Video Game Reviews

Hyrule Warriors
Omega Force, Team Ninja / Nintendo
Reviewed on: Wii U (exclusive)
Street: 09.26
The first thing that needs to be said about Hyrule Warriors is that it is NOT the next Zelda adventure—it’s a Dynasty Warriors game with a Zelda theme to it. The whole campaign isn’t very long, only 10 hours or so, and there’s a thin, silly plot—a crazy sorceress is obsessed with Link and owning his soul. The boss battles aren’t engaging, but it’s not a Zelda adventure where you think about stuff—just smashy-smashy. The combat is basically button mashing—sure there are combos, but they’re not really worth knowing. The special moves, though, are beautiful, and there’s still something satisfying and rhythmic about the combat. There are also other modes that prolong Hyrule’s life that are pretty cool—adventure, challenge and free mode. Adventure mode is probably my favorite—the map you explore is 8-bit, reminiscent of the first Zelda game. They’ve added ways to upgrade your weapons and your character by using the materials dropped by your enemies. It didn’t seem to make that much of a difference, though—I still blew through the campaign without many upgrades. Give it some time to go down in price—it’s not quite worth $60. –Ashley Lippert

Interstellar Marines
Zero Point Software
Reviewed on: PC
Also on: Mac
Street: 07.02.13
While in its early access stages, Zero Point’s Interstellar Marines looks a lot like a triple A tactical shooter, but doesn’t feel like one.  Currently, the game features a single-player and co-op mission in which a group of marines arrive to investigate a compromised research facility.  The game offers a creepy atmosphere, and there are scattered audio files that the player can pick up to shed further insight on the installation’s demise.  Perhaps the most impressive feature about navigating through this lonely and ominous environment is how the game uses light and shadows.  For the bulk of the mission, the player relies on a gun-mounted flashlight, making enemy sightings much more frightening.  Terrifying as it is when enemies show up, the game’s combat system is where things start to feel unfinished.  The combat feels clunky and lacks the fluidity that exists in other first-person shooters.  Targeting the murderous robots that have overrun the installation was tricky as there is some lag between the mouse and the player’s weapon.  Since close quarters combat with these interlopers is practically futile, it’s a major hiccup in the gameplay.  Despite its early-game bugs, Interstellar Marines is definitely one to keep an eye on.  –Alex Springer

Middle-Earth: Shadow of Mordor
Monolith / Warner Bros. Interactive
Reviewed on: PS4
Also on: Xbox One, PS3, Xbox 360, PC
Street: 09.30
In my experience with past LOTR games, it’s painfully obvious that the developers simply cobbled together a hack-slash job, pasted it with the title of a Tolkien book, and watched as fantasy geeks with expendable cash snatched it up. Monolith’s take on the world of Middle-earth feels more like a gauntlet being thrown down, as if it’s daring you to enjoy it for any reason other than the fact that it perfectly combines the fluid exploration of Assassin’s Creed with the intuitive combat of the Batman: Arkham games. Though the game definitely capitalizes on the success of the aforementioned franchises, it’s the enemy AI that makes the world of Mordor come to life. Taking control of Talion the Dark Ranger, players will slice their way through plenty of orcish henchmen, but the orc captains and warchiefs have been fully fleshed-out—complete with their own witty taunts, strengths and weaknesses. These members of Mordor’s upper management do evolve and get stronger by killing Talion, but also through their own power struggles and duels. Despite the graphics and gameplay, which are all top notch, it’s the near-personal relationship that Talion develops with his orcish adversaries that make Shadow of Mordor a gaming milestone. –Alex Springer