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Lost Dimension certainly doesn’t make a great first impression. On the surface, the visuals aren’t up to scratch, the plot is fairly hackneyed and the turn-based RPG battles aren’t exactly revolutionary. However, there is one particularly unique gameplay mechanic that somehow manages to keep pushing you forward, eager to progress.
Even with its flaws, Volume is a hugely enjoyable puzzle game, wearing its influences proudly on its sleeve. Near-perfect pacing, a wonderful soundtrack and deceptively simple gameplay, Volume will have you creeping back for more to try and top the leaderboards on as many levels as possible, and maybe even create a few more as well.
The gaming landscape has certainly changed since Dishonored was released in 2012, but the advent of the current generation of home consoles has done nothing to diminish its strengths. Dishonored remains an enthralling mix of first-person stealth action, supernatural special powers and a timeless painterly aesthetic. Thrust into the centre of a diabolical plot, out for revenge, Dishonored gives players the freedom to play the game their way – whether that be good or bad, lethal or non-lethal – and to see the game world shaped by your actions.
Mad Max is probably the best example from the past few years of games that were released on the wrong date. There are moments in the game that will bring a broad smile to your face and leave you feeling incredibly satisfied, but at the same time you'll sit there thinking "Man, I wish there was more variety". For all the comedy, action and genuinely beautiful visuals that the game throws your way, some of the flaws will bring you back to the barren wasteland with a bump. It's a game worth playing, and I really enjoyed the highs that the game has to offer, but it's hard to recommend picking this up over a lot of titles that are out in this horrendously busy period. Unless you like Australian accents. In which case you won't find a better game this year.
LEGO Dimensions is by far and away the best toys-to-life game I've played. Not only that, it's my favourite LEGO game too. A lot of what you'll get out of it depends on whether you enjoy the Lego games of old, and also whether you embrace your inner child and enjoy playing with actual LEGO. Fortunately for me, I really enjoy both. The fact that Dimensions opens up the Toy Pad beyond being "just a thing" is a really great addition, and ultimately this is the pinnacle of the Toys to Life genre right now. What other game will see you playing as Gandalf, driving the Batmobile, hurtling after a Dalek whilst Marty McFly and Doc Brown are in hot pursuit? Exactly. The only reason this isn't scoring higher is simply down to the pricing. And the fact it's probably going to bankrupt me. Don't these folks know that I'm trying to save for a house?!
Overall, there really isn't much more I can say about Rock Band 4. If you enjoyed the series before, you'll enjoy this one. There are some nice neat touches that will appeal and keep things fresh for absolute veterans of the series, but it's still accessible enough for you to throw onto your system when your friends have had a few beers at a party. The best party game of the last generation finally makes its way to the new consoles, although there is a question of its relevance hanging over it, particularly with the price tag of the full band kit. Issues around the DLC should really have been sorted before launch, as the confidence I have in the store has waned a little, but assurances have been made that they're working on this asap. It's these issues that leave a sour taste in what can otherwise mainly be described as "the most Rock Band that Rock Band has ever Rock Band-ed".
I'm not going to lie, Transformers Devastation was so much fun that it might as well have tattooed a smile on my face. From the moment the 80s themed main menu appeared to the sustained wails of the guitar solos over the ending credits, I was grinning like a Cheshire Cat. A couple of niggles in the game stopped me scoring it higher (the camera frustrations and the length are the two key things for me), but at it's core it's a very impressive game. It looks like the TV show, it sounds like the TV show (albeit one relayed via a Kerrang compilation), and it plays like Platinum's best. A fast paced, riotous action game that grabs hold of your nostalgia and refuses to let go until you're done, it's worthy of your time if you have even the slightest affinity for either these types of games or the Transformers license. It's just a shame there isn't more of it.
Black Ops III really is a mixed bag. On one hand you have possibly the best multiplayer experience since Call of Duty 4, with a strong set of maps and a hugely immersive Zombies campaign to go with it. It's just a shame that it's been let down by a campaign that has some great ideas, but doesn't know where to run with them. I'm sad to say that I think the days of the good Call of Duty campaign are behind us, with last year's decent outing being the exception. Still, there's a lot of content here. In terms of a multiplayer shooter, Black Ops III is easily the best that Activision has published in a long time. After being roped back on board the Call of Duty train last year, I think I might as well buy an Oyster Card at this point, because it has its hooks in me once again. Now if you'll excuse me, I'm off to play Call of Duty 4's campaign again.
All in all, Telltale's Game of Thrones: Season 1 is an intriguing story of a small house in the north, loyal to the Starks, in the aftermath of one of the most shocking moments in the entirety of the Game of Thrones story. Telltale's well-honed formula serves the story well, and the art style provides a welcome visual treat at times too. A fine blend of ups and downs sees the narrative canter at times, but occasionally start to struggle under its own complexity. Fortunately, it brings it all together in the end, although the typical question is raised of 'just how much did *I* influence the story?' at the end. Still, with my ending proving to be as fittingly grim as I'd expected, it's left me looking forward to the recently confirmed Season 2, even though I'm still trying to figure out exactly why I'm bothered about the Forresters.
I was worried for the return of Rainbow Six after the news that Patriots had been cancelled. Fortunately, Rainbow Six Siege is a fantastic entry in the series that has enough depth in its gameplay to keep things fresh each and every time you boot it up. It's currently my go-to multiplayer shooter, and that is genuinely not something I thought I'd be saying at the start of the year! Moment-to-moment gameplay is a real joy, and the balance is as close to perfect as you'd hope. I really wanted to score Siege higher, but Terrorist Hunt and Situations almost feel like an entirely different game because of the drop in frame rate, and there almost feels like a push toward microtransactions once you hit a certain point. It almost feels like Siege should've launched at £30. Still, if the promised free content is good and it can keep a good community, it'll be worth it in the end.
This War of Mine is strangely compelling, pulling you back day after day despite the unrelenting misery of the situations you find yourself in. Inspired by the real events of the Siege of Sarajevo during the Bosnian War in the nineteen-nineties, you know right off the bat that this is going to be a somewhat harrowing experience.
All in all, Not a Hero has some fantastic humour, brutal death animations (an achievement when done via pixels) and is pretty fun. You can easily spend a couple of hours trying to perfect a level, or you can kill a bit of time while you wait for your dinner to cook. It's not going to set the world on fire (As much as Bunny Lord would like to!), but it's not a regrettable purchase either.
The Witness, then, is an exploratory puzzle game with very limited mechanics and has the tendency to make you pull your hair out in frustration as you begin to reach the limits of your own comprehension. In spite of this, it is an excellently crafted world, with a huge amount of brain teasers to attempt. Some people may not like the lack of immediate feedback when making your way through some of the areas, but the varied nature in solving the puzzles that ultimately combine with each other in such a way make figuring out The Witness an experience without parallel.
If you're going to pick up XCOM 2 having never touched Enemy Unknown, then beware. It's not the happy-go-lucky strategy experience many games will offer, in fact I'd probably say this is the video game equivalent to S&M. It is brutal. It will raise you to the peak of mental ecstasy before your attempt at humanity's redemption comes crashing down around you in only a few turns, your squad returning to HQ a crippled, shambling mess, if they do indeed return at all. XCOM 2 will make you its bitch. And the best thing about it? It'll make you want to come back for more. And you'll love it.
If you've yet to pick up Heavy Rain, it's hard for me not to recommend as a curiosity. Released at a time when everything was getting increasingly more FPS centric, Heavy Rain made some bold leaps and for the most part, stuck the landing. Quite whether it all hangs together in 2016, though, it a subject that's up for debate. Personally, I think I'm enamoured with it enough to forgive its mis-steps, and even with very few changes outside of a sharpening up and new lights, it's well worth a pick up.
Lumo takes all of your rose-tinted memories of the isometric adventure genre and manages to faithfully re-create them – whilst making the much-needed changes that make going back to those old games so painful. True, some gamers won’t appreciate the soft touch, but Noyce caters for them too if they want more of a challenge.
Hitman's debut in 2016 is a fantastic starting point for this franchise reboot. Shaking off the mis-step that was Absolution has clearly not been easy, but Io have managed to create a brilliant sandbox that will allow you to dispatch of your target using methods from dropping a chandelier on their head (Del Boy would be proud), to blowing them away with an AK47, to making them throw up thanks to rat poison and then drowning them in the toilet bowl. Despite a particularly odd subplot that has almost literally been taken directly from the script of Zoolander, this first section of Hitman is the start of something beautiful. If Io can keep this up with the rest of the missions, then they've got a special game on their hands. Who's up for a trip to Sapienza next month?
A beautifully crafted and hugely enjoyable experience, Quantum Break is a fantastic addition to anyone's library. The lighting effects alone make any arguments about resolution dissipate, with a solid set of unique mechanics and breathtaking set-pieces that keep the game fresh and exciting. Whilst I had some issues streaming the show, the content within is in such good keeping with the game, that it's a minor blip on the radar when all is said and done. Microsoft's flirtation with the world of TV proved to be a bit of a flop, but for the most part, Remedy have somehow managed to nail it.
Trillion: God of Destruction is a disappointing effort for a handheld game. Incredibly lengthy cut scenes interspersed with relatively short battles, clunky control systems and laughable hyper-sexualised characters ensure that a title with such promise never really gets past its initial confusion. The quality of the 2D artwork is fantastic, but the leap to 3D doesn’t quite work all of the time, and somehow feels lacking. A great idea that’s been sorely mistreated, with very little actual gameplay on display.
Building on practically every single area of the Paris level, Sapienza is simply breathtaking. A living, breathing seaside town, it’s a beautifully crafted arena for precision strikes from whatever weapon you decide to use. A neat secondary objective to bring in a fresh gameplay element, and the sheer variety of methods to dispatch your two targets is simply mind boggling. A delightfully twisted sense of humour ties the whole package together, with some of the approaches to assassination proving to be genuine laugh out loud moments, Sapienza is a fantastic follow up to Paris, and I can’t wait to see what happens next month.