IGN

• PC
• PS3
• PS4
• X360
• XONE
• WIIU
• 7.8 / 10
• États-Unis

Costume Quest 2's combat and story are both surprisingly good for an RPG that concludes in roughly a half-dozen hours. Navigation is iffy, and the healing system is a bit broken even after a major revision, but its humor and personality shine through to make this a good Halloween bounty.

• 3DS
• WIIU
• 8.5 / 10
• États-Unis

Shantae and the Pirate’s Curse succeeds by building a funny, gorgeous world around its tried and true Metroidvania gameplay. In the brief moments when the combat becomes exhausting, it’s the writing, in all its self-referential and juvenile glory, and its visual splendor that keep the pace going. Though it’s an unmistakable tribute to Metroid and Castlevania, infusing a sharp wit and bold style helps Shantae and the Pirate’s Curse stand above its retro-inspired contemporaries.

• PS4
• XONE
• 5.5 / 10
• États-Unis

Although NBA Live 15 looks significantly better than NBA Live 14 at a glance, it still suffers from clumsy controls and stiff animations. A few nice changes and additional game modes can’t make up for poor gameplay, but there are some great ideas here that just don’t get a chance to shine, like the pick & roll and the ESPN license. All in all, NBA Live doesn’t feel as hopeless as it did a year ago, but hope doesn’t make a good basketball game. Practice those fundamentals!

• PS3
• X360
• 5.9 / 10
• États-Unis

• PC
• PS4
• XONE
• 7.4 / 10
• États-Unis

Lords of the Fallen delivers entertaining hack-and-slash combat centered on combos and spells, but its risk-based reward system seems slightly out of place in a world where its hero so easily achieves great power and defense and makes risk obsolete. It achieves its goal of creating a more accessible Dark Souls-style experience, but unfortunately it goes a step or two too far.

• PC
• PS4
• XONE
• SWITCH
• 7 / 10
• États-Unis

Relatively simplistic compared to the N64-era shooters that inspired it, Screencheat nevertheless distinguishes itself with goofy charm, fast pacing, and a clever gameplay hook based on invisibility. Its sterile online matches tend to wear out their welcome quickly, but if you can get two to four players together in a room, hunting your friends through their own eyes is uniquely fun for at least a short while.

• PC
• MAC
• 7.9 / 10
• États-Unis

Beyond Earth is nowhere near the strongest game in the more than 20-year-old Civilization series, but this big collection of interesting experimental ideas definitely still kept me playing long after I should’ve gone to bed. The Affinities and streamlined military upgrade system, and a colorful change of scenery make it worth the time to figure out the difference between Protogenetics and Surrogacy, and suffering through temperamental alien wildlife.

• 3DS
• 8 / 10
• États-Unis

Fantasy Life is a fun blend of life simulation and RPG that offers a cornucopia of activities to do and fun ways in which to do them. Though the pacing is sluggish and some of the quests a little too redundant, the kooky characters, silly humor, and incredibly addictive gameplay kept me fishing and forging well after the final credits rolled.

• 3DS
• 8 / 10
• États-Unis

• PS3
• PS4
• PC
• XONE
• X360
• 4.2 / 10
• États-Unis

I have no idea who The Legend of Korra: The Game is for. It’s definitely not for young fans of Korra, as the combat is too unforgiving, the boss battles too tedious, the economy ridiculously punishing, and the story too weak and lacking any of the show’s charm. It’s not for older people who enjoy a good action game, because next to contemporaries like Batman: Arkham City, Middle-Earth: Shadow of Mordor, and even Platinum’s own Bayonetta 2, Korra looks terrible with its simple two-button combos and poor combat scenario design. I can’t recommend it to anyone.

• PC
• PS3
• PS4
• X360
• XONE
• 8.7 / 10
• États-Unis

The Evil Within is a brutal, challenging, and remarkably fun game. Its eerie world and imaginative enemies are genuinely frightening, and the scares are heightened significantly by the scarcity of resources at your disposal. It keeps the odds stacked against you to the point that they often feel insurmountable, yet it’s finely tuned to ensure that they never really are, as long as you can keep a cool head and a steady aim in the face of building panic. While its story ends up buckling under its own ambition, there is little here that takes away from the joy of experiencing survival horror under the steady hand of a master of the craft.

• PS3
• VITA
• PS4
• 2.8 / 10
• États-Unis

Natural Doctrine tries to be an unforgiving and brutal tactical RPG that punishes you for the tiniest mistake, and it most certainly does that. But it also punishes you for things outside your control, leading to frustrating, messy battles. Success comes down to luck rather than decisive strategy, robbing me of the sense of well-earned victory I yearn for. And with annoying characters, a dumb story, and outdated graphics, there’s not much that makes playing Natural Doctrine worth the stress.

• PC
• PS4
• XONE
• 8 / 10
• États-Unis

Defense Grid 2’s new variations on the original’s excellent tower defense gameplay pulled me right back into the compulsively addictive quest to destroy all aliens with a minimum of expenditure. I don’t recommend the multiplayer and the story doesn’t even compare to the standard set by the original, but its 20 maps absolutely scratch that same itch – and provide lots of tools to keep that momentum going for a long while.

• PC
• PS4
• XONE
• 7.2 / 10
• États-Unis

Styx may stumble in its quicktime combat and its spotty edge detection, but it makes up for most of its flaws with challenging stealth action across massives levels. It's not a pretty game by the standards of the current generation, but its presentation thrives on the snark and sailor-speak of its memorable title character. At $30, it's a steal even Styx himself could appreciate.

• WIIU
• 9.5 / 10
• États-Unis

Every aspect of Bayonetta 2 feels polished and focused. At times, the writing feels ridiculous, but I still love how it plays. The superb pacing and combat are just that good. By the end I was convinced: This sequel builds on everything that made the original great, and delivers one of the most satisfying action games I've played.

• PC
• PS3
• X360
• 8 / 10
• États-Unis

Despite its tendency to make you jump through hoops before getting to the good stuff, Borderlands: The Pre-Sequel delivers where I expect it to as a Borderlands fan. The new gear and low-gravity mechanics mixed with the zany skill trees makes for a fresh experience, and with Jack at the center driving the story forward, you get a deeper dive into the always entertaining, if well-traveled universe of Borderlands.

• PC
• PS4
• XONE
• 7.8 / 10
• États-Unis

NBA 2K15 feels like a new-gen experience that 2K isn’t quite ready for. It’s an absolutely beautiful game to look at, and its controls are as tight as they’ve ever been. Some features are vastly improved from last year, and fortunately most of those continue to work when the servers don’t. It’s a shame that the best game modes won’t always be accessible, because this could’ve been an amazing basketball game. It still could be, if 2K can fix it. But if you buy it right now, you can expect a great offline experience.

• PS4
• XONE
• PC
• 8.5 / 10
• États-Unis

Back in 2012, I called Sleeping Dogs one of the biggest -- and most pleasant -- surprises of the year. Two years later, the surprise has obviously dissipated, but that doesn't take away from what United Front Games achieved here. Playing the Definitive Edition reminded me how much I enjoyed its excellent story and characters, combat, and city, but also made me pine for a true new-gen sequel. The differences here might not be worth paying for a second time, but if you missed out on this great open-world action game the first time, you shouldn’t repeat that mistake.