Having been away from our consoles for some 14 years, we’re glad that Prince of Persia has made a return. And while we’d welcome another 3D action adventure entry with open arms, Ubisoft’s choice to adopt a 2.5D Metroidvania format for this foray is a shrewd one. Prince of Persia: The Lost Crown has everything you’d expect of a Prince of Persia game, from tense, thoughtful combat to challenging platforming. Yet thanks to its youthful flair and genre-shift, it feels fresh and unlike anything else currently in the Ubisoft library. For Prince of Persia fans and those who enjoy Metroidvanias in general, this is very much worthy of a recommendation.
With the Metroidvania genre seemingly being one of the most popular right now, fans are stacked with choices when it comes to what to play. And while Cookie Cutter might not be at the top of the pile, it does stand out for a number of reasons. Its hand-drawn art is wonderful to behold, and its punk spirit will no doubt be very attractive to some. Then there’s the combat, which has its issues but is mostly chaotic in the best way. Ultimately, then, while it’s not going to win any awards, you could do a lot worse than spend time with Cookie Cutter.
A lengthy game with puzzles around every corner, The Talos Principle 2 is another triumph for Croteam. We wondered how the developer would top the phenomenal first entry in this mind-boggling series, and it’s done so by providing a veritable feast of varied and engaging puzzles, backed up with thoughtful philosophy and stunning visuals that heighten its light exploration elements. If you play just one puzzle game this year make it this one. In fact, we’d go as far to say that The Talos Principle 2 is one of the best puzzle games of all time.
Pick up Gangs of Sherwood and you might get a few hours of entertainment out of it, especially if you play it with friends. Ultimately, though, this is a mediocre action game with a litany of issues ranging from unbalanced characters to sub-par presentation. For that reason it’s difficult to recommend, even if you’re intrigued by its visually fresh take on the legend of Robin Hood. Though to be honest, this doesn’t feel like a Robin Hood game at all. There’s little stealing from the rich to give to the poor here. And aside from Friar Tuck, his band of merry men doesn’t really seem all that merry.
All in all, Invincible Presents: Atom Eve proves to be an enjoyable journey whether you’re familiar with the world of Invincible or not. It’s got good writing, beautiful art, and challenging encounters that really make you think about your actions. Sure, you’ll get more out of it if you’ve read the comics or watched the show, but anyone that appreciates a good visual novel or wants to delve into the life of a teenager with the added burden of super powers will find a lot to love here.
Jurassic Park Classic Games Collection is a bit of a disappointment on all fronts. The games themselves just aren’t all that fun to play any more. And even if you do manage to eke some entertainment out of them, the package overall is very basic, with no museum-like content or extras to make the games more appealing to return to. Unless you’re an ardent Jurassic Park fan hellbent on having access to these games on modern formats, you’d be wise to think twice before parting with your hard-earned money.
For fans of the side-scrolling beat ’em up genre, Chipmonk! is likely to be an interesting curio. After all, how many other games allow you to take control of warrior chipmunks battling against a range of other animals? It does feel rather dated though, very much taking inspiration from the true classics of the genre and not having ambitions to further them in any way. The result is a game that will be a hard sell for many, especially if they’re not instantly drawn in by the animal shenanigans.
Something a little bit different from Puppet Combo, Christmas Massacre puts the shoe on the other foot, putting you in the position of power in a retro-horror setting. You’re the killer here. You’re the villain. Instead of fighting for your own life, you’re seeking to put an end to others’. It proves to be a challenging and morbidly enjoyable endeavour, even if the the game itself isn’t the most mechanically robust. If you’ve got the stomach for it and enjoy the macabre, Christmas Massacre is definitely worth giving a go. At the very least, it’ll let you release some steam if you get stressed this Christmas.
It’s safe to say that we’ve been bowled over by The Last Faith on the whole. We’ve been lost at times, pouring over the map in the hope of finding a clue as to where we should go next, but it’s rarely dampened our enthusiasm to play. And thanks to many weapons, skills and other items to discover, time spent exploring never feels wasted anyway. While this is a game that doesn’t really offer anything original or ground breaking, then, it remains engaging nonetheless.
Asterix & Obelix Slap Them All! 2 still isn’t the best example of the side-scrolling beat ’em genre, then, but it is undoubtedly an improvement on the original game. While Streets of Rage 4 can rest easy as the king of the genre, Slap Them All! 2 can provide hours of fun, especially for fans of the Gallic warriors. We’d certainly welcome a third adventure, anyhow, complete with further improvements.
Credit where credit’s due: considering this is made by just four brothers, Quantum Error aims high, which is admirable. The execution is simply not there, though. This is a game that simply tries to do too much, and as a result feels messy. If you’ve got a lot of patience and really like the idea of being a firefighter caught in a horrifying situation, you might get get something out of Quantum Error. Most, though, will just encounter frustration.
There’s no doubting that EA Sports UFC 5 is the best representation of the sport yet, with stellar visuals and realistic animations now powered by the Frostbite Engine. There are some brilliant new features here, too, the most impactful being the gruesome injury system. For some though, the changes from UFC 4 might not quite be enough to convince them that it’s worthy of a purchase. That is of course unless they’re won over by the idea of an actual online career mode. EA Sports UFC 5 isn’t a reinvention of the series for the current-generation of consoles, but it at least has some advancements that make it somewhat compelling.
Fans of RoboCop are likely to love Rogue City, though it’s also likely to prove appealing to those who simply like shooting up bad guys with reckless abandon. Dealing out violent justice as RoboCop rarely struggles to put a smile on your face – even if, at times, it threatens to become a tad repetitive. Throw in some light investigation and some moments of humour, and you have a game that makes effective use of a much-loved IP.
One of the best games of the year, Alan Wake 2 is utterly mesmerising and truly unique. It’s a work of art that blends videogame and film like never before.
It’s a shame that Ghostrunner 2 isn’t a little more polished, as its imperfections can frustrate a little at times, but this is still a mighty achievement for One More Level. It remains a challenging experience that’s not for the fainthearted, but it packs in more variety and depth, expanding the world of Ghostrunner to levels we never anticipated or thought possible. If you’re a fan of the original Ghostrunner this is an absolute must-have, but we reckon this is a good place for newcomers to jump in too. Although some might want to wait until a patch or two has landed, just to smooth over some of its rough edges.
With its wonderful pixel art and minimalist but atmospheric soundtrack, we’ve been pleasantly surprised with Full Void. We honestly launched it while waiting for another game to download, but then couldn’t pull ourselves away until it was over. Needless to say, while it’s quite short and relatively simple, it’s an experience you shouldn’t overlook during this absurdly busy period. Especially if you have a fondness for old-fashioned 2D platforming adventures.
Hellboy Web of Wyrd has a handful of issues that somewhat mar what is otherwise an intense and rewarding experience – but they don’t completely ruin it. Like many roguelites, the core gameplay can become repetitive over time, and there isn’t the widest selection of helpful perks and boons on offer, but at least the combat here is unique. Ultimately, fans of Hellboy are likely to just appreciate that they have a decent game based on one of their favourite comic book characters – though Web of Wyrd should also appeal to those who like third-person brawlers and roguelikes in general.
All in all, Hot Wheels Unleashed 2: Turbocharged isn’t all that different from its predecessor, but it is bigger and better in just about every way. A brand new range of environments and additional vehicle types help to keep things feeling relatively fresh. And new event types are also very much welcome. It’s the new moves at your disposal that really elevate the experience, though. Being able to jump has allowed Milestone to get even more creative when it comes to track design, and it also adds yet more depth – you have to think more about how to use your boost. This is a very worthy sequel, then. It’s just a shame you can’t carry over your vehicles from the first game.
It’s hard to write about – and indeed review – Marvel’s Spider-Man 2 without spoiling it. Just know that this takes everything from the previous games and improves on each aspect considerably. It looks nicer, plays better, and is packed with much more variety. It’s the story here that’s the biggest delight, though, filled with genuine surprises, heartfelt moments and epic scenes that will stick in your mind for a long time to come. Spider-Man is no stranger to adjectives such as “amazing” and “spectacular”, both of which can be applied to Marvel’s Spider-Man 2. More than just an accomplished sequel, it’s the best superhero game ever made.
With its stunning visuals and unique mechanics, Lords of the Fallen has quickly become one of our favourite Soulslikes. Its setting may be derivative, but it’s so well realised that you likely won’t care, especially when you’re switching between the worlds of the living and the dead, each with their own monstrosities to deal with and treasures to find. Hexworks has created something that genuinely feels like a successor to Dark Souls, leveraging the power of next-gen to push the genre forward. And so, put the mediocrity of the original Lords of the Fallen out of your mind: this may have the same name, but it stands head and shoulders above its predecessor in every single way.