John Whitehouse
Lichtspeer is a fun distraction from the current avalanche of triple-A fall titles; one that you will be able to dip in and out of as you please, thanks to its simplistic gameplay and control mechanics. Never demanding a huge investment from the player, but rewarding them if they put the time in.
Firewatch is a perfect example of a game that has something to say. You may not like the story it tells, and you may not feel totally satisfied with the outcome; but when the story is told in such a well crafted manner it doesn't really matter. Anyone who appreciates a good mystery will definitely get something out of Firewatch; just don't let your mind race to much, as you may end up feeling a little let down.
Not knowing what to expect with Filthy Lucre and also having some trouble with the game in the first hour caused me to write this game off when I first fired it up. However, after a little play time it turns out that this game isn’t so filthy at all. Filled with cockney rhyming slang and cheeky chappies, Filthy Lucre could be a nice little distraction from all of these big triple-A games that are currently banging on our doors. However, I still don’t know what a Filthy Lucre is!
The Tomorrow Children gave me no real incentive to continue playing it. With no end game and very slow mechanics due to the game's reliance on microtransactions it feels like nothing more than a cash grab
An uninspiring story, bugs and performance issues and frustrating gameplay makes Shiny a game I just cannot recommend for anyone.
All in all, Obliteracers feels like a missed opportunity. There are some great ideas buried here. But missteps with the gameplay mechanics means that this game is likely to fall behind the pack when it comes to action racing games.
Although F1 2016 won’t be for everyone, it is a testament to Codemasters’ love of the genre and their commitment to their fans. Taking lessons learned from previous games and applying their expertise, Codemasters has created an almost perfect simulation of the greatest racing competition on earth.
All I can say is that if you love Uno, you’ll love this.
10 Second Ninja is certainly well designed from a gameplay standpoint, but misses out on being great through the shear difficulty of it. But if you enjoy a real tough challenge, and if your reflexes are sharper than mine, then it might be worth a shot.
I Am Setsuna desperately tries to pull us back in time, but just feels old and worn out, no matter how good the fresh new lick of paint looks.
Dex just never stood out enough for me. The generic and clichéd story left me cold, and the technical issues made the game hard to like. However, it is worth noting that the various performance issues I encountered on the Xbox One were not present on the PC version. So if you feel like you need to check Dex out and have the ability to do so, get it on PC. It doesn’t differ much in general, but at least it will be slightly more pleasant to play.
It's a shame that Monochroma ended up this way, as there are sparks of brilliance buried within. There is a real quality to the sound and level design, which really add to the atmosphere and the puzzles could have been challenging with a little extra work. But the poor controls and the frequent frame-rate issues hamper this puzzle platformer.
Tokyo Mirage Sessions #FE isn’t just a side note in the Persona series; it is an evolution of it by taking many of the systems that people are familiar with, but enhancing them and making them more fun to use and develop. It is a master class in JRPG making, and one of the best games in the genre that I have play in a long time. Well, probably since Persona 4 Golden!
All in all, Image & Form have once again knocked it out of the park with Steamworld Heist. Fun, addictive and comical, it has everything in needs to become another success for the Icelandic studio.
While One Piece: Burning Blood may look pretty, offer some nice content and a bizarre cast (including a cross dressing pirate based on Rocky Horror Picture Show's Frank N Furter), it wasn't enough to keep me interested. I can't even imagine fans of the anime would get much out of this release, especially as this is just the latest entry in a long line of games based on this franchise.
Despite having one of the most generic titles I’ve heard in a while, Neon Chrome has a lot going for it – a solid rogue-like, with plenty of upgrade options and exciting action. It’s such a shame that the HUD issue put a dampener on things. As it stands, I would have to recommend waiting on this until a patch it released to address the semi game breaking bug.
Rocketbirds 2: Evolution was a fantastic surprise for me. Having never touched the first game (even though I owned it through PS+), I had no idea what to expect. In the end what I got was a mostly solid single player campaign, with a co-op mode that could have me coming back for ages.
Koi isn’t a bad game. It just lacks content and a level of polish found in even the smallest of indie games these days.
Avoid this game like a well used litter tray; it’s more of a dog than a cat!
Everything about Assault Android Cactus feels perfect. From the controls and gameplay to sound and design. All lovingly crafted by Witchbeam, a development team of just three guys. It may have taken a while to get to the PS4, but I can now see why. Slick menu design, challenging gameplay and genuinely funny characters all add up to a create one of the best games I've played in a while. Whether it's for a full on playing session, or just to kill time for 20 minutes, Assault Android Cactus has you covered.