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The fifth and final episode of Life Is Strange is a satisfying ending to what has been one of the best examples of modern storytelling within games. The elements of time travel have ben a fascinating and interesting hook that has allowed Dontnod to explore several characters and relationships, to the backdrop of a college campus that's steeped in mystery. It has its weaknesses and flaws as a game, but this is a deeply impactful game that shouldn't be missed.
Guitar Hero Live is exactly what the franchise needed after its five-year hiatus, and I'd go as far to say it's what the whole genre needed. Although naysayers will lament the lack of more instruments or complain about the non-permanence of extra songs, for many, Live will become the quintessential party game and is already set to be a permanent fixture in my sitting room.
Tales Of Zestiria is a highly enjoyable JRPG, with likeable characters, fun combat and an engaging plot, that's only mildly let down by a few technical hiccups and a lack of grandeur to the locations. For Tales fans, Zestiria is certainly amongst the best entry's in the franchise and one which deserves to finally enjoy success in the West.
Minecraft might not have a story and lore of its own for Telltale to build upon, but that just means that a Telltale story can fit right in.
There's no escaping the game's hack and slash origins, yet Dragon Quest Heroes: The World Tree's Woe and the Blight Below certainly offers an interesting spin on the traditional Warriors template. By focusing on a smaller concentration of characters on-screen, it has a slightly more tactile, RPG feel. Combined with some inventive gameplay features and that charming Dragon Quest aesthetic, Heroes succeeds in creating its own identity. It may fall short of greatness yet serves as an ideal solution for those eagerly awaiting the series' next mainline instalment.
Those looking for a spooky adventure for Halloween can certainly find one in Project Zero: Maiden of Black Water. Taking photos of ghosts while trying to keep dry is enthralling, while Mount Hikami's forests and shrines are among some of the spookiest locales in the franchise. Once you have gotten used to the mechanics though, it's far too easy to just plough through the game and the characters themselves are almost as vacant as… well ghosts! An enjoyable treat at least, but not enough tricks.
Beyond Sol is a very good blend of RTS and action game rolled into a package that has a rather unique approach to games taking place in space. You can easily sink a lot of hours into Beyond Sol, but it would be improved by having more variety to the items and situations that crop up. If Praxia adds more content over time, then Beyond Sol could prove to be a truly fantastic RTS, as the game just needs a bit more before reaching its full potential.
Football Manager 2016 may not be a huge overhaul over previous titles but the game feels a lot more accessible for anyone to pick up and play. Sports Interactive continues to show why Football Manager is the most dominant of sports management sim. 2016 isn't a game you can just switch off and leave behind. At moments during the day you'll be thinking of tactics to use, potential signings to bolster your defence, and who to drop. Most of all you'll be looking most forward to match day as you wait to see if your preparation is good enough or not. Football Manager 2016 isn't just a game, it becomes a major part of your life.
Chibi-Robo! Zip Lash is one of those rare examples where the previous games were more interesting in concept. There's possibly something there for someone younger to sink their teeth into and it is adorable throughout, but this is a standard platformer with a great deal of padding and not all that much innovation. Overall, a competent platformer that plays it safe, but one that is also painfully drawn out.
Rock Band 4 is fundamentally an excellent update to what was arguably the finest rhythm-action game of the last generation. However, it currently feels like it lacks ambition, and some features haven't been given the update they could have had while others have been removed. As a platform it's certainly a solid, and highly enjoyable, base that at its best makes you absolutely feel like a rock star. Fundamentally, with its series of planned updates still to come, only time will tell if Harmonix can make this generation's Rock Band a truly essential purchase.
By making some smart efficiency decisions, it's easy to recommend Disgaea 5: Alliance of Vengeance to newcomers and veterans of the franchise, with some excellent new mechanics and tweaks to old favourites. You can literally sink hundreds of hours into this should you feel the urge. While I didn't really engage with the characters and narrative as much this time around, the action and sheer wealth of content more than made up for it, dood!
In the end Bedlam has an interesting premise at its core and dialogue that will amuse for a while, but it gets same-y very quickly in each environment. Perhaps if the game started more quickly and had you hopping genres a little earlier in the game, it wouldn't outstay its welcome quite so quickly. As it is, it can only really be recommended if the genre-hopping idea has you weak at the knees.
The gameplay is the real winner in Train Valley, as it manages to be both frustrating and addictive, but also incredibly rewarding once you finally complete the mission with all the objectives.
Just Dance 2016 is a one trick pony and if you have beers and friends, or children who need to be entertained, it's a great way to spend a few hours. As a solo game it's a bit dull and you do start to notice that the tracking of your dancing is dubious to say the least. It's also somewhat of a half-way house between a full release and a subscription service, and behind the pumping beats of Lady Gaga you can hear the sound of the bottom of a barrel being scraped as superfluous new modes are added to the game and cheap cover versions are used.
Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 5 should be remembered not just as a bad game, but as an indicator of the industry's hubris, where games are continuously released in a broken state. It's a shame, because if there was more time then Robomodo's efforts may have eventually led to a fantastic skateboarding game. Instead a classic franchise has been tarnished and an audience scorned.
It's difficult to overlook a lot of the flaws with Blood Bowl 2, but at the same time if you have a group of likeminded people willing to create a league, then this is a great if somewhat limited option. It's everything you'd expect in a Blood Bowl game, with a great tutorial for newcomers and a coat of paint, looking as good as the Citadel Minatures you'd see in the window of a Games Workshop.
Even if Prison Architect didn't come with a thought provoking, if short, campaign, it'd be easy to recommend to anyone with an interest in management sims. That addition not only brings some depth to the game, but it also serves as one of the most enjoyable and comprehensive tutorials I've ever played in a game.
Elite: Dangerous is a phenomenal piece of simulation software, masquerading as a game. I felt like Mal Reynolds, Captain Picard and Luke Skywalker at various points, while at others I felt like a delivery man who was able to make a cup of tea whilst travelling to the next drop off. The emptiness of space can be overwhelming, and Elite: Dangerous revels in that a little too much, but for the brave, or foolhardy, it offers an experience that is unlike anything else on Xbox One.
Non-fans will find an competent, if short, beat 'em up which is perhaps a little over priced, but die hard fans will be yelping, punching the air and reliving their childhoods by transforming in to a semi truck and chasing Ravage as he pounces across Cybertron. I loved every single second and hope it sells well enough to get the sequel teased by the end credits. This is by far the best Transformers game that has ever been made.
If you've yet to buy Samurai Warriors 4, we'd strongly recommend grabbing an earlier version of the game – whether that be the original or Samurai Warriors Chronicles 3. Although 4-II certainly has its perks, it fails to push the series in a new, more innovative direction as a whole. Thankfully, with Samurai Warriors 4 Empires already in the pipeline, it looks as though our favourite historical brawler may very quickly get back on track.