EGM

• PS4
• États-Unis

Like The Chinese Room's previous work, Everybody's Gone to the Rapture will no doubt prove an acquired taste, but the game is bolstered by strong, character-driven writing and a desire to experiment with boundaries no other developer, indie or established, is willing to engage.

• 3DS
• États-Unis

• PS4
• États-Unis

In its finished form, Broken Age is every bit the modern point-and-click classic its strong first act implied it would be. With an entertaining story and clever puzzles wrapped in a modern sensibility and impressive production values, Tim Schafer’s return to the genre that made him lives up to the high standard of his earlier work.

• WIIU
• États-Unis

• PS4
• États-Unis

Sony San Diego’s hardball sim only sees incremental changes this year, but several of them—particularly directional hitting—are welcome. The core game remains solid and even spectacular in places, but online continues to be a total joke.

• 3DS
• États-Unis

Etrian Mystery Dungeon provides a refreshing change of pace for Etrian Odyssey fans by infusing the dungeon-crawler with challenging elements from Spike Chunsoft’s venerable Mystery Dungeon franchise. Unfortunately, some clunky controls and curious design decisions prevent this roguelike from reaching the greatest heights of the genre.

• PS4
• États-Unis

Hotline Miami 2: Wrong Number still sits atop the same solid, brutally violent core that made the first game a success, but it inherits all of its predecessor’s flaws as well, and buries them within a bloated, altogether less satisfying experience. While the sequel isn’t without its occasional charms, there’s no doubt Hotline Miami would be destined for a greater legacy had it called it quits after the first spree.

• 3DS
• États-Unis

• PS4
• États-Unis

• 3DS
• États-Unis

• PS4
• États-Unis

The passion behind Citizens of Earth is undeniable. The execution, unfortunately, lags behind other indie titles that take inspiration from essential gaming classics. There's so much potential in this intriguing fusion of EarthBound and Suikoden, and the basics of a competent RPG are all here. The storytelling, world-building, and other elements necessary to craft a truly standout role-playing experience, however, are MIA in Citizens of Earth.

• 3DS
• États-Unis

While Persona Q: Shadow of the Labyrinth takes numerous gameplay cues from Atlus’ Etrian Odyssey franchise, this is an engrossing, expansive, and entertaining adventure that truly feels like a proper new chapter of the Persona series—one that masterfully blends together elements from both its past and its present.

• PS4
• États-Unis

The potential for the WWE franchise on the new generation of consoles is clear, but WWE 2K15 badly botches its new career mode and lacks many of the features players have come to expect from the series. A couple of added in-ring wrinkles, such as the new grappling system and a revamped stamina bar, show some promise, and the chance to relive the now-departed CM Punk’s rivalry with John Cena in 2K Showcase is a nice touch, but players expected more from the creative fusion of Visual Concepts and Yuke’s. Next year, these developers might well deliver the wrestling game we’ve been waiting for—but they didn't this year.

• XONE
• États-Unis

• PS4
• États-Unis

Far Cry 4 essentially boils down to a retread of the last game in the series with a different setting, a more polished story, and a handful of new traversal mechanics. It's a strong gameplay template to follow, but one that's much less compelling the second time around.

• VITA
• États-Unis

After six years of pleading, North American players finally get Tales of Hearts—previously a Japan-only gem in Bandai Namco's flagship RPG series. The wait was undeniably worth it, since this entry features some of the best storytelling, characterization, and pacing in the franchise—though the combat doesn't make the smoothest of transitions from the DS version. Those who never played the original Japanese release won't know what they're missing, of course, but it's frustrating that this undeniably excellent game isn't quite all it could've been on the PS Vita.

• XONE
• États-Unis

If Call of Duty: Advanced Warfare’s storytelling ambitions disappoint, the same can’t be said of the upgrades to gameplay. In both campaign and multiplayer, the exoskeleton and other futuristic gadgetry breathe new life into a franchise that seemed increasingly trapped in the shadow of the original Modern Warfare.

• PS4
• États-Unis

NBA Live has had a tough time escaping the shadow of NBA 2K—and that trend continues with NBA Live 15, which doesn’t deliver believable player movement, shooting, or gameplay flow. The “Big Moments” mode shows the potential that the series might be able to execute in the coming years, but right now, it’s like a .500 team trying to compete with a playoff juggernaut.