Jon Scarr's Reviews
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Shredder’s Revenge delivers fast-paced, arcade-style action with a retro feel. The game combines clean pixel art, smooth animations, and a catchy soundtrack. You can enjoy it by yourself or team up with friends for chaotic multiplayer fun. It’s a great mix of nostalgia and modern gameplay that fans and newcomers will enjoy.
Sifu combines precise martial arts combat with a clever aging system, creating a unique beat ’em up experience. Its tough but fair difficulty rewards careful strategy and skill. Sifu’s clean visuals, smooth animation, and immersive soundtrack complement its fast-paced action. If you enjoy challenging combat and learning from your mistakes, Sifu is right for you.
Streets of Rage 4 brings the classic beat ’em up series back with modern graphics and gameplay. You must fight to save the city from going corrupt. The game features smooth combat, a variety of characters, and enjoyable multiplayer options. With its beautiful hand-drawn visuals and a catchy soundtrack, Streets of Rage 4 is a great mix of nostalgia and fresh excitement.
G.I. Joe: Wrath of Cobra is a trip down memory lane for for 80s G.I. Joe fans with familiar characters and locations in a beat-em-up style game. You can choose from 4 G.I. Joe heroes each with their own abilities as you fight through levels full of Cobra bad guys. The game captures the heart of the franchise with bright graphics and music but the gameplay can get repetitive and some combat mechanics are frustrating. Still, Wrath of Cobra is a fun and budget friendly ride for G.I. Joe fans.
EA Sports FC 25 is a mix of familiar gameplay and new features. The best new addition to this year’s game is Rush mode. It offers fast-paced five-a-side matches that are fun and easy to play. The game also introduces improved tactics, allowing you to customize your team more effectively. While the graphics and animations look great, slow menus and some online balance issues are frustrating. Overall, FC 25 is a solid game that offers something for both casual players and hardcore fans.
Wargroove 2 is a fun sequel that expands on the original game’s charm and strategy. You can explore three different campaigns filled with quirky characters and tactical challenges. The new Conquest mode adds variety with roguelike elements, keeping gameplay fresh and exciting. While it has a steep difficulty curve and long missions, the colourful pixel art and multiplayer options make it a great choice for strategy fans.
Fort Solis features beautiful visuals and impressive voice acting, making it a treat to experience. However, the game suffers from painfully slow walking speeds and frustrating backtracking. While the story has potential, it feels rushed and lacks urgency, especially towards the end. Overall, it’s an interesting attempt at storytelling, but it may not satisfy everyone looking for a traditional gaming experience.
Test Drive Unlimited Solar Crown brings back a classic racing franchise, but it has its fair share of problems. The game features a detailed version of Hong Kong Island, giving you a large map packed with events and hidden gems to explore. Although racing and customizing cars can be enjoyable, Solar Crown’s many bugs and performance issues put a big damper on your fun. Despite these issues, the solid racing mechanics and the chance to play with others through clans add some excitement, though the game would benefit from having more players to really make it worth while.
God of War Ragnarök continues the story of Kratos and Atreus, diving deeper into their relationship and Norse mythology. The game features intense combat, exploration, and clever puzzles that require teamwork between father and son. With beautiful visuals, excellent voice acting and a gripping story, God of War Ragnarök is a must-play for both new players and series veterans.
XIII is a remake of the 2003 classic shooter that brings back its unique comic book style. You play as a man with amnesia, uncovering a conspiracy. While the game has solid action and stealth options, it suffers from outdated graphics, uneven pacing, and clunky controls. Fans of the original may enjoy the nostalgia, but others might find the flaws hard to overlook.
Dead Rising Deluxe Remaster revives the classic zombie survival game with updated graphics and gameplay. As photojournalist Frank West, trapped in a mall during a zombie outbreak, you have 72 hours to complete missions or rescue survivors. With improved controls and a cleaner interface, this remaster respects the original while making it more enjoyable for both new and returning players.
Frostpunk 2 takes the ideas of survival and city building from the first game and adds new political and social elements. You’ll need to manage tricky relationships with different factions, making hard decisions that impact how your city develops. The game uses the Unreal Engine 5, making the game feel even more immersive. However, the steep learning curve might make it tough for new players to get started.
The Plucky Squire is a charming action-adventure game that combines 2D and 3D gameplay in a unique way. You play as Jot, making your way through a storybook world, solving clever puzzles and battling enemies. The game features beautiful visuals and a lighthearted story that appeals to all ages. While it may be on the easier side, its creativity and fun mechanics make it a delightful and enjoyable experience that I highly recommend.
Lollipop Chainsaw RePOP aims to recapture the fun of the original game but falls short in several areas. Some gameplay elements feel outdated, with repetitive stages and lackluster boss fights. The visuals have improved, but issues like inconsistent textures and bugs, such as character models vibrating or freezing, detract from the experience. While RePOP offers laughs and a quirky style, you are best to wait for an update to be released to fix these issues before diving in.
Funko Fusion combines popular franchises into a colourful adventure featuring Funko Pop figures. You set out on a quest to retrieve Freddy Funko’s stolen crown pieces across various themed worlds. While the game offers enjoyable exploration and charming visuals, it suffers from repetitive combat and technical issues, such as bugs and mission design flaws. Despite these shortcomings, there is potential for improvement through updates, making it a worthwhile experience for fans of the franchises involved.
NBA 2K25 introduces exciting gameplay changes, particularly with the new ProPLAY technology that enhances player dynamics. The graphics are impressive, featuring realistic player models and improved lighting, although the game presentation can feel a bit stale. There are plenty of game modes to explore, including the revamped MyCareer and the new Steph Era in MyNBA. Online play can be sluggish, and the constant prompts for microtransactions may frustrate some players. Overall, NBA 2K25 is a slam dunk for fans, but it may not be perfect for everyone.
Black Myth: Wukong is an action RPG where you play as Sun Wukong, the legendary Monkey King. The game features stunning graphics and dynamic combat, immersing you in a world inspired by the classic Chinese novel Journey to the West. As you explore beautifully designed environments, you face mythical creatures and challenging bosses while regaining your lost powers. With its unique transformation mechanics and intriguing story, Black Myth: Wukong is a game that should at the top of your list to play.
Sniper Ghost Warrior Contracts delivers enjoyable gameplay with a focus on tactical planning and execution. You can approach each mission in multiple ways, which keeps the game fresh and interesting. While the visuals are decent, some character animations feel a little stiff. Overall, the game offers good value for fans of tactical shooters, despite a few minor flaws.
Squirrel with a Gun is a fun and quirky game that combines platforming and shooting mechanics. You play as a squirrel armed with various weapons, creating chaos. Although the game has some technical issues, like a tricky camera and loose controls, it still has smart puzzles and enjoyable gameplay. In the end, it’s a lighthearted experience that gives you lots of laughs and memorable moments.
The Castlevania Dominus Collection features three fan-favourite Nintendo DS games: Dawn of Sorrow, Portrait of Ruin, and Order of Ecclesia. It also includes a revamped version of the arcade game Haunted Castle. This collection enhances the original games with sharper graphics, sound options, and additional features like art galleries. You can even switch between regional versions of the games, adding variety to their gameplay. The Castlevania Dominus Collection is a must-have for anyone who enjoys the Castlevania franchise.