GameTrailers

InFamous: Second Son is visually stunning with rocking dynamic music to boot, but with its repetitive side-tasks, the finely crafted Seattle streets feel a bit lacking in things to do. Nevertheless, the game's characters and core story arc holds strong. The varied and eccentric powers give you a lot to experiment with, and you truly feel like a super-hero with the city at your fingertips.

The greatest achievement in Ground Zeroes is how bold it feels. There's so much new, and none of it obfuscates what originally made Metal Gear Solid special. There's still thrilling stealth and an attention to detail that's rarely seen, but all of it is smarter and streamlined. Ground Zeroes may only be a taste of what's to come, but it looks like Metal Gear is heading in the right direction.

The real enjoyment in Luftrausers doesn't really come from experimenting, it's more about finding the right fit. It's really about performance, not options, and the game's longevity and value come from excellent tuning and feedback. You launch, then you thread the needle, push the envelope, curse your foes, and go out in a blaze of glory.

If you're looking for a shooter, Titanfall will satisfy and surprise you. It doesn't redefine first-person genre, but it certainly threatens the status quo, and that's a welcome step forward.

The most surprising thing about TowerFall is that its attractive 16-bit aesthetic also hearkens back to a classic approach to unlocking hidden secrets. The way new characters and stages are uncovered by naturally playing and exploring the game is really rewarding. It's easy to have fun with TowerFall, and there's a lot to like on the surface, but players who put more into it will certainly get more out.

Despite some minor technical issues and sometimes abstruse mechanics, South Park: The Stick of Truth is an experience to behold. It's one of the most faithful adaptations of a television show into a video game, and its signature style of humor and commentary come through in every facet of the game. Even with so much focus on capturing the feel of the show, this still manages to be a solid RPG that's fun and rewarding. There's simply nothing else like it out there

The last episode was a tough act to follow, but similar to season one, episode two is even better. The stakes are higher and the consequences steeper. Telltale has once again proved that adventure games are not only still alive, they're as strong as ever. We can only hope it's not long before we find out what's next.

Garden Warfare was a surprise when it was announced, and you'll be surprised when you play it what PopCap managed to accomplish. But it can get repetitive when the jokes run dry, and the system designed to combat this is locked behind piles of crumpled tinfoil and stacks of unwanted stickers. If you're starving for more brains, charge in. But don't be afraid to let this plant grow a bit before enlisting.

It's not exactly a perfect run for Garrett, but players will still find many things worth taking.

Double Helix made an admirable attempt at re-inventing Strider for the modern era with a new look and other amenities like online leaderboards. In some ways, it successfully re-captures the action of the older games, but too often it misses the mark when it comes to delivering a solid Metroidvania experience. It's a game torn between two personalities, and it shows. The new Strider is at its best when it's delivering arcade-style action moments, but sadly these come too infrequently and too late for its own good.

The evolution of Tropical Freeze from its predecessor isn't quite a giant leap for apekind, but it's a step in the right direction. It doesn't just maintain the status quo as a challenging platformer, but mixes in just enough new elements to prevent it from being just another rehash of the previous game. You'd be bananas to pass up the chance to add Tropical Freeze to your Wii U horde.

Jazzpunk ends up being scatological and surreal, but it's not sublime. Like Meatloaf says, two out of three ain't bad. But when's the last time anyone listened to Meatloaf? Jazzpunk is funny in its own peculiar way, but that's about all it is.

Episode two puts The Wolf Among Us in an awkward place. Telltale shows enough of its hand to interest players in the rest of the story, but the unevenness of this second episode deflates the enthusiasm that first worked so hard to earn. It's difficult to tell how strong the series will become, but right now, it's tough to accept good when you're used to great.

And that's where Octodad really shines. It keeps you laughing with the sheer absurdity of its lead character, the not-so-subtle references, and fumbling physical comedy that's made all the more potent through your participation. Like a plate of sushi, it might seem a bit pricey for what you get, but it's worth paying a small premium for a fresh catch.

All in all, this eagle has landed on some seriously shaky ground. Short, boring, and reeking of "been there, done that," this first episode in the series feels like a poor value as a one-off $9.99 purchase or as part of $29.99 season pass. However, if you're looking for a helping hand to get to level 50 outside of grinding through the main game, you can at least count on racking up a few PP. Maybe future episodes will aim to make our stay in Los Perdidos a little more exciting.

The Broken Age will win you over in minutes, and what it lacks in length or difficulty it makes up for in pure personality. From talking Spoons to a guru who makes people remove vowels from their names in order to attain true lighten-ness, it's a weird world, and you'll feel part of it in way we haven't seen since the lost age of adventure games.

To put it plainly, Nidhogg is incredibly fun. If you can appreciate the game's style for what it is and you don't have an ego as fragile as glass, you'll delight in testing your mettle against another's. And even if you lose, at least you didn't get eaten by some horrible beast.

The Banner Saga isn't what you'd strictly call "fun." Instead it's interesting and challenging, more like a chess match than death match. But there's an incredible satisfaction when you take on a gang of armored monsters that by all rights should trample you, yet you're able to hamstring their health then line them up for execution. It's also comforting to know that although you can't outfight a towering Varl, perhaps you can out think him.

If you love puzzles and own a Vita, Escape Plan should be an easy purchase, but on PS4 the awkward controls and lack of a touch screen make this version feel watered down. Play it on the Vita instead.

So many moments in The Curse of Brotherhood are hampered by a sense that a square peg is being shoved into a round hole. All of its great ideas are dwarfed by the fact that it doesn't feel good to play. The game tries to make invoke a sense of creation, but it's more akin to fumbling in the dark.