Bob Mackey


66 games reviewed
76.0 average score
80 median score
58.5% of games recommended
Are you Bob Mackey? If so, email [email protected] to claim this critic page.
Nov 10, 2013

Enemy Within doesn't fundamentally change the XCOM experience, but it does add a number of new challenges and strategies for veterans of Enemy Unknown. This expansion may be a little too much to handle for newcomers, but the XCOM faithful will find a whole new series of important decisions to obsess over.

Read full review

Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze isn't the most ambitious game, but it throws its characters into unique and clever challenges with each new level. Nintendo would be pushing it if they went for another Donkey Kong game in this style, but for now, Tropical Freeze can sit alongside Super Mario 3D World as one of the finest platformers of this generation.

Read full review

Jun 4, 2014

The 'Mo series has been one of Nintendo's best new properties in recent years, so it's great to see it take a leap to the Wii U. And even if you don't consider yourself a master of puzzles, the game does an excellent job of slowly breaking you into its increasing complexity. If you're willing to toss some money in Nintendo's direction, Pushmo World offers enough cerebral challenges to keep you busy throughout the summer — or whenever you need some time away from Mario Kart 8.

Read full review

I really wanted to like Murdered: Soul Suspect, but -- like L.A. Noire -- it's a detective game that manages to gets its most essential quality absolutely wrong. The backdrop of Salem lends a lot to its central mystery, but at no point will Soul Suspect ever put your deductive skills to work. That's fine if you're indulging in an episode of CSI, but I like my thinky games to require more than just passive interest.

Read full review

Valiant Hearts works from a novel concept, and is loaded with brilliant ideas—hell, it's great just to see a war from the perspective of a country other than America—but Ubisoft's lack of self-control ultimately makes it less impactful than it should have been. It's still a worthwhile experience, though it could have been so much better if Valiant Hearts left us wanting more.

Read full review

From Software went above and beyond with their Crown of the Sunken King DLC: invest in its tiny asking price, and you may find yourself getting just as much time out of it as you would a $60 game. But it's more than just the amount of content that makes this DLC irresistible—it's what From did with it. The amount of surprises and fresh ideas Crown has to offer should make any Souls fan salivate over the prospect of two incoming DLC packages developed (hopefully) with the same amount of thoughtfulness.

Read full review

Jul 30, 2014

Wondering what this whole "roguelike" thing is all about? Then Abyss Odyssey could be the game for you: It's a fine introduction to the rules of the genre, with some helpful training wheels to prevent newcomers from being discouraged. If you've suffered the scars of past roguelikes, though, you'll find Abyss Odyssey's lack of challenge a significant downside.

Read full review

If you're on board for another round of Dark Souls DLC, you know what you're in for: A few interesting twists here and there, and a revival of certain elements from the last game, but nothing revolutionary. If you simply want more Dark Souls 2, Old Iron King delivers just that, and with all the thoughtfulness you'd expect from its developers.

Read full review

Curtain Call could be a better game, but its music makes up for the fairly straightforward rhythm action on display. If you've been a stranger to the series until now and want to jump in, Curtain Call offers hundreds of Final Fantasy songs, from the mainline series to the obscure spinoffs. The game might run the risk of being a little too in love with the source material, but, in this case, can you blame it?

Read full review

If you've been playing through the Dark Souls 2 DLC up to this point, Ivory King offers plenty of reasons to see the last of what FromSoftware has to offer. It features the same focus on new experiences and terrifying boss fights as the past two Crown installments, tucked into a setting that's atypical for a Souls game. Once you tie the bow on Dark Souls 2, the only thing left to do is start counting down the days until Bloodborne.

Read full review

Once again, SWERY injects a detective story with his patented brand of weirdness, though this time he's finally free of the technical limitations that hampered his past work. D4 isn't a flawless experience, but, as with Deadly Premonition, it offers a world and set of characters you won't want to leave behind.

Read full review

If you've played Borderlands and the sequel, devoured all the available DLC, and still want more, that's exactly what the Pre-Sequel delivers. If you're looking for anything measurably different than your prior experiences with the series, though, The Pre-Sequel won't satisfy. And this lack of ambition only serves to disappoint: there's a fantastic game buried in here, somewhere, if only its caretakers would perform a serious overhaul.

Read full review

Do you have a PC? Is it reasonably up-to-date? Well, if you haven't played The Vanishing of Ethan Carter, you're missing out on one of the best games of the year. Developer The Astronauts has crafted a masterful mystery in an unbelievably beautiful and atmospheric setting, and raised the bar for what this kind of an experience can be. And, for an extremely reasonable price of admission, you, too, can find yourself never wanting to leave its well-crafted world.

Read full review

Nov 25, 2014

Far Cry 4 certainly features a lot to love, but Ubi's continued buffet-style approach to content has the game wearing out its welcome far earlier than it should. Still, if you're willing to adopt a pick-and-choose approach to its unbelievable amount of stuff to do, you should have a good time—just don't expect to digest everything it has to offer.

Read full review

The Old City offers a great story, and one that's at its most rewarding when approached with a literary mindset. If you're not offended by a game with an ending that raises more questions than answers, Postmod's creation delivers an experience with a noteworthy amount of restraint—and one that's begging to be revisited multiple times.

Read full review

Grim's lack of availability may have helped it achieve sainthood, so its baffling puzzles may comes as a shock to many. If you can tolerate frustration, though, Schafer's final LucasArts production provides one of the best adventure game stories ever crafted—just be sure to keep an FAQ nearby.

Read full review

Monster Hunter 4 Ultimate is simply the most approachable and playable version of Capcom's action-RPG to date—but be warned, it still requires a hefty investment. If you're willing to take the leap, though, you'll soon understand why Monster Hunter has become such a phenomenon.

Read full review

Don't let Rainbow Curse's relatively small length put you off; it's a sublime experience that completely washes its hands of the padding most games employ to justify a retail release. If you're used to finishing games out of a sense of weary obligation, expect to be pleasantly surprised when this latest Kirby spin-off leaves you fully satisfied by the end of its final level.

Read full review

Wrong Number might not be the ambitious sequel you're expecting from Hotline Miami, but if you enjoyed the original, the way Dennaton plays with its essential formula makes for a worthwhile experience.

Read full review

Resident Evil Revelations 2 might not move the series forward, but, at the same time, it isn't at all the cheap cash-in it easily could have been. If you're a survival horror fan in need of a Resident Evil fix, Revelations 2 will definitely be fulfilling.

Read full review