New Releases:
Been holding out for the annual video game flood? Well, that time is well and truly upon us, so now’s the perfect chance to work out what should be at the top of your list.
Kicking off the month on Thursday November 3 is the latest expansion for The Sims 4: City Living (PC). Whether you create order or chaos, the add-on will feature the much busier city lifestyle of San Myshuno.
Meanwhile, a day later on Friday November 4 comes one of the biggest releases of the year in the form of Call Of Duty: Infinite Warfare(PS4, XBO, PC), where you’ll discover if Game Of Thrones’ Kit Harrington can succeed in a villainous role. Alternatively, 3DS fans can enjoy their own fun with SEGA 3D Classics Collection. Packed in are ten memorable titles like Sonic The Hedgehog.
Nearly a week later on Thursday November 10 comes the PS4, Xbox One and PC’s next heavy hitter, Dishonored 2. Corvo Attano returns to the series, as does Empress Emily Kaldwin, who is joining in the murderous affair.
Speaking of sequels, meanwhile, Watch Dogs 2 (PS4, XBO, PC) is hoping to show off a few new tricks from 2014’s original thanks largely to a new lead and improvements to core systems. It hacks its way into your life on Tuesday November 15.
Finally worth your attention are Pokémon Sun and Pokémon Moon for the 3DS, which celebrate the series’ 20th year. Catch ’em all from Friday November 18.
Review:
FIFA 17(PS4, XBO, PS3, 360)
Chances are if you’re a devout FIFA fan, review scores matter little, but the good news is that FIFA 17 continues the franchise’s stellar run over the last few years. The big success for this year’s iteration is its headline act – The Journey. Essentially FIFA’s own story mode, The Journey tells the tale of the young talent Alex Hunter as he attempts to become a household name by making it in the Premier League. Surprisingly the mode is well handled, effective and creates a new reason to draw people to the series.
On a more holistic level, some inconsistent AI and an increasingly repetitive commentary track could use some love, but that doesn’t deter from the fact that FIFA 17 continues to be an incredibly solid package for fans.
★★★★
Review:
Rise Of The Tomb Raider: 20 Year Celebration Edition (PS4)
After wowing Xbox One owners last year, Lara Croft’s latest adventure is finally free to be enjoyed by PS4 owners, and the result is equally as impressive.
Should you have already played the main campaign, there’s not much reason for you to rush out and buy it again, but if you haven’t, there are also a few neat extras to make the most of. A new short story-focused chapter Blood Ties is chief among them, allowing you to explore Croft Manor – which also supports PS VR should you have your hands on a unit. A must-buy for any adventure lover.
★★★★☆
Review:
Gears Of War 4(XBO, PC)
Following the relatively lacklustre reception for Gears Of War: Judgment, fans and critics alike were a little unsure about Microsoft’s premiere chainsaw-loving franchise. Had the series finally run its course, or if handled properly could some new blood reinvigorate it? Thankfully it’s a big case of the latter, as developer The Coalition has without question managed to rev the engine back up with Gears Of War 4.
Taking place 25 years after the events of the third game, Gears Of War 4 swaps out Marcus Fenix for JD Fenix as well as his two friends, Kait and Del. It’s new blood that is welcomed with open arms, allowing The Coalition to steer proceedings in some bold new directions. In fact, the game’s first act is free of gore as JD and his crew have shunned the Coalition of Ordered Governments (COG) to live as outsiders – exuding a vibe almost reminiscent of Robin Hood.
If that sounds like cause for concern, don’t fret, because before long you’ll be fighting COG robots and dealing with a new monster race as familiar faces return, as do classic mechanics. And they’re mechanics that remain as polished as ever – presenting chapter after chapter of intense action backed by well thought-out set pieces. Horde moments have also been thrown into the mix, despite not always gelling as well as they should. One could argue that the campaign plays things perhaps a little too safe, but it’s difficult to hold much of a grudge when the end result is as enjoyable as it often is.
The return of Horde mode and Versus (competitive multiplayer) round out the package, and both complement the main game well should you wish to sink more time into this brutal new world. Versus is particularly impressive with eight modes and ten maps, so here’s hoping the community sticks around – especially if The Coalition hopes to make a dent in the ever-growing eSports crowd.
All things considered, Gears Of War 4 is a return to form for the series, which is only good news considering the implication that this is merely the beginning of a brand new saga. You might not have the same level of attachment to JD, Kait and Del as you did to Marcus and his crew, but it’s an incredibly respectable and beautiful start.
★★★★
