EGM's Reviews
For any Mario fans worried their favorite paesano plumber wasn't about innovation anymore, Super Mario 3D World shows the franchise that created the platforming standard continues to set the bar. The new Super Bell and Double Cherry power-ups augment the Mario experience in a brilliant, meaningful way, and the Wii U's HD capabilities deliver the prettiest-looking game in series history.
One of the best platformers I've ever played, Tropical Freeze finds a way to build on the successful foundation of Donkey Kong Country Returns in new and wonderful ways.
Filled with amazingly tuned combat, countless larger-than-life moments, copious amounts of legitimately challenging boss battles, interesting locations, lovable characters, and one of gaming's most unforgettable heroines, Bayonetta 2 retains the crown as the standard for which all other stylish action games should strive to achieve. And, if you missed the start of the series, you get the original Bayonetta bundled in for free—making this some of the best action gaming $60 will ever buy.
Black Ops III is the deepest Call of Duty experience to date. With not one, but two campaigns, new multiplayer modes and more robust customization, and a Zombies mode that will suck in even the most casual of players, Treyarch has once again found a way to raise the bar.
Super Mario Maker's a glorified level maker, but it's a good one. Though it's a little short on content, there's plenty to play around with, and I'm looking forward to seeing what the community can make with it. In the meantime, it's easy to learn, it's fun to play, and it's packed with enough Easter eggs to put the Easter Bunny out of business.
Forza Motorsport 6 is a welcome shot in the arm for the series. Easily the best entry the franchise has produced, Forza 6 introduces tons of new online and offline gameplay that should make players want to stay in the driver's seat for as long as possible this fall.
While Breath of the Wild doesn't follow the standard Zelda formula, it may be the quintessential example of the Zelda spirit. With a stunningly beautiful and interactive world, surprising difficulty, and a dizzying amount of riddles and puzzles, there's no end to the secrets hidden in the vast land of Hyrule.
Cuphead is an addictive mix of fun and frustration that will constantly keep you coming back for more. It's amazing combination of terrific gameplay, tremendous style, and an original concept immediately catapults it into every game of the year discussion.
Big Boss' supposedly final outing puts players in the middle of the most ambitious entry in the series yet, and it delivers on almost everything it promises. If this is Hideo Kojima's final game, then he is stepping out at the top floor of the industry.
[SPOILERS] Tales from the Borderlands has proven itself to be the best thing that Telltale Games has ever concocted. Better than The Walking Dead, The Wolf Among Us, and even Back to the Future: The Game this collaboration with Gearbox Software wasn't just a smart business move, but a testament to what sort of greatness can come out of a powerful collaboration.
From its opening moment until its final scene plays, Life is Strange is a wonderful, beautiful, captivating, touching adventure built upon the undying friendship of two girls trying to find their place in the world.
Tearaway follows in the footsteps of Gravity Rush as an example of why you should own a Vita. While it isn’t always perfect as a game, it’s an amazing experience, providing an exciting and emotional journey through a world of beauty and personality.
Forza Horizon 3 pulls out all the stops to provide one of most fluid and enjoyable racing experiences out there. A must have for casual car fans and hardcore gearheads alike, Forza Horizon 3 may even surpass the mainline series in terms of fun with this effort.
Inside is a brilliantly crafted game that will keep you talking about it long after you’ve finished playing. Its moody, atmospheric world and terrific puzzle-platforming are simply the hooks to first draw you in.
This is easily the best Resident Evil game in years. It masterfully blends Eastern and Western horror sensibilities into a truly terrifying package that also harkens back to the series’ roots.
Western Vocaloid fans—and the Project DIVA franchise itself—have now received the very best that Sega’s music gaming efforts have produced up until this point. Hatsune Miku: Project DIVA Future Tone is a stellar rhythm game, offering fantastic gameplay supported by a massive list of music.
A fascinating story, sublime mechanics, and a beautiful world come together in an experience that is about as confident of a step forward as the God of War series could make.
Somehow, Sega, Christian Whitehead, and the development teams behind the original Sonic Mania have found a way to make the best Sonic game in years even better. Sonic Mania Plus is now nearly everything it could and should be, with new playable characters, modes, options, and polish sure to please fans. There's a small handful of areas in which the game could still be improved, but really, this is just about as good of a Sonic adventure as we could ever have hoped for.
Super Smash Bros. Ultimate takes its name literally, as everything that fans have loved from the series is present and accounted for this time around. It's the party brawler that lets friends go head-to-head with their favorite game characters, now on Nintendo's impressive hybrid console. Spirits, featured in the World of Light story mode, introduce an exciting role-playing element for a new level of strategy and creativity. Thankfully, this and other new additions only add to the winning Smash Bros. formula, never taking away from what works.
At first glance, Dead Cells might seem like another overhyped Metroidvania-style platformer trying to break into the stuffed platformer genre, but it's actually worthy of all its praise. Motion Twin's impeccable implementation of roguelike elements into a classic 2D exploration game is the key ingredient that makes it all work, and the impressive controls don't hurt either. The enemy variety and story might not be groundbreaking, but the positives eclipse any of the game's small negative aspects. Dead Cells is a standout in the genre.