The Deer God may be a beautiful game, but behind its majestic facade lies a dull platformer that fails to challenge. All of the your adversaries are easily bypassed, and the lack of engaging stories or missions leaves this game as one of the worst things to come out of the forest since stinging nettles.
For all of its flaws, Snake Pass represents an admirable attempt at blending the past and the present. Its anthropomorphic characters, jubilant worlds, and atmospheric soundtrack all scream of eras past, yet its movement system and excellent controls are things of the future. Those willing to slither past the checkpoint and camera issues will find an enjoyable and heartwarming nostalgic adventure. Snake Pass shall pass.
LEGO Worlds is a technical accomplishment, containing thousands of bricks and items that allow players to build whatever comes to their mind. There are a few odd decisions and the gameplay will appeal more to a specific demographic, but Traveller's Tales' latest will surely prove a joy for most creative types.
Death Squared is a solidly fun and challenging experience with friends, and even more so when played as a single-player game. Its lighthearted nature, lengthy story mode, and couch co-op possibilities are all good selling points, but SMG Studios' puzzler suffers thanks to a lack of innovation. Test passed - just.
While Spheroids is relatively fun in its early stages and does the basics well, it ruins itself by adding in too much complexity too quickly without thought. The levels are formulaic, frustrating, and suffer from quite a few glitches and bugs, while the story is almost non-existent, the cutscenes awkward, and the ending abrupt.
If there's ever been a polarising game, then it's Call of Duty: Infinite Warfare. The campaign is a whopping amount of fun, and the addition of space combat is a large part of that. Still, there's a distinct lack of progress in both Zombies (as fun as it can be) and Multiplayer that damages the game's replay value, and then there's the unacceptable implementation of microtransactions. The single player may be stellar, but the multiplayer has come crashing down.
Just Dance 2017 may be a good dancing game for anyone who doesn't take themselves too seriously or wants to have a good time with friends, but if you bought 2016, then don't bother. The new Just Dance Machine mode is fun, but it's hard to justify a purchase unless you're a big Just Dance fan.
Batman: Return to Arkham isn't the greatest ever remaster, but the price offers excellent value and the gameplay of both Asylum and City still hold up. Couple two of the greatest superhero games of all time with their DLC, and you get a lot of bang for your buck here.
NOW That's What I Call Sing 2 isn't anything special, but it's a decent karaoke game that you'll have fun playing with friends. The tracklist may only appeal to a certain audience, but singing along to cheesy pop songs is part of the fun, and the variety of modes does just enough to prevent it from getting boring.
The NBA 2K series has always been a hard one to improve upon since the revolutionary 2K14, but 2K17 still manages to better its predecessors, vastly improving the MyGM and MyLeague modes while refusing to tamper with a winning formula. MyCareer is once again a very enjoyable story, and general gameplay is as strong as ever. Simply put, NBA 2K17 is a trailblazer.
PES 2017: Pro Evolution Soccer is an excellent football game in which fun and realism are balanced. Every pass, every tackle, every goal feels like it has meaning, and Konami has done a great job of creating the ultimate matchday atmosphere. Master League, with its new improvements, is more fun than ever and oozes personality, while the wide array of customisation makes the game personal and prevents the game from suffering too much from its lack of licensing.
Once again, Madden NFL 17 has maintained the classic Madden gameplay while also evolving it and making games feel more open and exciting. The new kick meter and ability to block kicks and punts makes comebacks and upsets feel possible, while the presentation is as excellent as ever thanks to the new commentary team. Franchise mode is the standout star here, though, with new trading features and the Play the Moments mode ensuring that the game doesn't chew the clock.
Worms W.M.D brings back the classic 2D joy of Worms Armageddon, yet mixes it with new and interesting ideas that keep you on your worm tail. Though some may wince at the price, it's hard not to love the chaotic multiplayer and extensive customisation, and the addition of crafting adds a new lease of life to an already timeless formula. Forget the series going stale – this is one of the freshest cans of Worms to date.
It's a testament to the excellence of Headlander that it can only be faulted for its slight technical flaws. Everything about it is so finely tuned, from its gunplay to its platforming to its puzzles, and it doesn't just stay true to classic Metroidvanias – it also builds upon the foundations that they laid. The story is well told, the characters are entertaining, the environments are fleshed out, and the humour is as brilliant as always. Headlander's one of the best games that Double Fine has ever produced.
Tricky Towers is a good romp when playing local multiplayer with friends – the floppy physics add tension (both literally and metaphorically) and the spells make the gameplay interesting and dynamic. The gameplay suffers quite a bit in single player, though, and even though the price is cheap, the game does wear thin eventually.