Alessandro Barbosa's Reviews
Sacred 3 is a complete let down for fans of the franchise, departing from a formula that has somewhat worked in the past in the hope of attracting a wider audience. Instead of building on features, and borrowing some from games that pull off the action RPG genera to a tee, Sacred 3 is disjointed, boring and just downright bad.
The first Horizon was hailed as one of the best racing titles on the Xbox 360, and its sequel just raises the bar. As an arcade or simulation racer, there's not that much that Forza Horizon 2 does wrong. This shouldn't even be a question for racing fanatics, and I'll easily recommend it to every other Xbox owner out there.
Metro Redux sets the bar high for what a HD remaster should be – not only a visual upgrade, but a gameplay touch up as well. Metro 2033 benefits the most from this, and owners of Last Light will have a tough time finding many improvements. Still, if you're yet to visit the bleak world of the Moscow underground, there hasn't been a better time.
Sunset Overdrive's stylistic gameplay and juvenile attitude doesn't make it a title for everyone. It is, however, an incredibly fun, visually beautiful open-world title that exhibits the best parts of what a sandbox game should be. Tight, stylish movement, engrossing combat and chaotic online fun makes Sunset Overdrive a no brainer for any Xbox One owner.
In a few ways, Inquisition feels like a soft reboot of the Dragon Age series. Combat is different, Thedas has changed and the story has never been more about you as a character. It's still Dragon Age at heart, retaining some of the series' defining features, but it's hard to overlook some of the new, brilliant design choices that BioWare have made. Inquisition exudes ambition, and it's one of the very best RPGs you could ever hope to lose yourself to.
Unlike Techland's previous titles, Dying Light is an easier game to recommend. Fantastic movement mechanics complement the brutal combat beautifully, and the game on a mechanical level is incredibly engrossing and fun to play. Sadly, there's little else above that to sell. The story and all the characters involved do little to hold your attention, and the mission design does little to surprise.
Majora's Mask is a testament to the idea that fantastic game design never ages. It's engrossing while pushy, unique while also familiar and filled with contrasting charm and dread. If you have a 3DS it's a must-have – and a good reason to pick one up in the first place.
Assassin's Creed: Rogue is a great ending to the American saga of the franchise, and a great game in its own right. Ubisoft has also done a fine job with the PC port, making it an easy recommendation to any fan.
Grand Theft Auto V is at home on PC, with Rockstar pouring an incredible amount of effort and work into their long overdue PC port. There is simply no better way to experience the branching story in Los Santos - setting a new benchmark on what we can expect from the highest tier of visual fidelity in gaming.
The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt is an impeccable role-playing game, and one of the finest games ever created. Whether it's as large as tracking the Wild Hunt or as small as delivering a love letter, The Witcher 3 makes Geralt's actions count in the most incredible ways - creating a world begging to be explored for countless hours on end.
Pulling on emotional strings throughout, Journey is every bit the masterpiece on PS4 that it was on PS3. It's an emphatic example of art, sound and design working in complete harmony together, creating a piece of digital art that just begs to be experienced. Journey is nearly flawless, and will remain so until the end of time.
Super Mario Maker makes creating levels an easy, effortless exercise – letting true design shine through rather than hindering ideas by muddling with software. It's just a pity that it takes too long to truly wrestle that power from Nintendo's strict hand-holding.
A wonderfully remastered trip into Nathan Drake's past rekindles some of the joy the franchise has brought to its thousands of fans, but also makes some of its more glaring shortcomings far more noticeable. Still, the best Uncharted Collection you could've hoped for is finally here.
A short, disappointing tale makes nearly no progress in 343's trilogy, and offers nothing that lives up to the billing of a tense showdown between Halo 5's two protagonists. Thankfully the improved gameplay and consistently great multiplayer shine in Halo's uneven debut on the Xbox One. The multiplayer is fantastic, and the co-op is magical. Bring friends.
Crystal Dynamics have effortlessly done the impossible with Rise of the Tomb Raider, crafting a sequel that is superior to their reboot in every single way possible. It's a bigger, more expansive experience that has a captivating narrative, engrossing gameplay loops and an absolutely stunning presentation. Rise of the Tomb Raider is one of the best action games ever crafted, and a generational leap forward as the series looks towards the horizon. Lara Croft is in good hands.
Just Cause 3 is genuinely fun most of the time, but it's the periods where its not that hurt it most. Add to that some mystifying design decisions around progression and upgrades, and you've got a game that attempts to go bigger than its predecessors while forgetting some of the elements that made them so good in the first pace. A fun, albeit flawed game.
Mario and Luigi: Paper Jam manages to be more than the sum of its parts delivering a steadily challenging RPG experience with light-hearted, witty writing throughout.
A brilliant adventure packed with some of the best dialogue gaming has even been medium to, Firewatch manages to engross you from the moment it begins and throughout its fittingly brief tale. Even if the journey is far more captivating than the eventual destination, Firewatch is more than worth the price of admission. Wyoming and it mysteries await.
SuperHot uses its time-altering core idea to great effect, creating a puzzle game that forces you to balance slow, thoughtful moves with quick, precise shooting. It's a puzzle shooter that is easy to digest in small does but hard to put down, making the entire mind-bending journey one that will get your adrenaline pumping and brain thinking in equal measure.
The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess HD offers a sharper, more visually appealing version of a game that has already earned its merits in design. One that sometimes doesn't hit the highest notes the series is capable of, but one that equally manages to keep you engaged in a more though provoking, mature Zelda tale. Whether returning or venturing forth for the first time, it shouldn't be missed.