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Mafia III is an ambitious game that tackles serious, relevant themes. Unfortunately, it lacks technical polish, and the mechanics aren't much better than anything on the market, let alone offer anything new. Still, it's a good game that's worth your time for at least one serious play-through. Whether you replay it depends on how enthralled you are by the adventure and if you can tolerate the repetition.
Gears of War 4 provides an introduction to a team and a new threat that will hopefully see more rising action in the story as the sequels come. It does, however, stay true to the gameplay mechanics of its predecessors, and provides countless hours of rewarding multiplayer options. The Gears faithful should rejoice, as a new saga is just getting lubricated.
Paper Mario: Color Splash has a lot going for it. Most of the time, it's the kind of game that simply brings a smile to your face as you enjoy the fresh world and amusing dialogue. If it weren't for the tedious side effects of the card system and the disappointingly unoriginal cast, it could be a genuine Game of the Year award contender. As it is, it's still thoroughly worthwhile for its enchanting paper world (and the attendant tunes) alone.
When all is said and done, EA Sports has provided another rock solid title that caps off another impressive year for the gaming giant. Yes, the title still contains all the favorites fans love from the franchise. However, this year is all about so much more - Alex Hunter and his promising career. EA could have stripped the title dry and only provided The Journey and I’d still give it a positive score. The game mode is simply that good. Throw in a few gameplay improvements and you have yourself one heck of a new installment in the FIFA family.
Forza Horizon seems to get bigger and better with each new entry to the series, and Forza Horizon 3 is by far the biggest festival yet. It's hard to imagine where developer Playground Games will go if they are given the green light for Forza Horizon 4. But there's little need to worry about that, because we have been blessed right now with the must-have racing game of the current generation, so fun and addicting that it just begs you to take on one more event or cruise through one more gorgeous slice of Australia.
Nascar Heat Evolution is a devolution for the series, and even when playing friends online, I can't imagine how you'd have fun with this game for more than a few hours - if you even make it that long.
NHL 17 is a piece built for the true hockey fan that understands the game’s makeup. Those fans that have been with the franchise for a lengthy period of time and truly know the game of hockey will fall in love with this title from day one - the casual fan, probably less so as they won’t notice much of a difference between NHL 16 and 17. Plain and simple, the game delivers.
There is no question why Attack on Titan is garnering such acclaim in many different media forms. It has an interesting cast, a gripping narrative, and is shrouded with questions that just beg to be answered. The gameplay, while repetitive, is enjoyable nonetheless. If you have even a shred of interest in the series, immersing yourself in this video game will satisfy your craving to be a part of story from start to finish.
There’s nothing wrong with that concept and I firmly believe it’s better to layer on rather than completely rebuild. For me, the major overhaul in the gameplay mechanics, especially the additions to the run game and defensive strategies make this game a solid buy. If you’re used to buying Madden every other year or every few years, 17 is certainly worth your money. The jump from 16 to 17 isn’t drastic but the proof is certainly in the running back pudding, and boy is it good. Everything else is elementary at this point.
I'm so happy that this team at Eidos Montreal was able to continue on with the Deus Ex series. While Human Revolution was a promising title with some glaring issues, Mankind Divided is the work of a mature development team that has had the time to fix their weak points and improve on their strong ones. The result is a quality cyberpunk spy adventure with strong visual and level design, true opportunities for players to exercise choice, and some really cool cybernetic toys to play with. Go ahead, be the kind of Adam Jensen you want to be. Just don't forget to watch your back.
Metroid Prime: Federation Force isn’t what you expect when you think of a game carrying the Metroid name. It’s a more freeform experience that encourages you to gather together friends, either locally or online, and cooperatively carry out missions of varying degrees of complexity and difficulty. In the right conditions, it can be wonderful. Find at least one friendly face and you’ll make the galaxy a better place. But, space is cruel to those who choose to go it alone. If you know at least one other person who’ll join the force with you, say “Oorah” and head into battle.
There are wonders indeed to be found in the No Man's Sky universe, but not everybody will be willing to put in the time and effort needed to discover them. This game is a technical marvel that patient, detail-oriented gamers will love.
If you're looking for an inoffensive movie cash-in to play with your couch co-op partner and you're tired of Lego games, well, here ya go. Ghostbusters will get you through a few levels of mildly pleasant action before you shrug and see what's new on Netflix. That's about all she's got in the ol' proton pack, but as far as movie tie-in games go, it could certainly be much worse.
Monster Hunter Generations is about coming into your own. We’ve always been hunters, but now we’re hunting our way. The Hunting Styles are an incredible means of being true to yourself. Even better, we can spend more time enjoying our newfound individuality and actually savoring the game, because we can spend less time grinding for specific materials. The improved gathering means we have an option when it comes to creating our equipment. We can spend hours on it or make do with what we have to move forward. We can even be Palicos! It’s a wonderful time to be a hunter.
When I first learned about Carmageddon: Max Damage, I worried that it looked like an ill-begotten attempt to recapture the glory of a silly game from the '90s. It doesn't even get that far. In fact, I kind of wish I could bash it for going too far, like Duke Nukem Forever. No, this is just a game that feels half-assed from tip to toe. You can probably extend your enjoyment briefly by playing online against your friends, but there are just so many other, better novelty car games you could be playing. Go grab Mario Kart, Rocket League, Mad Max... hell, go grab that old copy of Twisted Metal Black. Just give Carmageddon: Max Damage a skip. It doesn't deserve your time and money.
Lego branded video games veer little from their gameplay formula with each new entry, so to say that Lego Star Wars: The Force Awakens is one that should not be overlooked is a credit to the quality and faithfulness the developer delivered. The newly added elements are hit-or-miss, but the appeal easily spans generations, as is evident by the enjoyment both my son and I are having adventuring in a galaxy far, far way.
Mighty No. 9 is a disappointment. As I went through the game, I saw all the things going wrong and began going through possible corrections in my head. It should have looked like the original prototype. The character designs and lighting were better there. The dialogue and story segments should have been more engaging and dynamic. The special abilities needed more heft. Some last minute polish could have fixed these framerate issues. That made me mad, because if I could see all of these issues that needed to be addressed, why couldn't the developers? With all of the delays this game has seen, why do these problems still exist? Mighty No. 9 isn't a terrible game, but it isn't a good one either. With an end result like this, I feel pity for every person who backed it.
I might recommend this game for $15 if you have some friends to play with, but I certainly wouldn't recommend it at its current price point and in its current state. On a community forum I saw a deflated Resident Evil fan quip that Umbrella Corps is about 15 patches away from greatness, and I have to say that's my sentiment exactly. I gave this game several chances, but after turning off my PS4 and walking away from it just now, I'm realizing that I have no motivation to boot Umbrella Corps back up when there are so many alternatives that look, sound, feel, and play better. Wait for a sale and pick this up cheaply if you're a die-hard fan, but keep your friends close and your expectations low.
And that's what brings me here: sitting on the edge of my seat, back erect and eyes wide as my match in Dorado comes to an explosive, victorious end. I look with glee and see that Junkrat and I secured the play of the game, and I can't help but feel smug as the entire lobby watches the moment I turned the game around with my ultimate. I watch again as Junkrat heaves back the ripcord to a remote controlled tire filled with explosives. I drove it straight up and over a wall, launched it into the air, landed in the middle of the heavily-defended objective, and exploded to take out 4 defenders who were just about to secure it for themselves. I feel like I'm being lifted on top of virtual shoulders as my teammates upvote my performance during the post-game results. I clench my teeth as the experience bar shoots forward, stopping just shy of the next level and a new loot box. Foolishly I glance sidelong at my phone and notice it's 2:40 AM. "Just one more match."
Is there space in the gaming world for a first-person platformer? Absolutely, but I feel like the design decisions behind Mirror's Edge Catalyst limit the number of people it will ultimately appeal to. If it is "for you," you'll probably love it. If you're not sure about the first-person viewpoint or limited navigational tools, though, I recommend giving it a rental or a try-out with a friend's copy. It's a good game, but I can't guarantee it's one you'll enjoy playing.