2016 Video Games Recap: App Trigger Reviews Of 2016

November

• Owlboy (10/10) – “Beautiful, fun, and moving, it’s hard to find a bad word to say about Owlboy. It combines well-balanced platforming with unique visuals, gorgeous sound, and a captivating tale from start to finish.”
• Hitman: Hokkaido (7.5/10) – “Hitman ends with an episode that is ironically representative of the season as a whole; wherein the unaffecting story fails to provide a strong foundation for the intelligent mission design and creative gameplay.”
• Mario Party: Star Rush (6/10) – “Although generous local multiplayer capabilities and multiple game modes encourage continued play with friends, these pluses (along with Nintendo’s usual polish) can’t override the title’s biggest drawback: it’s just not very interesting.”
• Call of Duty: Infinite Warfare (5/10) – “That a robot manages to distinguish himself from the likes of Kit Harrington and David Harewood should tell you all you need to know about Infinite Warfare‘s ultimately forgettable cast of characters.”
• Dishonored 2 (8.5/10) – “Dishonored 2’s disappointing story and awkward swordplay doesn’t prevent this intelligently designed and beautifully crafted stealth sequel from being an arresting and highly replayable experience.”
• Pokemon Sun and Pokemon Moon (9/10) – “Pokemon Sun and Moon offer a new spin on an old gameplay structure, providing a pleasant balance of familiarity and novelty while keeping things manageable for new players.”
• Killing Floor 2 (7.5/10) – “Killing Floor 2 doesn’t reinvent the wheel of the tried and tested zombie wave survival mode, but no interpretation has been quite as expansive or mechanically refined as this.”
• Planet Coaster (7.5/10) – “After a long day of work, sitting down and creating a new park in Planet Coaster is almost therapeutic. And the soundtrack is just so damn catchy.”

December

• Dead Rising 4 (7/10) – “Dead Rising 4 is something of a contradiction; the game takes several confusing steps back for the series, but the moment-to-moment combat against the undead has never felt better.”
• Final Fantasy XV (7/10) – “While placing a keen emphasis on certain characters and their interactions was a smart move on the part of Tabata and the development team, as well as featuring a solid combat system, Final Fantasy XV carries an utterly lacklustre plot, the undermining of the open world through the Regalia, and complete disinterest of supporting characters.”
• Hitman: Holiday Hoarders – “The level does provide some welcome humor through both the assassination targets and the slightly unpredictable actions of both characters.”
• Super Mario Run (9/10) – “As word spreads, the demo is tested, and hopefully as Nintendo confirms future levels (preferably at no additional cost), Mario’s first mobile adventure will be a long-term success.”
• The Walking Dead: Ties That Bind (7.5/10) – “As “Ties That Bind” comes to a close, I’m left with more questions than answers; something Telltale finally seems to remember is keenly important to keeping their fans intrigued for what lies next.”