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Though not as thematically strong as its predecessor, Wolfenstein: The Old Blood still provides solid gameplay. The stealth and shooting mechanics are strong enough to create a great experience. The compromise between old and new mechanics in regards to health and weapon handling still feels fresh, while the AI battles remain exhilarating. The length and presentation value are also good, so fans of The New Order will really appreciate The Old Blood.
Batman: Arkham Knight is an awesome game that's held back by some forced design decisions. It's brimming with detail, polished to a fault, and has some of the best gaming moments of the year. The improved combat and predator systems are worth the cost of entry, and a lot of the core combat mechanics are still the best in the genre. Unfortunately, it's held back by a somewhat weak Batmobile mechanic and a lackluster plot. There is still tons to like here, and fans of the previous Arkham games will find a lot to love. It's a fitting end to the trilogy, and it's a great sendoff to the Rocksteady Batman games.
When all is said and done, LEGO Jurassic World is still going to appeal to fans of the LEGO franchise, but it's not going to impress them. This is a by-the-numbers game that doesn't bring anything new to the table. Unless you've played through all of the other LEGO games or are a massive dinosaur fan, there is no reason to buy LEGO Jurassic World at full price. Wait for a sale on this one, and save your pennies for LEGO Dimensions.
A competitive, online-only game is a difficult thing to design, as it is as much reliant on an active player base as it is on the game. With Heroes of the Storm, Blizzard seems to have succeeded on both fronts. The game is appealing to both casual and hardcore players, seamlessly splitting them into different player groups. If you've never given a MOBA a try, Heroes of the Storm is the perfect entry point.
Shovel Knight is a modern classic that takes the 2-D platforming genre and modernizes it. There are minor complaints here and there, but they're easily overlooked when you're having so much fun playing the game. The PlayStation 4 version runs perfectly, and since it's a cross-buy with the Vita version, it helps to make it feel well worth the $14.99 price tag. If you're a fan of Mega Man-style platformers or are looking for something that's both challenging and fair, Shovel Knight is a worthy purchase.
The low price point and episodic release of Resident Evil: Revelations 2 don't hide its status as a budget title. It has its strengths, including some pretty cool monster design and fun puzzles, but by and large, almost everything it does has been done better by another RE title. RE fans will enjoy themselves, but otherwise, there isn't a ton to boost Revelations 2 above its predecessor. It's not a bad game, but it lacks any real strengths. The Raid mode is the meat of the game, but it can only hold one's interest for so long.
Oceanhorn: Monster of Uncharted Seas is a pleasantly surprising homage to a classic adventure series. It may not bring anything new to the table, but its mimicking of old mechanics and ideas are done well enough that you can forgive it. The game length is good, the presentation is close to excellent, and the gameplay issues you'll encounter are minimal. For those who want an adventure reminiscent of the classics, Oceanhorn fits the bill nicely.
Taken as a whole, Massive Chalice is basically tactical strategy "lite." It is easy to pick up and play, and there are enough varied elements to keep veterans of the genre interested, but it doesn't break any new ground. If it were a $60 game, Massive Chalice wouldn't hold up, but as a $20 game, it fits the bill nicely. This isn't a title that is going to compete head-to-head with the next XCOM, but it is a good way to pass the time while you wait for XCOM 2.
Game of Thrones: Episode 4 - Sons of Winter is the first episode to end with both intrigue and satisfaction. Though the stories are far from finished, there's finally a feeling that the characters have progressed in positive ways. Only Gared's tale comes off as bland this time, but the interactivity of his episode makes up for it, and you get the sense that he's closer to his promised land. With only two more episodes to go, things will pick up rather quickly, and the wait for the next episode is going to be more excruciating than ever.
It says a lot for The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt that, warts and all, it's absolutely one of the most full-featured, fun and top-notch RPGs I've ever played. For every moment of frustration, there are 10 that make it all worthwhile. The story, characters and world are simply enjoyable, and it's a clear example of what an RPG should be. There's so much to do, and almost all of it is interesting. You could ignore the main plot, just do the monster-hunting side-quests, and still get your money's worth from the game, and that's one of the highest recommendations I can give. If you're an RPG fan, you owe it to yourself to give The Witcher 3 a shot. It rivals the best that Bethesda and Bioware have to offer, and you'll be hard-pressed to find a better RPG this year.
L.A. Cops is a sloppy game. The controls lack finesse in almost all areas, and the shooting is randomized enough to feel unsatisfying. The AI is a joke on both sides, so the strategic aspect of the game is a moot point. The theme feels wasted, and the graphical flourishes that were intended to make the game feel lively end up being distracting instead. The sound is the only saving grace, and even then, you may tire of it due to the amount of times you'll need to replay levels — and not by choice. Unless it receives an influx of patches to fix a bevy of issues, there's little reason to check out this title.
Story of Seasons is a solid entry into the Bokujou Monogatari franchise. It doesn't reinvent the wheel, but it's full of content, and almost all of it is fun. It has a few flaws, and poor optimization and a slow early-game progression curve drag down the experience. Once you past that, though, it's just plain fun. Whether you're wooing bachelors, raising parrots or planting crops, you have a near-infinite amount of stuff to do. It can get a bit grindy at times, but there's nothing more rewarding than selling your farmed tomatoes and watching the cash roll in. Story of Seasons is easily the best of the Harvest Moon games available on the 3DS, and it's a great entry for fans and newcomers alike. It isn't for everyone, but if you're looking to till soil instead of kill monsters, Story of Seasons is a great candidate.
If you can hunt down a demo or rental, giving it a chance isn't a waste of time. There are enough positives so it's worth a look, even if I doubt most will want to see the game through to completion. I'd love to see developer Acquire refocus its efforts into something more substantial, and I hopefully the lackluster combat here remains the exception, and not the rule, for future Acquire-developed titles.
The presentation could be better, but the mechanics are so solid that most players won't mind the flat appearance and audio. For those looking for a punishing version of Puzzle Quest, Ironcast is it.
With all of its content and features, Devil Survivor 2: Record Breaker is the definitive version of the game. It's a well-made strategy-RPG that fans of the genre will enjoy. The Triangulum arc is a significant addition to any already lengthy game. In the long run, though, most of the new features are not worth buying the game on its own. If you're a fan of the original Devil Survivor 2 and want to re-experience the original or if you're a newcomer, it's a fantastic purchase. Those in it just for the new Triangulum arc may want to wait for a price drop, since the arc alone isn't meaty enough for a full $50 purchase.
In the end, Guns, Gore & Cannoli is a pretty good side-scrolling shoot-em-up. The action is intense and challenging due to the mob mentality of the enemies and the sheer quantity of foes. The gunplay is solid, so each gun feels useful, and the gameplay flow is just right, whether you're playing solo or with others. If you can live with some projectile and platforming flaws and are a fan of the classic side-scrolling, run-and-gun titles, you'll have some fun with Guns, Gore & Cannoli.
In the end, Paperbound is a good game if you enjoy local multiplayer action. The core mechanics provide a good amount of chaos and strategy while remaining fun for players of all skill types. Though the modes don't seem to have much variance, the gameplay is solid enough that few will find the lack of variety to be detrimental, and the presentation is distinct enough to stand out in what is starting to be a rather crowded fighting sub-genre. The lack of a true single-player mode and online multiplayer hurts the game when you compare it to other titles, but if you play lots of local multiplayer anyway, you and your friends will have plenty of fun with Paperbound.
I am hopeful that given time, the multiplayer portion will become a better experience. Its status does little to detract from the single-player portion of the game, which is finally free from the shackles of console-based hardware. The title is a beauty to behold when it's cranked up all the way, and it'll likely run on a pretty wide range of hardware. The PC version may not have any new content, but it hits the platform in an extremely polished way. It won't change your mind about the game if you've already played it on another platform, but it certainly cements itself as a fantastic version of an entertaining game.
Tower of Guns is a nice application of the roguelike formula to the first-person shooter genre. The old-school mechanics fit in well with the game's pure randomization to create an addictive experience no matter how many times you go through it. Though the title could use some more variety in enemy types and boss fights and the presentation could be a little better, there's no denying that the experience is fun enough to constantly beckon for just one more round. If you don't mind mindless shooting, Tower of Guns comes highly recommended.
Overall, Mortal Kombat X is great. The small improvements in the fighting system make a huge difference for the better, and the new fighters feel like they fit perfectly with the old cast. Despite missing a few modes and features, this is still one of the most packed fighting games as far as content goes, with enough hooks beyond the Story mode to keep players engaged. More improvements need to be made to the online performance, however, and the constant presence and reminders to purchase DLC characters can be off-putting.