Battlefield 4
I’ve always been a fan of Battlefield, whether it was playing Battlefield 2142 on the PC or Bad Company 2 on the Xbox 360, I was an admirer of the series. It gives me great pleasure to let you know that Battlefield 4 is no exception, it’s a fantastic game with some amazing maps; maybe even the best in the entire series.
Having played both the PC and PS3 versions of Battlefield 4, I can honestly say that they are both exceptional. Yes, the PS3 version is inferior to the PC version but that doesn’t detract from its exceptional gameplay. This time around DICE has really brought the series back to it’s roots. Commander mode, which lets players set objectives for their fellow teammates to carry out whilst looking at a top down view of the map, has made a reappearance for the first time since Battlefield 2.
Leveloution, a phrase DICE has coined for Battlefield 4, features massive falling structures and map altering events which work superbly throughout the multiplayer. Battlefield 4 is a fantastic game and although it’s not perfect, it’s one of my favourite games of this month.
~~~~Niall
Tearaway
Tearaway has got to be the most charming game I’ve played this year. From the first moments of the game starting up I was instantly in awe of the visual papercraft world, the overall sense of discovery, and just the whimzy that the game gives off. The moment when they showed my image in the game, I couldn’t but laugh and have a smile on my face.
The game does an excellent job of all the Vita functionally in all the best ways possible. Never once did it feel dumb or unnecessary to interact by literally putting my fingers in the world and manipulating it any way I saw fit. There are only a few games that can bring all of the features of a console and have them showcase to the best it has to offer. Tearaway is one of those games hands down and is a must own for any Vita owner.
~~~~Nabeshin
The Legend of Zelda: A Link Between Worlds
I know I may come off as a Zelda fanboy, but I’ve been somewhat disappointed with the last few games in the series; as much as anyone else has. There were some gems there, like Skyward Sword, but with the exhausting exhibition of Twilight Princess and the DS games, which I just do not like at all, I’ve become discontent as a Zelda fan, in general. That is, until this game…
A Link Between Worlds is the first 2D Zelda with direct controls that Nintendo has developed since Link’s Awakening, and this game alone proves that they still have the magic touch when it comes to 2D Zelda. The game is gorgeous, the puzzles are mind bending, and the new ability to turn into a portrait is so game-changing that almost every dungeon is reflected in a new light.
Though I pretty much 100%’ed the game in a little over 15 hours, I would say it is one of the best Zelda releases to date, and improves on just about everything A Link to the Past had to offer. That isn’t to condemn ALttP, but merely prove that Nintendo has come a long way since 1991.
~~~~Alex
Ratchet & Clank: Into The Nexus
One of my most favorite games ever is Ratchet & Clank: A Crack in Time. Not only is it the best Ratchet & Clank game, it also set the bar for what that genre of game needs to reach. After the second division of Insomniac Games took over the series the became very experimental with All 4 One and Full Frontal Assault. Not necessarily bad games, mind you, but not exactly good ones either. It’s clear that they have lost touch with what made those games so great and Into the Nexus was the attempt to go back to it, which I’m happy to say they clearly succeeded on.
Everything you love about the Ratchet & Clank series is in this game: fun new and old weapons, interesting and unique mechanics, excellent writing with comedy, and a great villain. The game is a little on the short side, similar to Quest for Booty, but is still a full feature R&C that is worth the $30. After A Crack in Time came and went, I’ve been skeptical if we’ll ever get another game as good as that and though Into the Nexus didn’t reach the bar, it was pretty close to reaching and possibly even exceeding it.
~~~~Nabeshin
Rocksmith 2014
I’ve played Rocksmith 2014 just about every day since I’ve bought it. I’ll jump on planning to only play for a few minutes, and end up spending three hours playing away. Rocksmith 2014 has made practicing guitar fun; I actually look forward to playing when I get home from work. Aside from the fantastic song list, the improved menu navigation, and the insanely fun minigames, my favorite part of Rocksmith 2014 is that I can see myself noticeably improving at playing guitar everyday, and that is something no game has ever done for me.
~~~~Brendan
Super Mario 3D World
I get giddy just thinking about this game. The catsuit is adorable, the characters and levels look gorgeous, and the Galaxy Team has really knocked this one out of the park (again).
Mario 3D World is really a successor to 3D Land, taking the ideas of bitesized levels and expanding on that in a big way. Their ingenious level design feels like it really got to cut loose in this one. From spooky black and white boo houses to beautiful and colourful carnivals exploding with lights, Mario 3D World is never not a complete and utter joy to look at. The powerups introduced in this game are also crazy and bombastic, from the catsuit, which changes everything by allowing you to climb up, and the double cherry, which makes the levels feel even bigger by adding one more of you to the screen.
This game just brings me pure joy, from the music, to the catsuits, to the beauty it has to offer, I just couldn’t wait to see what was next for me in this one.
~~~~Alex
Assassin’s Creed IV: Black Flag
Assassin’s Creed IV: Black Flag, in my opinion, is one of the best games in the series. It takes the best from the previous game, Assassin’s Creed 3, and uses that to full advantage. That best part was the naval combat and naval missions.
One of the only downside is that you can’t acquire a wanted level when you are on land. Though the character movement and the ship movement could be improved, it’s still a solid start. If you still had problems with the free-running in AC, then this will do nothing to change your mind.
A solid entry in the series, this is a really good launch title for you to try on your new consoles.
~~~~Evan (heavily editorialized by Alex)
BioShock Infinite: Burial at Sea
Burial at Sea is a short experience but it is so sweet. Not only does it continue to adventures of Booker DeWitt and Elizabeth from Infinite, but we also get a taste of the original Bioshock by way of a return to Rapture. Getting another story with Booker and Elizabeth is great, but seeing Rapture in its heyday, glistening like the Sunset Strip, is easily the best part of the entire experience. I spent most of my time in Burial at Sea just taking in the sights, and investigating every inch of the city. I can’t wait for Part 2 and more of pre-fall Rapture.
~~~~Brendan
Resogun
“Holy shit Resogun.” A tweet I sent after playing Resogun for about five minutes. The game just instantly grabbed me like no other.
Not only is Resogun gorgeous, but it’s just so addictively fun. From someone who never touched Geometry Wars or Super Stardust, this game just instantly blew my mind with incredibly tight controls and amazingly satisfying explosions. Voxels. They’re awesome.
From the gorgeous sheen and polish that every single screen this game shows you to the addictive score hunts I’ve been having with my friends list, Resogun just has me coming back for more, time and time again.
~~~~Alex
Dead Rising 3
Dead Rising 3 is turning out to be my favorite this November, when about a month ago I didn’t even plan on getting it. I just kept watching the trailer and at some point the game just clicked for me and I had to pick it up. Even though this game could have been left out of the next-gen conversation, the features with the Kinect and Smartglass help push it out into the light unlike any other game.
This is reason enough to pick up an Xbox One, just because if you love the zombie genre at all, Dead Rising 3 makes sure to give you more than you can handle. Between the masses of zombies and ridiculous weapons to craft, Dead Rising 3 makes a good case for being a top pick for this next-gen
~~~~Zack
Ryse: Son of Rome
Ryse was an awesome experience for me personally because of my love for Ancient Rome. It capitalizes on the story and though it can be a bit repetitive along the way, the visuals help keep a cinematic touch to the game, that is usually lost in most.
Along with the campaign, the multiplayer is a fun experience and the campaign gives a reason for the coliseum style gameplay, instead of randomly picking to drag the game out. Even though this game is relatively short, I do believe there is replay value in the Legendary Mode and helps launch the Xbox One in a strong way.
~~~~Zack
