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Gears of War: Ultimate Edition does little to pervert the gameplay formula of the original, as it is held fervently close to the heart by many a fan of the series. Instead, The Coalition takes the template and heightens its controls and visuals to a level that puts other games fresh off the press to shame. It's the same great game you loved nearly a decade ago, it just looks and feels a whole lot better.
Rare developed games seldom see a remastered version or show up on a digital back catalog due to the company having changed ownership. Thus, seeing a compilation as robust as Rare Replay allows wistful gamers the chance to relive precious memories faded for decades, and others the opportunity to enjoy some of the greatest games of the past by one of the most lauded developers of the time. Yes, the collection is missing a few of its best, but for a mere thirty dollars and hundreds of hours of enjoyment, it's a hard sell not to recommend adding this album to your library.
Etrian Odyssey 2 Untold: The Fafnir Knight is a huge game. It's the game to point to when asked what a remake should be. The amount of improved and original content added to the title is extraordinary. It not only enhances the experience for everyone who's coming back to it, but opens it up to people who may have been afraid to play it until now. Whether you play for keeps as an expert or casually enjoy a picnic with the Fafnir Knight and his friends, Etrian Odyssey 2 Untold will make sure you have a challenge appropriate for your level.
Still, this is once again a second-to-last episode that ends up being the weakest episode. No matter how accomplished I feel, I know that I'm not actually doing anything. I know nothing is changing. I know next episode I'm going to feel powerless again, and everything I did in this previous episode will barely be addressed. I have to admit, Game of Thrones has been hard to get through. So much horrible tragedy befell my characters and I was powerless to do anything about it. I wanted to quit. I still want to quit. But there's one episode left, and coming this far means I absolutely have to ride the story of house Forrester to the end. Just don't expect this episode to feel rewarding. Look at it as something you have to do for the inevitable finale.
Simply put, Batman: Arkham Knight is an awesome game for any fan of Batman, any fan of action games, and I would even say any fan that enjoys just good games. It is easily the best entry in the series and I am very curious to see what the future holds for Batman in the Arkham universe. Do yourself a favor and get this game as quickly as possible before someone spoils it for you on the internet. It's what Batman would do.
From my endeavors thus far, The Elder Scrolls Online: Tamriel Unlimited has the potential to defy the skeptics and bear fruit on the PS4 and Xbox One. The controller is a far superior input, the interface is much cleaner and more accessible, the voice chat is ideal for grouping, the subscription is now free, and it brings the MMO genre to the console platform that has few competitors at present. The social aspect needs some additions and the Justice System needs to be finished, but these are features that can, and hopefully will, be included with near future updates. But even with its caveats, when faced with both options, I find myself gravitating towards the couch rather than my desk chair for a romp through Tamriel.
Purists of League of Legends and Dota 2 will likely scoff at Heroes of the Storm's attempt to swim in the MOBA pool. Yet I have a feeling Blizzard isn't concerned much with their jeers. Not only does Heroes of the Storm bring together a trio of admired franchises to brawl it out, it also delivers an accessible and entertaining entry into the genre, with a competitive journey for those willing to dole out either time or money.
For its price, Kholat is a pretty enjoyable experience, and I'd certainly recommend picking it up if you can find it on a Steam sale, but do note that Kholat is one of those games that requires willpower to keep playing. It's easy to put down, but a work of art of a horror game when you don't.
It's just an average game, which I think is the last thing Hatred wanted to be.
All in all, this DLC definitely brought me back to a game that I figured was going to end up on my shelf and rarely get played. Bungie has more than made up for all the things they did wrong in The Dark Below. I feel like this DLC pack will keep me playing for some time to come. I have spent three days burning the midnight oil with this expansion and so far, I have not been disappointed. So in closing, Bungie hit a solid home run with this one. If you are a fan of Destiny, it's the reason to come back if you've grown tired of it. If you haven't gotten Destiny yet, this DLC is a great reason to start playing.
I feel conflicted about Game of Thrones by Telltale. I enjoy it at points, when it's happening. The voice acting is great, the graphics are fine, there are fewer bugs this time around, and if I were watching someone else play the game, I think I would enjoy it quite a bit. But the fact that everything I do just seems to be unwritten at the end of every episode, and not in any way that ever makes me triumph, takes me straight out of the action. I can't get invested in this game, because I feel like I'm not doing anything. It might be fine watching Tyrion get put in shackles and carried off as a prisoner, but when the same thing happens to me, I keep wondering why I can't fight back.
I dove into Splatoon with high expectations and high hopes for the new Nintendo IP. But now, after playing over a hundred matches, I am torn between its pros and cons. For its merit, it has that simple, pure, fun factor that keeps me coming back, even after memorizing every nuance of each board. Yet with a sparse selection of maps, a single match type for each mode, and what feels like a dousing of turpentine on character customization and choice, in the end Splatoon feels like purchasing an expensive gallon of paint, only to crack open the lid and find just a quart of paint within. Nintendo promises to fill that can at no extra charge, but unfortunately that means day one purchasers will go home and start painting, only to feel like the job is half finished.
Magicka 2 doesn't mess much with the formula of the first title. If the hours you spent traipsing through Midgård before grew tedious, the sequel may not wield enough magic to hold your attention. However, if you dropped the first game quickly due to the plethora of game breaking launch bugs, or missed this gem of series altogether, it is more than worth your time for an excellently priced $15. It's challenging, it's quirky, and it's just plain fun, especially with friends.
Giving a final rating for Episode 3 is a bit difficult. Honestly, the game started to slog at various points. I hated every single puzzle it threw my way, and couldn't stand how I had to brute force my way through most of it. But the story was still so good and the ending was superb. At this point, I'd say the episodes would be better off sticking to Telltale style choose your own adventure formats. DontNod simply isn't up to the task of designing puzzles. I swear to god, if I have to find one more bottle… but I digress. If you can deal with the frustration of the puzzles, then Life is Strange: Episode 3 is a fantastic game. If not, then I wouldn't blame you if you simply watched this on a Let's Play.
Even with these complaints, The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt is one of the best RPGs I have ever experienced in gaming. There's so much to this adventure, you'd be missing out on a great experience if you pass it up. It's absolutely perfect for the current gaming drought, but even if it had hit with a handful of other triple A titles, I would still stand by this being the best game of the year so far, and it's going to be a tough one to beat.
In short, Project CARS is a racing game that has everything, but doesn't necessarily appeal to everybody. It's hard to fault the game in any particular way. It runs well, looks gorgeous, and does exactly what it advertises, which is a lot, but nothing more. I wouldn't call it a breakthrough in racing design, but rather a refinement of the racing sim formula. It knows what it is, and knows what its audience is. If you are part of that audience, definitely give it a look. It's probably the best racing sim on the market right now. Just know that it's meant to appeal to hardcore gear heads first and foremost, and people looking for a more casual racing experience should probably look elsewhere.
Bottom line: the price point is right, the DLC is solid and you could do a lot worse with your gaming dollars than Wolfenstein: The Old Blood. I doubt anyone will walk away from this experience feeling anything less than satisfied. I know I certainly was.
Broken Age: Act 2 may stumble a bit trying to be something it isn't, but what it is, is still gorgeous and enthralling, and I'll put up with some frustrating puzzles and backtracking for that.
Story of Seasons is a strong entry in this venerable series of sim games. It includes a ton of activities, some nice system upgrades like streamlined farming and complex manufacturing huts, and a much-improved localization over previous titles. It's a bit lacking in the story department and has a few questionable design decisions like the spread-out rental fields and a lack of farming help, but farming fans should be quite pleased with the overall experience. In a world where most simulation games have moved to the mobile marketplace and include obnoxious timers and microtransactions, it's wonderful to see this good old series keep evolving and improving. Farm on, my friends, farm on.
In short, GTA V is still a great game, that hasn't changed, but the PC version doesn't add a lot and introduces plenty of new problems that you have to contend with. If you are graphics-obsessed or are a fan of machinima, then pick it up. Otherwise, the last-gen versions will do you fine.