Travis Northup's Reviews
ReCore is the framework of an incredible game with some truly unforgivable technical issues, which greatly deter from the overall experience. You'll enjoy the challenging platforming, and awesome robotic action…in between aggravatingly long loading screens, and deaths via falling through solid surfaces.
The Bioshock series is awesome, and The Bioshock Collection modernizes that experience. Although there are a few technical shortcomings, and Bioshock 2 lacks its excellent multiplayer mode, The Bioshock Collection is a worthy investment for fans of the series, or newcomers who want to see what all the fuss is about.
Destiny: Rise of Iron is an excellent addition to Bungie’s open-world shooter, but is held back by a weak story, and a leveling meta that requires a bit of grinding. Overall, Destiny looks, sounds, and feels better than it ever has, and there has been no better time to be a Destiny player.
Lichtspeer is nonsensical, bloody, and a joy to behold. It suffers from repetition, and stages that drag on a little too long, but is a worthy experience for those possessing the willpower to tackle this challenging title.
Gears of War 4 is the Gears revival that fans have been waiting for, and proof that the franchise is in the right hands.
Dead Rising 4 is bloody, chaotic, and downright hilarious. If you’re looking to turn your brain off this holiday season, and destress with gratuitous violence, this is the game for you.
Horizon Zero Dawn is an excellent open-world experience that puts fighting towering robots at the center of the action. It’s held back somewhat by its weak narrative, and occasional glitches, but that doesn’t stop it from being the most badass game I’ve played this year.
Mass Effect Andromeda is a return to the original Mass Effect game in ways both good and bad. Interesting characters, solid gameplay and RPG mechanics, and the revival of the open-world elements of the series will immerse and delight longtime fans. However, wooden characters, a light story, and plenty of glitches hold this title back from fulfilling its full potential.
The Surge is the most badass game I've played all year, and a must-play title for any masochistic gamer who enjoys getting their ass handed to them regularly. Although the presentation and enemy variety are somewhat lacking, and technical issues occur occasionally, none of these issues come even close to putting a hamper on this thoroughly enjoyable experience. Play. This. Game.
RiME is a beautiful game that excels in its presentation and tells a compelling narrative. Although it's held back by technical issues and simplistic puzzles, it's well-worth the price of admission.
There are very few things that Randall gets right: The platforming is sloppy, the combat is dull, the story and writing is unintelligible, and the boss fights are unbearable. When they work, mind control abilities are entertaining, but poor game design and game-breaking glitches make Randall a thoroughly unpleasant gaming experience.
Destiny 2 is a massive accomplishment, and a huge step in the right direction for the franchise. With a more focused narrative, more activities to do than ever before, and enormous quality of life improvements to the Destiny sandbox and economy, there isn't much to dislike about Destiny 2.
The Evil Within 2 is a huge step forward for the series that emphasizes exploration, stealth, and conserving resources for the more challenging encounters. Though the compelling plot is weighed down by poor writing and poorer voice performances, the game offers a great horror experience with a ton of content.
While Danger Zone provides some thrills and serves as an interesting revival of one of Burnout's beloved game modes, it's often too slow and lifeless to give fans the fix they were hoping for.
In 2014 MachineGames made a statement with Wolfenstein: The New Order. Now, with Wolfenstein II: The New Colossus, they've written their manifesto. It's easily one of the best games you'll play all year.
Horizon Zero Dawn: The Frozen Wilds is a short, but substantial expansion for an already great game. It doesn't reinvent the game in any major way, but offers a few excellent hours in a world that players have come to love.
The Surge: A Walk in the Park is an over-the-top, hilarious expansion to a great game that sadly ends far too quickly .
Destiny 2: Curse of Osiris has an excellent new raid and an interesting campaign, but is severely lacking in meaningful content and plagued by a host of larger issues that have yet to be addressed.
theHunter: Call of the Wild isn't for everyone. It takes a lot of patience and can be impenetrable for those without experience in hunting simulators. But for those with the grit to push through the steep learning curve, this game is quite possibly the best hunting game of all time. If you're curious about it, I highly recommend giving it a go.
The Fall Part 2: Unbound is a solid follow-up to its predecessor with a moving story and interesting puzzles. It is held back somewhat by occasionally obtuse solutions and bland action sequences, but is well-worth the price of admission for players eager to continue ARID's story.