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Divinity: Original Sin's propensity for the old isn't a simple case of wistful nostalgia. It's a conscious decision on Larian's part to resurrect tried-and-true threads that run deep into the bones of the CRPG genre. It's a culmination of those efforts and an unapologetic celebration of battle-tested concepts backed by solid co-op. Most of all, it comes together as a grand adventure that hearkens back to sleepless nights buoyed by the roll of a die and a pad of grid paper shared between fellow dungeon crawlers.
Tales of Hearts R is a solid and enjoyable JRPG, especially for a portable offering. It has a number of flaws, both on its own merits and in comparisons to its bedfellows, but it's still an enjoyable JRPG romp. It suffers from poor pacing and is generally unexceptional. If you're a JRPG fan looking for a Vita game, it's one of the better JRPGs available for the system. If you're a Tales fan, it's worth your time even if it is weaker than its console counterparts.
Passive AI and lackluster online support from the community isn't enough to make Civilization: Beyond Earth a total wash. If you've enjoyed the series over the years, you'll likely spend many hours with this entry as well. It deviates just enough from the excellent Civilization V to be a worthwhile experience, and it offers a different pace than its predecessor, so even though it's not a significant upgrade, it's still pretty remarkable.
Persona Q is an interesting fusion of two of Atlus' larger franchises. The dungeons are fun to explore, the battles are fun to fight, and it certainly feels like it carries the strengths of both games. Yet It is just awkward enough that it won't be a true replacement for Etrian Odyssey V or Persona V. It's a great introduction to both franchises for fans who've tried one and not the other, and on its own merits, it's a reasonably fun dungeon-crawler. A remarkably low difficulty level and some awkward design choices really hold back the game.
In the end, The Marvellous Miss Take is a stealth game for genre fans who want to experience something outside of their normal expectations. The distilling of stealth is novel, and turning a chunk of the missions into speed runs adds some excitement to the genre. The non-predictable AI pathing for the guards keeps you on your toes, and the optional goals and the secondary cast make the game deeper than expected. Some work could've been done to make the controls tighter, but those who aren't easily frustrated by such things will find The Marvellous Miss Take to be a nice change of pace for the genre.
As a setup episode, Game of Thrones: Episode 1 – Iron From Ice has all the right hooks to keep fans enthralled and newcomers interested. While it is very light on the puzzle and exploration elements, it is very deep when it comes to the story. The overall tone is spot-on with the show, and even though there are a number of questions to be answered, what's presented here is compelling enough to make you want to see what happens next.
A City Sleeps is a better experiment than it is a game for dedicated fans of rhythm games and shoot-'em-ups. The fusion makes for a game that sounds great on paper, but tying the shots so tightly with the predetermined rhythm makes for a less-than-satisfying experience. The difficulty spikes and haphazard way in which the power-ups are strewn about makes for a game that seems tailored for hardcore shooter fans, despite some seemingly inviting mechanics and graphics. Since the game is so brief, it becomes tough to recommend the game to all but the most dedicated of shooter fans.
Despite the long wait between entries, Geometry Wars 3: Dimensions ends up being a very solid game in the franchise. The core shooting mechanics remain tight, and the addition of new powers doesn't cheapen the experience. The level designs add a fresh feel to the shooting, and the various modes cater to those with specific preferences. Though the presence of progression gates can be frustrating and encourage too much grinding, the various leaderboards and pure addictive nature of the high score hunt mitigate that just a bit. For arcade style shooting fans, it feels almost mandatory to have this in your gaming library.
In the end, Tiny Troopers: Joint Ops is a fine twin-stick shooter that's best enjoyed in short bursts. The game is pretty lengthy, but the sameness of most of the missions starts to wear thin, especially if you don't play on the hardest difficulty level in the latter half. The title may not have microtransactions, but the grinding nature doesn't help alleviate things if you want to power up your players. Despite this, Joint Ops is fun, and the cross-buy and cross-save nature means that it is accessible almost anywhere. For those with a twin-stick shooter itch to scratch, Joint Ops isn't that bad of an investment.
Samurai Warriors 4 continues Omega Force's long streak of high-quality Warriors titles. It isn't as exceptionally good as Hyrule Warriors and veers a bit too heavily into button-mashing for its own good, but it remains a fun game to play. The combat is fast, frantic and fun, and the variety of combat and characters helps the game stay fresh. The Chronicle mode is one of my favorite bonus modes in a Warriors game and is a lot of fun to play. If you found Dynasty Warriors 8 too slow or Warriors Orochi 3 too crowded, Samurai Warriors 4 is the game for you.
#KillAllZombies is something of a paradox. The core game is simple but strangely addictive once you get past the initial horrible impression. The random nature of the terrain and the perks keeps the experiences different, and the live-streaming integration is a nice touch, provided you have an active audience interested in your exploits. Unfortunately, the game can feel like a grind as you work toward weaponry that actually makes a difference, and the lack of modes makes the game feel both rushed and incomplete. Combined with the price and lack of cross-buy, which other twin-stick shooters on the system offer, it's rather difficult to recommend #KillAllZombies to anyone but the most dedicated twin-stick shooter fans.
In the end, Project Spark can be a rewarding title, especially if you plan on putting in some time to learn how the creation system works. There's a level of depth not seen in a console creation title since the PSone era, and while there are plenty of simple games out there from creators, there are also a number of interesting games that speak to the title's long-term potential. Those who just want to play with these creations will be fine with the free version, as it's the best bargain for those who want quick but varied experiences without a high level of polish. For the creators out there, check out the free version to see if you can come to grips with the system, but dive in to the Starter pack if you want a wider range of elements to jumpstart your creative endeavors.
Far Cry 4 excels because it provides the depth that so many other shooters lack. It is not revolutionary, and it doesn't push the boundaries of the genre, but you know what? Far Cry 4 knows that in the end, all players want to do is "shoot some goddamn guns" and have fun doing it. Far Cry 4 delivers that in spades.
Grand Theft Auto V for the PlayStation 4 is easily the best version of the game available at the moment. At the end of the day, it is still functionally the same game as before, with most of the same flaws and strengths. Some new features expand the gameplay a bit, including a very cool first-person mode, but nothing here will change anyone's opinion of the franchise. Some minor technical flaws, including an inconsistent frame rate, drag down the game a little, but it's largely a step up from the last-gen versions. It's bigger, prettier and smoother, but it's still GTA5.
Natural Doctrine is a tough game to judge. It's strange and convoluted, it has sub-par graphics, and the story is quite weak. It basically carries itself entirely on the gameplay, which is frequently difficult to the point of frustration. If you can get past that and wrap your head around the mechanics, it's a remarkably fun strategy RPG. It rewards careful thought, proper planning, and smart positioning, and it feels incredibly satisfying to pull a victory from the jaws of defeat. It isn't going to be a game for everyone, and even die-hard SRPG fans may be turned off by the high difficulty level, but if Natural Doctrine clicks for you, you'll probably enjoy it.
With all of its improvements, LEGO Batman 3: Beyond Gotham is easily the best LEGO Batman game, but it doesn't quite take the crown for best overall LEGO game. LEGO: The Hobbit is still more impressive as an overall experience, as the sprawling open world seamlessly integrated the story and side-quests in a way that Beyond Gotham can't match. However, Beyond Gotham is most like LEGO Marvel Super Heroes in terms of overall experience, and that's not bad company.
Beyond those issues, I really enjoyed my time with Sherlock Holmes: Crimes & Punishments. It's a really solid adventure game that I'd urge console players to check out. It features a host of interesting mechanics that do a great job of capitalizing on the character and world of Sherlock Holmes, and the six cases are very intriguing. Crimes & Punishments is easily one of the best Holmes titles I've played, and I look forward to what Frogwares has in store for the next game in the franchise.
Assassin's Creed: Unity is full of ideas and systems that don't gel or haven't reached their potential. The return to an urban sprawl is fine after playing in the wide-open spaces of the last few games, and the setting is gorgeous even in its state of decay. The core action is largely the same, with the small amount of improvements being very welcome at this stage in the life of the series. With the plethora of single-player and co-op missions available to the player, the game is full of content that is in line with the series' earlier titles. However, the bevy of technical hiccups, from poor online connectivity to bad stuttering to degrading audio, makes this title feel like a rushed effort. Of all of the entries released on home platforms thus far, Unity is difficult to recommend to even the most die-hard of franchise fans.
Call of Duty: Advanced Warfare is the video game equivalent of a Michael Bay movie. There's a lot of flash and not much substance. If you just want explosions and spectacle (and don't mind being penalized in multiplayer for having a fast connection), then grab the disc and pop it into your console because Advanced Warfare delivers those in spades.
Dragon Age: Inquisition is the biggest and best Dragon Age to date. Packed to the brim with content and carefully refined mechanics, it's sure to please any Dragon Age fan. It has a fair share of problems, but none detract too much from the strong core experience. Strong dialogue and fun combat make up for a weak main story and repetitive world design, and the multiplayer adds extra value to the package. It's been a long time since there has been an RPG this big and fully featured, and anyone interested in some classic swords-and-sorcery adventuring will have a hard time finding a better example than Dragon Age: Inquisition.