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MotoGP 14 is a competent MotoGP racing game. Milestone S.rl. knows their target demographic, and mostly knows what they want to see. There's not much fluff to this game; it's simply you, a bike, and the track. Crank up the physics, and the road becomes less forgiving. Turn off assists and crank the physics up, and you better know the track like the back of your hand, or else you will perform poorly, crash, or worse. However, racing games are held to a very high immersion standard these days, and MotoGP 14 fails to do so in several key areas. The graphics don't impress very much, despite higher-resolution textures being favored over a higher frame rate. The cockpit view still feels just like a floating camera, and all the bikes sound identical. The career mode is a fun way to progress from the weaker Moto3 bikes to the scary-powerful MotoGP ones, at least, but even that experience is a bit dulled as you don't earn money, only fans and parts. At a full asking price of $60, this is a tough sell to anyone who is not a hardcore MotoGP/AMA fan.
With Unity, I felt like I was playing Assassin's Creed 1 and 2 again, with improvements that made sense to the series as opposed to the odd additions that strayed too far from the creed. The entire experience was enrapturing, and the odd skating citizens in crowds were not enough to deter me from thoroughly loving every moment that I spent with Arno. I don't give Assassin's Creed Unity a perfect score lightly, but a return to the core of the series and a strengthening of those central pillars makes Unity shine like the glint of a well polished hidden blade and stay true to the creed.
In the end, Lords of the Fallen does manage to land in the "respectful homage" category, but only by a hair. I had fun, which is what counts, but unlike with Dark Souls, I'd be hard pressed to play a sequel that basically amounts to an evolution of the same formula. If Namco Bandai is serious about Lords of the Fallen as a franchise, its going to need to devote some serious polish and brainstorming toward a sequel. In the meantime, though, this first game is undeniably worth experiencing for its graphics and handful of unique strengths alone — just don't expect it to transport you to another world.
If you enjoy humor and pint-sized heroes, grab this game.
Ultimately, Call of Duty: Advanced Warfare is one of the best iterations in the franchise, as it has found a way to reinvigorate its gameplay mechanics without deviating away from what has kept the series so strong over the years. Very little of the game feels lacking, as even though the story is standard fare for most military shooters, its presentation takes it quite far. Multiplayer is generally the heart and soul of FPS games like these, and even there Advanced Warfare keeps things fresh and with enough genuine content to keep players playing longer than ever before. Fans of the series will feel just at home with the new gameplay mechanics after a few rounds, and FPS fans who may be tired of the old formula will find about as drastic of a change as possible without the series losing its namesake.
NBA Live 15 brings the franchise back onto the court with authority and takes the game successfully into the next generation of gaming. While the game isn't perfect, it is clearly ready to take on all comers and creates a firm foundation for EA to build upon for years to come.
They say if it ain't broke, don't fix it, and Just Dance is a series that remains the same at its very core simply because it works. It's a fun party game. It's simple and gets you right into the music and playing the game without a complicated mess of menus. It lets you just dance without any other worry. In some respects, that simplicity is a great thing. In others, it almost feels like a blind eye is being turned on some additional features and aspects that could really help to elevate the series. Even simple things like difficulty ratings are left out. Despite these misgivings, Just Dance 2015 does what it aims to do with a flourish in its step, and if the dancing is good, do we really need much else?
Between the game's graphics, gameplay, and $40 price tag, Shadow Warrior is a definite buy. It offers hours of gory, hack-and-slash fighting, and focuses on just being a really fun game. If you are looking for developed characters or a story you can really get into, Shadow Warrior might not be for you. But, if you just want to kill hordes of enemies in brutal ways, you should probably pick up a copy.
Fluster Cluck seemed like it might be fun and have potential as a party game, but I would honestly be more embarrassed to load this up and try to convince people to play it. Some people may be attracted to its simplicity and quick nature, but the frustration will quickly set in as the floaty controls, lackluster design, and poor explanation of the gameplay become apparent. You can buy a lot of things with $9, but Fluster Cluck shouldn't be one of them.
I loved Sleeping Dogs the first time around. As a fan, there's not enough in the Definitive Edition to call it "Definitive." It's adequate, and it's overpriced especially given the fact that the exact same game is selling for half the cost on PCs.
If you haven't been keeping up with the series, I am happy to report that a lot of the game's references are to the first handful of seasons. A couple are from the first episode, in fact! There are a couple of newer episodes thrown in, but for the most part the missions revolve around the staples of the franchise. For $5, you get two tables rich in the venerable animated show's hijinks. Everyone's favorite character is likely featured here, and there is a lot of challenge to be found. If you're a fan of the series and enjoy pinball, buy it!
Overall, Styx: Master of Shadows is a great game that completely took me by surprise. It is strategic, intelligent, and offers players hours and hours of sneaky gameplay. Although the game does have a cookie-cutter story and some goofy voice acting, it is a great buy for the $30 price tag. I recommend picking up a copy if you have ever played Of Orcs and Men or are a fan of stealth games.
While The Evil Within doesn't quite reach the iconic Resident Evil 4's level of brilliance or scariness, this is a satisfyingly gruesome adventure. Playing on Survival difficulty or higher is a true challenge, and you need to make quick decisions about which enemies to take out first, when to run and hide, and which crossbow bolts to make in semi-real time. The story is pretty convoluted, and you don't really become attached to most characters, but ultimately this is a very well-done survival horror game with stealth elements mixed in for good measure. The Evil Within is a great game for the Halloween crowd, and has some added replayability in the form of a New Game+. This is an easy buy for all horror fans, and is a game that should not be missed by those who want a challenge.
While NBA 2K15 is not perfect, it's still a playable NBA game that does a lot of things well.
If you can look past the technical hiccups, this is a challenging and entertaining horror game, irrespective of any franchise tie-in. Alien: Isolation reminds us what it means to be playing a survival horror game, with a heavy emphasis on survival. With amazing ambiance, a slow, high-tension pace, and even a decent use of the DualShock 4 and PlayStation Camera, The Creative Assembly has delivered a gem of a movie-based game, a feat that is seldom seen in this industry. This is a welcome addition to the horror genre, and the Alien series.
Ultimately, DriveClub has been able to hold my attention for a lengthy period of time and will continue to do so as long as it is supported with new content and given that this PlayStation-exclusive is already lined up to come out with new cars, events and customization rewards, as well as free track updates, I should be good for some time to come. So racing fans who are not looking for a sim racer, but are wanting a robust driving game to compete with friends against, should give this one a spin.
While I loved getting that classic RPG nostalgia, much of the game found certain levels of tedium that quickly drove the experience of Pier Solar from nostalgia to a chore. Whether it was finding the correct path to take, healing after battles, or finding myself fighting the same set of enemies repeatedly, the lacking narrative and characters did little to drive me through the overly tedious moments. Pier Solar HD has a lot of potential, and fans of the classic 16-bit RPG may find a lot to love in a game that abandons a lot of the more modern day conventions that we see in games, but don't be surprised if you find that classic feeling starting to hide behind all of the little problems that litter the playing field.
Chariot is a great addition to my co-op game library, but alone it becomes tiresome.The physics are really new and figuring out the puzzles is entertaining. It has a lot to offer with 25 massive levels, and high replayability with alternate entrances and exits, collectibles, and speed run challenges for each level. The scope of Chariot is much larger than I would have initially imagined, but trying to take on everything it includes can be exhausting. I wouldn't recommend this experience for anyone without a co-op companion, but if you're itching for more couch co-operative games to play, Chariot is an awesome two player adventure.
In the end, Futuridium EP Deluxe is a wildly difficult and repetitive game. It manages to stay fairly interesting by allowing players to change songs and unlock new gameplay modes and skins, but in the end players end up repeating the same levels over and over again with no variation in them. The game's $10 price tag makes it buy-able, but you should still consider whether or not they want to spend $10 on Futuridium EP Deluxe or simply rent a movie for the PS Store. You might actually get a lot more out of the movie.
Essentially, this is the same game as before. If you've sold off your PS3 and want to play this game again, then it's a complete package for $14.99. If, however, you are content with playing this on your older console or Vita, then it is kind of hard to recommend for this price. If there were a discount for existing customers, this would be an easier sell. With that exception aside, though, if you never picked up the game and want to play the ultimate version, then by all means plop down the cash! The game runs more smoothly, looks better, and even incorporates the DualShock 4 controller's speaker to comical effect. CastleStorm remains loads of fun and as challenging as you let it become. Just don't forget to send some troops out there!