GamesBeat's Reviews
Kirby: Triple Deluxe looks like just another entry in an old series if you only peek at screenshots and trailers, but this is the best 2D platformer I've played on the 3DS. Levels offer tons of secrets and hidden items to find, and the game's use of the portable's 3D effect is delightfully clever. It's nice to see charm and wit take center stage in this beautiful adventure.
Street Fighter V: Arcade Edition, as a product, is what Capcom should have shot for in 2016. Street Fighter V: Arcade Edition, the core game, is a good fighter that's getting better. If you don't already own a copy of Street Fighter V, this is a really nice spot to jump in. If you do already own a copy and the Season 1 and 2 characters, well, the update is free. So have at it.
Pillars of Eternity II: Deadfire puts the gods, warts and all, at the forefront of the story, and at this point, it shines when it focuses on your interactions with these powerful-but-flawed beings.
Dragon Quest XI: Echoes of an Elusive Age moved me in ways a Japanese RPG hasn't done in years.
Fire Emblem continues to be a franchise on the rise, and Three Houses just took the series to another peak.
This is a huge step up for a franchise that has always been enjoyable but never felt special. Well, Luigi's Mansion 3 is special. It's a spooky adventure full of top-notch puzzles and so much charm that you'll be convinced by the end that maybe Luigi has been the best brother all along.
If you liked Borderlands, you’ll love Borderlands 2. If you missed out on the original, don’t make that same mistake twice.
I was not expecting to love Unity, but I do. Ubisoft nailed the big assassination missions and everything in between. I lost several days to this game, and I'm looking forward to losing a few more. I want to see if I can find all the highest-rated equipment. I want to do some more multiplayer missions. I want to solve the rest of those brilliant murder cases. I want more Unity.
Octodad is a great example of a game that conveys a message through gameplay. In conjunction with its story, characters, and setting, the controls offer an empathetic look into the life of an extreme outsider trying to fit in and trying to do right by his family.
Rise of the Tomb Raider is an epic adventure, and it's a story well told and well played.
That’s the heart of Hitman: giving players the power to create their own stories. And that’s as big and powerful as ever in Hitman 2. So I don’t care if it’s not the newest thing in the world. It’s still one of the most solid and rewarding games you can get. And it’s an ideal antidote to games that are more obsessed with looking immersive than playing great.
The Outer Worlds is Obsidian's final game as an independent company (it's now part of Xbox Game Studios), and it's one helluva swansong.
The Escapists presents a dynamic, fun, and challenging experience in a unique setting. The simple presentation belies the complexity and variety of gameplay. Gamers looking for a cerebral puzzler with a high replay value would be well-advised to check it out. You'd be hard-pressed to find a more enjoyable prison experience.
Even as a series fan, I feel OK in saying that Final Fantasy definitely needed a shot in the arm. And it got one — a big, dark, serious one. It's a bit strange to see this shot coming from something that started out as a mobile title.
I'm blown away by how well thought out the base design in Dead or Alive 5: Last Round is. The designers stuck with a traditional, no-thrills, rock/paper/scissor foundation that provides for depth and complexity to evolve on the player's part.
For me, Trials Fusion plays like a nearly perfect game.
I'm never thought I would be this enthusiastic about an MMO again, but I'm in love with A Realm Reborn. Its beautiful world always offers something fun and interesting to do. Sure, it's not "the next big thing" for the genre, but A Realm Reborn shines with a hundred smart ideas and small touches. Final Fantasy fans in particular will love adventuring in the gorgeous world of Eorzea.
I'm not a huge car guy, but Forza Horizon 2 makes me realize that I am someone who loves driving. It combines all the best elements of car culture and empowers players to take and leave the things they enjoy. For example, it has deep tuning options for you mechanics. You can adjust the level of air in your tires if you want. And if you don't, then don't even think about it.
Act 1 was just an appetizer. Act 2 is the meaty main course that defines Broken Age — and not just because it finishes the story. It's where Double Fine let loose and went crazy with the puzzles (and the complex train of thought you need to solve them). It's where characters I previously thought were only there for a joke or two became much more important. It's where Shay's and Vella's rebellion against their preordained fates turned into a cause that is much bigger than themselves.
The Talos Principle builds a giant collection of 3D puzzles, puts you in the middle of it, and then gives you a philosophical puzzle to chew on that's even larger.