Destructoid

Kalimba is an enjoyable solo romp, but to get the full experience you're going to need a local co-op partner; trust me, the juice is worth the squeeze if a couch friend is hard to come by. That inherently limits the game, but since both adventures are worth playing through fully, there's a lot of meat here for a seemingly small puzzle title.

Guilty Gear is still one of the most badass fighting franchises out there, and Xrd -Sign- honors that legacy. It looks breathtaking, the action is constant and in-your-face, and although the roster is smaller than I'd like, there is a lot of variation to be found once you start digging into the game.

While Kingdom Hearts II Final Mix HD didn’t add a ton, it didn’t particularly have to. It is, as it was upon its first release, a polished and wonderful experience, only made better by its conversion to HD. Kingdom Hearts Birth By Sleep Final Mix HD on the other hand is almost worth the purchase by itself. It adds a ton of depth to the Kingdom Hearts universe without making the mistake of further muddling the plot.

Sadly, that colors the whole experience. ...The action sections are unsatisfying, tainted by control that functions at a base level but requires the player to fight against it. There are still great things to be found in the Temple of Osiris, and those who care less about scoring points or who have some good partners to team up with can still find some fun in it.

Alas, The Dark Below needed more to truly sell itself to most of the fanbase. Four Strikes, not two, would have been about right. Crota's End is fun, but I feel like it was shorter than Vault of Glass, and it was a bit easier to pick up. I'm not too sure on the longevity of this raid either unless Bungie has something special up its sleeve for January's hard mode.

The Talos Principle has some important things to say, but more thoughtfully, it wants the player to have important things to say as well. Even those who do not bother to think about the philosophical topics can find a smart, sometimes frustratingly difficult puzzler here. It really shines for those open to both.

In the end, that unique beauty cannot save Ultraworld. The areas are too small and often too linear to be worth exploring for longer than necessary, and the dull philosophical narration drags the whole experience down. Although it picks up after the first section, there is still not a lot to enjoy here.

Ruining all of the goodwill that Popcap has built up over the years is a damn shame. EA is doing some things right in the current climate, but the publisher has consistently shown us that it cannot move forward without taking multiple steps back.

The bottom line though is that the actual combat is fun, and if you're itching for a competitive shooter this will satisfy you. I've been playing for hours at a time in some heated sessions, and nearly every game has a "wow!" moment. After playing each character and learning their counters it gets even better. The deep mechanics simply allow for memorable gunfights to happen constantly, and if the developers can keep the community from jettisoning they will have a minor hit on their hands.

Still, that narrative is the focus, and it is strong. ...The bad situation that House Forrester is in is only going to get worse. It feels like a punch to the gut, and it sets the stage for an intensely emotionally draining experience. In spite of its blemishes, so far it looks like Game of Thrones: A Telltale Game Series deserves its place in the A Song of Ice and Fire lore.