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The game used in this review was a physical copy purchased by the reviewer.
At only $30, and with all of its extra content included, Darksiders II: Deathinitive Edition is a pretty good deal. It's the same great game, now looking better than ever. If this had gone through some extra bug squashing and had gone for the full 60 fps then this would be an absolute no-brainer for anyone interested in the Darksiders series, but as it stands it's still a great jumping on point for those who have yet to ride with Death.
Rock Band 4 is like a glorious reunion of wizened rock stars. Everyone looks and sounds great, but a little bit of the twinkle in their eyes has dimmed. The band plays all their hits in the same way that you remember with the same exuberance of youth, but you can detect that something's wrong, something's off with the entire package. But there's plenty of time to get back into the groove of things, and with the updates Harmonix has planned to implement going forward, I feel confident Rock Band 4 will blossom into the game it was meant to be soon enough, especially since support will go on in lieu of annual game releases. I'm no fairweather fan, and I'll be a groupie 'til the end, even when it seems like it could be time for a curtain call in the near future.
With cheerful retro music paired with a fairly colorful 8-bit palette, The Escapists: The Walking Dead is a wonderful and meticulous romp through the world of Robert Kirkman. The game treats the graphic novels as canon, and does a thorough job recreating the experience. I've played every The Walking Dead video game released in the past five years, and Team17's reskinning of their hit prison breakout sim is by far my favorite. Combining meticulous micromanagement with the constantly looming threat of walker attacks creates tense gameplay that rewards players who are willing to take the time to craft the perfect escape plan.
It all comes down to this: don't deny yourself Final Fantasy V.
It's tough for an annual sports franchise like Madden to spice things up from year to year, but Madden NFL 16 brings just the right amount of change to make things interesting. Nearly everything it adds works incredibly well, most noticeably in the passing game, while a few other things still need a bit of work. Ultimate Team continues to grow, Draft Champions is the coolest mode ever, and even just a quick game against a friend is still as fun and footbally as Madden has ever been. There's a lot to like on the gridiron this year, and I can only hope that this upward trend continues to grow.
Party Hard is a surprising game. I didn't expect to like it as much as I did, but it's a thoughtful affair that relies on careful thought and planning to keep up the most gruesome cross-country trip ever. Sometimes it doesn't play fair, but it's still fun.
This is a portrait of what its genre can offer. It's only downfall is it may not have taken enough chances to truly distinguish itself.
Far Cry Primal is a bitter world where "survival of the fittest" is the mantra, but the game gives me plenty of ways to become the one who survives. The primitive weapons are great, the authentic sounding language really pulls me in, and the challenge of sustaining this wicked land keeps me going. It's a vast departure from previous Far Cry games, but that risk paid off in a big way as each second spent in this world is a ton of fun. I hope more games give me the opportunity to go back to the primitive age, as it seems a lot more fun than just fighting the same war in modern times over and over again.
Conventionally speaking, Klaus is a game like many others. It has some action, and a plot, and a few boss fights. But the way that it presents its story, and the way that the story is able to form a reflection of itself in the mind of the player, is unlike most games I've experienced. One might even call it bizarre. In the span of six to eight hours, Klaus goes from being a platformer, another title in one of the most universal gaming genres imaginable, to an experience well outside the realm of expectation. Players who want a simple platforming game will find a few twists on the old formulas, but those who are open to discovering a deeper meaning within games, specifically those who often associate themselves with a game's protagonist, will find much and more to enjoy with Klaus.
This may be the first substantial DLC for Rise of the Tomb Raider but it also sets a high standard. The incredibly cool hallucenogenic sequences that occur within are very much worth experiencing, even if Lara has no real part in the story. Nabbing a few extra items after completing it is pretty neat too, given their usefulness.
Black Desert Online struggles with many of the weak points unique to MMORPGs, but rewards resilient players with unique, fascinating role-playing systems. If you're looking for a new MMO, Black Desert Online is well worth a try.
Though slow in parts, Mario & Luigi: Paper Jam is fun, funny, and simply feels good to play. A must-play for Mario RPG fans of all stripes.
There's a lot of promise here, but Pokken Tournament can't decide what kind of fighting game it wants to be and that hurts the overall experience.
Chibi-Robo!: Zip Lash is a nice break from the series' usual 3D platforming formula and offers some solid gameplay, even if it stumbles a bit along the way.
It may not be your cup of tea, but it still manages to be greater than the sum of its parts. Sometimes.
There's a lot of content with dozens of fighters, and plenty of costumes to unlock, making it the definitive version to pick up.
Understandably, the short playtime and lack of replay value will turn off many gamers from wanting to delve into the title, but it's definitely something to try if you have the opportunity.
Year Walk is a strange game, a brief sojourn into a downright chilling tale surrounding a small Swedish village and the potential horrors abound. There's a lot to like here, especially in the narrative side of things, but the game is too short and some puzzles are more interesting than others. It's worth a try, if for no other reason than to play an indie game and there's nothing else interesting at the time, but don't expect it to last very long. This Year Walk feels like it's only around the block.
Shantae: Risky's Revenge - Director's Cut is a good action game, but it looks and feels a bit primitive next to Shantae and the Pirate's Curse. It's still worth playing if you're a fan of action titles, and that especially applies if you're a fan of Shantae who missed out on the first release of Pirate's Curse.