IGN

• PC
• PS3
• 8.6 / 10
• États-Unis

Final Fantasy XIV: A Realm Reborn is a great MMORPG experience on PC, PlayStation 3, and PlayStation 4. Grounded in tradition and learning from the lessons of the games that preceded it, it thrives on the strength of its excitingly varied and flexible class system and highly mobile combat. The challenge ahead for Square is to achieve the delicate balance of questing, dungeons, and FATEs for the second half of the leveling process as well as it has the first, because right now the late game bogs down in mindless grinds more than I’d like. But considering the stunning reversal of fortune that Square has achieved here, it seems like anything is possible.

• PS3
• 8.5 / 10
• États-Unis

Kingdom Hearts HD 1.5 Remix is an excellent way to replay the series’ first two games in crisp, high-definition splendor. Kingdom Hearts Final Mix and Re:Chain of Memories are beautifully reproduced – wonky camera and all. Completionists might even enjoy watching Kingdom Hearts 358/2 Days’ extended remastered cinematics, though it’s disappointing that the box doesn’t make it clearer that this particular adventure is a non-interactive experience.

• PS3
• X360
• 9 / 10
• États-Unis

On its merits as an action game alone, Diablo III shines. Its weighty, brutal combat is instantly entertaining, and the steady drip of new and interesting ways to slaughter monsters by the screenfull makes leveling each of the five characters a joy. But ultimately, it’s Blizzard’s revitalization of the item hunt with more generous drop rates and transformative pieces of gear that kept me coming back for more. The ever-present temptation of that next sick legendary kept the loot-hound in me rabid, surprisingly turning what could have easily been a lazy port into what is undoubtedly the most replayable, and perhaps the definitive version of Diablo III.

• PC
• 8.8 / 10
• États-Unis

The setting and gameplay of Total War: Rome II are a perfect match, giving us some of the most satisfying and visually striking tactical battles we've ever seen in video games. The campaign systems are absorbing and full of meaningful decisions that make me feel like I’m in charge of my own victories and defeats. It's all delivered in a package that's rich with historical detail that makes the most of the setting, but still puts fun above realism. As with previous Total War games, the consequence of all those detailed and interrelated systems is a sometimes-obstructive interface and erratic AI. If you grow to love Rome II – and there is a lot to love about this game – you'll love it in spite of its persistent flaws and frustrations.

• PC
• 7.8 / 10
• États-Unis

Outlast can stand proudly as a unique and terrifying survival horror game. Unlike many modern horror games, it remembers that the most frightening monsters are those that you can't kill, but have to flee from, and it creates an outstandingly creepy atmosphere that rendered me defenseless against its many well-paced jump scares. Annoying design choices and forced moments of repetition have a bad habit of spoiling the mood, but between them is an experience that's scary as all hell.

• X360
• PC
• PS3
• 6.7 / 10
• États-Unis

Ignoring a few cheap tricks and one boss, Castle of Illusion is a fun modern reworking of the original game that makes for a very kid-friendly platformer, though my inner child specifically cries out for something a bit tougher. As a remake, it’s a decent attempt. On its own merits though, it’s somewhat insubstantial, and pitting it against the cartoon masterpiece that is Rayman Legends is less a fight than a curb-stomp battle. Nostalgia goggles on or off, Castle of Illusion is nowhere near as good, as ambitious or as attractive, not least because as much as it’s evolved from its 2D origins back in the early ‘90s, it’s in the early ‘90s that its soul still unmistakably resides.

• PC
• 6.7 / 10
• États-Unis

Ultimately, Space Hulk is a fine game, a pleasant diversion. I rarely wanted to play more than one mission at a time, but I was also happy to return after a few hours. I’m have to doubt that there's much replay value to the 12 campaign missions, though multiplayer will extend their life considerably. The main problem with Space Hulk, though, is that its designers couldn't let it deviate from or build on the simple rules of a board game experience that lacks tactical depth.

• PS3
• X360
• PC
• 5 / 10
• États-Unis

When compared to combat in games like DmC and Metal Gear Rising, Killer is Dead comes out feeling uninspired and underwhelming. The past few years have supplied us with more competent action games, more fully realized and stylish worlds, and much more interesting forays into marrying video games with mature sexual themes. Killer is Dead contains a handful of good ideas that are sadly marred by a wealth of technical flaws, tonal inconsistencies, and an offensively juvenile attitude toward sexuality.

• PC
• PS3
• X360
• 6.2 / 10
• États-Unis

Lost Planet 3 at least has a respectable story and some combat variety to it, even if the pieces don’t always come together quite right. Jumping in and out of the mech keeps it from being just another cover-based shooter. If not for level design that’s full of frustrating inconsistencies, it might even have been good enough to fully recommend.

• WIIU
• PC
• PS3
• X360
• VITA
• 9.5 / 10
• États-Unis

Rayman Legends is a delightful platformer, and one of the best I’ve ever played. Thanks to clever level design that toys with genre conventions, it gets incredible mileage out of four basic moves. And with great local co-op and dozens of unlockables – including stages from Rayman Origins, special character skins, and mini-games – there’s a lot to do. The difficulty is so smoothly balanced that it can be played with with kids or adult friends and still have a great time.

• PC
• 7.8 / 10
• États-Unis

At its best, Teleglitch hurts good. Sometimes it just hurts. When it was difficult in service of a horror mood it was trying to create I had a really good time with it. When it was difficult for difficulty’s sake I felt like Teleglitch was urging me to give up, which I eventually did. It may end in frustration, but its worth playing just to see how it masterfully hits all the survival horror notes with its distinct presentation and vicious design.

• X360
• 7 / 10
• États-Unis

Charlie Murder is a competently made and often funny brawler that has fun with a wide range of inspirations. But when you're not battling evil IT engineers or grotesquely illustrated zombies it can descend into a repetitive slog of mashing the X button, particularly when played solo. Dull minigames don’t do the Charile crew any favors, but the RPG elements give us something to fight for.

• X360
• PC
• PS3
• 5.8 / 10
• États-Unis

Unfortunately, whilst competent in execution and steeped in nostalgia, this remake of the 1992 classic Flashback doesn’t quite have the firepower or ingenuity to measure up in its own right against the current standard in platformers. It lacks the combat variety of a Shadow Complex or the distinctive art style of a Deadlight, and while its story still manages to intrigue there’s not enough moment-to-moment gameplay payoff to sustain it along the way. Flashback will certainly bring back some good memories, it just won’t create any new ones.

• PC
• PS3
• X360
• 5.5 / 10
• États-Unis

Don't call this XCOM. While its tactical combat works well enough to prevent The Bureau: XCOM Declassified from being straight-up bad, everything else is fumbled so often and so bizarrely that I can’t recommend it. Hell, this prequel can’t even manage to explain where the name XCOM comes from even as it shows it being coined – it’s simply pulled out of thin air. That shoddy storytelling and poorly thought-out mechanics become the most memorable thing about it, and that’s not worth much.

• X360
• PS3
• WIIU
• WII
• 8.7 / 10
• États-Unis

Ostensibly toys are brightly coloured pieces of plastic – that’s true of the three bundled with Disney Infinity – but I’ve always regarded them as something more. They’re catalysts of imagination, letting children picture new worlds with the help of an initial spark. At its very best, Disney Infinity fuels that process but introduces the added fun of video game tropes and genres into the mix. In fact, it’s an excellent primer for kids embarking on a life playing games – it’ll teach them everything they need to know about barrel-rolling in a third-person shooter, power-sliding around corners, or judging line of sight in stealth games, and so much more too. It’s an enchanting experience that succeeds in adapting one of the richest fictional universes into a surprisingly rich game.

• PC
• PS4
• XONE
• 9.5 / 10
• États-Unis

When Thomas Wolfe wrote "You Can't Go Home Again," the mere idea of Pong would've wrecked his fragile mind. But nearly a century later, Gone Home presents us with a game that both embraces that melancholic notion while simultaneously exploring the roots, secrets, and artifacts of a family that feels as real to me as my own. Stepping foot inside of the Greenbriar home and discovering the things they left behind is a powerful experience. Gone Home is a remarkable achievement, and piecing together its poignant story will stick with me forever.

• PC
• 8.9 / 10
• États-Unis

Europa Universalis IV is easy to recommend to anyone interested in historical strategy – it’s the best game in the series, which can now take its place, with no caveats, among the giants of the genre. Very few strategy games manage to show the grand sweep of history as something that can be directly influenced and made fun, and only EU4 manages to do it with both a level of complexity that creates historical plausibility and a learning curve gentle enough to be welcoming and satisfying.

• PC
• PS3
• X360
• WIIU
• 9.2 / 10
• États-Unis

Splinter Cell: Blacklist is a sweet middle ground between the Panther-like action of Conviction and the Ghost-like stealth of Chaos Theory. The delightful improbable success of this compromise is a testament to game design that always has choice in mind. It’s well worth replaying the campaign with an alternate playstyle, a different set of preferred gadgets, and/or on Perfectionist mode. And, like the series’ Chaos Theory peak it can’t help but be compared to, Blacklist’s also packing a pair of multiplayer modes that could stand proudly on their own. Splinter Cell is back on the right shadowy track.