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While I never really connected with the trap mechanic or the new Trap Master toys, Skylanders: Trap Team is still a well-oiled machine. On newer consoles it looks fantastic, the action gameplay is still exciting, and the charm is still there. I just hope that Activision and its ilk have more interesting concepts in mind for the next iteration.
Natural Doctrine isn't atrocious, but it does have a lot of issues. It's as frequently enjoyable as it is repugnant, an experience that will often blindside you with cheap deaths that reek of artificial difficulty. Some will enjoy it, sure. But it's a hard sell to all but the most staunch and patient SRPG fans. And even then it will undoubtedly test those players' resolve.
Halfway into playing Alien: Isolation, I stopped to watch the first four Alien movies again. It wasn't just for research purposes, but mostly because the game had me yearning for more of the universe. Isolation has some flaws, but it's faithful to the film series, and I'd love to see a follow-up with a few extra alien evolutions.
The Sims 4 has room to grow, but right now you're better off continuing to play its predecessor. While certain features were axed in the name of progress, those features were a large reason why many have come to love the series in the first place.
Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS delivered just about everything I wanted out of it, and then some. I've grown attached to a number of newcomers, I've played more online matches than I ever did with Brawl, and I'll be tackling all of the single-player content for weeks on end. I'm all in again thanks to Smash 3DS, and it's made me even more excited for the Wii U version later this year.
While some will find the pace far too slow for their liking or the crime-scene puzzles too simplistic, The Vanishing of Ethan Carter holds up well. Having the story told almost out of sequence makes it even more chilling as you see people slowly turn on each other. The melancholy tale is matched with some wonderful visions to make a game that really sticks in the mind.
That's where Chariot truly shines -- its cooperative play. Going at Chariot solo adds up to a competent and unique platformer that's satisfying, yet somewhat unfulfilling because of all the opportunity that's unfortunately necessary to pass up. However, once you have a friend in the mix, any concern dissipates and you're left with a memorable social experience that just happens to be almost flawless in its execution.
Gauntlet is a polished game that does right by its predecessors. It's a great mix of both old and new school sensibilities, and despite the fact that the art style isn't as pronounced as it could have been, the actual core of the game is very sound. With the addition of online play to the series, this one will have legs for quite some time and deserves a spot in the Gauntlet pantheon.
Ultimately, like many ambitious projects, Middle-earth: Shadow of Mordor doesn't deliver on everything it sets out to do. Although Monolith's heart is in the right place and the studio honors the lore, it doesn't really add anything that's worth seeing outside of some solid open world gameplay. It isn't a bad game, it just feels far too repetitive for its own good.
Every element in Forza Horizon 2 adds up to an exceptional experience. The story isn't over the top so as to get in the way of racing, driving feels as good as it ever did in Forza Motorsport, there's a ton of things to do, and the game looks absolutely beautiful -- especially the long-awaited dynamic weather system. Forza Horizon 2 is a must-have on the Xbox One.
There are undoubtedly great things in the pipeline for the NHL franchise, but NHL 15 isn't a part of those plans.
Wasteland 2 is an expansive game that demands to be replayed again and again to get the best out of it. While a lot of the detailed mechanics feel somewhat archaic, they're not going to hold back dedicated players who want to micromanage and really role play their group of characters. It has all of the familiar elements and even if some aspects of its presentation are not quite up to modern standards, its design and gameplay are timeless and welcome.
Disney Infinity: Marvel Super Heroes is still aimed at the younger crowd, but the new Toy Box and attention to detail will speak to audiences of all ages. With stronger writing and even deeper gameplay options, the third game could really have universal appeal beyond the audience it already reaches. 2.0 feels like a natural evolution, and that's a good thing if you liked the original.
It ends on a cliffhanger, but D4 has me intrigued, mostly because I felt a genuine attachment to the characters. I want to see this journey through to the end, and the classic Swery wackiness kept me interested throughout the relatively familiar adventure genre gameplay.
Hyrule Warriors can fall into the same trappings as any hack and slash, but the amount of effort that went into making it enjoyable for Zelda fans is staggering. This is one of the best couch co-op games I've ever played, warts and all.
Destiny hasn't gotten off to the best start but I do see potential down the line. If more social features are added, loot is improved, and new content keeps coming, it will be worth the entry fee. We'll be covering Destiny along the way, but for now I'd be wary of picking it up at full price.
Considering that it has almost the entire first game housed within it with expanded modes, Theatrhythm Final Fantasy: Curtain Call is a no-brainer for people who never bit the first time around, as well as returning players who are looking to play some extra songs. It still has some of the same series trappings due to its similar nature, but even if you just tackle every song once in free play it's worth the price of entry.
WildStar is a very traditional MMO, and it doesn't attempt to hide that fact. As someone who enjoys both the new- and old-school means of thought, I found WildStar to be both a solid foundation of tried-and-true methods and an all-too familiar retread. If you've finally grown tired of WoW and want another hardcore MMO, this is it -- but everyone else may want to wait for a free trial period.
Divinity: Original Sin is an amazing RPG experience. It falls a bit flat on characterization and writing on occasion, but nails just about everything else. It does a great job of compelling players to roleplay their on-screen characters, putting the "RP" back into RPG. This is a game that any fan of the genre will adore, and is sure to suck in new players and teach them what the genre is all about. It's a love letter, and deserves to be loved back.
Madden NFL 15 brought to you by the NFL's classist, uncaring, voracious appetite for profit and general moral failure as a multi-billion dollar business built on the backs of broken, mostly forgotten workers™ takes its existing defensive framework and makes it not suck. This lets me hit quarterbacks more and release the aggression that wells up when I see any of the in-game advertisements. The rest is Madden 25, but less hideous.