VGC's Reviews
Mario & Luigi Brothership is a triumphant return for the series, maintaining the spirit and action-oriented platforming of its predecessors, coupled with fantastic exploration and satisfying battle mechanics.
Slitterhead isn't very good, but it is very interesting. In an age of remakes, sequels and safe bets, it's heart-warming to see something that's so clearly such a singular vision. We're disappointed that vision is sold short by basic combat and a focus on the game's ugly characters, but we're glad it exists and would welcome more attempts like it.
Dragon Age: The Veilguard feels like BioWare playing it too safe. While it nails what it does best, like the excellent cast and interpersonal relationships, from a gameplay perspective it feels out of date.
Sonic X Shadows Generations delivers a sturdy one-two punch of fan service, providing a solid remaster of a 2011 favourite and coupling it with a new game starring a fan favourite. The usual 3D Sonic platforming issues remain and the Shadow Generations open-world hub may annoy those who disliked Sonic Frontiers but overall it's a brilliant package.
Jamboree is one of the best Mario Party games to date, due to the sheer number of modes available and their general high quality. It still hasn't managed to shake some of the core issues of the series (especially when it comes to balancing the game for younger and less experienced players) but judged against previous entries it stands out as a top offering.
Metaphor: ReFantazio could have so easily been Persona with the names filed off, but it's so, so much more than that. It matches fun, expansive combat with an excellent cast of characters that make the near 100-hour journey an unforgettable one.
Silent Hill 2 is a skilfully handled retelling of one of the medium's most loved survival horror games. It stays faithful to the original (to a fault at times) but breathes enough new life into it to simultaneously ensure that long-time fans will appreciate the respect shown, while newcomers won't find it antiquated.
EA Sports FC 25 makes smart choices so that the time you're spending in the game feels much more worthwhile. Rush is the best addition in years, and hopefully indicative of the future of the franchise.
Despite some ambitious ideas, beneath the surface Echoes of Wisdom is surprisingly uneven Zelda adventure. Few of its headline mechanics are utilised to their potential which means that, while enjoyable and charming, it ultimately feels less essential than other modern 2D entries.
Dead Rising is still heaps of daft, gory fun, and the Deluxe Remaster is an excellent excuse to catch up with Frank. Almost every change that's been made to the new release is for the better, and while it won't blow your socks off like Capcom's other revisited classic, we're more than happy to spend another 72 hours with Mr West. He's covered wars, you know.
Astro Bot isn't simply an enjoyable platformer with some nostalgia tying it together; it's a generationally impressive entry in the genre that understands PlayStation at an atomic level. The sheer level of joy the game produces makes it impossible to compare it to anything other than Mario's very best adventure. Astro is no longer a vector through which to reference PlayStation icons; he is a PlayStation icon.
Star Wars Outlaws is a pulpy, Uncharted-style adventure that doesn't quite fulfil its potential. Kay and Nix lead a great cast through a well-paced, punchy story, but the game's Reputation system, and syndacite storyline in general feels undercooked.
As a whole, Final Fantasy XIV: Dawntrail is a stronger start to the next ten years of the game than we expected. But that doesn't make it immune to key criticisms. The game has come a long way, and there's only so much you can expect to change again without a full-blown sequel. Even still, the highs and lows felt too much like a literal rollercoaster over the 2+ weeks of evenings it took to power through its story content.
For retro enthusiasts with access to likeminded friends and family, this Switch challenge collection is a genuine local multiplayer hit. For solo players and those looking to compete with others online, however, it’s a far less impressive package.
As the first entirely new Monkey Ball game in 12 years, fans of the series will at least be happy to have a selection of new stages to play through. Performance issues and a relatively sparse multiplayer offering prevent it from being considered among the best the series has to offer, however.
XDefiant is a confident shooter that's far more than a Call of Duty knockoff. The Tom Clancyverse crossovers are somewhat cringey, but if Ubisoft doubles down on the great gameplay, and the weird faction warfare, we'll keep coming back for months to come.
Alongside last year’s excellent Super Mario RPG remake, The Thousand-Year Door is one of the very best Mario spin-offs on Nintendo Switch, whether you’re an old fan or discovering it for the first time.
Charming yet challenging, Paper Trail is a beautifully designed game that will have you perplexed by its page-folding puzzles. A generous hint system ensures players won't get so stuck that they get frustrated, while collecting all the origami is a task that will likely turn even the most ardent puzzle fan's brain to pulp.
Endless Ocean's procedural generation keeps its exploration engaging enough for a while, but its Story mode is poor. As long as you're willing to forgo plot (and any meaningful interaction with the species you encounter) in favour of exploring random underwater environments, there's still a good deal of fun to be had here.
For those who wished that God of War Ragnarok offered a bit more challenge or that Bayonetta had a bit more weight to its combat, this slick sci-fi slasher is the perfect tonic, offering both the perfect entry point into the Souls-like genre and a refreshing refinement of the well-worn character action formula. It may lack the naval gazing intelligence of the excellent Nier Automata, but when you’re having this much fun, it’s hard to care.