Xbox One alert: Try these launch-day titles
By CHRIS CAMPBELL | Scripps Howard News Service
With the launch of the Xbox One, we can continue our celebration of the new generation of video game consoles. Straight out of the box, the Xbox One wants to be your all-in-one home entertainment system, and with its various integration features for cable, streaming video, and more, it succeeds much better than the PS4 at launch.
From a gaming standpoint, the Xbox One has more exclusive launch-day titles instead of carryover titles from other systems (“FIFA 14”, “Assassin’s Creed IV: Black Flag”, etc.). But not all of them will make you sing praises of Microsoft’s new console and gaming abilities.
So, here’s a roundup of the top launch-day titles available for those who need to get their Xbox One fix right away:
“Forza Motorsport 5”
Genre: Driving
Publisher: Microsoft
ESRB Rating: E for Everyone
The Verdict: I don’t consider myself a car enthusiast of any stripe, but racing titles like “Forza 5” make me wish I were more of a gearhead. The roar of an engine and whipping around corners offers the kind of thrills it should, and everything about the game highlights the benefits of the new console. An enhanced career mode (featuring the fellas from TV’s “Top Gear”) help even newcomers transition to racing sims in the series. Other tweaks make this game a standout offering for Xbox One owners.
“Battlefield 4”
Genre: Shooter
Publisher: EA Games
ESRB Rating: M for Mature
The Verdict: As I said for the PS4 … Buy it. Buy it immediately. The campaign doesn’t do much to set your world on fire (other than to seemingly light the entire world with nonstop gunfire and explosions), but you don’t get this game for the story. You get it for the online multiplayer. Matches featuring 64 players across sprawling and ever-changing maps make this game an absolute must.
“Ryse: Son of Rome”
Genre: Action
Publisher: Microsoft
ESRB Rating: M for Mature
The Verdict: It’s one of the most-hyped games for the launch, but it unfortunately stinks to high heaven. That stench mainly comes from the endless corpses your gladiator creates as you slice and dice all in your path. Look past the impressive visuals, and you get nothing but circa-2005 gaming — endlessly repetitive action, a meaningless leveling system, and a horrible plot. All make for disappointment, even in Rome’s grandest arena. Conquer it on a weekend if you must, but avoid shelling out the full price to own it.
“Call of Duty: Ghosts”
Genre: Shooter
Publisher: Activision
ESRB Rating: M for Mature
The Verdict: I held out reviewing “Ghosts” so that I could experience the Xbox One and PS4 versions first. The story is thin, but I will absolutely vouch for the outstanding set pieces and environments where dense firefights take place. I wish the characters offered a little more reason to care, but the co-op mode is fantastic and the tweaks to the multiplayer modes make this an easy recommendation for Xbox One owners.
