The shortform point in all of this is "if you love Call of Duty, you'll find some value here, but not nearly as bolstered as it ought to be at this point", if you're on the fence though, it's a hard stretch for me to recommend this fully.
From a technical standpoint, Dead Rising 3 is not the pinnacle of how a next-gen game should look (or perform), but from an expanded gameplay perspective, and one of pure fun, it's my favourite launch title among the lot. Hopefully we see a patch or two over the coming weeks to attempt to fix some of the mechanical problems with the game.
Reactive hipoints on enemies would have been a much more "definitive" way to go here, but like the core story and animations, it's delivered in the same broken (or unrealistic) fashion as the 2013 release. Combat is the least fun in the game, but it's passable regardless. What's best to take away from this is you get the full game and all content released, updated visuals that actually make the game look next-gen, and that same rewarding sense of adventure and exploration coupled with Lara's personal, traumatic ascension to true Tomb Raider. Bring on the inevitable sequel, I say.
If you're after a new next-gen experience but can't see yourself moving past the main campaign, I'd say this is probably not for you, at least not unless you have money to burn. It's a terrific little package brimming with options to replay, but it's not a large play-space by any measure, and there's not a huge amount of variation on scenery or tone. This one boils down to preference.
What you can walk away with is, like Assassin's Creed before it, Watch Dogs has walked into a genre otherwise owned by one of the most popular and rewarded developers in the industry and holds its own. The question will always be "is it better than GTA?" and at this stage the answer is invariably no, but it's early days for a game that builds on the strengths of its core marketing line, while balancing itself out on various fringe areas. It fails to expand upon its own principles though, and as a result remains slightly out of line with its potential. But damn, what potential it has.
The concept and setting here were ripe for out-of-left-field explosiveness, but due to a lack of direction and capitalisation, and likely a small budget, all we're left with is a lifeless game that fails to live up to its potential.
[I]f Naxxramas is just a taste (and test) of things to come, Hearthstone continues to look vibrant and healthy.
There is room to improve and build upon this base, but it's a fantastic base regardless. It should only get better from here on out.
An absolute must-own.
[E]ven with that level of polish I'd have liked to see, it's difficult to think of any reason you shouldn't play this, because I can't. It's a compelling experience unlike anything else out in the market, despite borrowing heavily from a couple of other big guns. Thoroughly recommend.