If Microsoft won’t bring back the rowdy Amped series and EA thinks SSX holds no contemporary value, then what’s left is UbiSoft’s Steep. This scenario isn’t a strong one. Steep isn’t dreadful. In fact, fragments of Amped (lightly eccentric extreme sports culture; the appeasing of magazine editors) and SSX (the identifiable if shrunken trick system)… Continue reading Steep (PS4)
Pumped up by the thought of Brock Lesnar and Bill Goldberg clashing in the ring, it’s clear fans need to forget the stink caused by their notoriously awful meeting at Wrestlemania 20. That infamous, stagnant bout left the crowd deadened. A perfect pairing then for WWE 2K17. Sadly, the move to a new publisher post-THQ… Continue reading WWE 2K17 (PS4)
Mafia III begins with a striking developer message, confirming the depiction of racism to come. Set in the 1960s deep south, Mafia III’s judicious use of epitaphs and slurs warrants the alert. In game, ambient conversation constructs an uneasy society, struck by communism’s grip, Vietnam, MLK & JFK’s assassination, and the “worrisome” influx of anyone… Continue reading Mafia III (PS4)
At times, Fire & Ice finds the necessary tenants of classic Sonic. Stage designs whip the hedgehog around with the needed pace (with some wonderful racing stages) and layouts keep up a consistent flow. However, those designs come cobbled together from obvious pieces, lending Fire & Ice an unavoidable repetition. Thankfully, the inexcusable forced item-hunting… Continue reading Sonic Boom: Fire & Ice (3DS)
In 2011, to promote Homefront, THQ sent hundreds of balloons into San Francisco’s skyline. The marketing drew immediate ire from environmentalists and government agencies – THQ’s actions were potentially damaging to wildlife, and no one in PR considered the consequences. During Forza Horizon, thousands of balloons ascend skyward as festival locations open. It’s gorgeous, and… Continue reading Forza Horizon 3 (Xbox One)
Cycling between old Hollywood and old game design, the homages to bygone eras in Federation Force fill this appealing, different take on Metroid. Cramped levels and their unsophisticated visual scope recall the simple one room sets of classic cinema. Crumbling planetary ruins mimic 1959’s Journey to the Center of the Earth. Grabbing an idol only… Continue reading Metroid Prime: Federation Force (3DS)
Welcome ECHL minor league hockey to the slate of EA’s hockey sim. It’s not a terribly accurate inclusion – no matter the league, each game is “broadcast” on NBC with all of the production value of a major network too. It’s an unusual lapse of authenticity for NHL. The series still maintains its classy simulation… Continue reading NHL 17 (PS4)
The developers of ReCore likely sat in a cold sweat as they first viewed Star Wars: The Force Awakens. Clad in a pale scarf with a makeshift weapon strapped to her back, scouring a desert planet for parts, and jabbering with her robotic sidekick, ReCore’s lead Joule mimics Rey. Coincidence, probably, given the time frame… Continue reading ReCore (Xbox One)
Biting British humor continues to lead Team17’s war satire. Worms’ turn-based existence is a long one, and through its multitude of lows (Worms 3D) and classical highs (World Party), the series never lost an appetizing, hilarious core. Why worms (as opposed to ants, beetles, flies…) is never clear. But, they work best when in WMD’s… Continue reading Worms WMD (Xbox One)
This sequel concerns a continuing galaxy-wide war, post-viral outbreak. Slick and clean, the improvements to look and intensity from the previous Soldner-X are enormous, if still harboring the softer, sedate style which identifies European genre entries. Sapping the enjoyment is the worthless decision to hide half of the stages behind random keys. Soldner-X 2 is… Continue reading Soldner-X 2 (Vita)
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