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Given how easy it is for the Mortal Kombat series to fall into the habit of employing over convoluted mechanics to the point where it isn’t fun to play anymore, Mortal Kombat X is a triumph.
Final Fantasy: Type-0 HD has all the makings of a great Final Fantasy game – namely a lack of fear to let go of everything previously established in other Final Fantasy games and offer a unique experience.
Battlefield: Hardline offers both returning and new players a slightly more fresh take on the classic Battlefield formula. But where the game delves into new territory, it often returns to the classic formula after getting cold feet. The strongest points of Hardline are when the game tries to be something different, but the fallbacks to old ways are where the game keeps itself from being great, rather than just good.
Resident Evil: Revelations 2 does a great job at attempting to blend the old style of Resident Evil with the new ones.
Ori and the Blind Forest may reinvent the wheel when it comes to gameplay, but it always aspires to do what it does best, and succeeds on almost every one of these fronts. Taking ques from the best titles in the genre, the best elements of the genre are present in this artistic, well-written and well-designed title. Wether you're a fan of the genre, want a challenging game or just want a well-refined emotional story, Ori and the Blind Forest has a little bit to offer everyone.
ScreamRide brings some of the most fun sections of the Rollercoaster-game formula into a mix of destruction and adrenaline, which is incredibly fun if that's your thing. The problem with ScreamRide in the end is the fact that it does feel like a much smaller game than it's advertised to be, and whilst it's solid, it's definitely not worth the advertised $40 price tag.
Undoubtedly Dead or Alive 5: Last Round’s strongest selling points are its gameplay and its goofiness.
The Escapists is an interesting concept and one that works well as a game. The visual style’s colourful and cute nature juxtaposed with the violent and gritty subject matter gives the game a dark comedy vibe not unlike games like Worms and Flockers.
Grim Fandango has a style of gameplay that isn't for everyone, but if you're into that sort of thing, or if you're simply riding along for the story, you're in for a great and well-written adventure that is certainly worth the price of admission.
From a narrative standpoint, Dead Kings is one of the lesser iterations in the franchise, even considering it's only downloadable content. However, when it comes to gameplay and graphics the DLC seems to provide a fair amount of fun and intuitive gameplay that will keep fans busy for a short while longer.
LittleBigPlanet 3 may not be perfect on a technical level, but the story and amazing level editing tools are pretty amazing once you get the hang of it. The game has a little bit in it for everyone, and there simply aren't that many games that nail the Play.Create.Share concept as much as LittleBigPlanet.
The problems Destiny has are not rectified by the DLC, but nor are they intensified.
If I had to describe Never Alone succinctly – I’d say that its intentions are pure but that it falls flat in its execution.
Rockstar's current-generation release of Grand Theft Auto V doesn't reinvent the wheel, but it does improve it to a state where we can definitely call if the definitive edition on consoles. Its graphical and gameplay improvements make the game a much better product overall, and Rockstar seems to have put a lot of work into this rendition rather than delivering a straight port. It remains to be seen whilst remaining players will want to upgrade to this version, but newcomers will definitely be in for a delight. Its only drawback is the fact that GTA Online seems a tad bit lacking at times and doesn't always perform as it should, which puts this game at a hair-length from a perfect score.
Assassin’s Creed: Unity is an evolution of the franchise’s core in every way, but its next step into the next generation is a problematic one. Whilst Unity offers an amazing environment, great gameplay and a great atmosphere, its technical issues hold this good game from being great. Unity may not be the most stable and technically-refined title on current generation hardware, but once you overlook technical difficulties and its lackluster narrative, you'll without a doubt have an amazing time with it.
With Advanced Warfare, Sledgehammer Games has proven that it can stand on its own legs when developing a Call of Duty title. The game introduces some new and fun concepts, and is a step in the right direction. The game has made leaps forward in a lot of departements, but there are still ways to go when it comes to software design. Ultimately Advanced Warfare is a great title worth playing, but a troubled one none the less.
Just Dance 2015 is a pretty admirable improvement over Just Dance 2014. Ubisoft have done a lot of work in making sure that not only the set list has not only been refreshed but that there’s multiple new modes to attempt, including a great variety of both active and passive multiplayer.
The Legend of Korra is a sound adaptation of the cartoon it’s based on. It has all the hallmarks of the original series, including a distinct visual style and incorporation of elemental bending into its gameplay, but it feels much too shallow to elevate itself beyond anything more than passable.
Project Spark is a product, or experience, or whatever you want to call it that I am not really comfortable giving a numerical score to. It’s a tool that lets you make any kind of game experience whether it be something as simple as a piano keyboard or minesweeper to something more intricately built like a Zelda clone or a stealth action adventure game.
Middle-earth: Shadow of Mordor may be one of the biggest surprises this year so far. Offering incredibly robust and fun gameplay, along with a detailed world of lore and characters this title doesn't only have the right to be called a great Lord of the Rings game, but a great game in its own right. Its only drawback is that it may be held back somewhat in favour of cross-generation programming.