IGN's Reviews
The first half of this game is easily one of the most enjoyable I've had in the past year. But as is the case with many humorous games, the laughs begin to fade in the home stretch and in the end Psychonauts started to wear on me.
If you've so far neglected to enter Grand Theft Auto IV's stunning modern metropolis of Liberty City, by all means get this game. The overall GTA formula has been refined and retooled in this version to be more convenient, more realistic, and ultimately more mature, though it still gets stuck on brambles held over from games past. As far as living a virtual life goes, managing the social network, night life, travel habits and explosive forays of virtual dynamo Niko Bellic is one that'll stick in your thoughts for years to come. The PC version comes with a few added features, such as online filters for finding matches, the ability to save clips and edit them together, added graphics and control options, as well as a larger player capacity in some of the multiplayer modes. Though you'll need a high-powered system to truly experience the PC version's enhanced visuals, Liberty City is still a wonder to behold.
Puzzle fans will definitely want to give Rush a download. It's a fun mix of Lemmings and Chu Chu Rocket, and sports a clean, attractive art style.
World of Tanks might have a silly name, but it does something impressive. It manages to straddle pure tank simulation and shooter action to produce something that, despite being flawed, remains genuinely fun.
When I beat Bastion for the first time, I reloaded my save and played through for the second ending. When that was done, I started my new game plus. I'm not the repeat type of gamer, but Bastion's leveling, weapon upgrades, and difficulty tweaks are just too gosh-darn addictive. The story could've been better, but it doesn't matter. This game is amazing and you owe it to yourself to download it.
Creativity-infused cartoon combat blends perfectly with trick-or-treating nostalgia to give this humorous little download some tremendous pull. Costume Quest’s bold personality and utter charm mostly makes up for its more repetitive moments, and when you throw in the re-tooled save system and free DLC, the PC version is an alluring package. If your tastes lean more towards lighthearted fare instead of overt gore splatter, you’d be hard-pressed to find a better pick than this endearing Halloween-themed RPG.
If you had low expectations for this one, let them be lifted -- this is a surprising hit of a game. Namco's still got room to improve here, and hopefully a future sequel will add a greater wealth of single-player missions and some multiplayer modes to this foundation. But Ace Combat: Assault Horizon Legacy is truly impressive just as it is, and it deserves the attention of any Nintendo fans who've either always been curious about this series or just love flying through the sky to blow stuff up.
As far as puzzle games go, MacGuffin's Curse is certainly challenging enough, but does rely heavily on a couple of core mechanics to the point that it feels repetitive after a while. On the plus side, all the “flavor” stuff thrown in -- story, characters, mini-games, etc. -- goes a long way to keeping you interested in seeing what happens next. It's a lengthy game, but it's best played in short bursts – trying to persevere through level after level in one sitting will leave you sick and tired in short order.
A top-tier tactics game that will probably share the long-tailed legacy of its predecessors.
Torchlight II, Runic Games' latest kill sandbox, is one of the best action-RPGs around.
Okami is one of the finest games to come out of Japan in the last decade, and Okami HD is absolutely the best way to experience this epic adventure. Its re-release is rather timely too, given Japanese game publishers are currently preoccupied with creating games that will appeal in the West. Okami, in contrast, represents a pure, resolutely Japanese vision, and is all the more appealing for it.
Lucius can be unexpectedly funny and darkly satisfying but suffers from questionable and frustrating design choices.
Deadly Device is a solid adventure mystery, but may not be the best entry point in the series for new players.
Cool art and charming robotic banter can't quite save Primordia from obtuse puzzles and a story that doesn't click.
Fez is a brilliant, beautiful platformer. Play it immediately.
Anomaly 2's campaign isn't especially original, but its multiplayer provides a fresh take on tower defense gameplay.
Magic, leafy submarines, intricate puzzles, and wonder abound in point-and-click adventure The Night of the Rabbit.
Dota 2 is an ocean-deep pool of rewarding nuance and strategy, but it will drown newcomers.
A wildly inventive 2D Roguelike with a 30-second gameplay loop that lasts for 20 odd hours.
Spartan Assault features flashes of frantic Halo brilliance, but skip the touch controls. Play with mouse + keyboard!