The Division's MMO aspirations get in the way of its shooter fundamentals
Black Ops 3 doesn't meaningfully move the series forward
Strike Vector can't quite stick the landing
Low gravity makes The Pre-Sequel more than a simple rehash of the Borderlands formula
Double Helix has competently filled the gaps in Killer Instinct's foundation
Forza Horizon 2's foundation is stronger than the underwhelming tracks built on top of it
In areas where Battlefield has always excelled and pushed forward, Hardline presents experiments, rather than refinements or fixes. The result is multiplayer that feels very familiar, very quickly. But its campaign, while feeling not completely sure about what it wants to be, is more interesting and certainly all-around better than the last few years' worth of Battlefield games.
Borderlands 2 is unquestionably a better game than Borderlands. The new emphasis on elemental weapons and dismemberment make for better combat scenarios, and the constant character improvement is a great push forward for players looking for long-term rewards. But sticking around for those payoffs requires more patience than I'd hoped.
Andromeda succeeds, despite a host of problems
Bayonetta 2's blatant over-sexualization puts a big dent in an otherwise great game
Assassin's Creed 4 is constantly waiting for its dare-to-be-great moment
Team Ninja has taken some big chances here. They don't all pay off, but the ones that do pull together for a game that justifies some of the pain required.
Headlander isn't Double Fine's funniest game, but it's one of its most consistently fun
Dead Rising 4 isn't always smart, but it's rarely boring
Halo Wars 2 can't stick its landing, but it remains accessible without feeling dumbed down
If Garden Warfare was an attempt to make a multiplayer only shooter that just about anyone could enjoy, Garden Warfare 2 takes that a step farther by removing the original's budget-priced compromises. Making the original Popcap concept into a shooter isn't novel anymore, and I hope that the developers pay attention to the game's potential balance challenges over time to make sure that "asymmetric" doesn't become "lopsided." But Garden Warfare 2 stands strong on its own, and with friends.
Mirror's Edge Catalyst is a flawed, but often great breath of something different and exciting in an open-world landscape full of the same old thing.
With the loss of some of its personality, Forza Motorsport 6 sometimes feels like a little less than the sum of many much improved parts, and there are certain quality-of-life changes that feel increasingly overdue. But these are only distractions, bumps in the road that make Forza feel "just" great when looked at from a distance.
Ultimate is the best possible demonstration of Gears of War's classic shooter bonafides
Luftrausers has a strong pull