment to be had. If you're a fan of adventure gaming, pointing and clicking through puzzles and looking for clues, Investigations is a respectable callback to that era and whose fault might be in leaving the IP's younger fans behind. If you're a fan of the series, it's an inelegant trip into the peculiar land of Ooo that saves itself by adoring the series as much as the fans who might play it. Surely the folks in the middle of that Venn Diagram will get the most out of Finn and Jake Investigations and those who fall completely outside of it can save their dosh and skip the game entirely.
This year's Call of Duty is a mixed bag that will polarize opinion depending in which part of the game you find the most enjoyment. All of the previous mechanics that have made the franchise what it is today are still there and they feel as good as ever. If you play CoD for the campaign, Black Ops III is a low point featuring a confusing and uninteresting story, poor pacing, cheesy dialogue and over-the-top voice acting that results in a story that resembles what the outcome would be if you dropped the cast of Team America: World Police on the set of Inception or Source Code. Zombies once again provides a fun alternative, and the setting and new gameplay additions are enough to keep it feeling fresh for fans until the next DLC pack hits. Multiplayer is as well balanced as it has been for a while and provides the same fast-paced experience that is known and loved. The addition of increased mobility adds a new way to traverse the world and even helps to bring new life into game modes that we have been playing off and on for the past ten years, but this is hit and miss as only some maps allow you to truly explore what it has to offer.Black Ops III's biggest plus points are that it's the most content-filled and best looking release in the series yet, and there are enough new additions to the gameplay across all game modes to help freshen things up for returning visitors. It's a good game for sure, but it does very little to stand out from what's already available and, in some areas, doesn't live up to the standards that the franchise has set over the years.
At this juncture, we know what to expect out of a Telltale experience: less-than-solid gameplay that is balanced out by an amazing story. That being said, Game of Thrones, while a solid Telltale experience, has limited appeal. The Venn diagram of interest is flatly composed of people who love Game of Thrones with people who like/tolerate Telltale's experiences. If you love Game of Thrones and enjoy Telltale's previous offerings, you shouldn't hesitate to pick up the game. If you're someone who loves Westeros but dislikes Telltale's style, you might want to give the game a shot, if only to get another hit of Thrones before you find out what really happened to Jon Snow. On the other hand, if you don't know a Crow from a raven, you should probably give it a pass.