The release of X & Y was, in many ways, one of the best things to happen to the Pokémon series. The entries finally moved into a polygonal world, and streamlined many of the processes that were considered to be tedious in previous games. It’s been roughly ten years since Ruby & Sapphire released, making them (until now) the oldest generation without an updated edition. Like HeartGold & SoulSilver before them, Omega Ruby and Alpha Sapphire update the mechanics while preserving the original’s world and quirks, and these latest releases serve as a reminder of exactly how much X & Y changed the game. READ MORE
Assassin’s Creed is one of the most inconsistently amazing and frustrating franchises of the past five years. It utilizes immense creativity and takes us on journeys we rarely experience in other games, yet does so covered in the annoyances that seem to coat most triple-A games these days. Needless to say, it’s a mess of a franchise, but one with an unparalleled amount of potential.
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It’s Thanksgiving, and we’re taking this opportunity to share what each of us are thankful for in the world of games this year.
Graham Russell: Even in a year with so many great original releases, I find myself being most thankful for those who are working to give old gems a second chance on new platforms. Whether it’s North American debuts like Vib-Ribbon and The Mysterious Murasame Castle, overlooked titles like Valkyria Chronicles and The Legend of Heroes: Trails in the Sky or simply great oldies that are tough to find today like Mega Man Battle Network and Pokemon Trading Card Game GB, this is such a fruitful time for those who love old properties and want to experience them again. READ MORE
When thinking about crossovers and spinoffs for an action title, cooking and rhythm games certainly aren’t the first things that come to mind. Senran Kagura: Bon Appetit mixes the two with the cast of Senran Kagura into a silly spinoff title and brings the same style that is a hallmark of the series. READ MORE
At one point during Far Cry 4, I literally rode an elephant through a crowd of flamethrower-wielding enemies while being chased by tigers. The situation did not end well for me (who’d have thought), but during the loading screen I remember trying to retrace my steps, wondering “how did I get to that point?” At another section in the game I needed to climb a radio tower, and instead of going the long way and fighting all the way up, I flew a tiny one-seater helicopter to the top of the tower and just landed at my destination. I couldn’t believe it worked, and this notion seemed to be a repeated theme during my playtime. READ MORE
