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The gameplay or story aren't guilty of missteps or shortcuts, with beats in both the historic and modern sides of the campaign sure to please the most devoted fans of Assassin's Creed lore. But whether it's a case of Black Flag's novelty wearing off, or simply a less ambitious goal from the outset, Rogue feels like an attempt to offer more, not a standalone experience. But given how well-received Black Flag was, in the end, that may be enough for many players.
Besides being a lacking launch of the Summer of Arcade, anyone but the most devoted of fans would be wise to save their money and time, and dig out their PlayStation or Dreamcast if some nostalgia is needed. The developers are open to DLC in the future, so who knows what else might be in the pipeline to make a purchase more worthwhile.
Awesomenauts is a game that walks a very difficult tightrope, and for the most part, does so with a good deal of success. Cracking the code and delivering a game that entices both the casual and hardcore crowd is no small feat, and Ronimo has done a (mostly) solid job. Anyone who doesn’t need the acronym MOBA explained to them will almost definitely enjoy what this game serves up. The other crowd however will either be completely turned off by the beating they will take for the first few hours of play, or be driven to persevere because of the solid gameplay. Awesomenauts has plenty more to give than its ten dollar asking price would suggest, but the night and day experiences one might have from match to match make it difficult to suggest to everyone. To MOBA or not to MOBA is indeed the question.
A lot has been made of developer’s strides to incorporate the fluidity, control, and weight of an FPS into Max Payne 3’s third-person formula; with Bullet Time at its best, a rock-solid targeting system, and gorgeous physics, it possesses a killer finesse that any top-tier shooter can aspire to. It’s a well-oiled, hardboiled shooter that gamers of all interests (though certainly not all ages) should enjoy.
For fighting fans, Skullgirls has a lot to get excited about. At first glance the short roster and slim mode variety (the functional yet bare-bones online mode is adequate but doesn't offer any new ideas worth mentioning) may seem like a turn-off, but the knockout presentation, with personality to spare, genre in-jokes, and phenomenal depth of play creates an extremely solid first outing for a new franchise. Even as a digital download, Skullgirls is a must play and can easily be put alongside heavy-hitters in the fighting genre. Casual fans looking to button-mash their way to victory should probably try the demo first but anyone willing to put in the time will be rewarded with a terrifically fun and fresh fighting experience.