USgamer's Reviews
An entertaining, challenging, and thoroughly psychedelic music rhythm game that has great audio-visuals. It's a little on the short side at only a couple of hours, but it's a fun game nevertheless.
Lovers in a Dangerous Spacetime isn't meant to be played alone. The game wants you to experience its trials and tribulations with a friend or loved one. The key is finding the right friend or loved one, because enjoying this game requires the right partner. Choose wisely and you'll have a great experience. Choose poorly and it's an exercise in frustration.
I've consistently defended FIFA as the most well-rounded sports sim. But the series has felt like it's been standing still this generation, and that is felt more acutely than ever in FIFA 16. As always, it has its strengths, and the FUT Draft is a strong addition, but it's not enough to break the feeling of staleness that has descended upon the once undisputed king of sports games.
Disgaea 5 is a Disgaea game for better or for worse. This means solid tactical combat, over-the-top attacks, and more game systems than you can shake a stick at. The cast isn't as good as Disgaea 4, but the game itself is undeniably bigger and more robust. Veterans will be happy and new players have a lot to digest. Prepare yourself.
While its overly long story mode amounts to a tragic waste of resources, Persona 4: Dancing All Night's strongest qualities can be found in just how well the series' pop art aesthetic meshes with the rhythm game genre. This might not be the most complex or inspired take on rhythm games to date, but DAN certainly knows how to have a good time.
Party Hard is good clean fun, but that fun tends to devolve into waiting and tedium towards the end of any level. The core gameplay is an idea that can be expanded upon though, and the developer is already adding new content to the game to resolve the issue.
There's a lot to like about NHL 16. EA Canada has worked diligently to bring back almost all of the features that were missing last year, with Be a Pro and EASHL being notably improved. The presentation has also received a really nice bump, and the gameplay on the ice is smoother and more exciting than ever. While it's more ambitious than it looks, though, the next step remains elusive. For now, we'll just have to settle for a really solid hockey sim.
As technically polished and fully-featured as any racing game out there, Forza Motorsport 6 transports you to an incredibly realistic racing world where there's a huge breadth of choice in terms of cars, tracks and types of driving experience. Pretty much whatever you're in the mood for, Forza Motorsport 6 has you covered.
[I]ts well-crafted film noir atmosphere—along with some honest-to-god puzzles—make this adventure more than just another copycat.
A sprawling game that packs plenty of content. The problem is that many of the missions end up feeling like recycled material. As such, the game lacks variety and, at worst, some quests feel like busy work. Overall, Mad Max offers a lot, but ends up feeling somewhat rote, with little in the way of truly new and novel things to do. You've ultimately played the sum of its parts before.
What better way to commemorate three decades of Super Mario Bros. than to put the tools for creating Mario games in the hands of fans?
A lovely game with a delightful story, this platform puzzler has very high audio-visual appeal. It's also really fun to play - although it does have areas where poor camera choices and slightly awkward controls can make the proceedings frustrating.
The story loses a lot of momentum in the back half, and F.O.Bs aren't much more than a fun novelty, but otherwise it's a stunningly enjoyable game that almost perfectly integrates a sizable open world environment with solid stealth fundamentals and a huge arsenal. Even at its most frustrating, it's an incredibly absorbing play. We'll be talking about this one for a long time to come.
Madden NFL 16 takes another clear step forward this year, featuring some fantastic additions to the passing game and an excellent new mode. After being maligned for so many years, Madden now has a clear sense of momentum that should carry it through the rest of the generation. Absent the bugs and balance issues, which should be addressed soon via patch, this is the best Madden I've played in a decade.
By far the best and most impressive Mega Man compilation ever assembled, what Legacy Collection sacrifices in reach it more than makes up for with refinement. It presents six games almost (though not quite) flawlessly, while providing enough display options to satisfy the obsessive and casual fan alike. Add to six beautifully preserved classics a massive database and dozens of addictive custom challenges and you have an excellent package that treats the classics with the respect they deserve — something that's traditionally been absent in the U.S. market. A must-have for any Mega Man fan.
A right rollicking blast from the past brought bang up to date with a splendid, full 1080p makeover. Its campaign has a ton of macho meat to sink your teeth into, and once you're done, the multiplayer aspect provides plenty of long-term appeal. The fact that the game comes with three other Xbox 360 Gears of Wars titles makes it a veritable bargain.
Until Dawn is a horror movie where you control the plot. Think of it like a Telltale adventure with a much better presentation. If you're looking for a deeper, more interactive title, this isn't it, but it does its best to make your choices feel meaningful. And once you've played Until Dawn, comparing your story with your friends' is pretty satisfying.
Final Fantasy XIV evolves with Heavensward, an expansion that takes A Realm Reborn upwards on the wings of a Chocobo. In addition to flying, players get an all-new storyline, new Primals, a brand-new raid dungeon, and three new jobs to level up. FFXIV still retains a few annoying issues here and there, but Heavensward is one of the best MMO expansions I've played.
The latest, and greatest, refinement of Atlus' Etrian Odyssey series, Untold 2 really manages to weave a ridiculous number of options into and around the basics of the franchise. All its best trademark elements — F.O.E.s, great tunes, map-making — remain intact, while elements that tend to be more a matter of taste (its difficulty level, its minimal story) can be tweaked to the player's preferences. A huge, thoughtful, and all-around well-made addition to the series that belongs in every RPG fanatic's collection.
World of Tanks is an entertaining and enjoyable tactical shooter with a surprising amount of depth. If you're not prepared to pony up some cash, it does become a grind eventually – but if you reach that point and you still want to play, spending some money is very likely a worthwhile investment.