Jeff Marchiafava
Bravely Default’s depth and variety largely make up for a slow pace and repetitive mission structure
JazzPunk is good for a few chuckles and the novelty of how absurd the game is
Already-limited offerings are diminished by a quasi-free-to-play monetization scheme
The hacking abilities are a legitimate game changer and give Watch Dogs its own identity
This is the closest a game has come to capturing the promise of the Alien franchise, even if its story doesn't add much to the lore
Telltale avoids a complete flop with a more engaging second half and a well-done finale
Poor matchmaking and punishing XP penalties kill the desire to partake in the slow progression
The 4v1 formula is original but inherently limited; how long Evolve holds your attention will depend on how much you enjoy the hunt.
With a wide range of difficulty levels and endless planets to conquer, Helldivers doles out as much co-op fun as you can handle
Skip the single-player campaign and jump straight into the refined multiplayer
Atlas Mugged delivers a solid opening and a few chuckles, but I would've liked more meaningful choices and character development
PlanetSide 2 is one long grind, but the scale and competitive feel are wholly unique
A few chuckles and new personalities can't sustain the meandering adventure.
Supermassive weaves an intriguing and exciting mystery with all the right teen-horror trappings
Filling your head with questions that have no easy answers, The Beginner's Guide is confusing, thought-provoking, and unlike anything you've ever played.
Provided you don't get hung up by myriad design problems or a progress-halting bug, Armikrog is a monotonous and overly simplistic adventure
While still far from perfect, Escape Plan Bravo contains enough good moments to get me excited for the final entry
While its trajectory has been off at times, Telltale nails the landing
Pony Island's action sequences are repetitive and unforgiving, but the bizarre narrative doles out intrigue and humor in equal parts
While the puzzles get repetitive, the ever-changing environments and heartfelt narrative see you through to the end of the journey