Liam Croft
Sprint Vector is a game that needs to be experienced by every PlayStation VR headset owner. The unparalleled sense of speed created by your Stride is one of the greatest feelings in virtual reality, and then combining it with the more advanced techniques on offer gives you a huge amount of depth to explore and master. Flying through the air is incredible, scaling a wall is thrilling, and using all of that momentum to launch yourself to the chequered flag is exhilarating. There's nothing else quite like Sprint Vector in virtual reality right now, and so this is one you absolutely need to experience for yourself.
If you think you'd get a lot out of the referential humour found in The Darkside Detective, you're in for a treat. Its simple gameplay will complement the jokes, the pixelated look continues to impress, and the auditory experience on offer is up there with the best. It's a shame then that if you're more of a millennial, then much of this will be lost on you. The puns and pranks will fly over your head, and in that situation, you're left with the basic gameplay loop that doesn't really do enough to satisfy on its own. In essence, it's only really a choice you alone can make. If you think you'll vibe with TDD is going for then you're in for a good time, but if not, you're almost certainly best left looking elsewhere.
Mad Carnage has a few things going for it in the form of its movement mechanics and the comic strip-led story sections, but they're packaged together with an experience that doesn't do them justice. Everything else is far too basic, and thus it fails at building a cohesive experience that we could recommend.
The nature of Fantasy Hero ~unsigned legacy~'s mission based structure lends itself well to the pick up and play style of Nintendo Switch, but there's nowhere near enough compelling content here to make it worth your time. A dull plot filled to the brim with typical JRPG tropes fails to give you much of an incentive to progress, while the combat itself is far too basic and at times punishingly difficult. This may have been a passable experience upon its original release, but in 2018, this port has little to offer.
Tennis is so lacklustre in every single department that we're honestly baffled this managed to get a full release. The modes on offer are incredibly basic, the characters are dire, and the lack of any sort of progression through the game means there's absolutely nothing to keep you going. The Joy-Con controls are a very small highlight, but Tennis is one we'll want to forget in a hurry.
Super One More Jump absolutely nails its platforming mechanics that when combined with the huge variety in the obstacles you must overcome, creates an experience that's incredibly enjoyable, rewarding, and tough as nails. Soundtrack disappointment aside, this 2D platformer is well worth your time.
InnerSpace feels like it rewards players more as a relaxation tool than as a game that grows and evolves through core progress. Indeed, its story is stimulating, the gameplay itself is serviceable, and the presentation is mesmerising, but it just feels a little too lacking as a full package. InnerSpace is worth a look if you find yourself intrigued, but be prepared for an experience that doesn't quite feel fully realised.
There's an enjoyable core gameplay loop at the heart of nDreams' latest VR outing, but there simply isn't enough content here to allow you to delve any deeper than the surface level. We certainly had fun with Shooty Fruity, but with only enough levels to support four hours of fun, you may want to look a bit more upmarket with your next grocery shop.
We really wanted to like Black Mirror more than we did, but a few too many technical hitches put a cap on our enjoyment. This mystery is absolutely one worth solving thanks to the captivating plot and engaging characters, but be prepared to wrestle with poor controls, glitches, and frequent load times.
With a huge web of choices to make and an enjoyable competitive mode to boot, there's a lot to like in this crime analysis. Hidden Agenda proves that the PlayLink initiative can be taken advantage of in more than just casual party games, but this particular outing doesn't quite realise its full potential. This investigation is absolutely one worth experiencing, but one too many caveats with the app itself holds things back from greatness.
Star Wars Battlefront 2's saving grace is its multiplayer. A strong offering provides you with a number of ways to play and a variety of locations to battle on, and if it manages to stick to a level playing field once the infamous microtransactions are added back into the game, it's an experience we'll continue to return to. But this is not enough to excuse the abysmal campaign. Any uniqueness dissipates all too quickly, and what follows is a boring set of missions that often feel misguided and unrealistic.
League of War: VR Arena does exactly what it says on the tin. It provides you with a basic strategy experience that remains fun for a few hours, but as you realise that the game won't be introducing any sort of innovation or new mechanics to mess around with, repetition sets in fast.
Oure is a masterclass in how not to follow up on the success of Abzu and Journey. A seemingly interesting set-up quickly disappears, repetitive and frustrating gameplay dampens the experience further, and the abysmal controls make every second spent playing a depressing chore.
PixelJunk VR Dead Hungry offers a fun combination of zombie curing and food management to create an enjoyable VR experience. Unfortunately, the lack of gameplay variety means that the repetitious nature of the game sets in a little too quickly resulting in anything past the few hours feeling like too much of a slog.
The PlayStation 4 version of Resident Evil: Revelations is the definitive version, but that doesn't carry as much weight as it would have a few years ago. We do think the campaign is still worth a playthrough, but with clunky controls, a graphical presentation that's showing its age, and an inferior raid mode, it's hard to recommend a voyage on this ship to anyone but newcomers.
Who would have thought it? Knack 2 is a genuinely great game. The huge breadth of combat options on offer make for a far better experience than anything the initial outing could ever offer, and with a much bigger focus on platforming, the title can start to lay claim to the promises of a Crash Bandicoot successor. Even if you were completely turned off by the original adventure, make sure you give Knack 2 a fair shot because what you find may pleasantly surprise you.
White Day: A Labyrinth Named School may not be the king of fear and terror anymore, but it could still be a worthwhile experience for horror fanatics. This blast from the past certainly brings with it a lot of baggage such as the clunky puzzles and glitchy AI, but it has enough intrigue to it that we're still left pondering its story and themes long after the credits rolled. White Day is most definitely not a remake for everyone, but those wanting to take a trip down memory lane may leave somewhat satisfied.
SwapQuest is a fun little title that successfully blurs the lines between RPG and the puzzler Pipe Dream. While it does have some drawbacks, its addictive gameplay remains entertaining throughout, which really comes into its own in the final few hours. There's nothing groundbreaking here, but what SwapQuest can provide you with is an enjoyable distraction on a quiet summer's day.
ChromaGun is a title that nails its core concept, but fluffs its lines in a few too many other areas. The colour-based puzzles brought to the table are a joy to solve with the surprising amount of depth mixing things up enough to never make you feel like you've seen the same brain-teaser twice. However, the punishment for failing a puzzle feels far too harsh at times and coupled with the constant load times, an air of frustration can set in.
Super Cloudbuilt is a pleasant surprise that manages to impress on a number of fronts. Its parkour action is intense, enjoyable, and encourages creative play. The story is deep, surprising, and one that could have a major impact on those who can relate to Demi's plight. And finally the base art style is beautiful, which is only further bettered by the surprising amount of options you have in this area. Super Cloudbuilt is an incredibly fun game, and during these quieter summer months it's not one to miss out on.