Geoffrey Tim's Reviews
With improved visuals, accessibility, more content and a newly invigorated Battle Mode, Nintendo has demonstrated a masterclass in spiffing up an older game - giving us Mario Kart at its very best.
Little Nightmares is grotesque, creepy, and unnerving – but it's also beautiful. It's an odd juxtaposition, but one that carries on through the game. For every bit of ominous ambience, there's something to marvel at. It succeeds in its goal of evoking child-like fears, with a lingering, pervasive sense of terror that wrenches your gut.
Mass Effect Andromeda is a fresh start – but in borrowing liberally from the first game it’s made many of the same mistakes. In spite of them, it’s an exciting space adventure that delivers everything that’s become important to Mass Effect: Great characters, fun exploration and a climactic tale of good vs evil.
There's not really very much to say about Super Bomberman R. It's the Bomberman you've come to know and love, which counts very much against its favour once you factor in its cost. It's no doubt fun, especially in multiplayer, but that fleeting fun is expensive.
1,2 Switch is an interesting, occasionally fun primer to the Switch's controllers. Had it been packed in, 1,2 Switch would have garnered its fair share of converts - but with its lack of depth and its frankly ludicrous price, it’s just not worth investing in.
The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild is, without a doubt, a masterpiece. Its few minor faults do little to detract from one of the very best games ever made.
Mario’s foray in to the sporting world has had its ups and down; soaring highs and disheartening lows. This? This is just middling, a mediocre package unlikely win the multifaceted Mario new fans.
As an origin story, Yakuza 0 is a perfect starting point for series newcomers, and a wonderful look in to the past for those already familiar with Yakuza. While its combat can become a slog, soaking up the sights and sounds of a 1980s Tokyo criminal underground is enchanting.
It’s hardly revolutionary, but there’s something compelling about Lethal VR. Its guns pack a weighty punch, its challenges are broad and varied, and its scoring mechanic compels you to take just one more turn.
Thanks to obtuse controls and horrible tracking, Surgeon Simulator’s move to VR is an unfortunately frustrating, perpetually unfun experience.
Thanks to obtuse controls and horrible tracking, Surgeon Simulator’s move to VR is an unfortunately frustrating, perpetually unfun experience.
Zen Studios are masters of what they do, and if you enjoy digital pinball then Pinball FX2 in VR is revelatory. One of the best VR experiences available, this the closest you’ll get to playing pinball without standing in front of a real table.
EVE: Valkyrie is a delight to play, with tight and accessible controls. It’s the space-bound dogfighting dream you’ve always wanted, but a lack of single player content and some nasty microtransactions take the shine out of it all.
It’s a perfect showcase for the potential of VR to deliver powerful experience, even if it is criminally lacking in content. Rocksteady’s previous Arkham games let you understand what it might be like to be the Dark Knight, this really makes you feel like you are Batman.
Nintendo and HAL labs could easily have just made the same game with more puzzles, and nobody would have been upset by that. Instead they’ve upped the complexity, creating a damned near perfect sequel - and something genuinely unmissable for fans of logic puzzles.
Rush of Blood has employs an overbearing use of rote horror imagery, but its immediacy in VR makes it an effective horror game. Brevity aside Rush of Blood is a PlayStation VR game that you want to own, because it’s one of the best games to demo the PlayStation VR with.
PlayStation VR Worlds is a decent collection of demos that you probably want to own as they’re an excellent way to show off VR. It’s such a pity that these experiences, as much potential as they show, are too brief to be worthwhile.
Dishonored 2's story beats are perhaps a little too familair, but it makes up for its narrative trappings with open-ended gameplay that rewards exploration and creativity. To call Dishonored 2 a stealth game is a bit of a disservice, because you can play it any way you like.
Titanfall 2 is a far more “complete” package then that the first game was, offering one of the best single player campaigns in first person shooter, and a robust and cleverly nuanced multiplayer. It's everything the first game should have been.
Fire and Ice just isn't a good game. While its platforming may be mechanically sound, the game just tries to do too much - and fails at most of it. If you're looking for a return to form for Sonic the Hedgehog, Fire and Ice unfortunately isn't it.