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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.
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.