Attack of the Fanboy

• X360
• États-Unis

• X360
• États-Unis

It's hard to say that Dark Souls is a game that everyone would enjoy, because it's not. It has a distinct level of challenge that not everyone is going to appreciate. In a game that prides itself on pushing you to your breaking point of frustration, Dark Souls is a particularly rewarding experience for those that can take all that the game dishes out.

• X360
• États-Unis

2K12 one ups themselves yet again, in their yearly hardwood classic. The incorporation of the Legends Mode is just the tip of iceberg when it comes to new and engaging content in NBA 2K12, the only question is, where do you start.

• X360
• États-Unis

Worthwhile changes to the gameplay enhance the overall experience in FIFA 12. Spilling over into all facets of the game, both old and new, the gameplay has never been better. It’s not going to win you over with it’s looks if you weren’t already sold, but the more realistic recreation of the game at hand will have you forgetting all about that.

• X360
• États-Unis

EA has made big strides with NHL 12. While some might think that beauty is only skin deep, EA has proven once again that small refinements can pay big dividends when it comes to yearly sports titles. NHL 12 offers one of the best packages in all of the virtual sports world. Usually when a developer sets out to increase the realism of a game, the gameplay suffers. In NHL 12, EA has done what it set out to do without sacrificing one iota of fun in the process.

• X360
• États-Unis

Bastion is a multi-faceted experience that on first glance looks simple enough. It’ll definitely catch your eye with it’s visuals, serenade you with it’s melodic soundtrack, and usher you forward with an untested and unrivaled new way of story telling. Though the truly special thing about Bastion is how these things all form together with the action-rpg elements of the game to give you something familiar but unique. There’s a level of polish in Bastion and a focus on the small things that puts many big budget titles to shame, delivering more gameplay at a higher quality for a fraction of the price. If all games were like this, we’d all be happy gamers with very little to complain about.

• PS3
• États-Unis

• X360
• États-Unis

What Human Revolution does offer, is gameplay in spades. Pushed on by a concept that is ambitious in this day and age of cookie cutter first person shooters, Deus Ex manages to shine because of its differences rather than its similarities. In what is best explained as a modern day throwback, when making similar comebacks, many games fail to capitalize on what exactly made them popular in the first place. Thankfully this was not the case with Deus Ex: Human Revolution and hopefully the franchise doesn’t go into hibernation for another ten years, as its one of the few franchises with the story and developmental vision that is worthy of working out the kinks in pursuit of a perfect game.

• X360
• États-Unis

From Dust is a breath of fresh air in a time when sequels are abound and originality on consoles seems to be lacking. There is a lot of content for your money here and the game is just fun to play. It is also nice to see a game that is more about thinking than sharp reflexes. For good value for your money, and something both beautiful and different, get From Dust. You will be impressed.

• X360
• États-Unis

Call of Juarez: The Cartel is pretty fun at times, mainly in the online modes. Fortunately the game seems built around these pieces, and depending on your level of sensibilities there’s actually alot of fun that can be had with this game. For me, my sensibilities got the best of me and I didn’t really enjoy the single player portion. As for multiplayer, while fun, it’s full of poor net-coding that could get worked out in the coming weeks, but for now it’s just another multiplayer that is too ambitious for its own good. Fun in small doses, yes, but far from a masterpiece. Call of Juarez: The Cartel suffers death by a 1000 papercuts, so many tiny details that could have been worked out and polished up before launch.

• X360
• États-Unis

Not everyone will fall in love with Ms. Splosion Man and those who can’t be bothered with games that require a good amount of patience and persistence in order to succeed will want to invest their time elsewhere. Those who can endure the occasional few exasperating levels however, will find that the game offers an incredibly entertaining and satisfying experience. Ms. Splosion Man is challenging without ever feeling impossible, and for some the degree of difficulty in itself will be a reason to buy this game as it offers what few other games do in this day and age – a demanding and extensive campaign. The level design and gorgeous backdrops you’ll be sploding through are definitely noteworthy, and the comedic prowess of Twisted Pixel is evident around every corner as well. You might even be able to consider the challenge of catching the abundance of pop culture references scattered throughout Ms. Splosion Man as its own minigame. If you look hard enough, there are many more than just the obvious ones uttered by your character and it just makes it that much more humorous when you find them. It goes without saying that if you have $10 to spend and an Xbox360, there is simply no reason not to get this game. You truly get an absurd amount of value and content for the price including about 100 levels through both the single-player and co-op modes and an in-game store where you can spend your earned coins on nifty little unlockables. If all that weren’t enough, the game also has some serious replay value to offer players eager for more splodin’. Even if you’re able to complete the challenge of collecting every pair of shoes, the concept of the “Ghost Replays” will allow you to go back to any level in attempt to top your previous best time as well as challenge the best runs from around the world by downloading them from the game’s leaderboards. Whether you’re looking for a game to help you pass the time until the Fall’s big releases, searching for that perfect addition to your Xbox Live Arcade library, or simply seeking a challenging and entertaining game that is going to provide you with a ton of gameplay hours, Ms. Splosion Man is a sure bet with a price that you just can’t go wrong with. Oh, and if you’re going to be playing Ms. Splosion Man with or around the family, try to keep the impulsive cursing to a minimum. Try.

• X360
• États-Unis

Obviously from the tone of this review I thought that Red Faction: Armageddon wasn’t very good. If you’re a fan of Red Faction: Guerrilla you’re probably going to be disappointed in the drastic changes made for Armageddon. If you’re new to the franchise, and like linear single player experiences, Armageddon is a pretty decent game. You’ll likely be thrilled with the many weapons at your disposal, and the physics are once again incredible. The story is bearable, and plays second fiddle to the action, but there’s enough of both to keep you interested. Though that’s about where the fun stops for Armageddon, the new online modes have short life-spans and do little to keep you coming back for more. As a fan of Guerrilla, I couldn’t help but think of the possibilities that this new game held when comparing it to their last offering. I’m not sure why the game took such a drastic stance in the new design perspective, when it already proved it had a winning formula.

• XONE
• États-Unis

Skyrim has been around long enough for people to form their own opinions on it, so your interest in what this Special Edition has to offer all comes down to how much you’re itching to play the game again. If you’ve never played the game before then this is undoubtedly the place to start, and if mod support is a feature you’ve been dying to have on consoles then that may make this new package worth the price of admission alone. It’s showing its age and still suffers from the trademark Bethesda bugs, but The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim Special Edition is a good enough excuse to warrant a return trip or serve as an entry point to this massive game.

• SWITCH
• États-Unis

Batman: The Telltale Series is a fantastic game that rethinks the well-trodden universe of Bruce Wayne. Telltale takes some risks and they almost all pay off very well, making for a very different take on the character and his world. Fans should definitely check this game out, though the Nintendo Switch version does lack a lot of the polish seen on other platforms. But if you want to take your Batman experience on the go then this is your best choice.

• VITA
• États-Unis

Demon Gaze II has convinced me that Experience can move out of its comfort zone and still come out with a hit. Considering its past titles, I expected a game that would heavily borrow from everything that has come before it, but I was wrong. What I got was a streamlined game with an immediately engaging story and a cast of interesting characters that made the 35+ hours required to complete it all the more enjoyable. While dungeon crawlers typically only appeal to a certain crowd, Demon Gaze II successfully caters to all audiences by offering a low access point for newcomers and a fairly high skill cap for veterans. If you had to pick only one dungeon crawler on a handheld released this year, then you can’t go wrong with Demon Gaze II.

• XONE
• États-Unis

Need for Speed Payback is an all-around miss for the franchise. The racing feels good, the presentation feels great, but everything surrounding it is absolutely abhorrent.

• XONE
• États-Unis

Not completely back to the drawing board, Ubisoft takes some of their better old ideas and blends them with new ones to make one of the best Assassin’s Creed games to date in Assassin’s Creed Origins.

• PS4
• États-Unis

Nights of Azure 2 is Gust’s second stab at making an action RPG and while it has shown that it has learned from its past mistakes, I sometimes felt like it exchanged some of its old problems for new ones. The game doesn’t feel as repetitive as the first one thanks to the wide variety of options it offers, but its designed in a manner that prevents you from experiencing them. As such, NoA2 feels less like a definitive step-up and more like a sidegrade. In fact, if it wasn’t for the time restriction and Lily System then I would be perfectly comfortable giving this game the same score as the first. That said, Nights of Azure 2 still has a lot going for it. If you’re a fan of the first game or Japanese-style action RPGs in general, then this is a game you’ll certainly enjoy.