The challenge is well worth the countless deaths and hours of practice for players who have the patience, but is likely one that should be skipped by gamers who prefer to get things right on the first try. What We Said: "Like previous games offered by From Software, Dark Souls 3 offers a unique experience that blends subtle storytelling, dark settings, and painfully difficult encounters to stand out from the crowd of other action games. Strap in and play DOOM, you won’t regret it. This is DOOM for the 21st century and a whole new breed of FPS experience.
For all intents and purposes DOOM is the modern update that many games seek to deliver, with fast pacing, tight gunplay, and intense enemy encounters. Then, the game hit and took almost everyone by surprise. Why You Should Play It: Heading into its launch, DOOM didn’t have much buzz around it. Combat may become a little tedious after long stretches of play, the load times are a little lengthy, multiplayer is a smudge unbalanced, and SnapMap is a so-so addition, but the adrenaline-fueled gameplay and the ample replayability featured within the campaign makes this a standout entry in the FPS genre – let alone a worthwhile resurrection of DOOM." Its combat is as relentless and fast-paced as fans have come to expect, and this helps it stand out amongst a number of other shooting titles. What We Said: "There’s no question that – despite uncertainty amongst the most diehard of fans – DOOM‘s reboot has managed to piece together an enjoyable experience. And now there is a lot of content for newcomers to explore. If nothing else, the introduction of The Division’s Dark Zone should stand out as a unique approach to PvP and one that we hope more games “borrow.” Yes, the game has struggled to keep its players happy, but great strides have been made to improve the core experience. Exploring evacuated New York City and collecting loot was an instant appeal to the game, and the promise of a deep endgame experience kept us grinding away.
Why You Should Play It: Tom Clancy’s The Division has experienced some soaring highs and crushing lows since its launch, but either way it’s hard to discredit the hype surrounding the game. All of that, in combination with the game’s many little touches like a brilliant sound system (play this game with headphones or surround sound and you won’t ever go back), great sense of humor, and a mysterious story, make The Division a must play for just about any type of gamer.
The game plays incredibly well as a single player experience, the PvP zones are unique and game changing, and the end game offers a challenging grind that is complex enough to keep the hardcore fans engaged. What We Said: "The real strength of The Division is that it offers something for so many different types of gamers. Those who own an Xbox One owe it to themselves to give the game a try they might find more than they were expecting. It’s gameplay calls back to the days of Max Payne in some fun ways, the time travel story is well thought out, and there are some clever visual flourishes throughout.
Why You Should Play It: Quantum Break is an experiment in combining video game and TV series that, while admittedly full of stumbles, offers something unique. Meanwhile the story-altering decisions may not be as impactful as fans had hoped, but they do help to see certain side characters through (at the very least) to the end of the game." Taking the time to understand what’s happening in the game is well worth it, though. It’s true that the narrative can be a lot to take in as a result of cutscenes and the live-action television show, and even more of what is happening in the world surrounding Jack Joyce is found through collectibles and in-game emails – which some may simply just not want to read. What We Said: " Quantum Break makes for what can easily be considered one of the best console exclusives that the Xbox One has seen thus far, and this is the result of a number of different gameplay mechanics and story-telling decisions. And so, without further ado, here are the top 10 games of 2016 so far.
In fact, the first half of the year has delivered some truly impressive interactive experiences, many of which will likely stand out for years to come. It's only the midway point but 2016 is already looking to be a great year for gaming, filled with high profile successes, unexpected surprises, and a really strong lineup of indies.