It doesn't match the level of finesse exhibited in their first game, but Injustice is still a stellar example of writing - especially in a fighting game - and with Story mode, Arcade mode, Versus matches and the STARS Labs it offers a ludicrously large amount of value for money.
Most importantly though is that BioShock Infinite takes the story and uses the gameplay to enhance it. It puts the player firmly in the shoes of Booker, it makes Elizabeth not just your ward but a crucial part of your game. It connects the player and the player character inextricably, and then it tells a story through that connection.
If it were just the campaign with co-op, Judgment would seem difficult to justify for its triple A asking price, but with the addition of the excellent Overrun mode - and a couple of friends - it's a worthwhile purchase.
SimCity made me connect with the Sims in my world more than any Sims game ever could - and then it made me wilfully hurt them to further my own agenda. It simultaneously made me uncomfortable with my actions and impelled to win at the same time. That's an odd feeling to get out of a game where you can deliberately unleash a giant fire breathing lizard on an unsuspecting populace.
Crystal Dynamics has exceeded my expectations and crafted one of the most intense, rewarding, surprising and bloody origin stories I’ve had the pleasure of playing through. It’s been a long time since I HAD to finish a game.
Crysis 3 almost knocks it out of the ballpark on so many levels. The controls and visuals are certainly spot on, but the level design and pacing both have sporadic moments that let it, and you, down.
It’s an extremely solid action game, a brutal, crazy ride that fits in nicely with the rest of Platinum’s oeuvre, but one that falls just short of being an instant classic thanks to some finicky controls and muted design choices.
Antichamber will turn your brain inside out and then ask you to reach inside your own head and turn it back the right way. It’s quite unlike anything else I’ve ever played, and it simultaneously made me feel like an idiot and a genius. It’s daring, confident, original and enjoyable, not to mention ridiculously smart. Just make sure you’ve got some paracetamol handy before you start playing.
