gameranx's Reviews
AC:U has its problems. Some are inherent to the design, some can be rectified by patches and some will get much better in the next iteration. This game made bold changes to an established formula and not everything worked. It seems like Unity will be a great relaunch point, just like the original Assassin's Creed was. But for now, it's not what it could have been. This is going to be both a blessing and a curse to the series going forward.
Starpoint Gemini 2 isn't the most profound release in a genre that's been promising some imagination inspiring experiences in the near future. Even so, the fog of war of its vast map begs me to clear it, hiding ships and upgrades that I just need to collect. There are a lot of toys here to play with, even if the world around them is somewhat simplistic, but that might just be enough to keep me occupied for another 20 hours.
Call of Duty: Advanced Warfare offers some of the biggest, and most interesting changes to the series since Modern Warfare, and promises hundreds of hours of fun in its fantastic multiplayer mode and gripping single-player campaign that's the best one in the series to date. Don't miss it.
If you ever want to play another game again, this series is not for you. But, if you had to pick only one to play for the rest of your life, Civilization: Beyond Earth would be a solid choice. The various factions and Affinities will ensure multiple, robust playthroughs, each presenting unique scenarios that will encourage the player to strategize in challenging new ways with each file. I look forward to my next 400 hours with the game.
Between MyLeague, MyGM, MyCareer and multiplayer modes like MyPark and the more tradition types — all of which have functioned admirably online, I should note, though MyPark has been less busy than I would prefer, in my experience — NBA 2K15 is as fleshed out as a sports game gets these days.
The Nemesis System is an achievement, one that overshadows any faults Shadow of Mordor otherwise has through sheer fun factor, and I can't wait to see its influence spread.
That's the irony of The Vanishing of Ethan Carter in a nutshell. When you first start up the game, it declares that it "is a narrative experience that does not hold your hand," but that's true only of its mechanics. Narratively it holds your hand so tightly that once it was over I had to wait a few minutes for feeling to return.
However, those other elements do keep Alien: Isolation from ascending to heaven to stand at the right hand of God. It is merely the regular type of excellent.
But when it's working correctly, Wasteland 2 is stellar. The tactical combat is pretty standard, but challenging and only occasionally overwhelming (those are essential moments, to me). Learning to deal with everything that goes wrong as you wander the wastes is a thrill that makes it all the more satisfying when a plan actually does come together. Wasteland 2 is a Real Game, bro.
Gauntlet is good and fun, but I don't think about it much between sessions. And that's about it. I feel like I've said more than is necessary at this point, really. It's competently made and enjoyable and you might forget you have it if you don't play it for a week.
If all of this wasn't enough to suck me in, they've also included the ability to create custom factions. Throw this on top of a multiplayer component with up to eight players, and I can see myself dumping endless hours into this incredibly fun game.
With all of it's AI and UI flaws the game is still extremely difficult and requires considerable mental dexterity along with repeated attempts to truly master and it's a definite pickup for anyone looking for a challenge.
As an introduction to the Dynasty Warriors template, Hyrule Warriors has gotten me deeply interested in the rest of Koei Tecmo's output. As a Zelda game, it honors all the little series details that players have found so endearing through the decades. As an action game, it is distilled fun.
If you loved Age of Wonders 3, the Golden Realms expansion is a no-brainer, especially for its low asking price. Some of the what's been added doesn't completely come together, but the Halfing race, Wild Magic specialization and new objectives make it a more exciting and purposeful package.
Overfall, Hatoful Boyfriend is a joke game that's elevated above its peers thanks mostly to its writing. It will certainly elicit some laughs, especially when played with other people, and while play sessions are usually short it has enough unique endings to both warrant many visits to the academy and justify its relatively low price. Those who decide to get all endings should prepare to use the fast-forward button quite a bit, since many events repeat in every plathrough.
But, like, it's fun and the view from the social hub is pretty.
At the end of the day, Theatrhythm Final Fantasy: Curtain Call is about the music. It delivers the most comprehensive package of Final Fantasy jams short of something outrageous like a 50-disc box set containing every soundtrack in the series. For that alone, it's a must-have for any Final Fantasy fan or videogame music fan in general.
The Sims 4 isn't the greatest, but it's not terrible either. As a long-time fan of the franchise, I'm disappointed by how much they stripped down the game. However, the new additions ranging from emotion states to relationship complexities sets up an interesting foundation for future expansion packs. The Sims 4 might just be warming up for another long ride.
In all, I really enjoyed my experience with Plants vs. Zombies: Garden Warfare, and plan to spend even more time with it.
The bottom line is that Diablo III: Reaper of Souls Ultimate Evil Edition is a fantastic console game that plays, in my opinion, better than the original PC version it's based upon. It's how Diablo III was always meant to be.