If the idea of stepping into the shoes of the famed Belgian detective is a little intimidating, it shouldn’t be.  The puzzles, ranging from figuring out secret codes, to manipulating objects are hardly challenging and for the most part, are pretty straightforward and can be completed without much trial and error.  It’s nice that such puzzles aren’t overly challenging, in order to move the narrative along, but at the same time, they feel unworthy of the great investigator; sort of like donning the mantle of Sherlock Holmes and then attempting to figure out who stole the last loaf of bread from the kitchen, with a trail of breadcrumbs leading directly to the culprit.

Luckily, there are a number of things keeping you and Poirot busy in between solving puzzles.  Examining crime scenes involves different “phases” where you walk around freely, and on points of interest you zoom in, and begin “observation” phases, where you attempt to notice several important details about the scene or object.  You can go into observation mode on various suspects and other characters in the narrative, in an effort to determine their behavior, and/or if they’re being truthful, or hiding something.

"At the end of each case, you’ll enter a “reconstruction” phase, where you attempt to reconstruct the crime, based on the clues and evidence you’ve collected so far."

The “thinking” phase begins when you examine an object that you can manipulate, such as a small desk clock with a false bottom that can be slid away, or a combination lock that you can rotate the dials on.  Finding tangible clues or evidence in this phase often leads to the “little grey cells” phase where you go over all the clues and evidence you’ve recently collected, and attempt to make sense of it by associating the important pieces of evidence with specific questions pertaining to the specific crimes, such as time of death, or motive for the killing, etc.  This is one of the nice touches from the novels, in which Poirot often refers to his “little grey cells” as his brain.

At the end of each case, you’ll enter a “reconstruction” phase, where you attempt to reconstruct the crime, based on the clues and evidence you’ve collected so far.  The crime plays out in muted sepia tones and you select from a few different options at certain points, based on the facts you’ve collected.  If you fail to choose the correct option at any of these points, you’ll have to start the scene over,

The three cases are all interconnected and you’ll also find overlapping evidence, or clues present from one investigation that will appear in the next.  If you get stuck on a puzzle or just not sure where to go or exactly what to do next, there’s a handy “use a clue” button that will solve whatever puzzle you’re currently working on or point you in the right direction if you’re totally lost, however it has a cooldown of about one hundred seconds; also it won’t completely solve every puzzle for you, some things you’ll simply have to work out for yourself.

As Poirot, you’re more than well equipped to solve any mystery, but you also have several companions who provide narrative context, as well as differing perspectives on the cases and evidence.  There’s Poirot’s trusty sidekick, Captain Arthur Hastings, who Poirot describes at one point as “entirely too optimistic,” and the always overworked and stodgy Chief Inspector Japp.

You also acquire “ego points” for behaving in a manner consistent with Poirot himself, earning a greater number of points for your skill at Poirot-city, if you will.  Sadly, you can’t spend these ego points on fashionable new outfits for Poirot, however if you act decidedly un-Poirot, such as grilling a suspect too hard, you’ll be hilariously chastised by Hastings, along the lines of, “Why Poirot, I’ve never known you to be so brutal!”  Priceless.

"The voice acting is mostly passable, the one standout being that of Poirot himself.  While not as refined as David Suchet’s well known performance of Poirot on the long running series of the same name, the actor here does a capable job, if slightly over the top."

Visually, everything looks rather nice.  There is a definite artistic style at work here, reminiscent of the “Borderlands” series of games.  This stylized approach is used to good effect here, as it downplays the overall gruesome nature of the actual crimes being committed.  The art style also conveys a timeless quality, which works well for a game based on a novel set in the 1930’s.

Your pursuit of the murderer will take you to a few different locales around London, there are three main crime scenes, with small stops along the way at Poirot’s Whitehaven residence, as well as Scotland Yard.  The colors are bright and everything has a lovely sheen to it; this isn’t the dreary rain soaked London you may have seen in your nightmares, this is a much more inviting one.

The voice acting is mostly passable, the one standout being that of Poirot himself.  While not as refined as David Suchet’s well known performance of Poirot on the long running series of the same name, the actor here does a capable job, if slightly over the top.

Perhaps akin to an unkempt mustache, the game is not without its faults, however.  For the most part, the game does a great job at creating the illusion of freedom, and letting you explore areas to your hearts content, however, for all of its expansive areas, ripe with clickable objects and interactive opportunities, this is still a very linear game, and like most linear adventure games, you must complete A before moving onto B, etc.

Naturally if you’ve read the novel of the same name that the game is based on, you’ll find very little surprises here.  The game seems to follow the narrative, almost to a fault, for better or worse.  This provides a definitive structure, narratively, but doesn’t allow for much in the way of creativity.

"The game’s biggest problem may not be its linearity or its lack of innovation, but rather its longevity. With only three interconnected cases, it can be completed in under 5 hours. "

The game’s biggest problem may not be its linearity or its lack of innovation, but rather its longevity. With only three interconnected cases, it can be completed in under 5 hours.  There is little replayability to speak of, and no collectibles or other motivating factors to bother with another playthrough.

“It is the brain, the little grey cells on which one must rely,” is often quoted by Poirot.  In Agatha Christie’s The ABC Murders, rigid structure ultimately wins out over originality and freedom.  At its best moments it shines, pulling you effortlessly into the role of Hercule Poirot, set against the visually enticing backdrop of 1930s London.  Sadly, such efforts are, like the game’s relatively short length, ultimately fleeting.

This game was reviewed on the PC.

Developing your empire means economic investments into businesses and the specialization into a wide variety of goods. You can also hire merchants, set up trade routes to different settlements across the map, and eventually establishing a military force.  Your overall progression in the game’s story is based around the meeting of deadlines associated with these and other tasks and the accomplishments of specific objectives relating to your empire, which are set by an NPC.

The implementation of a functional economy through trade, the construction and maintenance of new settlements, and forging agreements and alliances are some of the primary focuses of the game, rather than conquest through military means.  This can be seen in the over simplified combat system, and that fact that most of the emphasis is placed on the balance of your overall production and consumption of goods, the ultimate goal here is to turn a hefty profit. Thankfully the system is actually satisfying to manage, for micromanaging fans.

The game features 20 different resources to develop, so experimentation with various assets is key, as well as researching new technologies which can improve the rate and yield of your means of production.

The world map consists of Europe, North Africa, the Caucasus, and the Middle East, albeit in a condensed format.  At the start of a new game, only European cities will be accessible, with more distant lands obscured by a fog of war.  The fog can be cleared, of course, by sending scouts and settlers out into the world in an effort to discover new areas.  Sadly, all the towns and settlements that you encounter throughout the game are pretty similar in appearance, and have little individuality between them aside from the ethnicity of their leader and the goods they can produce.

"Sadly, all the towns and settlements that you encounter throughout the game are pretty similar in appearance, and have little individuality between them aside from the ethnicity of their leader and the goods they can produce."

The ability to explore caves on the world map and discover commodities adds an interesting diversion to your empire building, allowing you to pick up additional goods and add a few extra coins to your coffers.

Adding to the single player mode is a multiplayer component, allowing you the opportunity of playing with up to eight players.  Multiplayer sessions give you the chance to attack your friends or aid in the development of their towns.

The single player campaign is designed to be as user friendly as possible, yet it doesn’t really succeed in this regard.  The campaign itself is basically one huge tutorial with the sole purpose of showing new players all the ins and outs of playing the game. This is admirable, however, the tutorial itself is a bit too unstructured for its own good, making it possible to dig yourself into a deep pit, financially, that isn’t easy to climb out of. Adding to this is a busy screen that features the managerial options of several towns at once, and you have a recipe for confusion.

Historically, massive scale strategy games haven’t been terribly beginner friendly, and one could argue that its less about this particular game and more about the genre itself, which tends to have so many options available that its easy for newcomers to feel overwhelmed and its nice that the developer tried to make it more accessible even if it didn’t work out entirely as planned.

The marketplace mechanics that drive the game are at least fairly interesting.  The establishment of various trade routes and distribution of goods works well, and makes for a functional and somewhat robust economic system that rewards players for the production of a variety of different types of goods in many different towns.

"This makes conquering your neighbors more of a challenging endeavor than it should be, and many players may find themselves opting for acquisition through non combative business deals and complete financial takeovers."

Combat itself is pretty subpar, most of the frustration comes with not having enough control over the action.  While this is by design, it doesn’t make for a fun or compelling gameplay experience.  This makes conquering your neighbors more of a challenging endeavor than it should be, and many players may find themselves opting for acquisition through non combative business deals and complete financial takeovers.

Its interesting that the game almost recognizes that its own combat systems and mechanics are lackluster and so it gives you alternate ways of increasing your influence and spreading your empire.  It would be nice if the combat systems were better but at least they aren’t a key component of the game, allowing you to focus your attentions elsewhere.

Once players complete the lengthy tutorial that serves as an extended introduction to the game, they’ll be able to jump into the core of the game. This involves playing open games, or customizable games featuring 1 to 8 players and starting in any city in the game. You can elect to play a shorter game and just conquer a smaller portion of the world, rather than complete world domination. Longer games are quite a time sink, and will have you playing for days, rather than hours.

Once you get used to the gameplay mechanics, the core game is solid, however, the lack of a variety of scenarios, either historically or geographically based would have gone a long way towards adding much needed content.

"While the appeal is definitely aimed at a niche audience that enjoys the micromanagement of economic and trading systems, more casual players might find an interesting, if flawed diversion."

While the appeal is definitely aimed at a niche audience that enjoys the micromanagement of economic and trading systems, more casual players might find an interesting, if flawed diversion. While the combat doesn’t come close to franchises such as Total War, and the city management is nowhere near the level of franchises such as Civilization, yet as a solid effort, it still manages to carve out its own section of the strategy genre.

This game was reviewed on the PC.

The game itself is something of an expanded remake of the original, with the most notable changes being the substitution of the PS4’s touchpad for the Vita’s touchscreen in certain sections.

The innovative control scheme is a bit like a piece of well-folded origami, a uniquely crafted thing of beauty. The shoulder buttons allow you to shine a bright spotlight on the screen, which affects the world in many different ways, such as renewing the paper foliage of density and color, opening up new pathways or mesmerizing enemies into walking themselves off cliffs and high ledges.

You’re also imbued early on in the game with the power of the wind, and a simple swipe on the touchpad will send whooshing gusts blowing through the landscape, the direction you swipe determines whether your windy day blows in from the north, south, east or west. This is used to unfold paper bridges, blow enemies off screen and remove obstacles.

"Once you get familiar with the abilities and inner workings of gameplay, however, that’s when the puzzles and platforming really come together, like a paper dragon suddenly finding its lost tail. "

It’s easy to see that Tearaway: Unfolded shines brightest when it’s using the interesting abilities and mechanics of the PS4 controller to effectively influence gameplay options. Like the Vita version, you can still use your voice to give life to characters in the world or “sketch” your own creations that come to life in the world but these seem secondary to the more interesting gameplay mechanisms.

Once you get familiar with the abilities and inner workings of gameplay, however, that’s when the puzzles and platforming really come together, like a paper dragon suddenly finding its lost tail. You’ll often find yourself mapping out your movements and chaining together abilities, such as blowing confused enemies off restored bridges or successfully navigating maze like structures, and with the flick of your wrist, hurling enemies into gates to smash them open or slicing down paper hedges.

Drawing with the touchpad, however, isn’t nearly as intuitive, and the results of your creations are often kin to a Microsoft Paint program. There’s also a companion app which turns your cell phone or tablet into a virtual sketch pad as well, and if you want to add a more personal touch to the game, you can use the PlayStation camera or your phone camera to take a picture and “import’ it into the game for use as stickers or as a texture for surfaces.

The companion app has several other functions if you’re so inclined. A second player can join in on all the paper fun by creating little cutout shapes and adding them to the game world as you play, blown in by a stray gust of wind. This isn’t a huge addition, but it’s kind of neat to get younger players who may have siblings sitting on the sidelines involved as well.

"Despite it’s wondrous visuals and unique mechanics, there are a few paper cuts along the way. The platforming elements aren’t quite as sharp as they could be, resulting in some deaths here and there. "

Visually, everything is as crisp as a brand new sheet of paper. The world you traverse is rich and vibrant and it feels like you’re journeying through your own pop up storybook. Colors are bright and textures are well done. Rolling paper waves and fluffy paper clouds are marvels and everything is gorgeous and consistent.

Consistency is probably one of the finer aspects of Tearaway: Unfolded. Every new gameplay mechanic, enemy, or location finds and builds on new ways to use paper, glue and stickers to surprise you and hold your interest, even after you’ve put the controller down.

The story is simple but filled with Media Molecule’s demonstrated ability to add whimsy and charm to even the most mundane of things. As a result, as the envelope shaped Iota or Atoi, your journey leaves quite a paper trail, literally. You’ll run into boxy squirrels, and sharp edged crowds and many colorful denizens of the world who seem cut from the same piece of paper you are.

"Consistency is probably one of the finer aspects of Tearaway: Unfolded. Every new gameplay mechanic, enemy, or location finds and builds on new ways to use paper, glue and stickers to surprise you and hold your interest, even after you’ve put the controller down."

The narrative is delivered with style and wit, thanks largely to the dulcet tones of Stephen Fry, whose devil’s pact with all things Media Molecule has yet to run its course.

Despite it’s wondrous visuals and unique mechanics, there are a few paper cuts along the way. The platforming elements aren’t quite as sharp as they could be, resulting in some deaths here and there. Combat is also repetitive at best. Also for a game in which there are hidden collectibles, like gift boxes littered about each level for you to find, there is surprisingly, no post game additions to make going back and tracking down all these confetti laden containers easier. Some kind of paper-oriented assist would have gone a long way. A treasure map, perhaps?

With each new location literally unfolding right before your eyes, and the expanded areas and locales brimming with gusts of wind just begging to shake paper sails, Tearaway Unfolded gives new meaning to the term “paper trail”. It may not be a flawless journey, but it’ll be an unforgettable one.

This game was reviewed on the PlayStation 4.

Like most EA Sports games, it throws you into the action, literally, from the outset, you are placed in the last Super Bowl, Steelers vs 49ers and your goal is to win. From there you are whisked to a sleek menu system filled with a myriad of options and gameplay modes.

Off the field, the name of the game is accessibility. While series veterans will have no trouble feeling right at home on the grass, newcomers will find plenty to like and devour in the wealth of tutorials, training drills and pop up video-esque tips and tricks popping up throughout the game.

Even though budding Monday night gridiron warriors may find a lot to like in terms of the defensive side of the game, the enhanced options, focusing on the more practical side of things, are a welcome addition.

Quarterbacks can now rifle hotly contested high jump throws or low tosses for a higher percentage catch rate. High-risk run-after catches are also an option, with an added chance for athletic leaps, garnering players a highlight reel moment. Receivers can also use possession catches to give the ball a much-needed boost of protection when in the midst of heavy coverage.

"Even though budding Monday night gridiron warriors may find a lot to like in terms of the defensive side of the game, the enhanced options, focusing on the more practical side of things, are a welcome addition."

There is a wide array of offensive maneuvers this year and the handy tooltips help a great deal, not only in getting the hang of these new moves, but also countering them when on defense.

Visual splendor abounds in Madden NFL 16, which is definitely one of the most striking, in terms of graphical prowess, football games to date. From the post play details to the uniform subtleties. Unfortunately, the visuals, as advanced as they are, are still lacking in comparison to other EA Sports franchises, such as FIFA and NHL which sport near broadcast quality.

New modes are the name of the game in Madden NFL 16. One of the more interesting additions to the franchise is the Draft Champions mode. You could probably be forgiven for thinking of it as a replacement for Madden’s Ultimate Team mode, (which is still here). The major difference between the two is the fact that the Draft Champions mode is based and focuses on fantasy football.

After choosing a coach, you’ll move through 15 rounds of drafts. Each round gives you one selection of a possibility of three players, at randomized positions. The fact that different players will come up every time you do a draft means that you’ll get a completely different team every time, and trying to build the best possible team while still playing to your team’s strengths, can be addictive.

The strength of Draft Champions mode lies in the unpredictability as to which players will be available for you to select and when. Do you elect to draft that mid tier QB in Round 3, knowing that he’d be a great addition to your short passing strategy, or do you wait it out for one of the final rounds when you may get a chance at a legendary QB like Elway or Favre?

The menu interface this time around, while keeping with the precisely laid out geometric squared design that has become something of a trend lately, nonetheless, feels cleaner than last year, with main modes at the centerpiece of the menu system upon startup, whereas secondary options and modes can be accessed through the right panes. This is nice because it doesn’t immediately overwhelm you with options.

"Visual splendor abounds in Madden NFL 16, which is definitely one of the most striking, in terms of graphical prowess, football games to date, from the post play details to the uniform subtleties. "

Practice mode continues to be a viable option for trying out different scenarios and complements the Skills Trainer perfectly, where you can focus on more specific plays, such as attacking coverage and run conceptualizations.

Also one of the most notable features this year is the sheer amount of tutorials. Sure, there’s the basic stuff if you just want to get the hang of the basic gameplay, running, passing, etc. You can just learn the basics and leave it at that, but if you want more in depth info, it’s a veritable Madden-pedia, every position, what it does, recognizing whether opponents are blitzing or covering, and what kind of blitz or cover they are using.  In terms of tactical comprehensiveness, the game is no Sun Tzu, but put in enough time and effort, and you may just become something of an on field general.

Hidden away in the tutorial mode, may be one of the game’s best-kept secrets. The Gauntlet is a deeply challenging, yet addictive mode where you’re given six lives and forty levels that have progressive difficulty that range from normal training drills to boss fights involving gigantic players and hurricanes. It’s quite difficult; in fact, think of it akin to Mortal Kombat’s Tower of Pain, a true test of skill. The difficulty of the mode should be evident in the fact that last year’s Madden game featured the same mode, yet less than 200 people worldwide managed to conquer it.

Madden Ultimate Team mode functions almost exactly like the more popular FIFA incarnation of the same name. Its conception is deceptively simple; earn enough money by playing matches and completing challenges. You then spend that money on packs of cards containing shiny new players (or buy them from other players online, alternatively), and then reorganize your team so you can win more matches. It’s a vicious, (but addictive!) cycle.

Luckily, it doesn’t feel like grinding, thanks to the massive amount of content in Madden’s Ultimate Team. Wherein the FIFA version is conceptualized based on online matches, Madden’s version has over 1000 single player challenges, ranging from intercepting a pass, to winning a game where you’re playing against a team of legendary players.

"Hidden away in the tutorial mode, may be one of the game’s best-kept secrets.  The Gauntlet is a deeply challenging, yet addictive mode where you’re given six lives and forty levels that have progressive difficulty that range from normal training drills to boss fights involving gigantic players and hurricanes. "

Organizing your team is as easy as selecting the best team option and sorting your team out by best overall team, or best team based on players that suit your team’s play style. Alternatively, you can hand select each player for each position if you’re a more hands on player.

If you are the hand picker type, sorting your players has never been easier. From the binder, you can sort players by a wealth of filters, like quality, positional coverage, and even how recently you obtained them. You can even sort set items into Panini-esque books, and completing sets is satisfying and addictive.

With a focus on accessibility, and an eye for additional content, both new and fresh and old favorites, that have been updated for the new year, Madden feels like a return to form, a breath of fresh air that the series has sorely needed. More evolution than revolution, perhaps the most thought provoking question concerning this year’s Madden, is where does the series go from here, and will we be along for the ride?

This game was reviewed on the PlayStation 4.

Saying that the Prototype remaster is awkward is like saying that snow falls in winter; it’s painfully obvious, right from the outset. The positive aspects include the fact that both Prototype games now run at full 1080p, a few textures have been replaced, and the controller will echo with certain sounds here and there, yet the differences between these two Prototype games, and their last gen counterparts is largely negligible.

Some aspects of the original Prototype like draw distances, effects, character models, and most of the textures are absolutely ancient looking. The second game in the series seems to fare better in that context, but sadly, all too often seems to run at a shockingly low frame rate, with a growing stutter the busier the screen gets.

By and large though, these are, for better or worse, the same games you could play a few years ago on previous gen consoles. If you do pick up this bundle for PS4, you’ll have the honor of playing one game graphically lost in time, akin to an H.G Wells novel, and another game that bafflingly runs even worse despite having better technology supporting it.

"Some aspects of the original Prototype like draw distances, effects, character models, and most of the textures are absolutely ancient looking."

Prototype, for all its shortcomings, has aged rather poorly. We can see this in the story, which involves a man named Alex Mercer who wakes up in a morgue in New York City, with a missing memory, but on the plus side, has a virus that instead of killing him, has turned him into a living, breathing bioweapon.

Mercer has the ability to manipulate and rearrange his own flesh in unique ways, a bit like Spawn, only not nearly as interesting. He can also assimilate other people’s forms. Naturally, the military seems to know more about this whole strange affair and they spend most of the game trying to contain Mercer, who is basically trying to piece together the remnants of his shattered past. It all plays out like a rather low budget SyFy movie of the week.

One interesting aspect of the whole affair is that despite a massive open world design, there is painfully little to do or see, so the whole setup seems wasted, As Mercer, you are constantly being directed to go to various places throughout the city and dispatch certain people, until you’re directed to run away and assume another human form as a disguise, until you’re given orders to kill the next target. As a protagonist, Mercer simply interacts with his sister, a hacker, and kills people, in between whiny cut scenes where he laments about his lack of memory. It’s all woefully uninspired and pedantic and may leave you wishing for more in the context of character development, gameplay, story, and pretty much everything else.

For all his faults, Mercer has a wide array of powers that let you take down enemies and innocents with more blood spraying and viscosity than any recent Quentin Tarantino film. It’s a bit of a shame that the game’s imperfect camera and targeting controls make locking onto enemies more of a chore than it should be.

Story wise, Mercer is a truly one-dimensional protagonist, since you aren’t terribly invested in him, as a character, you don’t really end up caring about his past. The tension also fails to escalate in any meaningful way at all, and as a result, you spend most of your time in the game at the status quo.

Perhaps in an ironic twist of fate, the game itself seems much like a prototype itself, a collection of interesting ideas and mechanics that perhaps a better game may have been able to more fully realize, in terms of potential.

"Perhaps in an ironic twist of fate, the game itself seems much like a prototype, a collection of interesting ideas and mechanics that perhaps a better game may have been able to more fully realize, in terms of potential."

Conceptually, James Heller, the protagonist in Prototype 2, is a bit better, in terms of a leading role, however, that isn’t saying much in the greater scheme of things. Heller is still an aggressive lout, but in comparison to Mercer, he’s an aggressive lout with a sense of humor.

Much like the first game, the story is about as predictable as tossing a two headed coin. Heller is a solider, sent into a NYC still healing from the effects of the first game. Heller also holds a major grudge against Mercer for releasing the virus that ultimately killed his wife and child.

Heller has a run in with Mercer early on and becomes infected with the same virus that gave Mercer his powers. He is then taken in by the same military that you spend hours and hours dispatching in the first game and is offered a different version of the truth.

Heller soon joins forces with Mercer and they tag team through trying to uncover why the government is trying to utilize this bioweapon and put a stop to it. Heller has new powers that are just as capable of bloodletting and tearing enemies asunder as Mercer was, many in gory new ways.

The improved mechanics at least in Prototype 2, combined with a more fluid movement aspect, means that countering is easier and more effective, and escaping the waves of military drones is a lot more productive than it was in the first game. Even the recreated New York City looks a bit better the second time around and the hapless citizens that stroll the streets aren’t nearly as puppet like in your second trip through the city.

"Even though Prototype 2 stands as the stronger of the two games in the package, it’s still an exercise in frustration, due to its apparent technical limitations."

Even though Prototype 2 stands as the stronger of the two games in the package, it’s still an exercise in frustration, due to its apparent technical limitations. The original Prototype, however, stands as a testament to the fact that not every game can age like a fine wine.

Perhaps the biggest insult surrounding this package isn’t the aging gameplay, technical shortcomings or blood so thick it covers the surfaces of New York City like a shroud, it may just be the nearly full price that you’re expected to shell out for a package that uses the word remaster, as if it’s sweeping some dirt under an already soiled carpet and then adding a spit shine and a bit of polish in an effort to justify the price tag. Don’t become a victim of this “prototype” of remasters.

This game was reviewed on the PlayStation 4.

In terns of F1 games, the driving itself is probably the best it’s ever been. Historically, previous games in the series have been rather forgiving in terms of handling; however, this year’s cars seem to accurately reflect the nature of the F1 experience.

Battling for position is more accurate than ever before, as you have to constantly manage your acceleration and tire wear, whether in sunny weather or rain soaked deluges.

The AI cars are quite lifelike as well, capable of defending and overtaking in intelligent ways, as well as aggressive movements that force you to avoid collisions. This aspect of realism doesn’t just end with the other drivers either, as the race engineer will literally talk your ear off with interesting information about the track, and your overall strategy, through practice sessions and the eventual race itself.

"Historically, previous games in the series have been rather forgiving in terms of handling; however, this year’s cars seem to accurately reflect the nature of the F1 experience."

While, the quick race mode lets you hop into any track and give a full race a shot, or simply enjoy a short three lap cruise around the track, the majority of the game’s racing action takes place in Championship Mode.

In this mode, you take control of your favorite F1 driver and race a full seasons, with customizable practice and qualifying lengths. One interesting aspect of the game is that it also comes with all of the drivers and tracks from last year’s season, so in essence, going back in time is as easy as accessing the options menu.

There is also a Pro Seasons mode, which thrusts you literally into a expert level racing experience with full race weekends, with realistic event lengths. Suffice it to say that it’s primarily to satisfy the hardcore F1 enthusiasts out there.

Unlike previous entries in the series, there is no Career mode this time around, so if you’re hoping to create your own driver, you’re probably running on exhaust fumes. Also, there is no co op to speak of, as in previous games, you could play locally via split screen. There is a multiplayer option to play with friends in individual races, though (not that it works all that well, or at all, actually.)

While the game sports some nice visuals at times, some graphical glitches really bring the realism to a grinding halt. Vanishing wheels and other graphical glitches serve to constantly remind you that at the end of the day, you are playing a game.

"Vanishing wheels and other graphical glitches serve to constantly remind you that at the end of the day, you are playing a game."

In game crashes may be one of the highlights of the visual arena, boasting spectacular effects, however car damage is totally inconsistent and almost seemingly random, as if you ram into another car from behind, your front wing will either be unaffected at all, or shatter into a million pieces.

F1 2015 is a strange hybrid of the workable and the worthless. Visual splendor meets glitches in some graphical areas. Feature rich previous incarnations in the series seem to warrant their inclusion here, yet this game is painfully devoid of them, like a lack of modes, customization or any kind of working multiplayer model.

Where F1 shines is when you’re careening around the track, while changing your strategy to compensate for the rain soaked asphalt that’s suddenly eating up your normal tires, and then switching to wet weather tires just as the track dries off says a lot about the changing conditions in the game and the need to adjust your tactics in the fly to come out ahead.

The game also features voice commands, however, you’re pretty much stuck using stock phrases such as “fuel target” or “driver behind”, rather than the obviously more useful ability to ask who’s in third place or how far ahead a particular driver might be.

One could make the argument that many of the incomplete or missing features set the stage for a new foundation, of sorts, in the world of F1 racing games that Codemasters hopes to build upon in the future with subsequent entries in the series. However, this does nothing to address the overall unfinished nature of this game.

"Feature rich previous incarnations in the series seem to warrant their inclusion here, yet this game is painfully devoid of them, like a lack of modes, customization or any kind of working multiplayer model."

Perhaps the ultimate legacy of F1 2015 lies simply in what could have been. In a perfect world, it could have been given the checkered flag and ushered into the hall of some of racing’s greatest sims ever. It could have been praised for its ability to be almost infinitely adjustable, in terms of difficulty, and still remain challenging. It could have even been celebrated as an authentic reproduction of a million dollar motorsport. Sadly, F1 2015 could have been any or all of these things, but ends up as a tragic case of “what is” instead.

Barren features, broken multiplayer and graphical glitches hammer the final nail in the tire however, in spite of the broadcast quality visual effects, strategic racing, and tight, responsive, but challenging car handling. Do yourself a favor and let this one stay in fifth gear for this lap around the track.

This game was reviewed on the PlayStation 4.

"The presentation aspect has always been one of the strongest parts of an EA Sports title and Rory McIlroy is no exception. The various tournaments in career mode are structured to appear like a broadcast version of the game of golf, and they succeed pretty well, with lovely aerial views of ponds and lakes and rivers, the various courses each featuring a unique look and feel, and more importantly play differently from each other."

Picturesque vistas are just one aspect of the new Rory McIlroy PGA Tour, the latest golf offering from EA Sports. From high-resolution grass, trees, shrubs and other foliage to ambient wildlife and gorgeous backdrops featuring some of the most famous courses to ever host the tour, Rory McIlroy boasts some quite enjoyable eye candy.

The game itself wastes little time in getting you right into the action, almost as soon as you start it up, you’re whisked away to the prologue tutorial section, which shows you the different control schemes, gets you accustomed to driving down the fairway and down on the green, explains the subtle nuances of putting.

These tutorial lessons are sprinkled with live video from Rory McIlroy himself and the first time through, it’s interesting to hear his thoughts on a hole or reading the green, but every time you need to go back to the tutorial, say if you want to change up control schemes or need a refresher on putting, you need to listen to Rory again. It would be nice if his scenes were skippable at the very least.

The presentation aspect has always been one of the strongest parts of an EA Sports title and Rory McIlroy is no exception. The various tournaments in career mode are structured to appear like a broadcast version of the game of golf, and they succeed pretty well, with lovely aerial views of ponds and lakes and rivers, the various courses each featuring a unique look and feel, and more importantly play differently from each other. Wolf Creek in Nevada, for instance, features small rocky hills in and around the course, while TPC Sawgrass down in Florida features a lot of greenery surrounded by water.

There aren’t nearly as many courses in this years offering as in past PGA Tour games. The addition of TPC Scottsdale as a bonus, and the Battlefield inspired Paracel Storm, set in the South China Sea, will have you teeing off large battleship decks.

" Speaking of, the product placement in the game is pretty atrocious. You’ll see the EA logo plastered on shirts and balls and clubs and I swear I saw an elk on the course with the EA logo branded on its buttocks. Now that’s good eatin’! "

Speaking of, the product placement in the game is pretty atrocious. You’ll see the EA logo plastered on shirts and balls and clubs and I swear I saw an elk on the course with the EA logo branded on its buttocks. Now that’s good eatin’!

Not to be outdone, you’ll also notice logos from Bridgestone, Sraxis and Nike, especially if you enjoy changing your character’s shoes as frequently as I change mine.

The basic gameplay is pretty straightforward. You create a golfer, and take him or her through a series of minor events and some major ones, driving and putting as well as you can to earn experience, which translates into stat boosts that make you a better driver or putter.

You’ll slowly, but surely climb the ranks, and patience may be a virtue in real golf, but here it is paramount, as the short game overall may be one of the most challenging seen in a recent PGA Tour game in years.

There are three main control schemes. The first is Arcade mode, billed as “A setting for everyone”. It’s basically using the left stick to swing, and depending on the force and direction of your stick wizardry, the ball will either shoot forward and land neatly on the fairway, or fly off like a bad pitch.

The other control scheme is the 3-click mechanic, which uses a focus ring and marked points on that ring to account for distance as well as accuracy. You simply click the X button to start the meter up the ring and click it twice more to stop it where you want.

" The in game commentary is atrocious, bordering on obnoxious and the post swing animations are often jerky and full of lag."

There’s also an advanced swing mechanic called Tour that states its for hardcore gamers only and makes use of the left stick swing mechanic and also the eight way directional control. You can also customize your controls by adjusting the difficulty of your swing, and setting such variables as power boost, spin control, shot shaping and putt reading to off or on, given your preferences.

The long and mid game on the various courses shouldn’t present much of a challenge, even to first time golfers, however, putting is where the challenge really comes into play and has something of a steep learning curve.

In previous PGA Tour games, you could typically use a system where the arrow and the cup (as they were the same distance), could be used to analyze distance and calculate break.

Here, reading the green and making accurate putts is much more difficult. A good rule of thumb seems to be for every inch of elevation change, to take off or add a foot of distance, however, even this can be misleading at times. A bit more polish on the putting green would have gone a long way towards adding accessibility and increasing replay value.

The pacing of the game is borderline laborious. Starting at level 1, your created linkster has an overall rating of 60. As a point of reference, Rory McIlroy has an overall 94 rating and after hitting level 75, your rating will be lucky to break 80. This matters because your overall rating is computed based on a variety of values that are your created golfers attributes in 20 different categories, such as ball striking, strength, recovery, shot shaping and long, short and mid range putting.

" In Rory McIlroy PGA Tour, relaxation gives way to rage, thanks to the irritating pacing, obnoxious commentary and steep learning curve. In the world of golf, this game is a double bogey at best. "

This wouldn’t be a huge deal, except that during tournaments, between rounds your performance is simulated based on your attribute values and overall rating. Basically if your values are low and you finish at 4^th in the round, you could start the next round at 66^th.

Not every part of the presentation is as crisp as a freshly mowed green either. The in game commentary is atrocious, bordering on obnoxious and the post swing animations are often jerky and full of lag. Watching your golfer spin their club behind their back in a jittery slideshow motion might be unintentionally comedic the first time, but after a few hundred holes, it tends to be a sad reminder of the game’s overall lack of polish.

On a perfect day, golf should be a relaxing sport, bordering on a zen like experience. In a sense, a golfer communes with nature, becoming one with his surroundings and he is changed, and in turn changes the world around him, allowing him to focus and rely on skill and finesse. In Rory McIlroy PGA Tour, relaxation gives way to rage, thanks to the irritating pacing, obnoxious commentary and steep learning curve. In the world of golf, this game is a double bogey at best.

This game was reviewed on the PlayStation 4.

ESO features a fairly robust character creation system, with a plethora of aesthetic options. On the flip side, if you’re just looking for a quick, decent looking character, the randomize button can adjust all these settings at once, on the fly.

There are nine distinct races that players can choose from, each with their own passive racial bonuses and abilities. One race may have an inherent boost to magic, while another may have a resistance to hostile spells. Like other Elder Scrolls games, these passive racial abilities are helpful, but since character progression can basically let you overcome any weakness, they aren’t nearly as important as in other role-playing franchises.

While having only four classes seems a bit limited, especially in comparison to other modern MMO’s, the character progression system is equipped to handle the missing workload offered by additional classes. Similar to most MMO’s, you complete quests and take down enemies to level up. The twist here is that any skill can be leveled up, the more you use it, in true Elder Scrolls fashion.

" Most of the quests you’ll run across are multilayered, requiring you to perform a series of objectives, this makes the quests seem more involved than simple fetch or kill quests."

In a sense, raising your skill levels is more important than upping your player level, as your skills can be improved or new skills can be unlocked only after meeting certain skill level prerequisites. There are also “ultimate” skills that function like finishing moves, allowing you to more easily take on large groups of foes or boss class monsters that have oodles of hit points.

For example, blocking with a shield and then swinging a sword will slowly increase your one handed and shield skill. Want to snipe enemies from a distance? No problem, just equip that maple bow you found on that skeleton archer, and start firing, and your bow skill will increase with every hit. Want to fry an enemy with some fireballs? No sweat. Just pick up that nifty fire staff and launch some burning goodness their way. Your destruction staff skill will increase, making you a better destruction staff user, no matter which class you are.

Presumably, in MMO terms, at face value, the four classes represent tank/healer, ranged damage, tank/melee, and ranged/melee damage, however roles in a group can be, (and frequently are) rotated on a regular basis.

Your main source of experience is completing quests. Most of the quests you’ll run across are multilayered, requiring you to perform a series of objectives, this makes the quests seem more involved than simple fetch or kill quests. In regards to character progression, it’s a far more methodical pacing than most MMO type games. This may be familiar to gamers who are experienced with the Elder Scrolls series but for those who prefer a faster paced game, in terms of progression, they may be put off.

You also get a skill point per level up. These can be placed into any skill line you prefer. Any class can basically place a skill point into any of their class skills, weapon skills, armor skills, or crafting skills, as well as faction only skills that can be found and joined throughout the game.

" Graphically, everything looks rather well done. In true Elder Scrolls style, almost every surface in and around towns have an intricate, well worn quality, as if wizened by age and the elements. "

Story quests become available every so often at specific levels and reveal more of the story, though the decision to do these is completely up to you, as you can make your way through the world without ever touching upon the main story, outside of the tutorial level, if you prefer.

While you’re out adventuring, you’ll invariably come across many staples of the Elder Scrolls, like monuments, which can be used to fast travel to zones you’ve visited previously.  The crafting system is about as in depth as any MMO out there, featuring a wide range of professions, materials and player created items.

Most crafting professions include skill lines as well, that you can improve with spare skill points, enabling you to be a better craftsman. Most of these come in the form of passive improvements to your crafting abilities, like small percentages increases or an improved ability to find raw materials.

Graphically, everything looks rather well done. In true Elder Scrolls style, almost every surface in and around towns have an intricate, well worn quality, as if wizened by age and the elements.

In terms of player interaction, social interaction in ESO is handled mostly though voice chat. Even without a compatible headset, there are on screen icons that enable you to manage group invitations and friend settings. A wealth of emojis can also be used from the menu, indicating if you’re taking a lunch break, need healing, or presumably, someone just stole your car.

From a psychological perspective, ESO presents a unique case. It features the addictive quality found in most MMOs, in regards to that reward based gameplay, however, whereas other MMOs dole out these incentives on a regular basis, ESO does so only incrementally.

" This creates a strange disconnect between the player and the world, almost as if you’re a wandering spirit, never truly part of the larger, living, breathing ecosystem."

As a result, as you travel the lush landscape of Tamriel, taking down enemies and completing quests, you become more powerful, but only just so. Even though you save towns and avenge restless spirits, and take down tyrannical leaders of hidden cults, none of it feels weighty or meaningful, as if you’re a member of the world, but ultimately detached. This extends to the game’s variety of dungeons too, which can be stumbled upon in the world or accessed via the dungeon finder. This creates a strange disconnect between the player and the world, almost as if you’re a wandering spirit, never truly part of the larger, living, breathing ecosystem.

Whereas the previous Elder Scrolls games let you make world-altering decisions and embark on seemingly epic quests, such as ridding the land of slavery, closing the doors to Oblivion, ESO seems content in its mediocrity. It’s formulaic to the point of being spectacularly unremarkable.

In the end, ESO is a bag of mixed messages. For every gorgeous landscape and picturesque vista, there is also tedium and meandering. For every multi-layered quest, rich in Tamrelian history and lore, there is the uneven pacing, and comparatively slow progression. For every in depth narrative found by obsessively searching bookshelves, there is the capricious dungeon raiding, sidelined by any rhyme or reason. ESO is at its best where it has always shined, as a rich single player experience, with a world steeped in myth and lore. Ultimately, that’s what ESO is, a rich single player experience, you just happen to be playing alongside other people.

This game was reviewed on the PlayStation 4.