Video game reviews for Asphalt 8: Airborne, The Bureau: XCOM Declassified, The Last Of Us, Papers Please, Plants vs. Zombies 2, Project X Zone and Rogue Legacy.

Video Game Reviews


September 4, 2013

Game Reviews

The Last of Us
Naughty Dog
Reviewed On: PS3
Street: 06.14

Naughty Dog’s only intention must have been to scare and unnerve you while making you despise yourself and humanity in the process. Lucky for us, they succeeded on every level of that mission statement. In The Last of Us, players are sent cross-country, defending the lone girl whose blood holds humanity’s fate. This game sets the bar for video game narratives while exploring a modified “survival horror” genre that I never thought possible. Fans of the Uncharted series will find the controls relatively similar, and junkies for horror will find the zombie angle to be nothing new. The zombies, however, are merely a catalyst to drive a mind-bending and gut-wrenching story across the post-apocalyptic U.S. During this story, small, heart-warming moments help you grow closer to the characters as they fight for their lives. The visceral combat, crafting system, and flawless voice acting and beautifully mapped facial expressions tie you to the story and make this worth every moment of your time. Slam that together with multi-player that doesn’t feel like an afterthought, and you have a top contender for Game of the Year. Don’t miss this one! –Thomas Winkley

Papers, Please
Lucas Pope
Reviewed on: PC
Street: 08.08
Until I played Papers, Please, I had no idea that I really wanted to play a game where I assumed the role of a border inspector in a totalitarian country.  As said border inspector, it is the player’s job to inspect the documentation of incoming travelers and either allow or deny them passage into the fictional country of Arstotzka.  The choices are always up to the player, but the feeling of dread that comes from working for a government that is on par with that of Soviet-era Russia permeates everything—not to mention the fact that your family’s safety is on the line.  The actual inspecting requires a wary eye; all kinds of criminals and terrorists are itching to sneak through with forged documents.  The game’s gravitas comes from the moments when you have the opportunity to fudge the rules so a husband and wife can come through despite missing documentation, or when you have to drop everything to whip out a tranquilizer gun to take down pesky wall-jumpers.  It’s hard to believe that a game where you’re basically performing a menial desk job can be successful, but that’s just one of the many aspects that make Papers, Please so damn fascinating. – Alex Springer