Examiner's Reviews
Dying Light on its own was a great game - now with the Enhanced Edition, more story, more to do, and more guts to splatter - it takes an already great thing and makes it even better. There's tens of hours to be had exploring, completing side quests, and just breaking bones and slashing zombies, and that's what makes this one the definitive version - all the right additions, nothing really holding it back. Dying Light: The Following and the Enhanced Edition will go down as not just a zombie game done extraordinarily well, but a complete experience that is a love letter to players in a time when it seems ok to be happy with less than great.
Over the course of my seven hours with the game, it was an enjoyable, simple and easy experience. Unravel doesn't do anything special with its gameplay or narrative, though it does have a magnificent soundtrack and stunning visuals. If you're a person who is a hardcore platforming fan, you will most likely be very underwhelmed with Unravel, but if you're looking for a fun, easy and light experience, then maybe this game is for you.
Firewatch has a funny, surprisingly intelligent narrative all captured within a spectacular and grand setting that worth a picture or two. Even though there were some obvious performance issues with the PS4 version of the game, Firewatch is still more than worth playing, multiple times.
When I step back and think about This War of Mine: The Little Ones, I am left with thoughts of a profound and meaningful experience, in spite of its limiting structure, and one that will make you feel like you never had before. This War of Mine: The Little Ones provides an essential illustration of what is the inescapable fact of our existence: we are all human.
LEGO Marvel's Avengers provides a game that I will not be walking away from anytime soon, as there is still so much to discover and experience, even after the main campaign has been completed. It's a game any Marvel, LEGO or gaming fan will thoroughly enjoy, and I am still laughing at many of the excellent touches TT Games has put into this game.
Although WWE, WCW and Lucha Libre legend Rey Mysterio has been confirmed for the game and there will be more characters and modes, 5 Star Wrestling ReGenesis still has bugs and wrinkles that will turn away casual gamers. However, if you live and die on wrestling games, it's a must-play that you'll have the most fun with in a multiplayer setting.
When I step back and think about The Witness, it is a game that challenged me more than any has before. No matter what though, the challenges were always worth pushing through to find a solution because of the rewards that were hidden behind them. There will be a group of people who love this game for how rewarding it is, and at the same time, there will be a group that loathes it for how frustrating it is. All I know is I fell in the group of the former.
Mario and Luigi: Paper Jam is a crumpled up discarded note, recycled into a paper-thin product. At its core, it's good. The dynamic combat system has never felt better, but the rest of the package is padded with poor mini games and excessive backtracking. As a die-hard fan of both series, this was a let down. Nintendo and AlphaDream played it too safely making Paper Jam feel like a reaction to Dream Team rather than an evolution. Based on this, one wonders if it's time to retire both franchises in the hopes of reinvigorating new RPG life into another classic Nintendo character. Again, it's good, bordering on great, but the issues, both big and small, keep Paper Jam from jumping any higher.
Resident Evil 0 HD is a good remake of a good game. Simple as that. If you like the series, or the original production, you'll like this quite a bit. The remake serves as a great history lesson to gamers that haven't gotten the chance, or a great throwback for those that just want to play some good old Resident Evil. Control, camera, and visual hiccups aside, the remake is good enough to forget Resident Evil 6, and remind us of the roots of the franchise. Hopefully this signals the return of true Survival Horror to the Capcom classic.
Dragon's Dogma: Dark Arisen is an incredible game. The amount of content is incredible. The ability to control and mix up your character at any time is incredible. The variety in not only location but weapons, armor, and items are incredible. The ability to jump and grab a giant enemy, scaling it to stab it in the face while it thrashes about is incredible. You get it, now if you're a fan of Fantasy RPG, saving the kingdoms from dragons and demons, and extremely satisfying gameplay from nearly every aspect, buy Dragon's Dogma: Dark Arisen.
If you are a patient person that likes this type of lore and gameplay style, The Banner Saga delivers on what it set out to accomplish.
Despite an obligatory narrative, Assassin's Creed Chronicles: India is an excellent continuation of this unique spinoff and I can't wait to get my hands on the third game next month.
There aren't many games like Tharsis and that's the main reason why you should check it out, but what it's able to do with so little will keep you playing it. It may not be for everyone and is at times unforgivingly difficult, but it's a title that has some undeniable charm.
God's Acre is a very focused episode, with very little backtracking and can be completed just under 2 hours without collecting everything. The core stealth action is the same, and the reduced OMNI abilities never feel like a hindrance. God's Acre is less frustrating than previous episodes and does not overstay its welcome, but does not change the formula enough to stand out.
Tetris Ultimate proves that the classic formula still works, and perhaps should be left be. The best features of the new game come from four-player versus, co-op, and things like leaderboards and an activity feed. Unfortunately, with technical issues abound and some design choices that grate on the player over time Tetris Ultimate just doesn't feel like it does the title justice. It doesn't ring as the "Ultimate" version of the old Russian puzzler. The game still functions as it should, and some new modes are halfway interesting, but the sum of the parts just doesn't add up to a great version of Tetris. If you've already got a version of Tetris, you're better off sticking with it, as Tetris Ultimate will really only show value to those craving the 4-player experience, or if you're truly hungry for the latest Tetris release. Otherwise if you're on PC and want a Tetris game, you can literally play it free on the official Tetris website.
Minecraft Wii U Edition is like a slice of pizza. Regardless of how good or bad it is when compared to the other versions, it's still Minecraft. The ability to play off-screen is worth the price for dedicated fans and the extra skins are a cool perk, but it's ultimately best suited for players who have yet to experience the game before.
When I step back and take a look at Rainbow Six Siege, I see a game that does so many things extremely well; better than any other shooter, in fact. It compels players to be tactical and work as a team better than any other shooter, and there is still so much to learn and uncover in this world. Despite a lack of depth in the game's multiplayer objectives, Rainbow Six Siege is a my favorite shooter of the year and truly feels like this is how online multiplayer should be.
Xenoblade Chronicles X is a highly enjoyable game. The exploration, scale, and freedom the game delivers is unmatched by anything on the Wii U. It's one of the Wii U's best games and may be the Wii U's best game for 2015. RPG fans will love what the game has to offer.
In order to get the most out of Pokemon Picross, you have to appreciate both series. While it's a free-to-play game, it's an extensive puzzle experience designed specifically for those who want a challenge. If you don't fall into either category, it'll be hard to enjoy the game nearly as much as you could have otherwise.
Overall, for gamers who are thirsty for an experience that focuses on the story it is telling, Beyond: Two Souls has a tale worthy of your time. On the other hand, if you are someone who is looking for challenging a gameplay experience, all you'll find is a very basic set of gameplay mechanics that leave a lot to be desired.