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République is a great five-episode game. I enjoyed all of it, despite some low moments, and I’m floored that it’s all available on mobile. The twist on the stealth genre, effectively providing an excuse for the originally envisioned touch controls, adds a fold to what is typically a lonely adventure for the protagonist in this genre. And as stated, I think the risks Camouflaj took at the end ultimately make for an interesting conversation regarding player and character agency. Still, the story, even with all the additional exposition players can find, is never overwrought and straightforward. It’s a nice adventure to play through, and the choices added to the final episode add replay value I wasn’t expecting. I’m tempted to dive in again.
In addition to Trackmania Turbo's single-player campaign, you can enjoy a race variation where two players work in unison to control one car. There's also local multiplayer racing and action-packed online multiplayer modes, including one where 100 players race ghost cars against each other. Add the deep track creator to the surrealistic mix, and the result is a fantastic racing game that will keep players coming back for short doses of fun-filled mayhem!
I really wanted to like Forced Showdown. Maybe there’s something about it that just didn’t *click* with me. Too many half-baked ideas does not a casserole make, my mother always said. If they had taken the time to expand on what makes each of the genres compelling, this could have been a whole different review. Instead, it’s a hot mess on your keyboard.
Big on feature, major in community activity, and strong in replay ability, this year's Show certainly has done well. For Sony, like EA's Madden series, there are few to no challengers to the genre so success lies within their own hands. So the question is, if it ain't broke, will they still try to fix it, or if it is broke, do they still care to fix it?
Senran Kagura as a series is something of a guilty pleasure for me, faults and confusion and all. At first glance… like the cover... it's a bunch of overly-exaggerated anime girls on a beach in skimpy outfits. A mission or two in, and it's overly-exaggerated anime ninjas on a beach in a contest to strip each other's clothes off. But eventually it reaches a story that's deeper than one expects from this kind of experience… then throws the mind back into the gutter for a bit. Because boobs, amirite?
But these encounters aren’t enough to save what is a very mediocre game. Conceptually, Into The Stars had the potential to be a compelling spin on a formula established by the immeasurably superior FTL, but across the board, it is littered with uninspired and dull design choices. Anything resembling a good time is left up to your lackeys while you remain stuck to your captain’s chair, blindly dishing out orders that lead to unforeseeable conclusions, leaving all the best bits up to your crew members as you watch your unfathomably slow space snail of a ship sail to another boring location.
They say to avoid the pitfalls of the future, we must look to the past. At the very least for Ubisoft, this mantra could have been thought of a lot more in creating The Division. Like BioWare and Rockstar Games, the French-Canadian publisher has proved time and time again that they are near unbeatable when it comes to hatching up brilliant new IPs. Sadly, they are just as frustrating in what exactly these grand idea games add up to. Watch Dogs, Assassin's Creed, and now The Division are all the kinds of worlds I love to lose myself in. But I think we're at impasse. Entertainment is ever evolving, and that goes double for videogames. It's just not enough to make a game that is big and richly-detailed, only to then tie down players by saying "look at all this, but seriously just do this… pew pew pew!"
It doesn’t have the same level of depth or detail a traditional LoZ game employs, but it’s satisfying, and I can see keeping Legends in my system for a long time coming. Sure, it can make you want to yank your hair out by the roots sometimes, but if it didn’t, would you really want it?
In the end, Samurai Warriors 4 Empires is basically the same as Samurai Warriors 4-II, but with a heavy emphasis on pre-combat strategy and no interesting storylines for the characters. Fans of the series will appreciate the variation on gameplay, but there's nothing to draw new players to the franchise.
Those fans are better off utilizing the Xbox One’s backwards compatibility to go back and play again. Those curious about what the fuss was all about back in the day will get something more out of it. Gameplay is where it counts, and regardless of its bland design and extensive hodge-podging from other properties, Shadow Complex Remastered is a fun game that will reward your time spent with it.
To the distraught fighting game purist that would criticize Pokkén Tournament as "not a legit fighting game," I counter with this: Oh my GOD!, could Pikachu Libre get any more damned cute? No! No, it could not. So grab a controller—not a fightstick—and whoop some Pokébutt!
The Definitive Edition of Ori and The Blind Forest is the best this game can be. Returning players may want to tilt the score down while players who are discovering it for the first time will be in for a treat and should tilt the score up. As challenging as it can be, those sighs of relief after a particularly challenging sequence are still just as rewarding. Returning players may want to consider what their time is worth, however, as paying for additional "features" is not a route the industry should be going. If Ori burned you before (as it had me), don't expect an apology here. It's still pretty, fun, and occasionally frustrating, and it still might burn your parent's house down.
The first episode of Hitman is a solid starting point for the full game content, which is Contract-driven, with each environment focusing on a single mission with multiple objectives. This is a solid structure for the franchise, even if it's a little jarring to finish the first mission and realize you have to wait for the rest of what would have been released as a complete title.
Crashlands swooped in under my radar and surprised me with its complex yet streamlined gameplay and laugh-out-loud humor. I tend to play it for longer stints than most portable games, and it has given me a reason to carry my iPad with me wherever I go.
Mortal Kombat XL is a fantastic addition to the base game, adding characters that somehow fit extremely well in the roster. If NetherRealm Studios can make smart choices like this, perhaps we should hope for Mortal Kombat XXL.
EA Sports UFC 2 has shown its improvements over its former self and continues to play the part. A mix of power and finesse, both in ring and out, there’s no doubt this is a solid pickup for folks interested in handing out beatings like their favorite MMA fighters do. With the Live Events regularly updating and Ultimate Team keeping a steady dose of online competition rolling in, this simulation will stay relevant over its life. As Bruce Lee, a DLC character for the game, would say: “Notice that the stiffest tree is most easily cracked, while the bamboo or willow survives by bending with the wind.” For EA Sports UFC 2, it certainly seems survival is imminent.
It’s not that Gears of War Ultimate Edition for Windows 10 is a bad game; it’s just that everything good about it is what’s good about Gears of War for any other platform. It adds nothing that can tangibly enhance the experience, and with a litany of technical issues and ignorance of its own virtues, Windows 10 gaming has not put its best foot forward here.
I've finished nearly every console Legend of Zelda game, and Link's adventure into the Twilight Realm, his partnership with Midna, and more makes Twilight Princess my second-favorite of the series. This HD version might not be as eye candy-worthy as Wind Waker HD was, but that really is a minor quibble for such an amazing experience. Ocarina of Time is still the Citizen Kane of video games, but for pure mood and soul Twilight Princess is unparalleled.
It isn't common that you encounter a game as charming and delightfully addictive as Stardew Valley. It finds a harmonious balance of progression, activities, and rewards resulting in each day being distinct and memorable. It's a triumph in indie game development, demonstrating that a single developer with tremendous heart can make something more meaningful and captivating than even the most prolific AAA studios.
I'm still kind of let down that the core gameplay remains mainly unchanged over the years. Telltale is great with character choices and delivering a striking painterly color palate, but all of that can grind to a halt since the hacking and slashing gameplay feels repetitive, especially compared to last year's adventure breakout Life Is Strange. Telltale is still the king at what they do, making the active conversation in a game feel tense, urgent. I just hope that's enough for the remaining two episodes of The Walking Dead: Michonne.