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Batman Arkham Knight is a magnificent and fitting end to the Arkham series of games in every possible way. The city of Gotham is a huge, spectacular playground for you to explore, the story sucks you in despite it's inevitable outcome, and the combat and stealth elements that brought Arkham Asylum to everyone's attention have never been better.The game does have its faults; a couple of times it completely froze after navigating to the dashboard, framerate drops occur occasionally, and the Batmobile whilst brilliant for navigating the city is overused and repetitive in tank battles, but that can easily be forgiven when the rest of the experience is as good as it is. For anyone who likes Batman, the previous releases in the franchise, or open world games in general, Arkham Knight is an absolute must play, and offers a genuine reason for gamers who haven't yet made the jump to the new generation of consoles to seriously consider making the switch.
Steamworld Dig is refreshing against many other ID@Xbox games because it feels like a fully realized concept with a well defined beginning, middle, and end (well, and cliffhanger if we're being technical). While the slow trek to get upgrades may occasionally feel frustrating, they are, in actuality, extremely well-paced, it just may be difficult to get that sense until having the benefit of looking back on the experience as a whole. The game's only really major drawback is that it doesn't do much in the way of boss fights - new areas are just unlocked via progress, which is fine, but a big battle before entering the different areas would have given the game just a little more. It's a compliment to the developers, however, that the inclusion of more boss monsters is not a 'need', but rather a 'want' that would only serve to improve an already enjoyable experience. When all is said and done, in the great landscape of all the games available on Xbox One, SteamWorld Dig is a jewel that will make you feel your efforts to discover it was well worth your time. SteamWorld Dig is worth every bit of its $9.99 asking price.
If you haven't had the chance to experience an MMO or previous Elder Scrolls game before, then this is a perfect one with which to take the plunge.
LEGO Jurassic World manages to keep the LEGO franchise alive with refined gameplay, new types of LEGO characters and a brand new film franchise to embark upon while still staying true to its roots. All four films are given plenty of attention and the combination of four hub worlds means that there's plenty to do. Having twenty levels in total as well as six bonus levels fleshes the game out more so Jurassic Park fans will find plenty in here that they'll enjoy. There are a couple of glitches cropping up but there's nothing completely game-breaking. While the dialogue may sound a bit off in places, that nostalgic quality means that both LEGO fans and film fans will be able to enjoy the game. The LEGO series is now ten years old but it still remains successful with its quirky humour and accessible, fun gameplay, and LEGO Jurassic World is definitely one of the best in the series. Whether you're a fan of the games or the films, it's certainly worth your time.
For all of its promise, Payday 2: Crimewave Edition suffers from the effects of a few too many negatives. When it works well, the co-op style of the action is brilliant, coupled with an exceptional score. Unfortunately, the action-packed heists are often dulled by the poor graphics and downright stupid AI. The higher difficulty levels will require a fair amount of dedication to unlock the equipment needed to complete them, and it's doubtful whether the rewards will merit sticking it out long enough to gain all of the achievements. It seems that Payday 2: Crimewave Edition is another sad case of what could have been, if only the graphics and some other aspects had been treated to an extra coat of polish.
Beach Buggy Racing doesn't do anything particularly ground breaking for the kart racing genre, but it does do everything it needs to. The addition of multiplayer would have been nice and taken away the feeling of grinding once you have won all of the available single-player races. With quite literally tens of hours of gameplay on offer in the career and championships alone, and even more if you want to earn all of the available achievements, the game's price point makes this a highly recommended purchase for racing fans.
The Swapper is a unique and interesting puzzler, with a story that keeps you intrigued all the way to the end. The clone creating and swapping element to the puzzling is something brand new, and the puzzles themselves are the right balance between too easy and too hard. The game's setting is suitably eerie with music and in-game conversations to match. For £11.99 (or regional equivalent), it feels like the game could be a little longer, but the content of the story and puzzles that you do get, it is still worth swapping your hard earned money for.
If you're a fan of strategy games, there's a lot to enjoy in Massive Chalice. The combat demands you play smartly, which doesn't always mean conservatively. It's visually appealing and carries with it the charm that all Double Fine games have been known for. It's also not as difficult as other similar strategy titles which can make it more accessible, though the menus and new concepts are still rather daunting if you aren't a genre veteran. The Bloodline system never fully achieves what it set out to do, which, as its selling point, is its biggest disappointment. While it lacks the depth it initially promises, the system still plays a crucial role in the outcome of your centuries long war. Decisions you make early on will impact the tide of war decades later. It's just too bad all those people growing up under your command ultimately die without their story ever really being told. This is by no means a must-play if you aren't a strategy fan, but those who do frequent the genre should consider Massive Chalice a flawed but worthwhile addition to their Keep.
Sparkle Unleashed is a fun game and the gameplay can be addictive, especially when using certain powerups. The fantasy style the developers have chosen has worked in its favour and, although the limited story barely does anything for it, the theme helps to add character to the title, and the music is pleasant to listen to as you play through the levels. However, the game feels a little too long for what it is and unless a few extra level designs were added in, cutting out a few of the required levels wouldn't have hurt. After long periods of play, boredom may kick in so it's best to play in short bursts. For its price, it's worth a look if you're a fan of these types of games but if you aren't, then you won't be missing out on a ton if you decide to give it a miss.
The quality and quantity of the content in The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt are beyond compare and without peer. It is now the gold standard to which all other RPGs will be held. With hundreds of hours of rich, detailed story, a plethora of side quests, incredible aesthetic design, deep combat systems, and unprecedented sense of place and character, it checks off all of the boxes for excellence in the genre. Those plaudits come at a price, though, as the game can be a technical grab bag of minor (and major) bugs and glitches. While there is little doubt that CD Projekt RED will be giving the game consistent patch and DLC support to smooth out the majority of these marks, you can only buff out the dents in the horrific control scheme so much. Fortunately, these technical gripes and moments of mechanical frustration are easy to overlook when examining the experience as a whole. This is a game that should not be missed by RPG fans, should be tried by curious gamers, and will be looked back upon as one of the best ever. Consider it a must play and say goodbye to your summer.
Seeing as it started its life as a mobile game, BADLAND: Game of the Year Edition works surprisingly well on the Xbox One. With simple controls, plenty of levels and both co-op and multiplayer to spend your time on, it is easy to jump in and out of this game and contains hours of fun to be had. The achievements add a nice sense of replayability to the game's levels, and the lovely settings means you can enjoy looking at the game while you play it. You're getting a lot of gaming time for your money, so it is worth taking the time to help save a clone or two in this bad land they have to make their way through.
Contrary to popular belief, chameleons actually change colors based on emotions. Like those lizards, my time with Spy Chameleon was colored by feelings, too: of satisfaction when I'd finally overcome a persistent problem, which is the driving force behind any good puzzle game, of frustration from out of place level spikes, and of disappointment with an anticlimactic final few levels. At its best, the game is a worthy challenge for anyone who appreciates a video game just being a video game. With its classic arcade gameplay, cheap pricetag, almost no loading screens whatsoever, and its one-more-try mentality, Spy Chameleon would feel right at home on mobile and tablets if it weren't so reliant on pinpoint controls that touchscreens just can't provide. Fortunately the analog sticks and color-coded face buttons on the Xbox One controller fit the game like the titular hero's mask and the end result is a sneakily good puzzler.
Like many ID@Xbox games, Mega Coin Squad's initial tactic is to draw gamers in with nostalgia by making the level select look just like the level select in Super Mario World that is so easily recognizable. Comparisons to games of yesteryear end there, however, as what Mega Coin Squad boils down to is a repetitive, largely uninspired campaign that can be dashed through in under a half hour. There is some fun to be had in the campaign, and even more so to be found in the Multiplayer, but considering many people who will be checking in here for thoughts on the game either play with achievements in mind or don't have a second controller, the MP doesn't do enough to push the game above "it's just ok" status. As a mobile game at a low price, Mega Coin Squad would be a good grab and nice-little diversion for thirty minutes or less. As a full-fledged ID title commanding a $15 price tag, the game doesn't deliver enough for most people to find it worth the investment. If you have local friends to play with, that will boost your enjoyment of it and its longevity. Otherwise, unless you're a big fan of platformers with randomly generated parts, this one can easily be skipped.
While we have two episodes left in the season/series, fans of the franchise know that there are going to be a few more downs and downs coming, but "Episode 4" grants a brief respite of optimism in a jaded, borderline nihilistic world. It stands as the high point of the series thus far and goes a long way to cement the experience as a "must play" for fans of Game of Thrones.
The gameplay available in Farming Simulator 15 is obviously very niche, but behind the actual subject matter the game offers an in-depth sandbox that allows you to decide exactly how you wish to progress using the various farming techniques available. Fans of games such as The Sims and creation and management genre games will likely find a surprisingly enjoyable experience if they can make it past the game's slow start.The new addition of forestry and more emphasis on animal husbandry do add to the experience found in Farming Simulator, but if you're simply planning on cultivating your crops there's not going to be a great deal of difference from the series' previous installments.Farming Simulator 15 isn't going to appeal to everyone, but for those of you who do wish to take to the fields you'll find a surprisingly detailed experience that can prove to be enjoyable once you get your production line in place.
Life is indeed strange. Meddling with time is not as easy as you would think and this engaging story does a great job of driving that point home. The moral decisions that players make really do have an affect on the story's future. The game's time-rewinding mechanics mean that all options can be considered and those all-important decisions need not be rushed. While the story so far has followed a fairly predictable path, the events of Episode 3 have really turned things on their head. Dontnod has the potential to mix things up in Episode 4. Will they stick with this new direction or will we be turned back onto the path that we have been treading so far? Only time will tell.
As engaging puzzle-platformers go, Schrodinger's Cat and the Raiders of the Lost Quark is very close to top drawer. A brilliant soundtrack is the highlight in a colourful and creative world that will keep you playing to restore order to the Particle Zoo. The witty script with bucket loads of puns will have you giggling away as you play. The stylish gameplay and tight controls, coupled with a relatively straightforward achievement list should ensure this is a win-win title for most fans of the genre.
Like Far Cry 3 Blood Dragon before it, Wolfenstein: The Old Blood sets a new standard for standalone, downloadable content. At $19.99 (or your regional equivalent), it represents one of the best values in current games. Between the 8-10 hour campaign full of fantastic moments and scenarios, the challenge maps, and the nightmare levels there's a lot to love for the money. While the massive file size (over 37 GB!) may cause some internet connections to cry, it is well worth the space in your Xbox One's hard drive. The New Order was one of the underground hits of 2014, and The Old Blood has taken that torch and ran with it. Get psyched and consider it a must play.
It can be challenging, frustrating and cause unwanted headaches, but despite all that you'll keep wanting to come back for more. Not everyone will be drawn in by an 8-bit, side-scrolling death fest in this day and age of gaming that seems overwhelmed by retro aesthetic titles, however, Shovel Knight rightly deserves a place among modern games. The amazing soundtrack and rewarding gameplay will spur you on right to the end, and even then you'll probably want to go back for another round of smacking things in the face with a shovel. The inspiration from 8-bit games of the past has caused a great feeling of nostalgia for many, and Shovel Knight is well worth the money and trip down memory lane if you prefer to be challenged on a regular basis. The game is proof that, although 8-bit side-scrollers look old, they certainly aren't outdated.
A game where you are simply running all the time shouldn't be fun, but Infinity Runner somehow manages to be most of the time. The game is unfortunately short, but with the teasing of a sequel at the end, there is obviously the potential for more. At little over £5, it is hard not to recommend the game because you get a nice combination of fun and frustration for your money. It is definitely worth the price, but Infinity Runner had the potential to be so much more than what it is; a good game that could have been great.