The PlayStation 2, despite its wild success, garnered a fairly weak local multiplayer lineup. There are two main reasons for that. First? Controller ports. Its two competitors didn’t need a multitap for party play, so developers could find a full audience on Xbox or GameCube, and only a fraction of the PS2 audience. Second? While the three consoles were comparable, the PS2 lagged behind just a bit. The horsepower discrepancy meant that PS2 games were optimized for two-player split-screen only, and the same engine could run with four on the Xbox. Still, it managed to be home to some games worth checking out. READ MORE
Is Sony working on a new LittleBigPlanet for the Vita? And what’s up with all these persistent connection rumors?
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I like golf. It’s a sport that virtually anybody can become good at, and the camaraderie that comes from walking with friends for a few hours while competing for longest short and best hole every weekend is one of my favorite childhood memories. And that’s why computer and console golf has always held a special place for me: not only is it the rare sports game that I understand, but the attached nostalgia makes every round a fun one. Tiger Woods PGA Tour 14 is the most complete golf game I’ve ever played. From the excellent swing mechanics, to the variety of courses, to the great excellent online offerings, I was pleased at every turn with the experience. READ MORE
Reviving a classic series is always a challenge, but it’s even tougher when its very appeal (at least at this point) is in those nostalgic, dated mechanics. With Might & Magic X, Ubisoft is trying to do just that. It may be just the time, though, as indies and fellow revivals alike have prepared the audience, and the Heroes spin-off has kept the world and its creatures in the gaming consciousness. READ MORE
Done correctly, minimalist game design works extremely well at immersing the player in the game and enhancing their sense of accomplishment. Perhaps the genre that best exemplifies the benefits of minimalist design is puzzle platformer. In that respect, Toki Tori 2 shines as an example of how to do it correctly. READ MORE
