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If you've enjoyed FIFA before, 15 is a strong year, and you'll likely get your money's worth.
With Defense Grid 2, you get a solid console edition of a tower defense game that you very well could be replaying for years to come. The story is worth-while, the balance of tower types, upgrades, and aliens gives you a lot to test your skills against. I thoroughly enjoyed this game because it took what all of us are familiar with in tower defense and made each aspect smarter, higher quality, and better than the usual fare. Now can I go play it some more?
Overall, there is simply too much to cover in Shadow of Mordor and this is one of its greatest assets. As you progress through the game things expand exponentially, giving more room to play around in, but on a learning curve that is paced out perfectly. Fantasy fans will probably owe it to themselves to give Shadow of Mordor a shot, especially if they are fans of Tolkien's work. If you are not overly familiar with the lore from the books and movies, you may find it difficult to appreciate most of the content available here, but you will still find a fantastically fun fantasy action title with a robust amount of content, with some familiar core gameplay.
Overall, though, Anomaly 2 builds off the first Anomaly with some fresh, new ideas, and is an intelligent, strategic game with plenty of replayability value. It is not perfect by any means, but for the price ($14.99), it is a pretty fun game.
So you get almost the same game as before, with a couple of bonus tracks. The gameplay remains the same, but the graphics have been upgraded to 1080p at 60 frames-per-second. But with the painful omission of custom soundtracks, there is little incentive to re-visit the game once you've completed it, and even less after you collect all the stars in the campaign (which will be quite a challenge nonetheless). If you've never played the game before and currently do most of your gaming on the PS4, then at $9.99 it's an easy buy for rhythm game fans. Here's hoping a PS4 firmware update coupled with a title update will enable custom soundtracks, or at least for some DLC tracks.
As someone who plays every NHL yearly release all year long, it is unfortunate to see just how badly this has gone. I can somewhat understand taking out 6v6 online play if it wasn't ready, but taking out features in Be a GM or making Be a Pro completely unplayable is just ridiculous. If you are not a hockey fan at all but you want to slap around a few pucks, this might be the game for you. However, with all the lost features and left out modes, NHL fans might want to wait until everything is patched in to jump on this ship. EA Sports: it's in the game… eventually.
Destiny is a great prologue, but it is still just a prologue. It's like telling somebody all about Middle Earth; the races, the lands, the set up for the story, but not telling them of Bilbo's adventures in The Hobbit or the fellowship's journey in The Lord of the Rings. While it is not the story, there is a certain pull to Destiny that keeps me coming back for more. Bungie have created something special that I think we will see continue to bloom in their persistent support of the game. Destiny is organic in presentation and execution, and like going on a hike on your favorite trail, is never quite the same each time you play. I am still having a ton of fun in this world and can see myself getting many more hours of fun in the weeks and months to come.
Minecraft PS4 Edition is a tried-and-true game in a solid console format. Couch co-op is extremely fun and easy to jump into, — it's like the video game version of the perfect playground. It's a game unlike any other for the PS4. Countless activities await you, and you never know what could happen. Dig in, and watch out for creepers!
Warriors Orochi 3 Ultimate takes the game fans enjoyed on the PlayStation 3, adds the Duel mode and other characters from the Wii U Hyper port, and then throws in a bunch of new content in the form of the rewarding Gauntlet mode. Group all of that in a shinier, faster, more action-filled package, and you have yourself a winning port and expansion in one. It may still be more or less the same combat as any Warriors game preceding it, but new tweaks here and there do help to change things up in fun ways. If you're new to the series, this is as good a time as any to dive right into things (though you'll want to stay at the Normal difficulty level or lower!). If you previously bought the game on the PS3 or Wii U, this upgrade will likely tide you over until a proper "next-gen" release, which should be here before you know it. Once again, I have been pleasantly surprised by Omega Force.
Most games I have been playing lately can't even begin to match the velocity of this game (no pun intended, it's the perfect word!). I could almost feel the wind in my face as I played it. I was even compelled to redo some of the levels that felt really fluid to me, just to see if I could do it even more flawlessly. I wanted to feel that rush once I got each section down, and I truly think this game is meant to be played fluidly, especially the side-scrolling sections. The joy of running through the entire level, shooting and phasing perfectly, without stopping to catch my breath, was immense. You'd think the scenes between each level would be a nice rest, but they were like a fleet-footed jig in between mad break-dancing. They did a great job at smoothly connecting the gameplay parts of the game to the story parts so it doesn't seem forced or unrealistic. Velocity 2X is a game that, once you play a bit, guides you into a sort of rhythm. Much like music games, it's a very seductive effect.
Fetch's story is a great tale of family bonds, hard times, and gives a much deeper look at a character that didn't get nearly enough exposition in Second Son. The focus on neon powers alone doesn't limit Fetch at all and a hefty set of challenges make First Light plenty to hold inFAMOUS fans over until we get the inevitable next game in the series. There isn't enough different here to convince anyone who didn't like Second Son, but for gamers who enjoyed Delsin's story, First Light feels like a more focused title, and adds greatly to what was already an awesome open world superhero series.
Overall my time with Metro Redux was enjoyable. Metro 2033 does feel like it was the first attempt at creating something special, and it almost got there. Metro Last Light is easily the full realization of the story and is an overall more enjoyable experience. But, since both titles are included in this bundle, players will be able to get the full picture from beginning to end with enough content and replay value to be worth the asking price and then some.
2014/15 is a good season for Madden. The defensive play and depth of control in each mode makes this a game that should reward series fans for a long time coming. It's also a good looking effort on the PlayStation 4. Superstar Mode is still a no show in the way it used to be, but the Connected Careers stuff encourages play with friends in a big way. If you have friends that dig Madden, Madden NFL 15 should be a good time. It's not a constant hit, but its success is strong.
I really enjoyed this game because it has a lot of historical commentary delivered with subtle humor, and the unique DEFCON system challenges you to be smart about how you complete each mission. Playing as a spy who doesn't align with either side and also questions the agency he works for makes for an engaging PSN title. CounterSpy touches on the gravity of the cold war while presenting it in a polished game that many will enjoy, if they choose to accept the mission.
Plants vs. Zombies: Garden Warfare is a game that should not go unappreciated. There's a little something for everyone here and even if you don't particularly enjoy online shooters, you ought to give this one a shot. While the lack of a more robust split-screen and internet requirements may turn some people away, but I urge these small factors not to impact your decision to check this game out. It is an amazingly fast, fun, and deep title, and with persistent support going forward, I can only see Plants vs. Zombies: Garden Warfare continuing to get better for the community.
This is the best version of Diablo III, possibly anywhere. Sure, it may look better on PCs with high-end graphics cards, but you can't beat the control scheme and accessibility of the console version. Touting improved graphics, little to no load times, and extra content, Diablo III: Reaper of Souls Ultimate Evil Edition is a must-have for any RPG fan, whether you've played previous entries in the series or not.
For a game that I knew nothing about until maybe a few days before release, The Last Tinker: City of Colors really did surprise and impress me, even with some of it's hiccups. What you have is a colorful and vibrant world full of cute inhabitants, quirky moments, and a great done soundtrack that do enough to keep you interested. This is the perfect example of a game that you could called a jack of all trades but a master of none. The combat, platforming, and puzzle solving are all serviceable game play elements that function well without being spectacular. Each section is just good enough. With over 10+ hours of game play, it is longer than I expected but has almost zero replay value to speak of. The Last Tinker: City of Colors is a throw back game that provides gamers with a simple approach to fun and it works.
I enjoyed the idea of Surgeon Simulator, but the difficulty made the game futile more than entertaining. Flinging internal organs about was fun (and quite disgusting), but I personally can't think of anyone I know who would enjoy trying so hard to score decently on a game like this for all of the many levels– except maybe my crazy husband. Even with its frustrations, I'm glad I own it, played it, and can refer to it as a "hilarious, crazy video game" in conversation.
Hohokum is a great, joyous escape into a well-polished, artistic video game. I felt very happy playing it. I felt an innocent kinship with my fellow eye-kite beings, and I had fun trying to find them. Over the course of playing the game, you gain a simple respect for adventure with friends. Any screenshot taken from this game could serve as a desktop background, and any person could find something to like from the many worlds, sounds, and little narratives. Hohokum is a game of many colors.
Road Not Taken proved to be a very unique game for its genre, or genres actually. The interesting marriage of what could feel like a mobile title, with the punishing difficulty and creative narrative of a console indie makes Road Not Taken a great game to have in your PS4 library. Also, in the Book of Secrets, this is the note under goat says "Goats eat flowers and then poop. Why? Because they are goats. Stop trying to change the world," and how can you go wrong with that?