Peter Taylor's Reviews
Veterans of the genre may find many of the puzzles straightforward but it's worth picking up if you haven't already.
Stellaris is a game that begs you to explore but with erratic sector AI and trait conflicting win conditions it is a confusing and at times unexciting game to play.
This isn't an instant classic, but fans of the series will no doubt enjoy stepping into Drummer's shoes in her time before the show. It's an assured first outing for a studio brought back from the dead and will no doubt give confidence to the studio and fans alike.
We're one episode away from completing Telltale Games' first game back since its death and rebirth. It's woven an intriguing story that I'm keen on completing; let's just hope they'll stick the landing.
A strong opening for Telltale games in its first game back since its rebirth. They've chosen a strong IP in The Expanse to kick things off with and hopefully the future episodes will build upon the strong foundation episode one has made.
Company of Heroes 3 can be an enjoyable romp when you're not dealing with ability overload. Whilst a cookie cutter approach is taken to some missions, the dynamism and the tactical pause system really makes your campaign one of your own making.
When you break it down, Respawn has delivered another great Star Wars game with a story that has surprising depth to it. Unfortunately, graphical and stability issues plagued its launch with some still existing despite a few post-launch patches.
Some fundamental issues in the swing mechanics mean that PGA Tour 2K23 ends up in the light rough to the side of the fairway. Hopefully, HB Studios can rescue the hole with a recovery shot to the fairway and time will tell if they're able to make par.
F1 Manager 2022 is a commendable entry into the management sim arena. It provides a solid footing from which to build future entries with plenty of scope for future features. Frontier Developments can be proud of what they've achieved and will hopefully build on this year's version's solid start.
In a gaming landscape where everything has to be big, bold and brash, Sable stands out as a calm escape from the norm. Its relaxing, low-fi approach with an equally soothing soundtrack will be the perfect escape for those who wish to just kick back, relax and explore.
It's the different approach to Days Gone's storytelling that sets it apart from most other open world games. Despite this, the elongated storyline can make some parts feel like a slog but even so it's very much worth your time to experience it.
Codemasters has managed to inject new purpose into the arcade brethren of their DIRT Rally series. With some fun, community-focused game modes DIRT 5 could be great. It is, however, let down by a lacklustre handling model and mostly non-existent force feedback.
When the stars align, racing in Assetto Corsa Competizione is absolutely fantastic. It is, however, marred by some questionable omissions in its configurable options, issues with some of the most popular wheels and pedals on the market, and public lobbies that aren't currently available to all regions. It can, and should, be better.
AO Tennis 2 is this generation's Top Spin 4. It takes over a baton that has been carried through mis-steps and let-downs as tennis fans young and old finally have a game worth their time and effort. It's not perfect by any stretch but up against the competition and its predecessor it stands head-and-shoulders above them.
WRC 8 has laid a great foundation to build on for KT Racing. Whilst it doesn't quite topple Dirt as the king of rally simulations it should give Codemasters something to worry about. Whilst the lack of online lobbies is a concern its in single-player that WRC 8 really shines.
Snooker 19 has its shortcomings but none of them take enough away from making it a must for any avid snooker fan wishing to dream of making an appearance at the Crucible. Lab42 has started the frame off strongly and hopefully this is the start of a bright, snooker-filled future.
Hitman HD Enhanced collection bring back one of the series' stellar entries in Hitman: Blood Money and to some, its polar opposite, in Hitman: Absolution. The pack is a great pick up if you're new to the series but some rose-tinted glasses are required for those who've played them before.
Dirt Rally 2.0 is a very competent rally simulator when viewed in isolation. However, when compared to its predecessor and its vastly superior force feedback implementation it loses its allure.
Ride 3 pushes the series ever onwards and whilst it's mostly unremarkable it should be lauded for providing bike enthusiasts the world over with their Forza equivalent.
Cities Skylines: Switch Edition is a serviceable city builder for Nintendo's portable wonder. However its graphical sluggishness, imprecise controls and lack of scenarios to complete dampens things somewhat.