The Final Pin

If Insomniac has proved anything over the last eight years, it’s that they know how to make a hell of a superhero game. Marvel's Spider-Man remains one of the PlayStation 4’s defining action games and a shining example of open-world design, as are both of its follow-ups. Now they’re looking to replicate that magic with Marvel's Wolverine, albeit this time as a traditional linear AAA action game. I got to play about two and half hours at a recent preview event, and while my impressions are mostly glowingly positive, I did come away with a few questions and concerns.

Which Final Fantasy game should you play first?

Its bosses are every bit as demanding as those found in a Soulslike, but the journey between them isn't built around constant punishment. Onimusha: Way of the Sword is a game that manages to challenge the player without becoming exhausting, allowing the game to shift naturally between moments of intense concentration and opportunities to simply enjoy stylish swordplay.

Aliens: Fireteam Elite 2 seems like one of those lazy Sunday games, where you kill part of an afternoon playing a couple hours with friends. It gets Aliens and understands that forty miles of bad road Cameron envisioned. As a co-op game, it’s not going to change the world. Aliens already did that. But it’s a great excuse to play around in that world again, and I’m eager to see what else LV-558 has in store.

It took me a while to figure out exactly what makes Halo: Campaign Evolved feel… off. It sounds right – the Covenant enemies yell familiar phrases alongside the Halo's iconic gunfire. It plays great. The two levels I played during my demo are fun and appropriately challenging on higher difficulties. But the look? After getting through The Silent Cartographer, I decided that as it stands, the Halo: Campaign Evolved visual style isn't my favorite. Outdoor environments are gorgous, but it took me some hands-on time to figure out what made the rest of the game look a tad odd. It won't