JGarret on 05 February 2014
Someone on Gaf has the newest reviews from GameInformer (http://www.neogaf.com/forum/showthread.php?t=763493)
Here´s a summary:
Lords of Shadow 2 - score: 6.0
- Claims nearly every attempt this game makes to "stray from its fundamental kill room formula ends in failure".
- Reviewer loved the first game, said "Unfortunately this sequel is as fresh as a whiff of garlic breath".
- Good new combat mechanics but enemies stun locking you out of combos from across the map while you fight with the camera.
- Reviewer hates the modern setting, its filled with generic alley ways, factory levels.
- Says there was one stealth segment that was the worst of its class. The more traditional Castlevania settings are better.
- Says there is one great level with the toy maker, outside of that most of the game is just ground previously covered in the first game.
- "This shambling monstrosity is composed of chunks from other, better games"
DKC Tropical Freeze - score: 9.25
- Seems like generic worlds, ice, beach, jungle but "the variety is amazing"
- Ride minecarts through saw mills, dash through a forest with a raging fire, etc.
- Great difficulty balance, bonus stages are a bit ridiculous in difficulty though that is expected.
- Water levels return, are very fun, better to control with analog stick than d-pad. For some reason you have to access the menu to pick one or the other.
- Dixie and Cranky add new moves that work best to reach certain collectibles or specific platforming challenges. Rotating barrels allow you to select the best Kong for the job.
- "Local Co-op is as much a mixed bag as the first installment."
- 6 worlds instead of 8 in the last game. But each level is larger. Reviewer says it rather have a smaller collection of the best levels Retro can make than a more bloated game with less quality levels and that is exactly what this game does.
Final Fantasy Lightning Returns - score: 7.0
- Worst of the Lightning series but not a bad game.
- Real time combat makes battles feel more about skill than feel automated.
- Game has easy and normal difficulty choices, cant change once you start the game. Its a hard game so the reviewer says to be afraid to choose normal.
- That said the reviewer states the challenge of normal makes the battles thrilling.Says there is flexibility in the combat and battles are exciting.
- Biggest change is the time system, all you have is 13 days, has its drawbacks.
- Forces you to plan your time accordingly which can lead to entertaining time management.
- Doesn't allow the time to delve into certain gameplay systems, like killing a species of monsters off for great loot. That needs lots of grinding which you cant do much of.
- Many side quests are poor dull fetch quests that have annoying restrictions like only happening in a certain time of day.
- You are forced to do quests cause that is how you level up. Cant choose how you level up each quest assigns the upgrades.
- Fighting still matters as it gets you money and EP used for spells.
- Calls the story a joke, feels like a non-canon spinoff that would be in a comic
- Says this game swapped out systems that worked in past games for some that don't hit the same high notes.
