Pure Xbox's Reviews
A game without a goalkeeper slip-up is still a much better game than you'd find anywhere last year, but those slip-ups happen too often for our liking. Still a fantastic game for football fans, but probably not one that those prone to tantrums should play.
D4 is a wacky and weird adventure game that takes a familiar core premise and spices it up with quirky characters, trippy plot developments, and time travel. Motion controls have been integrated in an intuitive way, which helps to invest the player in their role, but occasional recognition issues and arm fatigue might have you reaching for a controller instead. Either way you play, D4 is a solid start to the series, and it offers up enough offbeat humor and intrigue to satisfy the Deadly Premonition fans. There are gameplay elements that miss their mark, and the pacing isn't perfect, but it's not enough to kill these dark dreams dead. Someone tell SWERY that we're ready for more.
If multiplayer Versus is as good as the single player, then this game deserves a slightly higher recommendation. Unfortunately, at the time of writing this review, the only multiplayer modes which were functional were the repetitive and, frankly boring, survival modes. Don't be put off by this though, as there's an awful lot to keep you busy in single player, and it would be a shame to miss out on this quirky gem. . . . Simply put, CastleStorm has a lot going for it.
In the end, Chariot is one of the best cooperative gaming experiences we've ever had. It's immensely rewarding, abundantly creative, and the sense of accomplishment that it instills within the player will lead to high-fives being thrown around the room on a regular basis. You will harbor feelings of contempt when player two unintentionally pulls you off that hard-to-reach ledge that took five minutes to reach, followed by moments of utter gratitude when they latch on at the last second and save you and the chariot from falling out of view.
Whether your favourite is Stunt Car Racer, Out Run, Ridge Racer, Burnout, Project Gotham Racing, Blur, any Need for Speed game, Gran Turismo, or good old Metropolis Street Racer, there's something for you here. In terms of excitement, fun, style, and a sheer wealth of things to do, Forza Horizon 2 can stand proudly up against any of the games in that list, despite the trifling imperfections that we've noted.
There's enough extra content here to justify the $15 price tag, but it still ultimately depends on how much you enjoyed playing the main game. If you saw Watch Dogs through to the end and had a good time, then Bad Blood is easily recommended.
We can easily recommend Shadow of Mordor to fans of either aforementioned franchise, action-adventure lovers, and to anyone that won't mind spilling gallons of Orc blood. It's one of the year's biggest surprises.
For fans of the Alien series, the films, books, comics, and every other form of entertainment imaginable, Alien: Isolation is simply a must-play, given that it fits so well into the storyline that it nearly seems to be a chapter in it's own right.
Fan service is what South Park Pinball does best, so if you're reading this because of your affinity for the television series, rest assured that this mini celebration of the brand totally delivers in that regard.
Sleeping Dogs Definitive Edition is a smart, accessible, and enjoyable open-world adventure with plenty to do. The terrific melee combat system and intriguing story are more than enough to warrant a recommendation to anyone yet to play it, but if you've experienced the streets of Hong Kong before then the slightly sharper visuals and included DLC are a tougher sell.
Disney Fantasia: Music Evolved is a game of highs and lows. The highs are extreme, and while the lows are less so, they are still indeed lows. You'll see the credits roll in single player mode within a few short hours and while there are still plenty of mixes to unlock once that happens, for a few reasons it's tough to see where the replay value will come from outside of the odd multiplayer battle. It's a very, very cool ride while it lasts, though.
Crimes & Punishments is one of the better, if not the best, Sherlock games out there, and if that's not saying much to you, it's also one of the better investigation-style games. The balance and variation of gameplay should be applauded. The developers are definitely onto something here.
It may not be for the faint of heart, but if you're looking for a hardcore and pure survival horror experience then look no further than The Evil Within.
It's this sort of cynicism that prevents Skylanders: Trap Team from getting close to a perfect score. No, you didn't misread that. The game itself is THAT good. Everything that the game does, it does with style.
Unfortunately, although it initially feels as though there is a wealth of content here, it soon becomes clear that Defense Grid 2 doesn't have an awful lot to offer in the long run and, as one of the higher priced games in the Xbox marketplace, doesn't really deliver a gaming experience worthy of its price point. It's great fun in short bursts though and fans of the genre will enjoy the challenges offered by some of the more intense game modes.
Want to know how to make a truly great game? Provide players with a liberating and energetic method of traversal, create an eye-popping urban environment that serves as a massive playground, and do everything you can to promote uninhibited fun within that space. That's the essence of Sunset Overdrive, and it's why we think this is arguably the best new IP so far this console generation.
While this review of The Legend of Korra reads like a laundry list of problems, there are times when the game is genuinely enjoyable and shows masses of promise. Those times are all too rare however, and you're less likely to be cracking a smile than you are to be cursing at a game engine that feels cheap, rushed, unpolished, and simply not good enough to compete.
We fought through the overall unpolished finish of the product, and we were glad that we did so, but this really isn't how anyone can reasonably have expected the game to have turned out.
It isn't perfect, but this should provide hours upon hours of gory, blunt object, rabid deer and zombie-filled entertainment.
A passable game that can be good for a couple hours of play, sure, but that's about the best of it.