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It's hard to say whether this episode of Telltale's Game of Thrones series is a genuine standout piece of work amongst their other stuff, or is simply elevated due to some of the other episodes in this series being far less exciting. Nevertheless, it's still a thrilling experience, and looks to be working towards a superb finale for the series.
Rory McIlory PGA Tour fundamentally plays a great round of golf, with an excellent range of playstyles to suit fans old and new. Despite the welcoming gameplay and often outstanding graphical representation of the courses though, enthusiasts and series stalwarts may soon feel that while progress has been made in some areas, this may not be the experience they expected from the first PGA Tour of a new console generation.
The Vanishing of Ethan Carter might be less involved than a lot of mystery games, but it is by no stretch any less fascinating, beautiful or immersive. Its haunting atmosphere sucks you in with its unsettling vibe, but it's the mystery that keeps you there until the very end. It may not be the longest game, but if the supernatural intrigues you even a little, then this one case worth taking.
Tembo the Badass Elephant could have been so much more than what is offered. SEGA seemed to be searching for a successor to Sonic with Tembo but at the same time wanted to get a piece of the market for particularly hard games, forgetting to make it fair at the same time. It is an incredibly nice looking and sounding game, and when everything falls into place Tembo is a joy to play, but these instances are rare. The poor control scheme mixed with stupidly hard late levels, which almost caused me to destroy my controller, take major points away from what could have been a promising game.
Despite the huge flaws, there's still something that kept drawing me back to play a bit more, to destroy a few buildings or beat one more Kaiju. It's not smart or clever, nor remotely modern, and it's mostly repetitive and dull. But it's Godzilla – a giant nuclear accident that is as likely to destroy you as protect you. After 60 years, there's still some part that's inherently enjoyable about that and it has found its way into this game. That or I have radiation sickness.
Astebreed is a remarkably well-built indie title, which nails both the mecha genre and its anime flavouring. Anyone who's enjoyed Radiant Silvergun or Ikaruga will find plenty to like here, and though it can be easy to blast through the levels as quickly as possible, its rewarding mechanics and high-score leaderboards will ensure plenty of reasons to make repeat visits.
F1 2015 doesn't have many of the features and game modes that we've seen over the years, and this feels disappointing given delays during development, but it gives a solid basis for future growth. With lush visuals, tight car handling, good racing and a sprinkling of fresh ideas, this is exactly the fresh start that Codemasters needed.
Although not exactly risky or adventurous, it's the follow-up many have been dreaming of for years and now it's finally here.
Whispering Willows is an enjoyable game with a good story, though much of it will rely on you reading all the letters scattered through the game. The puzzles aren't hard and while some of the atmosphere is creepy the game doesn't quite present the horror you expect. While Whispering Willows is an interesting experience it is a short one at three hours. There are also a couple of annoyances and the puzzles are incredibly simple to work out, but that keeps things moving at a steady pace. Overall Whispering Willows is for those who like adventure titles but also like to experience a story that unfolds without too much effort being put in, making it a solid debut from Night Light Interactive.
With a little more refinement, Ronin could easily have been an enjoyable romp. It certainly looked the part and in the initial stages was a slick action platformer, but by the time the game reaches its conclusion, there's little motivation to continue. It may be short, but finishing Ronin feels like running a gauntlet by the skin of your teeth. The only kicker is, there's no moment of euphoria afterwards…
MotoGP 15 is still an accomplished racer, but it offers little to draw fans in, compared to last year's entry. There's a few nice touches, like having your own team in career mode, and the bike racing still manages to strike a balance between being accessible and being very challenging, but from the all-too-familiar double loading screens to the lacklustre environments and beyond, we're still waiting for Milestone to fully take advantage of the latest generation of consoles.
Manga die-hards are bound to get a real kick out of J-Stars Victory VS+. The level of fan service here is on point and there's a solid fighting game to back it up. That said, after just a few hours it begins to lose steam, becoming less and less appealing as something you'd want to play for long sessions.
We didn't review the original release of Payday 2 – which is part of the reason why we are scoring this Crimewave Edition – but even then, this was a game with a lot of depth and variety to the scenarios it put you in, and that's great fun to play cooperatively. Though it still has its flaws, the added content and changes that have been brought together in the Crimewave Edition build upon the original release and mean that there's plenty of reasons to sink back into a life of crime.
Batman: Arkham Knight isn't the crown jewel in the Arkham series, that remains in Asylum's honour, but it is still a good game in its own right.
Yoshi's Woolly World is a joyful platformer, which takes a different approach to other games in the Mario family by emphasising collection and exploration, while retaining a solid level of challenge. Despite a few technical problems and design missteps, the variety, and thoughtfulness, of the myriad mechanics make it a pleasure, as you advance through each world exploring every nook and cranny. Once again, the Wii U makes an excellent argument for its existence, especially when it's giving players time in the company of one of Nintendo's most beloved characters.
There's nothing wrong with modernising older games. However, therein lies the problem for Miracle Cure: it's just a modernisation. Over the years Nintendo has continued to innovate with its stable of core franchises, yet this feels more like a simple repackaging. Dr. Mario fans will no doubt jump at the chance to play it on 3DS, but for those used to cheaper, more fulfilling puzzle games on other platforms, Miracle Cure will prove a tough pill to swallow.
LEGO Jurassic World strikes an excellent balance between delivering a nostalgic take on a beloved series of movies, whilst incorporating the brand new Jurassic World storyline as well. By allowing you to choose your jumping in point it also frees you up to experience them in your own order, and whilst the formula is becoming tired in some aspects, this is the most refined Lego game yet, displaying a snappy pace that previous games have often lacked. You should also never, ever, underestimate the simple draw of being able to play as a dinosaur.
I genuinely feel that, while it's not a perfect representation of drawing/painting, Art Academy: Atelier does an excellent job of teaching you the process of creating a piece of art. I believe that having followed the tutorials I could pick up a pastel or pencil in real life, and use them just as effectively, utilising skills I've learnt from a piece of software. While it may not be the most thrill-inducing package, Art Academy: Atelier is a relaxed and deeply enjoyable way of improving your artistic ability and creating artwork on your Wii U.
Although it hits the marks in several key areas, there's no shying away from the fact that Magicka 2 can feel monotonous in parts. This may be eradicated (in part) when playing with friends locally or online, but not everyone will have that same privilege. There's an overriding focus here on combat that could have been invested in other, more interesting pursuits such as puzzle solving or even platfoming. Still, it's a competent action game that has made a beautiful transition from its original PC roots and one that will no doubt garner a new console-based coven.
It's hard to replicate Portal's success, and in the process of following a very similar narrative to that which can be found at Aperture, Magnetic: Cage Closed loses its way on more than one occasion. Thankfully, the magnet gun is fun to use, and most of the puzzles are smartly crafted with a great sense of accomplishment, pacing and difficulty. If you're only lukewarm on first-person puzzlers and need agripping story, better options exist, but if you enjoy the genre and can get over the short length, this is an easy recommendation.