DeVuego

Evil Dead: The Game is quite a mixed bag in terms of overall enjoyment. While the multiplayer modes are well polished and enjoyable, and the visuals are crisp, the rest of the game is sorely lacking, especially in terms of single-player content. 

8DAYS is true to its retro-roots but unfortunately to a fault. Its adorably savage violence and tough-as-nails gameplay will be a delight for any retro fan. Unfortunately, like many actual retro games, the controls can be a bit unreliable and some boss battles can feel frustratingly impossible and hinge too much on luck. Thankfully, 8DAYS does not go on long enough to wear out its welcome and packs in a good amount of entertainment for its $8 price tag on Steam, PS4 and Xbox One.

Rise & Shine has an excellent sense of atmosphere during its tense levels, thanks to its visual and audio work. Damian Sanchez, the composer of the game’s soundtrack, with his music keeps the battles intense and the overall theme epic. For example, the strings of the soundtrack are beautiful to listen to in the track, Seashores, but it maintains an epic battle for survival throughout. The developers cleverly manipulate the music to scale up the tone of the song depending on what’s happening on screen. For example, boss battles have stages to them and on the last stage, the song gains more percussion, creating more tension with the player.

This is also the first game from Team Gotham, and it demonstrates an attention to detail in both storytelling and gameplay that isn’t seen that often. Both feel like they are connected to one another, as the game’s puzzles get more difficult as the story becomes even weirder. I’ll say that the final moments of the game left me with a lot of questions that I’m not sure are answered. The ending has a bit too much ambiguity and doesn’t really pretend to provide closure either. By the time it reaches its conclusion, though, you’ll be happy you were a guest in this wonderfully surreal narrative.

Six Sides of the World is simple yet highly enjoyable for both young and old. There was room to innovate with more interactive puzzles or the inclusion of more dynamic elements like physics, but even at a simple level of design SSOTW is still highly enjoyable. This may not be for everyone, but for those with a brain who enjoy puzzles this is definitely worth checking out.

Castlevania: Lords Of Shadow 2′s a hugely frustrating game, rich in depth and length, but terribly inconsistent. Looking at the amount of things that are right with it, it’s hard to believe that the few flaws in comparison could effect the game in such a big way. However, considering that the main issues LOS2 has make up for half of the gameplay, it’s hard to forget or ignore that they are there. Mercury Steam took a chance when developing their latest and final contribution to the long-standing franchise, but by attempting to be so different from its main predecessor, Castlevania: Lords Of Shadow 2 suffers from the problem of trying to hard. A frustratingly fractured end to the three-part reboot, fans of the series may want to proceed to this title with caution.

The two mediocre sections of gameplay offered throughout the DLC, coupled with the short lifespan, hardly makes Resurrection a recommendable purchase. I bought both expansions because I loved Lords of Shadow and I wanted more, and if you’re in the same camp, you might consider this approach. If, however, you feel the need to catch up on any plot prior to Lords of Shadow 2’s release, I’d advise you to steer clear. Nothing of major importance is revealed in either of these episodes.

Castlevania: Lords of Shadow was one of our favorite games of 2010. It offered something unique to a bloated genre: atmosphere. The art direction in Lords of Shadow is truly its own, and the beautiful visuals never fail to disappoint. The core gameplay is impactful, as you change the world with every fallen enemy. Some odd puzzles and platforming sections that outstay their welcome can drag it down, but this sharp toothed tale is well worth the money and should be experienced by action adventure fans thirsty for blood.