Game Reviews
Powerstar Golf
Zoë Mode/ Microsoft Studios
Reviewed On: Xbox One (Exclusive)
Street: 11.22.13
With all of the carnage and murder taking place on my Xbox One over the past two months, Powerstar Golf is a nice change of pace. Look, this game is not going to win any awards, and it might even be out of my rotation by the time this article comes out, but there is something charming about this quirky little golf game. Right off the tee (oh snap!), you’ll notice the game’s art style, which looks almost Pixar-inspired. The cartoonishness doesn’t stop there, however, as this game features some pretty goofy characters and outlandish power-ups. That fact aside, this is a pretty decent golf sim that features a leveling system and a good amount of gear and perks that you can earn. Another cool thing is the game’s “Rival Mode.” See, this game doesn’t have the traditional online multiplayer; instead, you play against your friends’ best efforts on particular courses. It definitely is odd, but I guess it takes away the need to schedule time to play each other. It also eliminates the possibility of broken friendships and even the need to socialize—ever again! –Blake Leszczynski
Ryse: Son of Rome
Crytek/ Microsoft Studios
Reviewed on: Xbox One (Exclusive)
Street: 11.22.13
Who the fuck names these games? Crytek’s marketing department—or whoever it was—should have hired me! I would have called it Badass Motherfucker Simulator: The Game. It captures the essence of the game perfectly. Every time I play it, I want to rush out and dismember the first dirty, hairy barbarian I find. Unfortunately, barbarians are in short supply these days. The story follows Marius Titus on a quest of vengeance after his family is murdered during a seemingly random barbarian attack. When Ryse (to be known heretoforth as BaMfS:TG) was released, it was universally panned by gaming “journalists” as mediocre. Mediocre?! What in the hell do these people want? Good story? BaMfS:TG has it. Exciting, fun gameplay? BaMfS:TG has it. Graphics? Jesus Christ, BaMfS:TG has it in spades! This game’s presentation—not only in the graphics, but in the animations and voice acting as well—far surpasses anything else on the Xbox One. Sure, the game is short (around nine to 10 hours to complete the story) and at times, the fighting can feel repetitive, but, for a release title on a new console, I was pretty damn impressed. –Blake Leszczynski
Shadow Blade
Dead Mage/Crescent Moon Games
Reviewed On: iOS
Also On: Android
Street: 1.15
The recipe for Shadow Blade is simple: one part League of Evil, a few dashes of Shinobi, and a couple dozen gallons of blood, and you’ve got Crescent Moon’s visceral little action platformer. Through 40 levels, players will assassinate enemies with stealth, avoiding obstacles and collecting hidden symbols for the traditional three-star rating—in other words, it’s not a game trying to reinvent the platforming wheel. To some, Shadow Blade’s predictability and lack of Game Center integration—no leaderboards?!!—might be a slight disappointment, despite the game’s gorgeous, high-contrast art style and smooth character animation. But once players begin unlocking the game’s 10 Hardcore stages, Shadow Blade’s potential begins to shine through its familiar genre trappings: the intricate, challenging level designs not only greatly increase the otherwise-tepid difficulty, but showcase the technical polish behind the game’s exceptional swipe-based controls, among the best to ever grace an iOS title. It’s too bad the game wasn’t entirely composed of these Hardcore levels, but as an accessible, stylish platformer, it’s hard to beat Shadow Blade’s enjoyable—if brief—foray into the violent world of ninja life. –Randy Dankievitch
