Worth Playing
HomepageWorth Playing's Reviews
Super Snow Fight is a fun but shallow experience. By their very nature, snowball fights are fun, and the addition of power-ups adds a nice twist. The arenas don't do much since there are so few of them, and with no differences in characters, the game can quickly get tedious. Still, it is enjoyable for quick sessions, more so if you haven't unlocked everything the game has to offer. It makes for quick holiday-themed fun, but it won't overthrow other heavy-hitting local multiplayer games anytime soon.
Earth Defense Force 4.1: The Shadow of New Despair isn't a game for those who want to be dazzled by graphics. It may be impressive in terms of how many enemies can be on-screen in relation to their size, but issues like screen tearing and unstable frame rate don't exactly make it showcase material. It also isn't a game for those who want a deep narrative, as the simple setup is undermined by dialogue that makes you scratch your head. It is, however, a game built on mindless fun, and it delivers that in spades, even if some may say it feels like a slog at times. There isn't much here for Earth Defense Force 2025 players, especially since it doesn't include the three previously released DLC packs, but new players will fall in love with this title almost immediately.
Dinox is as basic of a trivia game as you can get. Aside from the "Walking with Dinosaurs" clips that are thrown around before every question, there's no real flash to get those who aren't particularly interested or versed in the subject matter to give the game a shot. The difficulty levels seem to have no bearing on the questions, and neither do the video clips. It's an inexpensive game at $5, but unless you are a real big dinosaur fan, it's easy to skip it.
Baseball Riot's changes over Tennis in the Face make it more challenging, but the level of fun you'll have with the title remains the same. Levels are well designed even if some can be frustrating to wade through, and the enemies are nicely varied even if there aren't too many changes. The idea of grinding to unlock stages can be a turn-off for some, and there might not be enough variation for Tennis in the Face players to give this a spin, but for those who only have an Xbox One, this is a pretty good puzzle game for the $5 price tag.
Fat Princess Adventures is a great entry into the hack-and-slash genre for those who don't necessarily want something sprawling. The lack of deeper mechanics and loot is compensated by a fun combat system that feels good whether you're playing multiplayer or solo. The ability to change classes at any time is great for those who want variety or are undecided, and the game's length is breezy enough to feel satisfying. Overall, those looking for a fun break from the likes of Diablo III on the system will find Fat Princess Adventures to be a nice alternative.
Helldivers is a very good game. The focus on being a more strategic top-down shooter gives it an identity, as does the high mortality rate due to friendly fire. Whether you play solo or with friends, the game remains exciting once you gain access to more guns and stratagems. Though the missions can quickly become repetitive, the contributions made to an overall goal keep things enticing. For those wanting a slightly different top-down shooter, Helldivers is well worth checking out.
Darksiders II: Deathinitive Edition is much like Dishonored: Definitive Edition released just a few months ago. Despite it being a few years old, it remains a very good representative of its genre and is even excellent in a few areas. With all of the included DLC, there's a good amount of gameplay and value, and the revamped way it applies the DLC to the game is novel enough to force everyone to experience the content as it was meant to be. The move to a more powerful console doesn't translate into extreme visual changes, though, and those expecting a frame rate bump will be disappointed. For those who have yet to experience the title on the PC or previous generation of consoles, this is still worth checking out.
Steamworld Dig was a fun romp, but Steamworld Heist shows that Image & Form isn't a one-trick pony. Steamworld Heist is one of the most enjoyable budget RPGs I've ever played. It's accessible, fast-paced and balanced. Only a lackluster story and some minor complaints about the combat hold it back, and neither is more than a minor blemish. If you're at all looking for a handheld take on the tactical RPG genre, you'll have a hard time finding a better example than Steamworld Heist. The $20 price tag might seem high, but Heist is enjoyable enough to justify it.
And yet, it sometimes doesn't seem like enough. As intricate as the multiplayer is, the lack of a true campaign or other content beyond terrorist hunt leaves the entire Rainbow Six Siege package of offerings feeling somewhat light, especially in comparison to something like Call of Duty: Black Ops III, which has a campaign and zombies to go along with its signature shooter experience. The same goes for the Halo series, which was built on the backbone of a space odyssey while also forging a multiplayer identity. It's not a question of quality with Siege but a question of value, and for players like me, sometimes the question is harder to answer than it should be.
Just Cause 3 really serves its fan base. It delivers on the cavalcade of destruction with a few new tools to make it fun. It also does this in a rather large open world that is more populated than before but not interestingly so. It can start to feel monotonous after a while, and the presentation may not exactly be top-notch stuff, but the load times really dampen the experience. If you can live with all of that and just want some mindless gaming fun, Just Cause 3 fits the bill.
NHL 16 feels like what NHL 15 should have been. The gameplay remains largely the same, but there is at least some effort to get newcomers more familiar with the mechanics. All of the modes are back and fully intact, while the presentation is solid save for a few hitches here and there. It would be nice to see something that's actually new, but considering how bare the previous entry was, getting these modes back is a good start.
Farming Simulator 15: Gold Edition can be something of a guilty pleasure for some players. It isn't the deepest when it comes to handling the business side of farming or dealing with animals. It's also rather sterile when it comes to making the levels feel alive. What it does provide, though, is the chance to drive around lots of farming equipment to provide a strangely calming experience. Those starting the game for the first time will feel helpless without external guides, but for fans of the series, the Gold Edition provides just enough to justify picking up the expansion while keeping everything that attracted fans in the first place.
Compared to last year's iteration, NBA Live 16 is merely a slight improvement compared to that game's larger overhaul. Though the other modes have received little to no attention this time, the inclusion of Pro-Am injects some fun into the series. The presentation is fine, but the flaws are becoming more apparent as some elements remain unchanged. The gameplay still needs some work, especially on the defensive side, but at least those who lean toward offensive play have a few new weapons in their arsenal. The series still isn't a real competitor to the other basketball series, but the potential is there. How long it'll take before it reaches that potential remains to be seen, especially since we expected that to occur in this year's version.
Ride represents an attempt at continuing where Tourist Trophy left off two console generations ago. The focus on more sim-based motorcycle racing and the attention paid to the bikes is great for fans of two-wheeled vehicles. However, its technical issues really hinder the enjoyment, and what's left is further marred by other problems that would turn away any motorcycle game novices. For now, only die-hard motorcycle fans should give this a rental; everyone else should wait until a sequel can hopefully polish up these shortcomings.
Bloodborne: The Old Hunters is a solid and enjoyable expansion that adds some much-needed new content to the game in exactly the right places. The addition of extra weapons helps flesh out repeated playthroughs, and the new enemies and new challenges should provide a welcome burst of excitement to those who've long since worn out their runthroughs of chalice dungeons and New Game+. There's a tons of content both remixed and new in The Old Hunters, and it's a delight. The price tag is high, but Bloodborne fans will easily find $20 worth of fun in this new release.
Battlefront is a Star Wars game first and foremost, and its second priority is being a game for shooter fans. Those who enjoyed the original trilogy will be thrilled to see an AT-AT downed by Rebel snowspeeders or Darth Vader appearing on the horizon with lightsaber ignited. Those more interested in a meaty multiplayer shooter may want to look elsewhere.
In the end, Fallout 4 is essentially Fallout 3 with a few more features and tweaks. That isn't a dig at the game, but that's what most fans of the series will think. The experience is top-notch, as few developers try to pull off something this large and immersive, and fewer still ever do it right. Even with the bugs, Fallout 4 is a highly addictive and fun experience that gamers of all types will enjoy.
Bard's Gold is decent. The gameplay is good enough, but many will be driven away by the high level of difficulty in the opening stages, especially with a few unfair elements at play. The presentation is fine, and the abundance of secrets gives the game some more elements to look forward to when the grind becomes too much. It doesn't do anything special in the genre, and while roguelike fans will garner the most enjoyment from it, you'd be better served by the more popular representatives — if you haven't already played them.
As said in the review of the first episode of Game of Thrones, this was going to be a wild ride, and the final episode proved that. Just about every moment was tense, and there were a few moments where the overall outcome, while still damning, would've played out a bit differently before arriving at that conclusion. Fans who have a better understanding of the George R. R. Martin world will likely be able to cope with how it concluded. Everyone else will be shocked or dismayed. No matter which group you belong to, this series is worth checking out, even if the longer-than-usual wait made it painful to bear.
Compared to past entries, keep in mind that Black Ops III falls squarely in the middle of the series in terms of overall quality.