High-Def Digest
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I used to have 'Forza 5' as must-own demo material, though I knew most would not be able to really enjoy the game. 'Forza Horizon 2' is so much more that; it's excellent demo material, it's accessible to play, exhilaratingly fast, but manages to avoid being repetitive. Seeing one of my friend's Drivatars cruising around the European countryside often feels like being issued a challenge, and the ensuing race manages to avoid the grind feeling that plagues most racing games. Get in an Ariel Atom, or an F40, or even a Ford Transit and try not to have fun racing from coast to coast, I dare you.
Obsidian's 'Pillars of Eternity' is a worthy successor to its ancestors and, in some ways, manages to surpass them. In terms of story, this is a worthwhile experience. In terms of content, it is a bargain. It is a strategy RPG for the ages.
For much of my playthrough, I kept thinking that if I had to choose one of the 'Souls' titles to play or recommend, it would be 'Dark Souls.' And yet 'Dark Souls II' was clearly meant to entertain the veteran 'Souls' player with a depth beyond its predecessor. Though parts of the game feel like a poor rehash, everything that make the series thrilling, challenging, and enjoyable is here along with revamped online options that dare to tempt even the most solitary player. Hunting down items, NPCs, bosses, areas, shortcuts- I gorged myself on it all, and continued time on both the PS3 and PC has yet to satiate my desire for the game's particular kind of hurt. Detractors of the series (those that have actually played a title) can be comfortable opting out, but everyone else should see that death is only the beginning, the preparation necessary to live.
The content and gameplay of 'Elite' is much as it was during the Preview program, which is to say excellent. The technical issues are much improved, and the addition of CQC is a net positive. It can be a cold, uninviting experience for the new player, but it is a great spaceship game that should not be missed.
KING Art has outdone themselves with 'Book of Unwritten Tales 2' and firmly established their craft as premiere adventure developers. With the backing of Nordic Games, it seems that the traditional adventure genre is alive and well. This is a long game for the genre, over 20 hours, with a reasonable price point. It is also laugh-out-loud funny in many places and has an acerbic wit as well as excellent pacing and puzzles, and manages to accomplish all of this without taking itself too seriously. It is one of the best adventure games in recent memory.
'The Vanishing of Ethan Carter' is not a perfect game. It's an alarmingly creative step in the ongoing trek of telling stories through games. At times, I got lost, and some of the puzzles seem like the output of a developer running out of steam, but the core mechanics at play are always gravitating towards Ethan's trials as a kid struggling with family. Exploring these overgrown environments is a way to step into Ethan's lonesome shoes, solving the crimes show his fears and uncovering his stories meaning passing through the doomed optimism of a young, fertile mind. There's tragedy in the small and big moments alike. The framework for this story has been told before, but never like this, never in a way that only games can tell it. Supernatural indeed.
'Ori and the Blind Forest' isn't just a great platformer, it's a work of art. It oozes style and charm and has an accessible and touching story. Games like this don't come along every day. Despite its brevity, $20 is well worth the experience.
As 'Super Time Force' slowly crawled towards its eventually release, I remember seeing a couple of different mechanical iterations during public showings. At one point, saving a team member was more integral to success, and at another you could only rewind a certain amount of time. For many developers, indie or otherwise, one solid idea seems enough as the foundation for an entire game, but that game eventually suffers for the lack of follow through. Capybara Games made no such mistake, toiling over the finer details, delaying as they needed, to ensure 'Super Time Force' fulfilled tenets of surprising depth and ludicrous fun in a small but dense package.
Zip-lining, jump-kicking, dash-crushing and punching pilots into nothingness with metal fists. These are all things I didn't mention, but they're just a few of the many details that add to the game's allure and make those emergent moments happen. You might chain some of those things together after wall-running across an entire map or leaping into your titan from a rooftop. You might prefer to equip a sniper rifle and climb the highest possible point. Just remember, an enemy pilot might follow you up there and snap your neck. You're a camper, so you deserve it.
'This War of Mine' is one of the best PC releases I've played from 2014. It is not empowering like other games. It's very difficult, and the first couple of playthroughs especially can be frustrating. It's also poignant and lets players tell their own stories without a heavy script or distracting voice acting. It might make you sad, but it's worth experiencing.
It's surprising how well 'Valkyria Chronicles' has aged over the years. Everything from the gameplay and the story, to the graphics and the sound, makes the game a joy to play through. Sega made the right choice in porting this formerly PlayStation 3 exclusive title to Steam, as now an even wider audience than ever before is able to enjoy what is bound to be a classic title.
It is a wonderful love letter to fans of 'Alpha Centauri' and certainly one of the best turn-based releases this year.
'A Nest of Vipers' is the best episode I have played in a Telltale game, passing even the amazing final episode of season two of 'The Walking Dead'. Despite its modest running time, it manages to set a new bar for the studio's storytelling. I always wait with anticipation for the next 'Game of Thrones', but now it's more serious than ever. If for some reason you have been putting off playing this series, now is as good a time as any to get involved.
I would not go so far as to say that 'Batman: Arkham Knight' is the best 'Arkham', but it's pretty close. The Batmobile is not without its flaws, and there are some mild complaints with the script and the side content, but this is still one of the best superhero games to date. Rocksteady's Batman swan song is a treat.
Gearbox has taken great care with their treatment of these RTS classics, going so far as to hire on some of the original developers to assist with their work. The visuals are a clear stand-out, but the classic gameplay still shines through in 'Homeworld Remastered Collection.' For enthusiasts who have been struggling to find a suitable medium on which to play 'Homeworld', this is the perfect gift of nostalgia and modern gaming sensibilities. For those who are inexperienced with the series and have any interest in the RTS genre, this compilation will keep you entertained for quite some time.
'Cry Wolf' does an excellent job of concluding and capping a powerful season. (I don't know if there will be a second, but I would like one.) It also managed to instill a much greater desire to replay the whole thing than I was expecting. Even after the last episode's thrilling almost rampage, this was the first time I felt the full weight of playing as Bigby, and I don't know that the character would be proud of the choices I made. That's a good thing for the game, and Telltale must be tremendously proud of what this initially questionable series has achieved.
'Sunless Sea' is the perfect game for someone who's been waiting for a subterranean, steampunk, nautical, difficult, heavily text-based adventure. I highly recommend it for everyone else as well, especially those who appreciate deliciously whimsical, macabre prose and don't mind a bit of backtracking and dying.
When announced, the idea of playing as the Sheriff in the prequel Fabletown wasn't exactly a homerun. Boiling the tapestry of characters and locales down to a single character's point of view was no sure success, but when playing 'In Sheep's Clothing' the payoff is apparent. Bigby, gruff and reformed, isn't the most righteous of characters, but stepping into his place and trying to redress all of the sick and twisted acts that have accumulated over four episodes, has meant becoming an integral part an engaging narrative, and brings to my mind the exploits of William Munny in 'Unforgiven.' As for the conclusion of 'In Sheep's Clothing,' it somehow makes the wait for the finale interminable and yet the cliffhanger seems like one worthy of great anticipation.
Detractors of the second episode are likely to get even more chirpy after playing 'A Crooked Mile,' but I completely welcome the well-focused story, investigative avenues, and the excising of the less compelling, enter a room and click things formula. Bigby and Fabletown have grown into vivid characters worth playing while the series seems to be subtly approaching a critical mass. While it would be luxurious if Telltale would spring for more music tracks and some achievement-worthy objectives, the hope has to be that the final two episodes of the series can maintain the high quality achieved in the second and third episodes.
The first episode was something of a dicey proposition, promising, but also forced to expend a lot of time on exposition with mysteries featuring characters we'd only just met. The long interval, combined with a weak follow-up, could have really quelled interest in the whole series. Instead, my anticipation has skyrocketed. This second episode, 'Smoke & Mirrors,' features a much improved tempo and flow, ratcheting up the story while dialing back less compelling elements. Dare we ask Telltale not to make this next wait so long while maintaining such a refined quality?