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Bastion is a joy. It's a game that has all the pieces in place. The key to the game's immense entertainment value is how unbelievably well each piece marries to the next; the result is a smorgasbord of color and action, and one you will undoubtedly appreciate.
Stealth Inc 2: A Game of Clones is an extremely challenging and exceedingly well-designed blend of clever stealth and platforming. It builds on the concepts of the original and while it implements a few things I don't like, it's an undeniably unique adventure. It's just too bad that the controls feel slightly wonky and the repetitiveness of the levels gets a little boring as time goes on.
Mortal Kombat X is full of gory fun. It's fiercely fast, wildly engaging, and wonderfully diverse. Not all modes are equally strong and I still say more could've been done with the promising story, but it's nice to have such variety.
Axiom Verge is a glorious throwback to the 2D days, but it doesn't forget that we're playing in a very different age of interactive entertainment. Those subtle refinements and features that enhance the playability are greatly appreciated. Unlocking a weapon or ability that compels you to return to earlier explored areas to find previously inaccessible power-ups is just plain addictive, and the overall balance and diversity is top-notch.
MLB 15: The Show doesn't really launch us into a new stratosphere of simulation gaming. The upgrades and improvements are there but a lot the game still feels underwhelming, simply due to its age. Even so, it's impossible not to recommend this game to baseball lovers, as the purity and authenticity of the mechanics and physics, engrossing Road to the Show Mode, and unrestrained depth can keep you entertained for many months.
I'm in the latter camp, as most of you are aware, but this is all about the gameplay. It really is. The atmosphere and combat is the focal point and as such, the story and characters take a back seat.
Borderlands: The Handsome Collection is pretty darn handsome. It looks great, plays great, and has a boatload of content. It offers more bang for your buck than just about any other collection currently available, the improved lighting and textures are a big plus, and Gearbox typically makes excellent DLC.
Final Fantasy Type-0 HD has its ups and downs. The narrative falls well shy of the intended mark, as none of the characters really stick with you after playing, and the writers explain very few of the minute details. The camera and blurring effect puts a crimp in the flow of combat, and I wish some of the fighters had more originality in terms what they can do on a battlefield.
Battlefield: Hardline tries very hard to be something fresh in a world of familiarity. It just doesn't quite have the chops to pull it off, at least from a campaign perspective. It's cool to have enemies with cones of vision, the option to arrest without killing everyone in sight, and to encourage a more methodical, tactful approach.
DmC: Devil May Cry Definitive Edition is a worthy re-release. Not only is there a bunch of challenging new content, but we also get appreciated gameplay refinements and upgrades, most prominent of which is that fantastic 1080p/60fps presentation. The story doesn't deliver as it should, the difficulty can be forbidding, and I'm not the biggest fan of certain bosses. Aside from that, this is a bombastic, massively stylized, wonderfully flowing action game that hits all the high points.
Helldivers holds huge entertainment value for certain players. The game has its share of minor issues, such as visibility (with so many enemies on screen at once, things can get nuts), the story is amusing and even comical but I wonder if it was even necessary, and the game can become irritating if your co-op experiences are found lacking. Despite all that, if everything clicks, you're in for one hell of a ride.
OlliOlli2: Welcome to Olliworld is a righteous sequel. It's just so sweet. There are gameplay and visual improvements, and they're significant enough to make the game feel like a totally fresh experience when compared to the original title.
The Order: 1886 is an example of dying linearity. The worst part is that this style of gaming is dying, not because it's inferior, but because there are those who want us to believe it's inferior. It's just different.
Unmechanical: Extended Edition is a mostly rewarding and wonderfully atmospheric puzzler with only a few significant flaws. A few of the puzzles just seem poorly designed, which clash with the great puzzles that thankfully populate most of the game. The complete lack of a narrative is only a little disconcerting; even though I'd want to learn a bit more about the world and my odd character, I'm usually too busy thinking.
In the end, Evolve is a wonderful concept that boasts a surprising, appreciated amount of variety and strategy. Many may not anticipate the level of depth and practice required to really be proficient, which is why some shooter fans might feel a tad misled. Then again, I hesitate to even call this game a "FPS" because it's just so much more, and it's different when playing as the Monster.
Dying Light has its moments. It has a great concept and that concept is executed relatively well, with a few minor drawbacks. I still say the villain seems awfully familiar and the story is just way too predictable, and some of the main missions feature design choices that are definite head-scratchers.
Grim Fandango Remastered is a masterful puzzle/adventure that will go down in history as one of the most unique and atmospheric video games. The graphics aren't really spruced up all that much (they didn't do anything to the cut-scenes, as far as I can tell), and there are a few old-fashioned control quirks and design flaws, but these are minor shortcomings. It's extremely tough to find such games these days, so if you've never had the pleasure, here's your chance to play something completely unlike the other games in your current till.
Super Mega Baseball is one of the most enjoyable, satisfying games I've played in a long time. Sometimes, we get so caught up with the necessity for realism and authenticity, so as to show off the power of our fancy new hardware, that we forget a video game truism: A game doesn't have to be realistic to be fun.
Loadout isn't a bad game; there just isn't much to it. If you're worried about how a PC game translates to the PS4 controller, you'll be happy to hear there are minimal issues. The control isn't perfect, though, and despite the better part distribution system, there isn't much to talk about aside from weapon crafting.
The game will only last you four hours and the puzzles aren't overly difficult, but it's still fun. With a wide variety of weapons, equipment and tools, and a well-paced adventure that delivers some quality dungeon-crawling entertainment, Lara Croft and the Temple of Osiris is probably worth playing. There are a few glitches and hang-ups, the story isn't what it could've been, the control isn't perfect, and sometimes, four players can bog things down.