Keri Honea's Reviews
The multiplayer and SnapMap portions will likely improve over time, especially with the Season Pass content, as no one will want to purchase extra content until the multiplayer smooths out. The multiplayer aside, the true appeal to the game remains in the single-player campaign, which is how it was and should be with a DOOM title.
Assassin's Creed Syndicate does incredibly well most of what they set out to do, and Ubisoft has redeemed the series quite a bit with this new offering. It's sadly still not as polished as it could be, which is most likely due to the annualization of this series. Regardless, Syndicate will provide several dozens of hours of entertainment for even mild AC fans, as, to be honest, it never gets old stabbing random Blighters in the street when they bite their thumbs at me.
Unless you're reading this from prison, you've most likely never partied as hard as this. In fact, you've probably never seen partygoers party this hard either, as it doesn't matter how many people die or how many times the cops show up; they won't stop dancing, the DJ will still lay down the mad beats, and the servers will continue to serve drinks, even if they are the last ones alive.
Remedy has, without a doubt, crafted a very creative title with Quantum Break. It's not going to be the killer exclusive game that so many were looking for with the Xbox One, but it's definitely been worth the wait. Story gamers will especially delight in replaying the game multiple times to see the various episodes and experience the different paths the game itself can take. For anyone with an Xbox One, Quantum Break is a must-own.
If you're looking for a Wolfenstein experience that has stark differences from The New Order, you're going to be heavily disappointed. But just look at the cover art that both Bethesda and Machine Games have designed for The Old Blood and you'll see exactly what you should expect.
No, Goat Simulator won't be game of the year by any stretch of imagination. However, those who want a stupid little game that rewards you for destroying things but won't kill you, even if you head-butt a tanker truck, leap out a fourth-story window, or let a treadmill backspin you out into traffic, will not be let down by the simplicity the game has to offer. Just be prepared for buggy controls, a twitchy camera, and plenty of physics that don't make sense (but you won't care because it's a friggin' goat).
While I greatly enjoyed Dr. Luigi, most of my joy can be attributed to my profound love for Dr. Mario. Those who have such a nostalgic tie to the game will love Dr. Luigi in the same way the new iterations of Tetris keep fans from the '80s and '90s coming back.
Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney - Spirit of Justice is the first game in a long time that I just could not put down. No matter how tired I was, I was determined to get through just the next witness testimony before bed. And then that turned into the next one. And then I refused to sleep before this particular trial was over. Suffice to say, SoJ does the Phoenix Wright series justice (see what I did there?), and it's sure to be one of the most popular puzzle games this year. Just please don't think this is how a day in court goes. SoJ does many things well, but accurately depicting the legal system is by far not one of them, not that it means to.
Just Cause 3 is hardly game of the year material, and it knows it. The game constantly makes fun of itself, Rico has plenty of cheesy yet hilarious one-liners he likes to throw out while watching his exploding handiwork, and the NPCs constantly ask him how he does what he does. The game isn't meant to be deep or perplexing; it's meant to be fun and tap into that inner madman who just wants to make things go boom, and Just Cause 3 succeeds in doing just that.
That's what we all try to do day in and day out in our own lives, right?
Even though Hue looks very bland, its elegant puzzle craftsmanship proves once again that you most certainly cannot judge a game by its graphics. I can't imagine how painstaking it was for this team to perfectly balance the growing difficulty with the puzzles, building upon each puzzle learned and amping it up just a smidge. No room was above and beyond more difficult than the one prior; it was slow and steady growth, and one that will keep you glued to your controller until you finish it.
Despite this reining in on being a tyrannical god, Reus is phenomenal. It has that right balance of allowing players to move as quickly or as slow as they want for newcomers to the genre or seasoned god veterans. The only time I felt overwhelmed is when I let myself become that way by growing too many villages. With the number of unlockables for abilities and developments, even these veterans will find plenty to do in Reus for several hours, and better yet, they’ll enjoy that time as much as the newbies.
Ys VIII isn't Adol's typical adventure, but it's so well-crafted (aside from chatty characters) from its combat down to its methods of exploration and side mission variety. It may take a bit longer for newcomers than long-time fans to take the bait, but once you're reeled in, you will be hooked. You'll need to be hooked, because even with a crit-path strategy for completion, it will easily take over 40 hours to get through the mystery of the Isle of Seiren. Fortunately, any action-RPG fan, even those who disliked the Ys series in the past, will find plenty to lure them in and keep them on the line.
Pillars of Eternity was certainly crafted with PC in mind, but it's no less an enjoyable experience on console.
The Station is short and sweet, which could be seen as a detriment. However, I liked the fact that there wasn't a lot of fluff to the story, and there weren't any fetch quests or other modes of padding the game to keep it going. There was plenty in the story to tell, and the developers didn't drag it out at all. The brevity actually solidifies how stellar the narrative truly is, and I can't recommend it enough to all gamers who love a good story, especially a good mystery.
Dragon's Crown Pro is that same Dragon's Crown we all loved and remember from 2013, it's just shinier, prettier, and on the latest console. If you've already played it to completion (or simply to death) on other platforms, there's very little reason to come back for a second purchase.
Most otome visual novels are a dime a dozen, and they're usually a guilty pleasure. Psychedelica of the Black Butterfly stands above the rest with its unpredictable, deep mystery and its pathways to the various endings. If you're looking for an atypical otome, especially one where the romantic endings aren't always the happiest, then you owe it to yourself curl up into your couch with this one.
Technical issues aside, I greatly enjoyed my time in the Heretic Kingdoms. The hack-n-slash combat with puppeteering strategies always felt fresh, the enemies always presented a challenge on the Normal difficulty, and I never got tired of the vast exploration and puzzle solving. Playing again is inevitable for me, as I'm really curious how much choices affect the puppets and the world around me. I played the goody-two-shoes route this time, by not making pacts with other demons and offering to help everyone under the sun. But I can't help but wonder how differently the game would go if I played as Vlad the Heartless. How would that help me unlock puppets I missed this time? How would it change the already chaotic world? Does it have as many ending varieties as Dungeon Siege III? I also can't help but wonder about the backstories for the other soul puppets I didn't choose. With all of that replayability bubbling under the surface, it's nigh impossible to not recommend Shadows: Awakening to all hack-n-slash RPG fans, especially those who never tire of the tried and true Diablo III formula.
The Liar Princess and the Blind Prince definitely lives in a story gamer's wheelhouse, but there's plenty here to satisfy those who may not care about a story in games. But I bet you will care about this one by the time you reach the end.
Skylanders Trap Team may break the bank a little, but it's still a great game for kids, little and big alike. Just don't let the bright colors, sappy dialogue, and kid-friendly fighting fool you; it's only as easy as you want it to be, and sometimes, it's fun to sit back and play a light-hearted game, even if it is one made for kids.