Dealspwn's Reviews
Akiba's Trip is one of the most pleasant surprises of the year. What was marketed as shameful fanservice is actually an anarchic, innovative, big-hearted and even-handed love letter to all things Otaku and geeky, propped up by stunning localisation and a great cast of characters, and that makes up for a fair few clumsy shortcomings with its uninhibited cheeky sense of fun.
Probably the best tower defence game there is. Nothing more, nothing less.
Bayonetta 2 is mechanically perfect, yet it is also a game that is stuffed with personality and wit and charm and an abundance of ideas and imagery and symbolism that its poor story cannot hope to make sense of or contain. But that's okay -- it is the finest game Platinum have ever made, and the best thing to grace the Wii U thus far.
Pix the Cat is a joy to play -- a heady, thrilling mix of bitesized, speedy, spatial puzzling that'll keep you coming back time and time again.
A fantastic start for what we hope will become a fresh Tolkien franchise. There are some solid (if not borrowed) foundations and the Nemesis surpasses our expectations by providing a fresh experience to enemy design. Improvements next time should see a little more variety added to the combat brawls, but you're going to love taking advantage of an enemy's weaknesses from afar with the rich range of underhanded subterfuge tactics. Well played, Monolith.
Styx: Master Of Shadows is a proper old-school sneak'em up that harks back to the tough and rewarding heyday of the stealth genre, but the production values don't come close to matching the ambition. Thanks to its budget price, enormous sandbox levels and fun stealth mechanics, I can still recommend this shonky yet endearing little game to patient fans of sneaking, stabbing and pressing F9 every few seconds.
I'm not coming out of this locker.
Not much has changed off of the pitch, EA Canada still can't seem to work out how to create stable netcode at launch, and goalkeepers still make hideous errors in spite of their obvious upgrades, but ultimately FIFA 15 is a fast-paced, thrilling triumph where it counts. It's frustrating at times, but it's also the most rewarding FIFA in years.
I'd never have pegged the folks behind Bulletstorm to craft something like The Vanishing of Ethan Carter, but I'm very glad that they did. It has a few niggling issues, but ultimately this is a brilliantly subtle, imaginative and thoughtful game.
Natural Doctrine gets so much right. A strong premise, great top-level strategic mechanics, sensational skill system and ruthless tactical battles ought to have made this a left-field cult smash.
A cracking adventure game, possibly the best Sherlock Holmes game that Frogwares have given us thus far, Sherlock Holmes: Crimes and Punishments goes a long way to making players feel like we are are Holmes rather than simply playing a game about him. There are little niggles here and there, but frankly if you enjoy your detective mystery games, it would be criminal to overlook one of the best we've had in ages.
Endless Legend is a excellent 4X game that takes the genre in exciting new directions, expertly blending hard Sci-Fi and high fantasy in the process.
Any track racer can make overtaking feel exciting, but Forza Horizon 2 also makes driving an absolute joy in and of itself. Superb cars, gorgeous scenery and a generous economy make up for a few missteps, meaning that the first big automotive release of the season will also be one of the best of the year.
Fabulous figurines and expanded creation tools make Disney Infinity 2.0 a sensational if inconsistent toybox. We'll probably have to wait until 3.0 for the playsets and core gameplay mechanics it deserves, but a little imagination can go a long way here.
Pro Rugby Manager 2015 is an utter disgrace, a broken shambles, bereft of depth or quality, worth neither your time nor your money. It's frankly insulting that niche audiences continue to be exploited in this manner, and 505 Games should be utterly ashamed of themselves.
Heavy Bullets is a devastatingly elegant fusion of slippery twitch shooting, procedural exploration and gradual progression without an ounce of unnecessary fat. The rock-solid experience can plateau after a few hours of dying and delving, but you'll definitely get your money's worth first.
Despite the glaring issues that, understandably, some might not be able to overcome, Destiny does manage to create a sturdy foundation from which Bungie can build its new franchise. If you can get past its foibles you'll discover an addictive online shooter that is just good old-fashioned fun on a delicious tasting bun.
Hyrule Warriors doesn't pretend to be anything that it isn't. It does exactly what it says on the tin, producing what is probably the best Warriors game to date, and doing so by taking many of the best aspects of The Legend of Zelda and successfully incorporating them into the classic 1-vs-1000 gameplay. The fan service is astonishing, the level of detail very welcome indeed, and the action can be truly satisfying, with the various bosses going a long way to making the repetitive action seem quite refreshing at times. A triumphant mash-up indeed.
Compile Heart have yet to create a truly superior JRPG, but Fairy Fencer F feels like a huge step in the right direction. Lazy level design and primitive visuals bring down the package, but the quirky dialogue, interesting overarching storyline, unique gameplay systems and superb combat make for a worthwhile romp for genre fans.
I absolutely adore Warframe despite its rough edges and questionable economy. Since 'grind' is just another word for 'annihilating hordes of foes as an awesome space ninja,' featuring plentiful surprises, addictive progression, strong co-op, overlapping gameplay systems and gorgeous art design, I can forgive any number of niggling flaws.