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As an adventure game, Rise of the Tomb Raider is up there with the best of them. The story feels like something right out of Indiana Jones, and the game nails the atmosphere that you'd expect from a Tomb Raider game. It's easy to see why Microsoft paid for time limited exclusivity with this one; the game really is that good. Even with the problematic melee combat, Rise of the Tomb Raider is a system seller.
Fallout 4 is pretty much everything you'd expect from a sequel to Fallout 3. It's bigger and more detailed than its predecessor. The gameplay is streamlined, which largely seems to benefit the combat and exploration at a cost to the dialogue and non-combat elements. There are few things as fun as grabbing your pipe rifle and wandering into the Wasteland to find a new ruin to explore or a new settlement to create. Beyond the main plot, there are possibly hundreds of hours of things to see and do. Fallout 3 fans should find a lot to love here, and newcomers to the franchise will find a great place to start.
Halo 5's single-player campaign is fun, but the game is at its best when you're coordinating with others and attacking objectives as a team.
It's a good game but not necessarily a stronger one when compared to prior titles, especially if the stuttering on the Xbox One isn't addressed. For that reason, race fans may want to hold off on this title to see if things get smoothed out on this platform.
Tales of Zestiria is a perfectly competent but unremarkable Tales title. It's fun to play and has a solid cast of characters, but the experience is dragged down but a lackluster plot and poor level and area design. It tries some ambitious things but generally to its detriment, and at the end of the day, it's a B-tier Tales title. If you're in the mood for a good JRPG, Zestiria fits the bill, but don't expect anything outside of the norm.
Guitar Hero Live is basically a return to its guitar-only roots, which is what made the original games great. The current song catalog is a pretty good mix, but it is their presentation within the channel-based TV mode that makes the game truly different. Rock Band still holds the crown as the musical party game, but while that series is in a rut, Guitar Hero Live is a fresh take on the genre that future games would do well to follow.
At its best, The Legend of Zelda: Tri Force Heroes is some of the most fun you'll have on the 3DS. Clever puzzles, fun boss fights and crazy costumes make for a charming and enjoyable experience. However, there are too many things that can go wrong to easily recommend the game to those who may not have a dedicated group of local friends to play with. If you do, the game is an absolute blast, even if it gets a little "grindy" at times. Between solving puzzles and battling fiendish foes, it captures the feeling of Zelda in a multiplayer game better than any other. Solo players will probably want to avoid the game, but anyone looking for multiplayer 3DS action will be hard-pressed to find a better game on the system.
Assassin's Creed: Syndicate's only significant flaw is a lack of ambition. It's an incredibly safe game that makes sure every edge is smoothed out to avoid any backlash. It's a simple, solid and predictable game that is a big improvement over last year's title, but at the same time, it leaves it feeling slightly bland. Syndicate is a good experience, and it's hard to fault a game for focusing on that. Fans of the franchise and newcomers alike should find much to like here.
Samurai Warriors 4-II really is an Xtreme Legends game in everything but name, but it's even more limited. Even though the original roster of characters is large, adding only one new character seems paltry. Changing the Story mode makes up for it, and Survival is good, if not familiar and expected. It's a shame that Chronicle mode couldn't make the cut since its omission renders the created characters somewhat useless, but overall, the game remains the same polished product as before. For newcomers, this is a great entry to use as a jumping point into the series. For series veterans, the changes, omissions, and small additions make it a lesser product than its predecessor, but if you're interested in the lore, 4-II is still worth checking out.
Fans of the series won't gain much from this iteration, but for those who haven't played Dishonored before, the Definitive Edition is a great game that's worth checking out.
If you've been curious about Uncharted or want to revisit Drake's adventures, there's no better way to do it than with Uncharted: The Nathan Drake Collection.
If you're a hardcore fan of the Blue Bomber and don't otherwise have access to the games, the Mega Man Legacy Collection is a convenient way to replay these Capcom classics, but as a collection, it doesn't compare to Rare Replay or even the last-gen SEGA Vintage Collection games that were put together by M2.
Though it's short and not overly difficult, Leo's Fortune is a solid platforming game. The gameplay may be simple, but the variety is there, and it doesn't take away from the fun of the stages. Despite its mobile indie roots, the presentation rivals that of big-budget titles. Though you're not going to spend a tremendous amount of time on it, you'll enjoy the experience, and with the low price point of $6.99, it is worth checking out for those who want a breezy, satisfying puzzle platformer for all ages.
This has been a good year for Warriors-style games, but Dragon Quest Heroes is the best of the lot.
For someone with infinite money, LEGO Dimensions is one of the best LEGO games on the market and is a great example of how to make figurine-based games fun both in and out of the game. It's funny, it's creative, it plays well, and it's everything a LEGO game should be. The only mark against it is the fact that it focuses on real-world toys and expansion packs instead of in-game content, which drives up the price and lessens the core game content.
Much as was the case with World of Tanks, World of Warships does a lot of things really well. Its gameplay is easy to get into but allows for a fair amount of depth in how you approach each battle. I've reviewed many games that I never touch again, but I've kept coming back to Warships with my friends. I'm not sure there is much better praise than that.
In terms of game mechanics, Disgaea 5: Alliance of Vengeance is possibly the strongest entry in the franchise. Almost every change it makes is for the better, and the core gameplay has been polished and refined in countless ways. While it lacks big changes, it's an excellent example of the Disgaea gameplay and one of the most accessible entries in the series. Whether you're a long-time fan or a newcomer, there's a lot to like here.
While fans of the series need no other reasons to buy this, platforming fans who don't mind a few toys on the side will find that this is worth checking out.
In the end, Rock Band 4 offers up plenty of fun, especially if you can regularly gather a group of friends. It's an excellent party game and an enjoyable way to pass the time solo. However, it isn't really an upgrade from Rock Band 3. Rather, Rock Band 4 is more like a straightforward HD update for the current generation of systems.
Fans of the original Vita version may not experience the same sense of wonder for the PS4 iteration, but Tearaway: Unfolded is still a delight for players of all ages.