September 2014
Forza Horizon 2
Forza Horizon 2 isn’t a drastically different game than its predecessor. Instead, it’s a refined update which takes absolutely every element of that title and makes it bigger, better, and more fun. Horizon 2 is still a arcade racer’s dream, over-the-top in the way that a Fast & Furious movie might be. The festival setup still works, this time taking place in France/Italy. It’s jammed with content, from incredibly heart pounding races to a bevy of cars to collect. The open world is vast and fun to explore, with just about every element you can imagine to drive through. It’s beautiful to the point where sometimes I’d lose the time not reaching, but driving around doing some virtual tourism. It’s made even better if you’re familiar with the area in question. Horizon 2 puts a smile on my face every time I think about just how cool it is to drive somewhere you love, a place accessible in real life. This is one of the best of its kind, just like the rest of the franchise.
Shoutouts to D4, Warframe, Destiny, Killer Instinct Season 2, Defense Grid 2, Disney Infinity 2.0, Middle-Earth: Shadow of Mordor, and Sherlock Holmes: Crimes & Punishments. What was your favorite of the month?
3 Likes
October 2014
Sunset Overdrive
I look back on Sunset Overdrive and it’s place in Xbox history and wonder what might have been if not for that terrible initial console reveal. Sunset should’ve been a hit, something new and exciting from Xbox and next gen exclusive, with the pedigree of Insomniac Games to boot. It was bright and colorful, fun and loud which contrasted the brown and gray military shooters that dominated the industry, but were often creatively bankrupt. It was anything but formulaic, featuring an amazing traversal system, the DNA of which you can see in many games that followed. Nothing quite matched it then and now, which goes to show just how good it played. The guns were unique and varied, the city large and dense filled with new experiences to discover. It’s only true downside was the off putting sense of humor to some, but it never bothered me all that much. It’s one of the best games of the gen and shouldn’t be missed.
Shoutouts to Chariot, Alien Isolation (one of the best horror games imo), Skylanders Trap Team, Sleeping Dogs DE, The Evil Within, Fantasia: Music Evolved, Shadow Warrior, and Volgarr the Viking.
3 Likes
November 2014
Grand Theft Auto V
GTA V saw an earlier release on Xbox 360, but this Xbox One enhanced edition was a huge leap for the game and was how it should be experienced…unless you have a PC or just wait a few months for the Series X version in November. GTA V like it’s predecessors was a cultural moment, an industry shaking and shaping game. It received the highest of praise and rightfully so. Despite some questionable content and divisive characters, GTA V is an ambitious game of scope that still may not have been matched. The city feels alive, looks gorgeous, dense and massive. You’ll never be without something to do or discover, the fun often taking place outside the main campaign in those moments where you’d be just messing around. The game played better, driving and shooting improved for a much better experience. The satire worked for the time, and in my opinion the multiple main character mechanic making the game all that much better. It was simply out the biggest, best game in the series and that’s why you still see it sharing monthly.
Shoutouts to COD Advanced Warfare, Halo: The Master Chief Collection, Assassin’s Creed Unity, Terraria, Far Cry 4, Dragon Age Inquisition, Pier Solar, Thomas Was Alone, and Geometry Wars 3.
1 Like
December 2014
Kalimba
Kalimba is a bright, colorful, 2D puzzle-platform game where you control two separate totems over the course of increasingly difficult levels, the goal to reach the end. The player must swap between the two totems to proceed past various tricky puzzles/platforms, each totem essential to progressing. The mechanic is clever and well implemented throughout, thoughtful and never overstaying its welcome. Its duration is brief at around 3-5 hours, which honestly is just right. I don’t remember ever being frustrated, but definitely challenged at various points throughout. I love the art style with stark colors and lines which really pop out of the screen. The sound design is minimal but fits well, and the control/feel of the characters is tight and responsive. It really is a great little platformer, the definition of a hidden gem. It’s been a number of times I believe, but if you weren’t fortunate enough to snag it then, I think it’s worth a look on sale. It may not look like your cup of tea (coffee) or you may not have heard of it, but check it out and you’ll likely come away smiling.
Shoutouts to Lara Croft & the Temple of Osiris and Forza Horizon 2 Storm Island DLC (amazing DLC).
1 Like
January 2015
Life is Strange
Life is Strange is one of the few games to “out-Telltale” Telltale. As the second game from DONTNOD, Life is Strange really shows the studios talent and creativity as storytellers. This is a tough one to talk about in detail as what makes it so compelling is the story, and speaking much about the story spoils the experience. I’ll just say that it follows a high school girl who discovers she has a special power, and what plays out afterwards. It sounds silly and in many ways it is, but it works extremely well. The characters are the right mix of likable and relatable, the heels dislikable without being phony or “villainous”. It feels like a real world set in a recent American past, an era that many of us are familiar with. It’s “hella cool” to see something like this and makes the nostalgia juices flow. The dialogue is at points ridiculous - nobody talked or talks like that - but I guess that’s a minor hiccup in an otherwise solid package. The real downer was the gap between releases of each episode. I’m writing this about the entire series, but this is when episode one released. The entire series took months to complete, ending with episode five in late October 2020. It’s awesome to see True Colors release next month as an entire package, I’m sure that LiS was a lesson learned for DONTNOD. This game is still great, heck, the entire series is. Go play through it before the new one!
Shoutouts to Dying Light (one of the best zombie games, can’t wait for the sequel), #idarb, and Resident Evil HD.
1 Like
February 2015
Hand of Fate
You’ll have to forgive me for forgetting the finer details of Hand of Fate. It’s a complex game both in terms of classification and execution, being the classic jack of all trades, master of none. What results is an interesting, unique, replayable game that came out of nowhere and really surprised me.
At its core, Hand of Fate is an ARPG. But it’s also a deck building CCG. And it’s also a rogue-like, choose your own adventure. And it’s also a digital board game. You still following? Me neither, but this wild grouping of mechanics makes for a fascinating game that doesn’t quite nail the execution. It does everything slightly better than average. The ARPG combat plays a lot like Batman Arkham, weighty, heavy, and combo based. The card game isn’t exactly Hearthstone, but there’s enough cards to create some interesting decks. It’s certainly not fleshed out enough to be an actual board game, and it’s not as difficult or rewarding as a traditional rogue-like. But again, it all just works. Somehow, this game is compelling to play, die, and try again. I’ve completed a few runs, enough to know that while I’ll never master it, there’s a lot of meat here for those who want to go beyond an initial success or two. If this sounds interesting to you, give it a shot. At worst, you can say you’ve experienced a truly unique game and at best, you might find a new favorite.
Shoutouts to The Escapists, Roundabout, and Resident Evil Revelations 2. The RE spin-off is a lot of fun, more RE than mainline RE games at the time.
1 Like
March 2015
Ori & the Blind Forest
Simply put, Ori is the best new Xbox IP of the Xbox One generation, a new standard in Metroidvanias, artistic style, and beauty. I’ll say it now, my text here will fail to capture just how good this game is, how important it is, and how much I love it. Ori is a lovely game from top to bottom. While many will point to the visuals as its strongest feature, I’d suggest that you look a bit deeper. Through its incredible gameplay, Ori tells an emotional story, one that brought a tear to my eye multiple times throughout. It evokes an emotional connection with the world and characters in every element of its design. The music is epic and hits all the right notes at exactly the right moments. It feels amazing to play, and in turn, makes you feel like you’re amazing when you skill your way through a particularly tough section. It’s stunning that Moon could create a game like this, a game that rivals the biggest names in the industry in terms of playability, design, and overall quality. It’s an indie game that plays with the big boys in the industry, and it’s something I’d rather play than 95% of games out there. This and it’s sequel are absolutely the definition of must play. So go play it.
Shoutouts to Screamride, OlliOlli, dMc Definitive Edition, Battlefield Hardline, Ziggurat, Borderlands 2 and the Handsome Collection, Oddworld Abe’s Odyssey New & Tasty, and Forza Horizon 2 Presents Fast & Furious. Stellar month.
4 Likes
April 2015
Shovel Knight
I love Shovel Knight and what it does for my nostalgia bones. It brings me back to some of my favorite moments gaming - the 8-bit era - in a way that few games can or have. While not everything in Shovel Knight could be done on a NES or Master System, it evokes the feeling of those machines incredibly well. The platforming is spot on, tight, feel good stuff. The chip tune soundtrack is well, music to my ears. The graphical presentation uses a minimal yet colorful style and looks amazing. It’s also a good length, difficult but never punishing, and features an interesting backstory simply not featured in just about any 8-bit game. Shovel Knight and his foes are characters you get to know and care about over time. This is furthered in the numerous expansions to the game. To say Yacht Club went above and beyond to support this game Is the definition of an understatement. There’s so much value packed into the Treasure Trove, it’s an unreal value. Oh, did I mention there’s fishing? Well there is! And bonfires.
On a side note, there’s a great book about the game by Boss Fight Books. It’s a fantastic read and if you have any interest in this game, indie development, or gaming in general, it’s a great read at $5 (digital).
Shoutouts to Stealth Inc. 2, Tower of Guns, Dark Souls II: Scholar of the First Sin, Mortal Kombat X, and State of Decay YOSE.
1 Like
May 2015
The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt
Witcher 3 was such a hugely hyped game. The prerelease trailers were unreal, and some were skeptical given CDPR prior title in the series. What they were promising with Wild Hunt seemed unbelievable, but honestly, it’s unbelievable how much better the end product actually was (and still is). Witcher 3 is enormous in every way. The world is huge, there’s an absolute gen-filling amount of things to do. Things that are meaningful, well written, fun. It’s a rare game where the side quests trump the main, where the combat is by far the weakest element. It’s a game you can play how you want in many ways, and one that rewards experimentation. The characters are the perfect mixture of likable and not, everything feels grounded which is surprising given the high fantasy setting. This is a game I could talk about for ages, I can say it’s a top 3 game of the gen and an absolute must play. I generally don’t recommend people sticking with a game they don’t enjoy fairly quickly, but trust me - stick with this one. The ride is worth it.
Shoutouts to Rogue Legacy, Wolfenstein Old Blood, Project cars, and Badlands GOTY. I really, really like Rogue Legacy but Witcher 3 is on another level.
2 Likes
June 2015
Batman: Arkham Knight
Batman: Arkham Knight is the final game in the Arkham “trilogy” (poor Origins!) and at release carried a huge weight of expectations to wrap it all up perfectly. What resulted was a great game that left many feeling let down. I’ll say up front; I really like Knight. It’s probably the second best in the series after Asylum, but I do understand some of the complaints. The Batmobile stuff was weird and the true ending being locked behind Riddler Challenges is just stupid. But outside of that, what you’re getting here is a refined version of an already excellent formula; a huge open world, and intriguing story. What you loved about Arkham is all here, just polished and done incredibly well. It plays great, looks better, and most importantly makes you feel like The Batman. If you haven’t played it, don’t listen to the downers and try it yourself. It’s one of the best games of the year.
Shoutouts to Massive Chalice, Steamworld Dig, The Swapper, Elder Scrolls Online, Lego Jurassic World, Quiplash, and Devil May Cry 4 SE.
2 Likes
July 2015
King’s Quest
I love seeing a classic gaming series reimagined, modernized, and made accessible for a new generation of gamers. I played King’s Quest as a young buck way back when and I’ve always had a fondness for the series. At its core, King’s Quest is and always has been a point-and-click adventure in a medieval fantasy setting. It’s silly and fun, the puzzles at times nonsensical and frustrating, but always compelling enough to see your way through. And heck, now you can just use walkthroughs right? The new King’s Quest is a gem. I love the episodic approach, the story is fun, and it really draws on that series classic vibe. It removes a lot of the bad stuff though, and is probably the best in the series in my opinion. I wish I could say more was on the way, but I’m guessing we’ve likely seen the last of it for a long while. If you’re into P&C, old PC games, or adventure as a genre, it’s really solid.
Shoutouts to So Many Me, Tembo the Badass Elephant, QUBE Director’s Cut, and World of Tanks.
2 Likes
Kings Quest was really good, the puns were one of the funniest in the series.
Yeah, I think that’s often overlooked. Good call. Geez I wish they’d do another one. They’ve finally managed to get P&C working well on console/controller.
1 Like
August 2015
Rare Replay
I suppose I’m technically cheating with this pick, but Rare Replay is a special thing. A collection of 30 games hand chosen by Rare to reflect its storied history at a price of $30? Ridiculous value and a phenomenal way to get a glimpse of the history of gaming from an early time to the modern era. While I’m not going to go into detail on each game here, it’s safe to say that some of the games included are absolute classics that remain playable and fun today (Banjo-Kazooie), while some….maybe not so much (Slalom). It’s an odd collection for sure, but the history of gaming is weird. We’re talking games from the ZX Spectrum though the Xbox 360 after all, games from one of the most creative studios so you’re going to get some oddball titles. I love Rare’s creativity, the same creativity that’s continued through new games like Sea of Thieves or Everwild. And if you’re an achievement hunter, this is your game! Tons of ‘cheevos, go get it!
Shoutouts to The Swindle, The Bridge, Super Mega Baseball, Zombi, Velocity 2X, Smite, Mega Man Legacy Collection, Disney Infinity 3.0, and Gears of War: UE.
2 Likes
Knight Lore and Jet Pac were some of the first games I ever played on a selfmade ZX Speccy of a good friend of mine and they still hold up 
Not until this collection did I realise these games were made by Rare, so thanks Rare Replay!
That’s pretty great, my first exposure to console gaming was with the NES so Battletoads, etc were my intro to Rare
1 Like
September 2015
Metal Gear Solid V: The Phantom Pain
With all the recent talk around a potential partnership between Xbox and the mind behind MGS Hideo Kojima, it’s odd to only see one of his games featured in this thread until this point. A lot of this has to do with his relationship with other platforms, but that’sa discussion for another time. While I’m not the Kojima superfan many others are, I do enjoy the MGS series. For all its quirks and oddities, it’s hard to deny that the series nails some critical elements which make video games fun.
MSGV is the pinnacle of stealth gameplay for the series and some would say genre, allowing for a level of creativity and freedom that list other titles don’t. The new open world approach to missions was refreshing and made for some incredibly amazing moments which I can say are among my favorite in gaming. The story and characters are still silly as ever, self serious, pretentious, chatty, nonsensical in the best way. The Fox Engine is gorgeous, the game a visual showpiece. It’s high quality all around, big budget Hollywood type stuff in all the best and worst ways. It’s pure video gaming at its finest, and you have to love that.
Shoutouts to Mad Max, Broken Sword 5, Lovers in a Dangerous Spacetime, Leo’s Fortune, and the Destiny expansion The Taken King.
2 Likes
October 2015
Divinity: Original Sin - Enhanced Edition
Divinity: OS is one of those games I love, but absolutely stink at playing. It’s a huge, dense, complicated CRPG and simply put, it’s nearly best in class. Larian Studios really showed their stuff with Divinity, rewarding Kickstarter backers with a fantastic game on PC. This console port is the Enhanced Edition of that game, made easier to play with a game pad with additional settings to make the game more accessible. It’s still the same excellent game, everything from the PC version (except mods) carrying over fantastically. Sure, it’s easier to play with a KB/M, but Larian’s done a fantastic job mapping to the controller. This game is massive, with an incredible amount of content to tackle in the way that YOU want to tackle it. I still recall talking to a friend about the various quests I’d taken on the prior night, only to have him look shocked at my approach/outcome and describe his which was completely different. The co-op is also done quite well, and in many ways makes the game more fun to play. It’s probably still a bit complex for a “non-gamer”, but with someone who has decent chops you’re likely in for a roaring good time. If you have any amount of interest in CRPGs or WRPGs, this game is a must play along with its sequel. You may stink at it like me, but I’ll be darned if you don’t still have a good time if you’re willing to invest some effort.
Shoutouts to Halo 5: Guardians, Transformers Devastation, Rock Band 4, Elite Dangerous, Minecraft Story Mode, Witcher 3 Hearts of Stone DLC, Wasteland 2 DC, Tales of the Borderlands, and Assassin’s Creed Syndicate. Huge month for releases big and small!
2 Likes
November 2015
Rise of the Tomb Raider
Rise of the Tomb Raider deserved so much better. It’s a phenomenal game, the best in the series, improving an already great formula to near perfection. Launching next to Fallout 4 was a dumb move and really hurt the visibility of Rise, which is a shame. Anyway, Rise continues Lara’s story, her journey to becoming the Tomb Raider. She’s grown a lot since her first adventure in confidence, character, and skill. She’s more self-assured and capable, less fearful of the problems she’ll face. It’s fun to see that growth and imagine where it would lead. I love her as a protagonist, this version of her being a more real person versus grew the Lara of the PSX era. The gameplay is still tops, big budget Hollywood action. Heart pumping set pieces, beautiful graphics, excellent controls, this is Uncharted for those without a PlayStation. I think it surpasses that series in many ways. The one complaint I’ve seen about Rise is the dearth of actual tombs and puzzle solving, but I actually kind of think this is how it should be. Fantastic game, close to my GOTY. Play it.
Shoutouts to Fallout 4, COD Black Ops III, Gems of War, and Star Wars Battlefront.
2 Likes
December 2015
Just Cause 3
This month was tough for a clear choice. One could argue that another game released this month is the better game with lasting appeal and they’d probably be right. However, at launch between the two, Just Cause 3 reigns supreme in my eyes (the other game is Rainbow Six: Siege btw). Just Cause 3 is a game I never thought I’d see, despite just how darn fun Just Cause 2 was. It’s a sequel that took what seemed like forever to come out, and when I did well…there are some problems but the core is still there. It’s the definition of dumb fun, do what you want, mess about, open world shenanigan nonsense. And you know what? That’s what gaming should be sometimes. Turn off your brain, shoot a grappling hook onto a helicopter and then a fuel tank and blow it all up. Turn on a podcast, listen to music, listen to the actual game, it doesn’t matter because you’re not here to see what Rico is going to do. You’re here to good around and blow stuff up in the most wild manner possible. It’s a game you probably never roll credits on because it doesn’t matter. Like The Witcher 3, it’s the “journey” that makes it what it is, makes it greater than its weaknesses, makes you overlook the jank and bugs and brokenness. It’s just a lovely video gamey video game and just what the doctor ordered for the holidays.
Shoutouts of course to R6: Siege and The Incredible Adventures of Van Helsing. I like this Diablo rip-off for what it is, it’s a good weekend play through.
1 Like
