Recent reviews by Frank Castle

PROS:
+There's a lot of game for the amount of money you pay (Provided you know what edition you paid for, more on that later).

+The amount of replayability is off the charts.

+For most part, maps are vast (except some) and invites player experimentation. These maps are sprawling with multiple hidden assassination opportunities, verticality, NPC conversations that get you Intel on eavesdropping and secret easter eggs.

+Crowd simulation and density is a step-up from other games, with a caveat that will be talked about later.

+UI is highly customisable Clean enough and doesn't get in the player's way.

+Freelancer Mode is a welcome addition, adding a rogue-lite element and player progression to the game.

+Berlin

CONS:
-Hitman: WoA adapts a mostly jovial and jolly tone. Players accustomed to the sombre and dark baritones of Hitman:Contracts and Hitman: Blood Money will sorely miss that here.

-The score for most part is generic. They needed Jesper Kyd back for this.

-The Gear unlocks acquired through game progression are abysmal. There are dozens of Unsilenced Shotguns, Assault Rifles, Pistols and Snipers that you'll be unlocking which you'll never equip.

-Visually, the game is a step-down from Hitman Absolution, a game that released 12 Years ago. Hitman: WoA lacks the same level of visual details, model details, water, lighting, cloth textures and environment detail. Infact, it's a step in those departments compared to Absolution.

-You'll need a degree in philosophy to figure out what edition works for you.

-The absolute gall to lock a few escalation missions, two sniper missions, two proper maps, a few skins behind a deluxe paywall.

-Removal of Ghost Mode from Hitman II.

-Always Online Requirement. The ever looming threat that the game will shutdown one day because of reliance on servers all the time. FOR A SINGLE PLAYER GAME?!

VERDICT:
Inspite of some very glaring issues, I cannot deny that Hitman WoA has been an absolute timesink for me. There's always that incentive to replay a map just to explore the multiple different ways I can assassinate a target. Add to that, Freelancer Mode which acts as an Epilogue to Hitman III, you get a campaign where the objectives are never the same and you get a customisable safehouse, there is a formula for endless replay gameplay loop.
In terms of sheer gameplay prowess and replayability, Hitman WoA is the best in series.
Remains to be seen where this series goes once IO Interactive gets done cooking the upcoming 007 project.

PROS:
+Adapts a wider colour palette for San Francisco, ditching the depressing Greyish tone from WD1 altogether.
+The option of completing the entire game non-lethally.
+A casual, more light-hearted story that is self-aware and reflects upon the current Internet culture, with wacky characters.
+Character customization is more diverse as opposed to the first game's preset clothing.
+Radio towers, a plethora of collectibles and outposts have been removed altogether.
+You have a lot more options with hacking. Call the SWAT on a NPC or place him on a gang's hitsquad. Cause a static vehicle to accelerate forward much to the surprise of the driver. This culminates in what people call Emergent Gameplay.
+Online activities like Bounty hunter, Invasions and Co-op operations lend to longevity.
+PC Version is also a significant step-up from first one. Favours numerous graphics options and a FOV slider.

CONS:
-Unsatisfying Gunplay; Customization of firearms is barebones.
-Basic Stealth system; Cover mechanics is janky AF.
-Braindead AI.
-Vehicles controlling is more arcade-y; but improved from the first game.
-Some rather bland mission designs. (Go to X, Hack Y, Watch a cutscene, Mission complete)

VERDICT:
Watch Dogs 2 came as a surprise to me. It got rid of a lot of stuff that Ubisoft is infamous for and opted for a better game world, the result is a far superior product than the previous title. It's not an absolute "OHMAGERD 10/10 GAYME HAS DOGES IN IT" that some people claim it to be but Ubisoft is making the right changes in its IPs, albeit little ones.
If anyone is still on the fence after WD1, give this one a chance, you'll be fairly pleased.

12th May UPDATED: Finished my first playthrough on Hard difficulty, it consisted of zero human kills and zero selection of Typhon powers. Time taken 38hours

+Starts with strong opening sequence and ends with a mind♥♥♥♥ of an ending.
+Retains Arkane's signature style art direction and world-building.
+Top-notch level design, featuring a bevvy of secret rooms and missable stuffs.
+Surprisingly challenging difficulty, even encounters with smallest of mimics is unnerving.
+Well-executed physics. Almost anything you see in a given place can be picked up and interacted with.
+Complex, Intriguing storyline; adapts a meticulous "show, don't tell" narrative approach.
+Replay incentives come in form of multiple endings and preferred skill builds.
+PC Version is well optimised; unlike Dishonored 2. The controls and UI feel like they were made with KB/M in mind.

-Heavy backtracking may off some, especially in the last moments of the game.
-Same goes for clunky gunplay, which is intentional design.
-Players going for a stealth build will suffer in the long run since both stealth perks and mechanics are basic.

Inspite of some glaring issues, Prey is one of the best PC titles since ages. Everything about it screams classic PC titles, from the System shock like aesthetics to the user interface; and it feels fresh to see devs who aren't pulling their punches or empowering the player with little effort.
Prey belongs to the breed of thinking-man shooters which we don't see getting made nowadays, it's definitely a niche title.
It not just demands player intelligence, it expects it.
That said, Prey is NOT everyone's cup of tea. Some may get hooked right off the bat while some may uninstall after a few minutes with the game. But from my end, it's a BUY for whoever can accept it's weirdness and challenge.

I should mention I got in late December for a tenner from JeeTwoAyyy site. While I have 20something hours at the time of posting, it's going to be more as I'll be striving for 100% completion. God ♥♥♥♥♥♥♥ help me with that one.

+Top-notch storytelling with great voice acting from al characters
+Beautifully realised open-world.
+Arguably the game with the best OST and best selection of Radio tracks.

-Poor PC Version and outdated visuals.
-Boring and repetitive gameplay consisting of becomes a snoozefest.
-Meh gunplay.
-Contains less gameplay features and visual details than last 2 titles, which involve but are not limited to

• No Reflections in the mirror
  
• Limited interactions with the environment.
  
• No blood covered footsteps when walking across corpses
  
• No purposes for spending money apart from buying weapons.
  
• Removal of the unique Notoriety system from Mafia 2.
  
• Removal of Debris effect or bullet decals.
  
• ♥♥♥♥! THERE'S SO MUCH OF STUFF MISSING!

I cannot, simply cannot recommend Mafia III at full price to anyone in their right minds. Mafia III improves in very little ways from the last games. The open-world feature is misused here since you really can't interact with anything, when the simple act of grabbing a beer from fridge or opening the car trunk in Mafia 2 added a lot to immersion.
This is a revenge story that is narrated beautifully with great characters and cutscenes but filled with boring gameplay.
Hangar 13 picked up a beloved franchise for their debut project and absolutely brought it down to ashes.
Not cool guys, not cool. Two thumbs down.

I would like to thank all the Console gamers who beta-tested for the PC version of GTA V.