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As the definitive version of the core Halo experience, Halo: The Master Chief Collection is one of the few games that should be in any Xbox One owner's collection.
Light is a decent demonstration of stealth done on a smaller scale. The minimalist approach is novel, and the bare-bones stealth mechanic can be refreshing to those entering the genre for the first time. However, those who are more familiar with stealth titles will find the mechanics to be too simple, and the brevity of the entire game makes the $12.99 price tag seem absurd, especially when the levels and item locations are static. If the developer's promise of adding more levels for free pans out and there's a plethora to choose from, then it could be worth it. As it stands now, Light is a very hard game to recommend.
Lords of the Fallen is not a bad game, but when compared to the Souls series, it is a lesser one. At every moment, it draws comparisons to Dark Souls, but it never quite lives up to the inspiration. I disliked spending so much time comparing one game to another, but LotF all but demands it, and it never manages to crawl out from the shadow of Dark Souls. As a next-gen alternative for those hungry for more Souls gameplay, it is perfectly serviceable, but that is about the limit of its capabilities. I had fun playing it, and it's a good way to bide the time until From Software's next title, but it never forges an identity of its own. The core for a true Souls competitor is there, but Lords of the Fallen seems content to be a placeholder.
If you rate Dead Rising 3: Apocalypse Edition based on the gameplay alone, you'd find it to be a worthy entry in the franchise. It may not have the strongest story in the series, but the gameplay is enjoyable due to the number of weapons and crafting options at your disposal. The large world feels less confining than the mall, and the large swaths of the undead appeal to the sort of person who enjoys games like Dynasty Warriors to a degree, especially now that almost all of the expansions are part of the package. However, the lack of any optimization and the lack user-friendly methods to tweak the graphics is disheartening. The frequency of crashes, while improved since the initial launch, makes it very difficult to play without being frustrated at what could have been. It is still a good game, but you'd be better served by waiting to see if future patches address the stability.
In the end, Schrödinger's Cat and the Raiders of the Lost Quark is a good platforming puzzle game. The humorous dialogue helps drive a platformer that provides some good challenge in an array of levels. The use of the quarks brings a nice variety of possible solutions, even with the rather small number of abilities. It could be a bit more flexible when it comes to the controls, and the camera could benefit from being more focused, but this is still a fun time for those who'd rather solve puzzles than fight in their platforming games.
Sunset Overdrive proves that Insomniac's signature brand of gameplay and humor can work well in big, open worlds. The guns feel different and are fun to use, and the game gives you plenty of opportunities to use those weapons. The flexibility in mobility opens up the game for both horizontal and vertical gameplay, and the combination of this and the guns, along with some good level design, encourages creativity. Coupled with a great presentation, it provides an open-world experience with more emphasis on fun than anything else. For action fans, Sunset Overdrive is a must-have title.
D4: Dark Dreams Don't Die may be a short game, but it takes strides to be memorable. The presentation is a little rough in parts, but it's still miles better than what the developers had come up with before. The gameplay mechanics are varied enough to keep from being monotonous, but they're also streamlined so those who dislike the tediousness of most adventure games can get into this title. The story, which is equal parts odd and compelling, will draw you into the game. Fans will love this title, and those who want to know what a good Kinect game looks like will enjoy this experience.
It's hard to imagine a bigger love letter to the The Legend of Zelda franchise than Hyrule Warriors, which is a really polished and well-made Dynasty Warriors game. It still contains many of the franchise's flaws or weak points, but it also boasts many of its strengths. It's certainly more Warriors than Zelda, but it makes excellent use of the source material, so it doesn't feel like Link's face was slapped on an unrelated title. Some may miss the Zelda dungeon-crawling and exploration, but Zelda and Warriors fans will find a lot to like here.
When "Fantasia" first premiered in theaters in 1940, the film was a celebration of both music and visual artistry. Fantasia: Music Evolved continues that concept, with the added twist of making it all interactive. If there's a "must-have" game for the Kinect, this is it.
Sims 4 would've been a really good game if it'd had another six months of production time, and I thinkit has the potential to be great after a few expansions fill in the holes. If you're on the fence about buying the game, I'd recommend waiting to see where EA Maxis plans to go from here. Keep playing Sims 3 for now, and come back in a few months. I'll keep you updated until then.
Despite The Evil Within's attempts to mimic RE4, it plays like a game that preceded RE4 instead. It has many minor flaws, annoying problems and nagging issues that its spiritual predecessor didn't have. There are times it comes so close to brilliance, and those moments make the game worth playing, but the frustrating portions can easily eclipse the rest of the title. You have to be willing to work with it to see the good within. Many of the design decisions make the player want to give up rather than work past the frustrating elements to reach the fun.
Skylanders: Trap Team is a mixed bag. The core gameplay is still enjoyable, and the new villains are some of the most charming, creative and fun characters in the franchise. There's a lot to like, and there's a great amount of content for your dollar. However, a few design decisions hold it back. The game feels less inviting than Swap Force due to an over-emphasis on combat and a lot of content being locked behind Trap Master-themed gates. The new toys are a bit lackluster, and villains aside, there isn't a lot that's really new about Trap Team. Additionally, the high cost of entry may make it a hard pill for parents to swallow. Kids who love Skylanders will still find it to be a treat, but it certainly feels staler than the previous entries.
Alien: Isolation does so much right. It's beautiful, atmospheric and interesting, and it does a great job of maintaining the ambiance of the original film. When the game works, it is head and shoulders above any other title that uses the license. When it fails, however, it descends into frustration and tedium. A few critical design decisions have the potential to turn an awesome experience into a tiring one, and it's very hard for the game to maintain its atmosphere with an unhappy player. A better save system or a less flawed set of enemy AI patterns would've done wonders for Isolation. If you're a giant "Alien" fan, this is the game for you. More casual horror fans should only take the dive if they have the utmost confidence in their skills or a very high tolerance for frustration.
If Borderlands 2 was an example of the series coasting under its own momentum, the Pre-Sequel is something of a master class in how to refine the series into a step forward. The underlying game isn't that different and it's filled with the same humor that you've come to expect, but the change of setting and the polishing of the gameplay have done wonders. The game seems more reliant on a central plot than the series is normally known for, and through it, you learn how Jack became such a horrible person. If you're like me and thought the Pre-Sequel is just another game in the series, then Claptrap's class isn't the only "Mistake." For being the third game in a franchise and with a name that implies it to be more of the same, Borderlands: The Pre-Sequel is a surprisingly fresh experience.
You have to be of a certain mindset to enjoy Surgeon Simulator 2014: Anniversary Edition. You have to be willing to accept the game as a big joke and each failure as the punch line. You have to be open to the fact that the clumsy controls, questionable physics, and bad collision detection are all tools to help you get to that bad conclusion. You have to realize that overcoming the odds in light of all of the near-impossible circumstances is the big reward to the overwhelming challenge. It isn't a game for everyone, especially those who demand tight controls and realistic simulation titles or Trauma Center, but if you can deal with the silliness of it all, you'll find Surgeon Simulator to be enjoyable enough.
Murdered: Soul Suspect is a ghost of a game. You can see the lingering spirit of something more, but in the end, it's only a pale shadow of what it could have been. The weak character writing and lackluster visuals drag down what is otherwise a fun adventure game. There are some game mechanics that should've been exorcised (pun intended). If you're looking for a relaxing way to spend a rainy afternoon, Murdered fits the bill, but that's about it.
Middle-earth: Shadow of Mordor is the rare Arkham clone that transcends its status. It borrows heavily from Batman: Arkham Asylum but does enough new, interesting and distinctive things that it doesn't feel derivative. The core gameplay mechanics are some of the most enjoyable I've encountered this year, and the game is fun from start to finish. A lackluster plot and odd use of the source material holds the game back slightly but not enough to interfere with the unadulterated fun of the core concept. Shadow of Mordor may not be the deepest or most meaningful game released this year, but it sure is one of the most fun.
Forza Horizon 2 may not break new ground, but it excels at what it does due to a high level of polish and a laser focus on fun. Whether you want to play for five minutes or five hours, the game has something to offer. Who cares if the premise borders on the absurd? If you want to race, this is the game get.
Disney Infinity 2.0: Marvel Super Heroes is a solid update to the existing game. It mostly adds polish and new content to the existing gameplay, and it does a good job. The biggest flaws are in the game's somewhat-inconsistent level design and the poor balance between characters. The latter is particularly egregious in a game where you have to spend $15 per character, and it's very possible to end up with a dud. It's a solid game for kids, and it features a whole lot of content and a fun Toybox mode that really sets it apart from Skylanders. Assuming you're willing to shell out the money for the experience, any Disney-loving kid will have fun with this title.
In the end, NHL 15 feels like the skeleton of a better hockey game. Even with the missteps, the core game mechanics are solid and provide players with some fun hockey experiences. Those who don't care much for anything beyond this will be pleased with what's on tap. For those looking for the more involved modes the series has traditionally offered, they are either missing or watered down to the point that they feel like inaugural attempts rather than classic modes that have been tweaked for the better. The game will be patched to address some of these issues, but as far as what's on the disc or initial digital download, it seems like a step backward. With the groundwork already laid out, the hope is that NHL 16 will be a more complete hockey package. For the time being, NHL 15 just isn't what fans are looking for.