Ground Zeroes is the most arcade-like Metal Gear game. It's short, but every mission plays out like a leaderboard challenge. Given that it's mostly a showcase for the Fox Engine's potential, I don't think I minded the $30 price point or the brief story content for that reason.

I played through inFamous: First Light this week, which is a solid standalone version of inFamous if you're a fan of the series. The story is rather bland, and the writing definitely does no favors for Fetch (and Laura Bailey, who just sounds bored and I can't blame her). That said, it's still fun to play and run…

The only way around that originally was to upload a cloud save of the first normal playthrough, restart on hard, and download the cloud save if hard was too much.

You and me both. I love that I own that game on four different systems (PC, Vita, PS3, PS4), something I don't think I've ever done before. Better yet, Drinkbox rewarded my love with Super Turbo Championship Edition, which makes that amazing game even better and more challenging (El Infierno is now required for 100%…

I'd be remiss if I didn't point out the fantastic Spaceship Mario theme from Super Mario Galaxy 2 (which is also a reorchestrated version of Music Box from Yoshi's Island). The slow, serene buildup into a steady drum beat and bold string sounds that you can't help but enjoy as you stomp on Toads' heads and ready…

Pokemon has steadily remained a cultural force among the children's demographic pretty much ever since 1998. It doesn't have the zeitgeist it used to have during that heyday, but the games, TV show, toys, and all other sorts of merchandise still do very well for Nintendo and the Pokemon Company.

Glad to see so much love for the excellent Metroid Fusion, which is probably my favorite 2D Metroid game. The foreboding atmosphere that establishes itself the first minute after you step on the station really sells the difference between Fusion and the trilogy of Metroid, Return of Samus, and Super Metroid - this…

And Infamous: Second Son - First Light and Metro Redux are out as well for the PS4 (and Xbox One in Metro's case). Plenty of other good options around right now.

I mean, I hold nothing personal against the guy who wrote it (and I didn't even play the game until a year after release), but that story is nothing short of abjectly awful. Every character but Vaas is entirely one-note (and Vaas himself isn't anything too remarkable aside from a performance spectacle), the plot…

Go with Far Cry 3, because despite its awful story, it's the most entertaining shooter I've played in the last five years.

I get that Heracross and Pinsir are useful, but man, those designs are absurd. I've had good luck in the metagame with Mega Gardevoir and Garchomp, mostly because they seem underutilized and unexpected, but I see that neither are exactly world-beaters (certainly not in the class with Gengar, Kangaskhan, and Blaziken,…

I just love the design for Mega Lopunny, and the idea of a super powered fighting rabbit never ceases to amuse me. I like that the Megas vary between the amazingly useful (Blaziken, Tyrannitar, Kangaskhan, Garchomp, Gardevoir, Altaria) to the bizarre and weird (Slowbro, Audino, Lopunny, Abomasnow, Heracross, Pinsir).

Or the Slowpoke emerge from the Shellder wearing its busted remnants like a badass warrior. He would've been an interesting Mega to type change from Psychic/Water to Fighting/Psychic, with a speed boost at the cost of defense and special defense.

Definitely agree. Infamous 2 pulled off a very good narrative because it set up a conflict, introduced new, relatively well-fleshed out characters, created a mid-game twist that changed a few pieces on the board, and led to a satisfying conclusion no matter which of the two paths you decided to take. By contrast,…

It was a good effort for a first time studio in DONTNOD, even if the end result was a mediocre but beautiful game. Evidently, DONTNOD will be developing a game for Square Enix that is episodic in nature called Life is Strange.

THPS3 was the pinnacle of the series, mostly for the introduction of the revert and its insane ability to lengthen combos indefinitely.

I was just excited to see that Mega Lopunny is actually a thing, and I finally got a glimpse of Mega Altaria, who looks fantastic (totally going to add him into the mix this time around).

I spent this week purchasing and beating Infamous: Second Son, which is basically the definition of an unfulfilling experience. So much of the game is set up to be incredible, yet the majority of the game plays out in a rote fashion, with each enemy encounter feeling less and less exciting as the game progresses. …

Tress effects for Xbox One! Now you can virtually touch Lara's hair!

Hey, she's basically the goddess of the greater Mario universe, what could be more intimidatingly attractive than a self-assured goddess who doesn't need and won't take any of your shit?