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.
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.
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.
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.