Rock Band 4

Shut up, of course this counts.

I mean, what could be more cooperative than a Rock Band game? Rock Band 4, in particular, rewards cooperative play liberally, offering a fully-fledged career mode playable with up to 6 players simultaneously, as well as bonuses for playing together as a band. 

It's not like there isn't strategy involved here either. Anybody who has played a Rock Band game before knows that for the harder songs, coordination is key. Deploying and saving overdrive power at the correct time to save a partner after a particularly difficult section is absolutely necessary for success, and when you and your friends finally put everything together and nail that final setlist, there are few feelings like it. Rock Band games will always be amazing and singular cooperative experiences, and Rock Band 4 is no exception.

What do you think? Have we missed any great co-op games for the Xbox One? If so, let us know in the comments! We're always looking for more excuses to stay inside with friends on beautiful summer days.

Super Battletoads (Rare Replay)

Rare Replay offers a smorgasbord of content for gamers who grew up with the company, but for players looking for a co-op experience, the Battletoads games are king here. Obviously, the original NES game is great with a friend, but the port of the arcade game Super Battletoads is a gem that is often overlooked.

It's bloody, over-the-top, and unafraid to switch up game mechanics at a moment's notice. Plus, even though Rash, Zitz, and Pimple all play largely the same way, they each have distinct special moves and combos that make them feel very different. 

At the end of the day, Super Battletoads is pure fun, much like a Streets of Rage game. It's always satisfying to punch a miniboss in his crotch or watch your hand turn into a drill to savagely kill a downed enemy. If you own Rare Replay and have haven't given this game a try yet, you owe it to yourself to grab two buddies and settle in for a few hours of pure arcade action. 

Rayman Legends

Yes, it's been around pretty much since the Xbox One launched, but anybody who has played Rayman Legends knows that it still holds up. Its platforming, its atmosphere, its physics... The general way the game feels is astounding. It's that Super Mario World feeling of being completely engrossed in a challenging-yet-satisfying video game. There are few feelings like it.

But of course, the experience is better with friends. Rayman Legends has a gigantic roster of characters to unlock, and each of them can be controlled by a friend if you play the game cooperatively. In particular, the rhythm-platforming stages and challenge stages in Rayman Legends get incredibly frantic and fun when you play with a friend. If you haven't played this game yet, do yourself a favor and pick it up. It really is one of the best co-op platformers this generation has to offer.

Lovers In A Dangerous Spacetime

If the reviews (and my own personal opinions) are anything to go by, Lovers In A Dangerous Spacetime is not only one of the best co-op games on the Xbox One, but one of the most unique and interesting co-op experiences in recent history.

The basic gist of the game is that you and a friend have to pilot a bright circular ship through the depths of space, coordinating different functions via the ship's many terminals.

Constant teamwork is absolutely necessary, and to be completely frank, the thrill of completing a particularly difficult level with a friend (or significant other) is incredibly satisfying. It'll be almost impossible to resist the urge to high-five or hug your player 2 after a long gaming session.

Guacamelee: Super Turbo Championship Edition

Guacamelee has been around for a while, but the indie brawler-slash-metroidvania hit has also seen a whole bunch of content added through re-releases on the latest consoles. One thing that hasn't changed, though, is the fact that after a certain point in the game, one of your friends can take control of the luchador Tostada to aid you on your quest.

Now, of course, Guacamelee is tons of fun if you play alone, but playing co-op allows for opportunities for some frankly ridiculous team combos as you gain abilities and make progress in the game. Plus, as the game gets tougher, or when you decide to take on the game's many challenge stages, it's helpful to bring a buddy along.

Octodad: Dadliest Catch

Yes, I know what you're thinking. Octodad is a single player game! Switching off levels doesn't count as co-op! 

Well, just shut up for a second and let me explain. Octodad: Dadliest Catch actually features a pretty unique co-op mode where you and up to 3 friends can simultaneously take control of Octodad, with each player controlling different limbs.

It's awkward, difficult, and hilariously cumbersome.

It's also insanely fun, especially if players turn on "roulette mode", which intermittently randomizes the limbs the players control. Despite its ridiculousness, the mode really does require teamwork and coordination if players want to actually... well... accomplish any goals. Pour your pals some drinks (might I suggest these?) and give it a go.

The rumors of the death of couch co-op gaming have been greatly exaggerated. All of the current consoles have plenty of games that you and your friends can conquer together. Especially the Xbox One. So for you Microsoft gamers who are lovers and not fighters, grab a buddy, some brews, and a pizza. You and your player 2 won't be leaving the couch for a while. These are the best 6 couch co-op games on the Xbox One.

Christmas may have come and gone but Microsoft is still keen for people to pick up an Xbox One in the New Year by introducing two new bundles for Winter 2016, including the 'Name Your Game' deal.

You can now acquire a 1TB Xbox One along with a brand new copy of Tom Clancy's Rainbow Six Siege. It also includes download codes for both Rainbow Six Vegas and Rainbow Six Vegas 2, available through Xbox One backwards compatibility. This will set you back $399 and does not include a Kinect if you are keen to get hold of one.

The second bundle option is a bit different and allows you to 'choose' your own deal. The 'Name Your Game' bundle includes a 500gb Xbox One and a full game download of one of four games. These are: Forza Motorsport 6, Rise of the Tomb Raider, Gears of War: Ultimate Edition, and Rare Replay.

This will go on sale January 12th at a price of $349 but is only available in these countries: Australia, Germany, Ireland, Mexico, New Zealand, and the U.K. North America is getting the release later in the month. 

If you have yet to pick up an Xbox One then now seems as good a time as any.

It seems like the latest craze for console companies is to offer a special bundle, whether it simply includes a certain game, or a full limited edition makeover to your favorite console. 

Below are the Upcoming Xbox One bundles that will be available before December. If you're both a PS4 and Xbox One gamer, you can check out the same upcoming holiday PS4 bundles right here.

Xbox One Elite Bundle

• Xbox One Console, 1TB Solid State Hybrid drive
• Xbox Elite Wireless Controller (plus replaceable parts)
• Xbox Elite Wireless Controller carrying case
• 14 Day Xbox Live Gold Trial

Available: Nov 3, 2015 (pre-order now)

Price: $499 (plus tax)

LEGO Movie Bundle

• Xbox One Console, 500GB hard drive
• Xbox One Wireless Controller
• LEGO Movie video game

Available: October 2015 

Price: $349 (plus tax)

Xbox One 1TB Holiday Bundle

• Xbox One Console, 1TB hard drive
• Xbox One Wireless Controller
• Gears of War: Ultimate Edition video game
• Rare Replay video game
  
• Full-game download code for Ori and the Blind Forest
  

Available: November 2015 

Price: $399 (plus tax)

Rise of the Tomb Raider

• Xbox One Console, 1TB hard drive
• Xbox One Wireless Controller
• Rise of the Tomb Raider full download, Holiday 2015 exclusive
  
• Tomb Raider: Definitive Edition full game download
  
• Exclusive Tactical Survival Kit Content Pack

Available: Nov 3, 2015

Price: $399 (plus tax)

Limited Edition Halo 5 Guardians Bundle

• Custom Xbox One Console, 1TB Hard Drive
• Custom Xbox One Wireless Controller
• Spartan-themed SteelBook case
• Halo 5: Guardians Limited Edition full download
• Guardian model by Metal Earth
• Exclusive DLC: Warzone REQ Bundle 

Available: Oct 20, 2015 

Price: $499 (plus tax)

Bonus Bundle: Limited Edition Forza Motorsport 6

• Custom Xbox One Console, 1TB
• Custom Xbox One Wireless Controller
• Forza Motorsport 6 full download
  
• Tenth Anniversary Car Pack download code
• Exclusive: Assassin's Creed Unity (If ordered before Oct 31)
• Exclusive: Project Spark (If ordered between Sept 30 and Dec 31)

Available: 

Price: $399 (plus tax)

All of the above bundles include HDMI Cable and Power Supply.

Xbox is currently releasing one deal per day this week to offer various deals and bundles to get gamers into the holiday spirit. You can keep an eye on them through the Xbox Wire news blog or the Microsoft Store.

For PlayStation 4 Bundles, click here.

With the holiday season quickly approaching, developers are readying new holiday bundles. Today, Microsoft announced a new Xbox One holiday bundle. The bundle includes a 1 TB Xbox One, a copy of Gears of War: Ultimate Edition and Rare Replay, and a digital download of Ori and the Blind Forest. 

The bundle will be available for purchase in November and will retail for $399. Of course, the prices will vary across different territories. 

Recently, Microsoft also announced a Xbox One bundle for Rise of the Tomb Raider set to release in November as well.

Gears of War: Ultimate Edition released late August and was considered to be an excellent remake of the original incorporating remade cutscenes and new chapters that were once exclusive to the PC version.

Ori and the Blind Forest is an indie platformer released for Xbox One back in March. The game received critical acclaim for its story, visuals, and fun gameplay.

Lastly, with the inclusion of over 30+ games in Rare Replay alone, gamers who purchase this bundle will been entertained throughout the holidays and beyond. 

The first day of EGX is done, and the end was the best part. I got to meet a whole bunch of amazing role models in the games journalism world, and I got to play around with Valve's and HTC's foray into VR with the Vive. The Vive is fantastic in just about every single way! But more on Vive later, because I want you to read the rest of this; I know, cheeky me.

Forza 6

This has been out for a short time now, I do own it, but have not had the time to play it. And now I have. It's still Forza, which is perfect. There is one massive change in Forza 6 than in the previous games: a lucky draw system, where you can win a far more expensive car than you can afford, or some discounts for car parts.

I'm not quite sure how I feel about this change, but I'm moving toward liking it, as it will allow you to compete at many car classes at the same time. Instead of having to grind for a while on a low-class untill you can buy a class A or up car, you can simply win it.

The car handling feels very similar to Forza 5, but with a bit more finesse. The cars seem to react a lot more realistically to changes in speed. Breaking or lifting off the gas now seems to make the weight shift forward in a way I haven't yet felt in Forza; but, otherwise, it's just Forza. Nothing wrong with that.

Rare Replay

Who remembers Rare? I remembered their legacy but had never played many of their games, unfortunately. Rare Replay features 30 Rare games from the past 30 years, which is just about all that needs to be said about this. A fantastic throwback kit for the gamer who wants some of the best retro games from one of the best developers. Rare is now working on Sea of Thieves, a pirate MMO.

Just Cause 3

Explosions, chaos, parachutes, explosions, wingsuit, guns, explosions, cars, helicopters, explosions and Rico Rodriguez, Just Cause in a nutshell. There are two main changes from Just Cause 2 to 3, the wingsuit and the ability to have multiple tethers. The parachute received a speed decrease, to allow you to use it more as gun platform than before; the wingsuit adds the speed and it feels amazing.

Diving into your own explosion is great; or, even better, diving down into something you have just duel tethered and pulled together while it's exploding, is fantastic. Just Cause 3 comes out on December 1st.

Homefront: The Revolution

The demo opened with a monologue explaining that you are a guerilla fighter, so you are not a one-man army. But, I then proceeded to run around, on my own, killing enemies with ease. The sound design is great and the guns feel powerful. But the strange disconnect between the fact you are a guerilla fighter, but also able to defend for a long time is not exactly where I thought the game was heading towards.

The game does feels nice to control and has a very nice atmosphere, so we will see how vulnerable this one fighter is when the game releases.

Star Wars: Battlefront

There is a lot of negative and positive press surrounding Star Wars: Battlefront. One side calling it out for not having many of the features the original 2 had, and the other side praising it for looking and sounding amazing, and that it's doing its own thing.

I'm slightly towards the negative camp, for reasons I won't go into now, but a part of it boils down to it looking too much like Battlefield. I am wrong, but not fully. The sounds of the blasters are on point, the death animations, the animations of blaster shots hitting surfaces, the jetpack animations and feel of it all fit the feel of the original film trilogy perfectly.

The mode I played was just conquest mode from Battlefield, with one addition. To destroy 2 AT-ATs when on the Rebel's side, or to get those AT-ATs to the Rebel shield generator when on the side of the Empire. You capture several points, as Rebels these would slow down the assault, as the Empire it aids the assault. But other than that, it's essentially conquest with the score hidden behind 2 AT-ATs.

One of the best features of the game was no reloads, the blasters instead have a cooldown, which does work. But the weirdest feature is that to get into a ship you pick up a floating logo, and after holding down the required buttons, you teleport into the ship, or gunner seat of an AT-AT, or an AT-ST.

Mirror's Edge: Catalyst

Far more fluid than its previous game, Catalyst is a prequel. It follows the origin story of Faith. You can no longer pick up guns, but fear not, as the mêlée combat is now all momentum based, and is fun. No matter how skeptical I can be of EA as a publisher, Catalyst has my full attention.

Unfortunately, I hit some bugs, so my gameplay kept being cut short, and I was constantly replaying the same sections. But I kept making it through these sections in different ways, in faster ways, and in more stylish ways. So not all was lost. I got to experiment with different ways of navigating around a more linear section.

Xbox One Elite Controller

This is Microsoft's upcoming controller, aimed at competitive and pro gamers, priced at $150 or £120. The biggest addition is the use of 4 more paddles on the underside of the controller. You can remap any other button to them. Want to reload with one of these new paddles? Remap the reload button to one. The Elite Controller was demoed with Forza 6, allowing you to change gears with two of the new paddles instead of the bumpers. You could theoretically play with manual gearing while using the clutch, which with a controller is weird to think.

The controller has an aluminium construction, and lots of rubber for grip. The triggers can be locked to half pull, allowing, in a shooter, to fire far more quickly. The triggers feel like they have a much more smooth action. Another nice feature is the swappable nature of the analogue sticks, D-pad, and 4 base buttons, as they are all magnetic. In the box, you will get 2 different D-pads, and 3 sets of analogue sticks. One set is taller than normal, one is a lot like the standard ones, and the last is a dome similar to the pre-PS4 controllers.

Is it worth the high asking price? From what I've experienced no, but not far off that, maybe at $100 to $120 it would be worth it completely. It's a well-designed piece of kit, and I would love for Sony to release a new version of the PS4 controller with similar features and make the triggers far better. Both the Xbox One and PS4 controllers are amazing, but both have different flaws. The Elite Controller fixes one of the biggest flaws in the Xbox One controller, the bumpers.

HTC Vive

I will be putting more in-depth thoughts of this in its own video, but the short and sweet version is here.

Going into this VR experience, I had only once tried VR with the Oculus Rift DK1. Which made me very motion-sick, to the point where I pretty much fell over after about 10 seconds. With the Vive, I had none of these issues, with only very slight disorientation. Not enough for it register at the time, but later thinking back on it, I remember it giving me a strange sensation.

Now: gushing time. My god the Vive is amazing! I want to highlight just one part of the demo that is set underwater, on a shipwreck. There are lots of fish swimming around, while swatting at them they swim away like you would expect. As I'm doing this, I turn around to follow a few and see a giant blue whale swimming towards me. So I physically walk, which is an amazing feeling, towards the whale who stops at the prow of the ship. I'm now stand right next to its eye and reach out to touch it. The whale gets spooked, and suddenly starts to swim away making me jump slightly. As it swims away, it flicks its tail, again making me jump. This, in turn, makes a part of the ship suddenly and very squeakily move towards me, making me physically recoil back to dodge it. I loved every minute of it!

Day 1 is no longer here, but more amazing adventures await.

I know, all a bit dramatic, but I have to dramatise some parts for entertainment purposes.

Being very new to the industry, getting to meet some very well established and respected people was like a Football, or Soccer, fan getting to meet their favourite players. I got to chat with the Outside Xbox crew, Jane Douglas, Andy Farrant, and Mike Channel. I got to get a lovely one to two conversation with Cam Robinson, and Seb Ford now of CamAndSeb (their production company being Double Jump). Lastly, I got to have a very quick conversation with Laura Dale, known to the internet as Laura K Buzz or that woman who talks about game butts. I just did some name dropping, oh yer!

I'm looking forward to day 2, this time I will look at some of the smaller indie games in the Rezzed and Indie Megabooth areas, and will get to interview Fatshark about their upcoming game Warhammer: End Times - Vermintide.

If you have yet to get your hands on Microsoft’s newest console, Labor Day Weekend might be the time to do it. While the Xbox One has come bundled with Assassin’s Creed: Black Flag and Assassin’s Creed: Unity for a while now, the bundles will be expanded until September 7th. An Xbox One will include Assassin’s Creed: Unity, as well as any one of the games below, the choice of which is up to you.

• Lego Jurassic World
• Rory McIlroy PGA Tour
• Minecraft
• Batman Arkham Knight 
• Rare Replay
• NBA 2K15
• Middle-earth: Shadow of Mordor
• Destiny
• The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt
• The Elder Scrolls: Online
• Forza Horizon 2
• Far Cry 4
• Borderlands: The Handsome Collection
• Payday 2: Crimewave Edition

In addition, two bundles will give you a third game. The Madden 16 Bundle comes with Madden 16, AC: Unity, and one of the games above, as well as a year of EA access. The Halo: The Master Chief Collection Bundle includes Halo: The Master Chief Collection, AC: Unity, and one of the games above. You can also get AC: Unity and Black Flag, as well as one of the free games. 

The standard bundle is available for as low as $349.99, while the Madden and Halo bundles will be $399.99.

If Rare Replay exists for historical reasons, it is to show how long-term development can extract a certain identity from a developer. And, sadly, but a handful of studios exist with a 30-year lineage. Studies like this are, you might say, rare.

Rare often made mistakes. Few will reminisce about WWF Wrestlemania for the NES or Taboo the Sixth Sense, also NES. It's best that both are missing from Rare Replay. Rare is and was an imperfect development studio, although none can ever claim to be perfect. Even their misses, say some of the slogs through their earliest ZX Spectrum output – with that permanently clashing purple, teal, red, yellow, and green palette – still show signs of enlightened energy.

Character Driven

Characters such as theirs were few. They had charm, they had an animated fervor, and certainly they had personality. Even when pixel counts didn't allow for any of it, Rare's gift of ingenuity made it work. Their romps on the ZX Spectrum defined not only Rare, but much of European game design. Stubby, bouncy, and often laborious platform and isometric games were key exports. Those, or slippery, single screen action affairs.

Each would become a hallmark, and not just for Rare. Europe was swamped with them, always pinched by the restraints of home computers of the early '80s. Japanese designers focused on precision. European designs were about the identity, precision be damned.

Nostalgia may be high in certain corners of the world, but little of the "Speccy" library holds up to anyone outside of those ingrained early personal computing circles. Then Rare found the NES.

Slalom, with its “Stupid Sexy Flanders” lead character, is a charismatic if passe skid down a mountain. RC Pro-Am followed, a perfect match-up of miniature 8-bit tech, fluidity, and kid-like enthusiasm. Music and pace made the material serious, much as it would be to any child in command of small time vehicles – and in some cases, adults too.

Rare Replay pulls in a few oddities harkening to Rare's Spectrum era like the isometric quirks of Cobra Triangle and Snake Rattle 'n Roll, both marginal.

Toadally Awesome, Croaking Amazing, Ribbiting Action

Under Microsoft, Rare Replay seems to exist as much as it does to celebrate Rare's past as much as it does for Microsoft to acknowledge the studio's existence.

Of course, Rare Replay has Battletoads, two of them in fact. The NES original and often forgotten arcade edition, odd that it's forgotten since it's the best of the Battletoads (even if it's still insufferably difficult). Still, the inclusion is welcome as it's the first home port of the 1994 arcade release.

Rare Replay skips over the entirety of the 16-bit era, understandable since they were under Nintendo's caring wing for much of the time. Besides, under Microsoft, Rare Replay seems to exist as much as it does to celebrate Rare's past as much as it does for Microsoft to acknowledge the studio's existence.

What's next is the N64 era, a plethora of platformers and shooters as the studio dropped a chunk of their whimsy to exchange it for violence. It can be seen happening with Battletoads - the arcade is a bloodfest – but Killer Instinct Gold, Conker's Bad Fur Day, and Perfect Dark swept the studio up in adulthood. This was in-between two adorable Banjo Kazooie offerings and the wildly goofy Blast Corps, but still.

Finding Their Pulse

... plus Banjo Kazooie Nuts 'n Bolts, which no one played but they should have.

Rare's often uncredited best work came after, though. Under Microsoft, the studio pumped out the enormously pleasant childhood horror Grabbed by the Ghoulies, the luxury of Kameo, the splendor of Viva Pinata, plus Banjo Kazooie Nuts 'n Bolts, which no one played but they should have. (Perfect Dark Zero never happened. It did, just not really.)

Annoyingly, these Xbox 360 games need downloaded individually, hogging hard drive space and making access a pain. At least they're bundled, though, and their color - or the sheer abundance of it rather - is a shock compared to the rest of a generation stuck with the grays and browns of war.

Rare Replay is mostly the hits, but there are still plenty titles missing. Killer Instinct 1 & 2 are locked to a bundle in Microsoft's Killer Instinct reboot. A missing trilogy of Wizards & Warriors games is a loss, and obviously everything Rare did which was licensed (or under Nintendo's copyright) – ranging from a rendezvous with Mickey Mouse, a few game show adaptations, and of course Goldeneye - are sidelined.

The “kiss and make up” portion are a series of glossy, all-smiles video retrospectives, peaks at unreleased software, and soundtracks. Oh, and a glorious paper puppet show introduction which is all joy. So is Rare Replay and so was Rare. That's past tense since now they make Xbox 360 Avatars. Xbox One doesn't use them, but Rare makes Avatars. What a way to go.

So there you have it: some truly dreadful games from otherwise awesome studios. Agree with my picks? Think of any I missed? Sound off in the comments! 

Alien Vs. Predator (2010)

Developer: Rebellion

Rebellion has been around since 1992 and has produced some decent to great games. The reason AvP makes this list is because Rebellion already released two good games in the AvP franchise. One was released in 1994 and the other in 1999. The 1999 version is considered by many to be a classic and the pinnacle of the series.

When news came Rebellion was developing a new installment for (then) current-gen consoles, fans were enthusiastic, especially since the franchise had been dormant since Alien Vs. Predator 2 in 2001. Needless to say, the game failed to meet expectations. Poor controls, more bugs than Creepshow, an awkward melee system, and mechanics that fly in the face established franchise lore (humans can easily knock xenomorphs back with melee attacks….. wut?) added up to a game better left alone. Unfortunately, the game was a commercial success, and Rebellion has mentioned the possibility of another title. Keep beating that horse guys…

Dragon Age II

Developer: Bioware

Another game I have a tenuous relationship (at best) with, Dragon Age II is still a divisive game among the Dragon Age fanbase. Some enjoy the game. Some don’t. Many of us naysayers share the same complaints: extremely repetitive environments, the focus on a small, uninteresting city, uninteresting combat, and a story that never seems to pick up steam. After all of the amazing games BioWare has delivered, this one is a definite disappointment. 

Stormrise

Developer: The Creative Assembly

This one is truly dumbfounding and defies explanation. The Creative Assembly has made their mark by creating some of the best strategy games one can play. So how on Earth did they make one so god-awful?

Stormrise had an interesting idea or two, but any good ideas or concepts were instantly negated the minute you played. Bad controls? Check! Poor graphics that impede gameplay? Check again! A fundamentally broken RTS foundation in a RTS game? We have a winner!

Here’s hoping they don’t bugger up Total War: Warhammer. 

Kane & Lynch (series)

Developer: IO Interactive

Here we have not one, but two games which are appallingly awful and remain a blight on the developer’s record. IO Interactive is known for the delightful Hitman franchise and the woefully overlooked Freedom Fighters (it has a flipping nailgun mode people!). Kane & Lynch: Dead Men was released in 2007 and somehow a sequel was greenlit, developed, and released in 2010. That’s too much Dead Men IO.

The worst part is the central core of the game could be interesting. The idea of playing as a mentally unstable and psychotic character that would experience and see different things from his cooperative partner could be compelling. The final game was a mess though with faults that overshadowed any positives. Add to that the controversy of Jeff Gerstmann allegedly being fired for his review of the game, and everyone was left with a bad taste in their mouth.

The sequel ensured the bad taste not only stayed but became worse by adopting a shaky-cam visual style and by having the two main characters run around in their birthday suits with only a small pixelated blur saving us from further trauma. Let the nightmares commence…

Rogue Warrior

Developer: Rebellion (again!)

Sigh. Why Rebellion why? You just had to show up again didn’t you? With your worst and creepy friend to the party too! Don’t act like you don’t know! Your ole pal there drops the “f” bomb more than Randy Pitchford spouts drivel; they also control worse than my great, great, great grandmother driving a forklift while drunk; and worst of all, Peter Dinklage has toes longer than him. Go home Rogue Warrior, you’re a broken pile of garbage that makes Junkion look like a vacation hotspot.

The real kicker? Bethesda was unsatisfied with the work the original developers Zombie Studios were doing. They tossed the game down the drain and brought Rebellion in to make an all-new game. Makes you wonder what about the original form didn’t fit Bethesda’s vision. Maybe there weren’t enough bugs and glitches…

Anything Released Post-2008

Developer: Rare

Oh how the mighty have fallen! I was honestly torn between Rare and Sonic Team. However, Sonic Team has become a running gag in and of itself and is already the focus of plenty of scorn. So let’s look at Rare instead!

Rare is responsible for great memories for many of us. Whether it be Killer Instinct, Blast Corps, Goldeneye, Conker’s Bad Fur Day, and many more, Rare has delivered some timeless classics. After the release of the polarizing Banjo-Kazooie: Nuts & Bolts failed to meet sales expectations, Rare was put on a strictly Kinect shovelware diet, a far cry from their heyday. It’s telling when people are more excited for a compilation release of a studio’s older games over any new projects they are developing. 

Too Human

Developer: Silicon Knights

You developed a well-received game which becomes the basis for a fan-favorite series. Next, you make one of the most original and downright best horror games of all time. You follow this up with a complete remake of Metal Gear Solid. You then regurgitate your game which has been in development hell for nine years onto an unsuspecting public because that is always a great idea. Hmmm. One of these does not belong.  

If John Romero was prideful with his Daikatana hype, Denis Dyack was the embodiment of unabashed arrogance when hyping Too Human. This is a game that was planned as a trilogy as was also set to receive a three part fictional documentary series all before the game had even released. The game was finally plopped onto stores shelves after innumerable delays and an estimated $60-100 million had spent to make it. Poor combat, awkward controls and questionable design and mechanics made for one uneventful and rather dreary experience. Don’t forget all the legal issues where Silicon Knights sued Epic Games and lost and were then ordered to recall and destroy all unsold copies of their games using the Unreal engine.

Silicon Knights also cursed us with the horrid X-Men: Destiny. Double thanks Denis!

Haze

Developer: Free Radical

Oh, Free Radical, how did you lose your way? After delivering some of the best FPS games of all time and the criminally underrated Second Sight, you went and released this… abomination. Now I know it isn’t completely your fault. Some game press outlets had labeled Haze as a “Halo-killer” (like we haven’t heard that one before), but you still managed to release a game with an asinine plot, shoddy level design, caricatures for characters, and filled it all to the brim with countless bugs and technical issues. I would just like to know how in the world you managed this Herculean feat.

Thankfully, Free Radical (now Crytek UK) has been working on good games since the release of the abominable Haze. While the fate of TimeSplitters 4 is up in the air, rest easy knowing we will never see another Haze. The world can only tolerate so many bad games.

Uncharted 2

Developer: Naughty Dog

My relationship with Uncharted 2 is spotty at best, and I have said a thing or two about it before, but I can’t help but mention it again. After all, Naughty Dog is the studio that brought us Crash Bandicoot (awwww yeah!), the Jak series, and The Last of Us. Clearly, they know a thing or two about making games, which is why Uncharted 2 is so baffling.

The first Uncharted was no masterpiece, but it had competence in its mechanics and design. The second one was awful all around: paper-thin characters ("characters" is a generous term), a bumbling plot, weak game design, one of the most unlikable and undefined main characters in gaming, and a complete disrespect for the player made for one dismal experience.

Maybe Uncharted 4 will be different, but I’m not holding my breath.

Daikatana

Developer: Ion Storm

How could the same developer who made the legendary Deus Ex also make one of gaming’s most legendary stinkers? With the (then) respected John Romero (co-founder of iD Software and designer for many of their classic games) attached to the project, expectations were understandably high. Romero's name was dropped more than a baby’s toys.

Then the game released, and despite what that now infamous ad promised, Romero did not make anyone his bitch.

There was atrocious A.I. for enemies and companions alike, dated graphics and art design, and a limited number of saves. The game itself is just plain dreadful.

When we add together Romero’s huge ego, the ridiculous amount of coverage the game received (Time cover anyone?), in-studio conflict, and the controversial ad campaign, we get a massive and potent cocktail of dreck. The game to this day remains a lesson in uncontrolled hype, and how not to run a PR campaign. Somehow though, Ion Storm managed to release three more games after Daikatana that were actually good! Play Deus Ex or Anachronox instead.

Stay far away from this colossal turd. 

Let’s face it: no one is perfect (not even me, but I am damn close), not even our favorite developers. Several developers have made some colossal blunders over the years and developed games that made us ask, “What were they thinking?” For your twisted pleasure and amusement, I present ten games guaranteed to dredge up painful memories.

Strap in. It’s going to be a bumpy ride. 

It was announced at the Gamescom convention this week that Season 3 of Killer Instinct will be coming to Xbox One and Windows 10 in March 2016. To tide players over in the meantime, Microsoft released a new playable fighter that can be downloaded right now.

Rash from the Battletoads series makes his unexpected way into the hardcore fighting game and the results are about as awesome as you'd expect. Rash retains his original sense of humor and punk attitude which brings a welcome breath of fresh air into Killer Instinct.

Rash's availability is limited unfortunately. Players can only select the Battletoad as a fighter during this initial test period which runs until September 8.  Also, only those players who had previously purchased some type of Killer Instinct content or own Rare Replay will be able to currently play as Rash.

Back in November 2014 Microsoft filed for a new Battletoads trademark and there was widespread speculation across the internet of a possible new game in the series. In January of this year during a Windows 10 event, head of Xbox, Phil Spencer, was caught wearing a Battletoads shirt only further promoting speculations of a new game. A few months after this, at the Game Developers Conference this year, Microsoft also teased fans with Battletoads content for the very popular game Shovel Knight which came out for Xbox One back in April.

Keeping all of this in mind while looking at this new Killer Instinct update and even the release of Rare Replay, Microsoft seems to be doing a lot of promotion for the Battletoads series. Is a new game in the works, and if so could this be our first look at what the characters could look like?

Rare Replay

What's better than one game? 30 games!

After developing over a hundred video games in the past three decades, Rare has picked out 30 hits to celebrate their 30th anniversary in the business, all for only $30.

By earning up to 10,000 Gamerscore across all 30 games, which include gems like Banjo-Kazooie, Battletoads, and Perfect Dark, players can unlock more content, with Gamerscore previously earned for the Xbox 360 games carrying over. 

Old-school features like scanlines and rewind are available for some games, as well as online multiplayer and most downloadable content, while a new feature called Snapshots presents small segments of the games as challenges for the player. 

In addition, a one-hour documentary feature on the history of the studio is included in the compilation, along with concept art and information about unreleased Rare games.

Replay through 30 years of video gaming history on Xbox One on August 4th.

What games are you excited about this coming August? Talk about your favorites in the comments below. 

Five Nights at Freddy's 4: The Final Chapter

What better way to celebrate the one-year anniversary of the YouTube phenomenon Five Nights at Freddy's than to release the final game in the indie point-and-click horror series?

Developer Scott Cawthon has taken over the world with a trilogy of crafty jump scares, disturbing characters, and surprisingly cohesive stories.

But the latest iteration of horrifying animatronic bears may be taking it one step too far, as the wiry monsters will be let loose out of public property and into personal homes.

As a little child armed with only a flashlight, players will have their hands full as they try to stay alive to watch the sun rise five times.

Stay up for The Final Chapter on Steam on August 8th.

Everybody's Gone to the Rapture

Story-driven games have grown in popularity in recent years, and one of the best has arguably been Dear Esther by The Chinese Room. 

But while their first game didn't really have much in the way of interactivity, the British developer's first game on console is complemented with not only the freedom to interact with the environment, but much, much more.

Everybody's Gone to the Rapture takes place in 1984 in the English countryside of Yaughton Valley, Shropshire. Through six different characters, each with their own story, players immerse themselves in a beautifully detailed open world to discover and uncover the mystery of the apocalypse.

Homes are left empty to be explored, and environments are left with traces of those lost. With a haunting soundtrack, revolutionary environments, and non-linear interactive storytelling, Everybody's Gone to the Rapture is an innovation deserving of the current generation of consoles.

Discover the Rapture exclusively on PlayStation 4 on August 11th.

Armikrog.

After 20 years, the team behind The Neverhood and Earthworm Jim are back for another clay animated point-and-click adventure game.

A space explorer named Tommynaut crash lands on a weird planet and ends up locked in a mysterious fortress called Armikrog. Together with his blind alien talking dog, Beak-Beak, Tommynaut has to find his way out through clever puzzles and uninviting characters.

Developed by Doug TenNapel and Pencil Test Studios, the 2013 Kickstarter success is inhabited with characters that are brought to life by well-known actors such as Jon Heder, Rob Paulsen, and Michael J. Nelson. 

Enhanced by an original soundtrack by American songwriter and record producer Terry Taylor, the tongue-in-cheek adventures of Tommynaut and Beak-Beak is one not to be missed.

Escape Armikrog on Windows, Mac, and Linux on August 18th, and PlayStation 4 and Wii U in the near future.

Volume

The latest game from award-winning indie game designer Mike Bithell is a narrative stealth action game inspired by the father of all great stealth games, Metal Gear.

As Robert Locksley, players act as a futuristic Robin Hood robbing from the rich and giving to the unheard using the heist-simulating device, Volume.

In the face of a country-running CEO played by critically acclaimed actor Andy Serkis, Locksley seeks to take down the corporatocary over 100 levels of intense stealth action.

In addition, a full set of creation tools is provided for endless level-building and sharing, featuring an arsenal of gadgets to avoid, distract, and evade detection.

With the full campaign playable using pre-made or user-generated levels, the challenges in Volume never cease to excite.

Enter the Volume on Windows, Mac, PlayStation 4, and PlayStation Vita on August 18th.

Until Dawn

There aren't many successful horror games these days; same goes for PlayStation 4 exclusives.

But this summer, Sony Computer Entertainment developer Supermassive Games is looking to change that with a survival horror adventure made specifically for the current generation of consoles.

Until Dawn tells the story of eight high-schoolers who spend the night in a cabin in the mountains, unaware that their night is about to turn into a real-life nightmare.

Every decision that the player makes leads to consequences that can save someone's life or result in their death. 

Beautifully realized through an evolved Killzone Shadow Fall engine, the eight characters play a role in countless scenarios and multiple endings, where the death as well as the survival of all eight is possible.

But players cannot change the decisions they make, as a strict auto-save system prevents players from reloading a previous save file to an earlier point in the game, so every single choice bears an important amount of scrutiny.

Survive Until Dawn exclusively on PlayStation 4 on August 25th.

Satellite Reign

From Brisbane-based 5 Lives Studios comes a real-time, class-based strategy game set in an open world cyberpunk city.

Billed as a spiritual successor to the sci-fi Syndicate series, the 2013 Kickstarter success lets players command a group of 4 agents to climb up the corporate ladder and take over the most powerful monopoly of all time through every devious mean possible.

The city of Satellite Reign functions like a living, breathing world, where civilians, police, and corporate soldiers react uniquely to the actions of the player as they explore the manipulative world and uncover new missions seamlessly.

Each of the four agents can be customized for any play-style through different skills, weapons, gear, augmentations, and genetic base, while the freedom of choice also seeps into the emergent game-play, as a wide range of strategic options is available at every opportunity.

Reign supreme on Windows, Mac, and Linux on August 28th.

Disney Infinity 3.0

Disney Interactive Studios' popular toys-to-life series, Disney Infinity, is back again this year, and this time it's filled with battles of galactic proportions, as Star Wars will be the next mega-franchise to take over Disney's plastic universe.

Developed by Avalanche Software, Disney Infinity 3.0 will include three Star Wars Play Sets spanning both trilogies and the upcoming Star Wars: The Force Awakens, as well as a Disney•Pixar Play Set based on the film Inside Out, and a Marvel Play Set based on Avengers: Age of Ultron.

All-new multiplayer Toy Box Expansion Games such as Toy Box Takeover and Toy Box Speedway will allow every character from all three installments of Disney Infinity to play together in Toy Box 3.0, so there'll be lightsabers, superheroes, pirates, and more!

Fly to Infinity and beyond in a galaxy far, far away on Windows, PlayStation 3, Playstation 4, Xbox 360, Xbox One, Wii U, iOS, and Android on August 30th.

Summer Blues

As we approach the month of August, major game releases seem to slow down, as well as the buzz from major industry events of the previous months.

Students prepare to go back to school, and developers prepare to make a good impression during the holiday season at the end of the year. But that doesn't mean we won't have some great new games coming out to keep us busy before the frantic flurry of the fall.

So to close out the summer, here are 8 games to look forward to in the warm, sunny month of August.

If you thought you were going to earn 10,000 fresh points for your achievement score, you may want to think again. According to Rare’s Jason Thomas, the Rare Replay Collection will link to your Xbox 360 releases of Rare classics, meaning if you earned them before, you can’t re-earn them. This doesn’t mean you won’t be able to acquire all 10,000 points, it actually means you’ll have a slight advantage if you’re racing your friends to get them all first. This also means that any bonus content that came with an achievement will also become available right away. 

Slightly Disappointing

(Courtesy of destructoid.com) 

While I’m okay with this decision, I’m also disappointed considering that some of the classic games’ achievements weren’t exactly thrilling. Banjo Kazooie for example, has only 200 gamer points, and none of the achievements are for collecting all the jigsaw pieces. I was hoping for harder achievements from these games.

Slightly Exciting

(Courtesy of fanpop.com) 

While the previous game achievements won't be as thrilling, the new ones will be. I’m already making it a personal goal to collect all the achievements for Conker’s Bad Fur Day. Also, you can expect other games to have slightly more achievements per game due to the low achievement score that the already released classics had. It’s also important to note that your saves will carry across to Xbox One as well, so if you don’t want to have to replay the game all the way through, you don’t have to. Rare Replay releases August 4^th.

E3 this year was one of the best ones that I’ve seen in a while. There were some amazing games announced, and some epic features that are coming to the gaming industry.

With all the great games, it’s hard to say which of them I was the most impressed with. But I did it; here are my top 10 games that I feel looked the best, and that I want to play now.

10. Doom

I loved Bethesda's E3, and they started it off the right way with Doom. The whole thing got me pumped up to put some lead in the demons. Doom is the iconic FPS game series, and this year they delivered. The concept of actually getting to design your own maps for online multiplayer is a huge plus.The mechanics, graphics, and gameplay all look great! 

9. Cuphead

This indie game by Studio MDHR looks insanely fun. It’s a stroke of genius, really, taking classic cartoon themed levels and having the player try to make his way through each course. It has a lighthearted vibe, but the more I watch the trailer, the more difficult the game looks. 

8. Mario and Luigi Paper Jam

If you’re a fan of the Mario and Luigi series, and a fan of the Paper Mario series, you’re in for some good times. Nintendo just combined the two for an entirely new RPG, and it looks like they’re taking the best of both worlds. I just hope they include another Pit of 100 Trials in this one.

7. South Park: The Fractured But Whole

When I played South Park: The Stick of Truth, I was really impressed and surprised at how much I enjoyed the game. It was funny, grotesque (of course), and had an easy yet enjoyable combat system. Now, Ubisoft will release a sequel. I’m looking forward to farting on my opponents again. I just hope the campaign is longer in this one. 

6. Rise of the Tomb Raider

The last Tomb Raider game was (in my opinion) the best in the series. Everything about it really kept me entertained, especially the action commands, the fights, and those puzzling tombs (of course). So after viewing the gameplay for Rise of the Tomb Raider, I can tell you that I’m officially on board and ready to play. It looks like Crystal Dynamics is listening to what the fans want. I’m still wondering how Lara manages to jump that high and that far, though..

5. Uncharted 4

The Uncharted series is definitely one of the best out there. The fourth installment looks predictable, but that’s a good thing. Naughty Dog knows what they’re doing, and you know the game’s going to be great before you start playing. I watched the gameplay for it, and I knew instantly that this is a must have. 

4. Fallout 4

As I said before, Bethesda nailed it this year. It was really hard making this list thanks to them. With Doom, Dishonored 2, The Elder Scrolls Online, and Fallout 4 all in one E3 show, it was tough having to cut some of the games. But Fallout 4 definitely took the cake. It looks amazing, and the customizable features are incredible. You will be able to customize characters, weapons, and even create buildings. It’s going to be great.

3. Star Fox Zero

A much-awaited game, and it looks phenomenal. This was Nintendo’s focal point this year, and it looks very impressive. I can’t wait for Peppy to shout, ”Do a barrel roll” again. And I definitely can’t wait to let that stupid toad, Slippy, die over and over. This game will be released sometime this holiday season. 

2. Rare Replay

With all the great games out there, it may seem strange to include a collection of games near the top of the list. But this collection is more meaningful than we think. I recently wrote a tribute to Rare, stating how I’m ready to let them go. Microsoft has revived all my hopes for this company however, and it looks like they’re finally going to let Rare make some amazing games again. So in the meantime, we get this wonderful collection that is an absolute must for Xbox One gamers.

1. Final Fantasy 7 Remake

The long-awaited game by Square Enix has been announced (finally), but it was just a teaser trailer, nothing more. So can just the announcement for this game, as well as a teaser trailer really be enough to put this as the greatest highlight for E3’s video games? The answer is yes, yes, and yes. If you’re wondering why this is, here’s an article to help explain.

So this is my top 10 E3 games, but it was a hard one. There were so many great games out there, and it was hard to not put some of the indie games or Dishonored 2 on this list, but I did the best I could. Do you have a top 10 that you want to share? Or what is your number one game you’re looking forward to? Feel free to comment and share! 

Rare Replay will include 30 of developer Rare's greatest titles on one disc for $30.

At the Xbox E3 2015 conference, Microsoft has unleashed an unbelievable flurry of exclusive titles. Everything from a Gears of War remaster to a slew of indie titles, but there's one setting classic gamers excitement ablaze and that is the Rare Replay. A triumphant return of the greatest games from a legendary studio that introduced millions of us to the world of gaming.

This Xbox One exclusive game collection will help us all relive those glorious early days of our gaming careers with titles like Blast Corp and Battle Toads. The Rare Replay will bring together 30 separate Rare Ltd. titles on one disc (see a full list below) to celebrate the studio's 30th anniversary.

That will include the infamous Battle Toads so places like GameStop will have to gear up for all new prank calls.

Tough as that will be for workers at GameStop, the Rare Replay is still among the biggest reveals to come out of the Xbox E3 conference. The collection's price is just as exciting as what it has to offer; gamers can pick it up for only $30. An impressive price that will catch gamers who were expecting the rumoured collection to cost $45 or more.

The Rare Replay price tag isn't what makes it the stand out of the Xbox E3 conference though, over 700 hours of gameplay and a gamerscore over 10000 points is what made it the toast of the show. No other single game collection has offered this much content from so many consoles.

The only thing we have to worry about with the Rare Replay is if the collection will work the way it should. After the miserable launch of the Master Chief Collection, it's tough not to question if this game collection will be any better on launch.

Rare Replay game list:

1. Jetpac

2. Atic Atac

3. Lunar Jetman

4. Sabre Wulf

5. Underwurlde

6. Knight Lore

7. Gunfright

8. Slalom

9. R.C. Pro-AM

10. Cobra Triangle

11. Snake Rattle N' Roll

12. Digger T. Rock

13. Solar Jetman

14. Battletoads

15. R.C. Pro-AM II

16. Battletoads Arcade

17. Killer Instinct Gold

18. Blast Corps

19. Banjo-Kazooie

20. Jet Force Gemini

21. Perfect Dark

22. Banjo-Tooie

23. Conker's Bad Fur Day

24. Grabbed by the Ghoulies

25. Perfect Dark Zero

26. Kameo: Elements of Power

27. Viva Pinata

28. Jetpac Refuelled

29. Banjo-Kazooie: Nuts & Bolts

30. Viva Pinata: Trouble in Paradise