Russ Frushtick
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Writing For
Polygon Latest Reviews
Find a friend or two, and make a blood oath to solve as much of Animal Well as possible among only yourselves, without getting help online. The true magic of this game is sharing discoveries and theories with friends; having a faceless internet person tell you the mystery of the eggs without working it out on your own is to deny yourself a feeling of satisfaction that few games can offer. It harks back to the early days of Zelda, when the oldest among us tried to figure out what the hell “Dodongo dislikes smoke” meant. Consider it a trial, a badge of honor that you can wear when you’re 30 hours in and you’re smashing your head against this random mural of a rabbit. When that happens, know that you are truly one of us.
For those that can enjoy the intense challenge of a multi-stage boss fight — and I count myself among them — Cuphead: The Delicious Last Course offers some of the best stages and artwork in the game. There’s no filler here, and every fight stands out as a memorable experience, from a bearded stone golem and his pack of evil gnomes to a train-riding cow who sees the business end of a pressure cooker only to keep on fighting. If you’ve been desperate for more Cuphead, this is likely the last new content you’ll see. Thankfully it’s a hell of an encore for Cuphead, Mugman, and now, Ms. Chalice.
Destiny: Rise of Iron doesn’t seem too concerned with setting itself apart. The uninspired campaign and thoughtless implementation of Archon’s Forge make it feel like Bungie’s just filling time until Destiny 2. But thanks to the Wrath of the Machine raid, Rise of Iron is more than a passable footnote. It’s something greater — if you have the patience to get there.
There's no question that Overwatch is a masterfully designed game. The wide array of amazing, unique characters, and the original ways they interact with one another, make for a peerless teamplay experience in the shooter space. Some issues, like a dissatisfying progression system and a hostility to solo players, hinder the overall experience, but the core of Overwatch remains strong throughout. It's an easy recommendation to make, so long as you've got some friends to back you up.
For a multiplayer shooter, framerate consistency is paramount. Given its relative visual parity with the PS4 release, Call of Duty: Ghosts is a more playable, slightly superior (albeit disappointing) game on Xbox One.