High-Def Digest
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Like I said above, I've been waiting for the likes of 'Guilty Gear Xrd -SIGN-' for years. After the oddity of 'Guilty Gear 2', finally seeing a return to the series core fighting game mechanics filled me with endless excitement… and honestly, 'Xrd' is all I've wanted for an entry of the series. The wonderfully fast and somewhat complicated gameplay is still intact, and the graphical change is a joy to behold.
A classic in every sense of the book, 'Tetris' remains as strong as ever in its 'Tetris Ultimate' incarnation. 'Endless' provides the most fun (and the most hardcore frustration) with its neverending appeal to just get a slightly better high score, and playing online (and comparing replays and scores) is a presumably welcome addition to the 'Tetris' mythos that sadly didn't work at the time of the review, for lack of co-players. A game for the ages: yesterday, today and forever. Highly recommended.
'Lara Croft and the Temple of Osiris' is radically different from 'Tomb Raider', but this is not necessarily a bad thing. It is also not radically different from its predecessor, and I wish it would have had a bit more ambition with its loot system and platforming. The puzzles are more fun than annoying, and in this regard co-op is implemented well. A few other relatively minor issues chip away at it, but overall it is not a bad little arcade game.
Experienced board gamers will find a great deal to enjoy when playing 'The Witcher Adventure Game'.
'Never Alone' is a beautiful experience. Its somber story is masterfully expressed, but not by its gameplay. As a platformer it is subpar, and yet I am still telling people to play it. Despite its tiny length and substantial flaws, it has a soul, something that is sorely lacking in many of the games we play.
Telltale has demonstrated that their knack for writing and developing characters is as solid as ever, even with the wacky 'Borderlands' license. With 'Zer0 Sum,' the first episode of 'Tales from the Borderlands,' Telltale got the story heavy take on the colorful world humming. The characters and script are smart and snappy, and elicited a chuckle from me more than a few times through the brief playthrough. If they can lock down the bugs cropping up in the technical performance, this would be about as good as it gets for an adventure game.
'WWE 2K15' might not be the best installment in the franchise, but for it's Xbox One debut, it's definitely a worthy entry. From the enhanced graphics to the very impressive stamina system, the series finally feels more authentic to the sport of professional wrestling. 2K Sports definitely needs to up their game next year by adding in missing features and expanding the creation suite, however for the next year, 'WWE 2K15' is going to do just fine in scratching the pro wrestling itch. If you've already been soured by the last-gen offerings, do yourself a favor and give this edition a whirl; it's the real deal and is recommended.
The next-gen variety of 'Grand Theft Auto V' is unequivocally a rerelease, increasingly common for the gaming industry. However, a notable amount of work and care has been put into its development, specifically with the first-person mode, and this makes for an even better 'GTA V.' As much as I appreciate the first-person mode, enhanced graphics, and other little things, this version is best for those gamers who missed last year's release. It's still one of the best games to be found on the Xbox One.
It's surprising how well 'Valkyria Chronicles' has aged over the years. Everything from the gameplay and the story, to the graphics and the sound, makes the game a joy to play through. Sega made the right choice in porting this formerly PlayStation 3 exclusive title to Steam, as now an even wider audience than ever before is able to enjoy what is bound to be a classic title.
'Far Cry 4' is not a revolutionary game in the series (no pun intended), but it continues to build on the addictive open world gameplay of its predecessors. Kyrat is the best character and has enough content to keep players busy for countless hours. The campaign co-op is a welcome addition. A weak storyline, last-gen visuals, and unfinished multiplayer keep it from the upper echelons of greatness.
'Dragon Age: Inquisition' vies with 'Diablo' for the spot of best RPG currently available on the Xbox One. It avoids the grind endemic to games of its kind and has a good story on top of an even better open world. It is not without its problems, many of which BioWare has been criticized for in the past, but is nevertheless an important RPG that is both superior to its predecessor and certainly gives players their money's worth.
'Rollers of the Realm' nearly does for pinball what 'Puzzle Quest' did for the match-three genre. It competently takes an existing medium and merges it with roleplaying elements to create something that hasn't been done before, which is unusual in gaming. A few design problems keep it from greatness, like a very cold, withholding system of progression. That doesn't stop it from being an enjoyable experience and something worth trying for any pinball or RPG fan.
'Lego Batman 3: Beyond Gotham' is a good Lego experience, but it adds to the franchise only incrementally. The series has been around for nearly a decade and has made great improvements since it began, but needs more innovation to avoid going down the path of burnt-out IPs. Besides the new characters, there is little difference between this game and last year's 'Lego Marvel.' The storyline is also rather short, and can be finished in six or seven hours. Despite that, it is a good time for kids of all ages with co-op and free play continuing as a base for the series' signature charm.
Once multiplayer is up and running without any sizeable hiccups, I easily foresee 'Halo: The Master Chief Collection' taking its place as one of the finest releases for the Xbox One to date. That said, it's a partially complete package sold to consumers at full price. As fantastic as the campaigns are, and as intriguing as the Halo Channel appears to be, I wouldn't necessarily say it's worth $60 out the gate. I intend to continually return to multiplayer in the coming days and weeks for two reasons: one I love the 'Halo' series and multiplayer experience and two, because like the game itself, this is an incomplete review. Once multiplayer has settled itself in a firm state, this review will see a complete overhaul and final ranking set in stone. Until then, 'The Master Chief Collection' is simply worth a look.
'Assassin's Creed: Rogue' is an adequate, if familiar, conclusion of the latest chapter of 'Assassin's Creed'. It adds enough to qualify as a full-fledged release and features a decent storyline. The bugs are tolerable and certainly not as distracting as its big brother 'Unity'. Gameplay wise it's perfect for anyone enthralled by the seafaring focus of 'Black Flag.' For anyone who hasn't tossed out their last-gen consoles quite yet, it's among the best 'Assassin's Creeds' to be found in that generation.
'Assassin's Creed Unity' is a conundrum. Some of its components have been put together well, like the visual quality of Paris and the co-op. Other parts are a bit uglier and have still made it into the final product, the glaring dearth of proper bug testing foremost among them. Ultimately, the latter outweigh the former, and this game can safely be passed over by all but the most loyal fans. The Assassins have seen better days.
'Magic 2015' is frustrating not because it's bad, but because it is so close to being so good. It takes a step forward with the deck builder and two steps back with its cumbersome interface and lack of engaging gametypes for both single and multiplayer. The pay-to-win model has not taken over just yet, but it is creeping steadily closer. If you have enjoyed previous versions of 'Duels of the Planeswalkers' and are a serious 'Magic' fan, it's not a bad play. If you are a newcomer to the series, consider the 2013 or 2014 edition instead.
Being too similar to the first game and finishing far too quickly keep 'Costume Quest 2' from greatness. It maintains its predecessor's wit, although the jokes have been diluted somewhat, as have the mechanics. It could most accurately be described as a playable cartoon, and is a short and sweet romp for any RPG fan who doesn't mind its cuteness or brevity.
'Tropico 5' is less of a sequel and more of an update for the franchise, as could be said of its immediate predecessor. It is more accessible to a grizzled 'Tropico' fan, but the gameplay is still as addictive as ever. The limited multiplayer and lovely sandbox mode give the game legs, even if it's hampered by some visual and tutorial issues. Deep city building mechanics and a sardonic sense of humor make it stand out in the sparse field of simulation titles on the 360.
While by no means, a 'Game of the Year' contender as a whole, it is a must purchase and will serve, hopefully, as a template to be refined over this generation of gaming.