Dave Rudden
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Writing For
IGNLatest Reviews
The cast of Battleborn is fantastic; I've enjoyed exploring the ins and outs of characters like the steampunk sniper Marquis and fungal healer Miko, and every time I play I'm focused on earning further access to the unique roster. However, there’s no interesting story for them to take part in, and a lack of interesting stages and multiplayer modes inspiring me to power through the slow unlocking process. I'll return to the half of the campaign that doesn’t feel unfair and repetitive and enjoy two thirds of the scant multiplayer modes, but I can't help but feel Battleborn still has a lot of room to grow.
Under its attractively bright and cartoony art style, Plants vs. Zombies: Garden Warfare 2 has a great amount of modes and customization options to enjoy, whether alone against the AI or with online allies and enemies. The interesting abilities options of the six new character classes gave me something to sink my teeth into, and the customization options are a great reward for playing outside my comfort zone. The sheer amount of enjoyment in this full garden will keep me in the war for some time to come.
Steamworld Heist stole my heart. The characters are charming, the combat is addictive, and the Firefly-style adventure made every battle a blast. Besides some annoying instances of post-battle maintenance, I rarely felt the need to power down these robots.
If you have an affinity for any of the four films recapped within, LEGO Jurassic World will be a worthwhile visit. Seeing the series' iconic moments recreated with cute figurines is a treat, and each of the four campaigns is fast-paced enough that completing the entire franchise in its brick-based form will only take roughly seven to eight hours, which is not much longer than the combined film running times (and amounts to brisk mini-campaigns of two hours or less each). Plus, you can tackle this one with a friend and run around as a raptor or Jeff Goldblum. Just beware that there are a few pests inhabiting the island and the line to the best parts of the park may be a bit tough to navigate.
Halo: Spartan Strike's upgraded parts aren't immediately apparent, but the sum total is pretty striking. A pinch of better aiming here, a heaping helping of Promethian enemies there, and annoying microtransactions nowhere make Spartan Strike worth the quick and cheap sub-ten-dollar tour.
The real treasure in Lara Croft and the Temple of Osiris wasn't Lara’s story, bipedal alligator warriors, or a bounty of gems, but solving complex and varied environmental puzzles with friends. Playing alone, discovering the different flavors of each new temple and figuring out the solution to a brain-busting puzzle all by myself is satisfying; replaying with others doubled that satisfaction because developer Crystal Dynamics renews the challenge with creative new twists on previously conquered obstacles that require teamwork to overcome.
Costume Quest 2's combat and story are both surprisingly good for an RPG that concludes in roughly a half-dozen hours. A few weird design choices in regards to the health system and navigation meant that just a bit too much of that time was spent backtracking and squinting at a map, but its humor and personality shine through to make this a good Halloween bounty.
Gauntlet can't quite strike the balance between the nostalgic arcade experience and a modern-day replay-friendly adventure. It's cool that there's such a varied experience amongst the iconic quartet of heroes, and four-player co-op is almost always fun with the right crew, but its repetitive structure works against its longevity.