Darryn Bonthuys's Reviews
Extinction is a fantastic idea buried in mediocrity. It's one trick is stunning for a short while, but quickly runs out of steam as repetition, flimsy combat and a glib story cuts it down to size.
If you were ever hesitant about jumping into Injustice 2 due to the fragmented nature of fighting games in the new age of content delivery, then rest assured: Injustice 2 is 2017's best fighting game made even better in 2018.
Telltale's second Batman season goes out with a bang, as it boldly reinvents the familiar in grand fashion while ensuring that players have an emotional and personal investment in the crazy twists dealt to them when the Joker runs wild.
Choice is the driving theme in Far Cry 5, a game which opts to venture out of its comfort zone while fine-tuning every aspect of what makes the series so great. It's incredibly relevant, Montana is a gorgeous slice of new terrain that is fraught with peril and the road ahead that Far Cry Arcade represents is exciting to say the least. Simply put, the fifth numbered chapter in Ubisoft's series of madness, freedom and exploration is Far Cry perfected.
TT Isle of Man: Ride On The Edge is a definitive race around a legendary and lethal track, one that captures the thrill and joy of two-wheeled power unleashed with a satisfying and strapping sense of speed. A pity then, that the rest of the supporting architecture doesn't measure up.
Wild, adequately beautiful and a reminder of what a real need for speed truly feels like. Burnout Paradise Remastered may not be essential for anyone who has already spent many an afternoon committing its many and shortcuts streets to memory, but as an example of how racing games can fuse euphoria and momentum into one packed package of V8 action? It's the original benchmark that hasn't a single ounce of torque.
Tesla vs Lovecraft doesn't reinvent the twin-stick shooter wheel, but it does refine and perfect the formula of what makes that genre tick thanks to its suitably meaty action, vibrant visuals and a perk system that is deeper than the sunken city of R'Lyeh.
It may have the blandest visuals on the block and its multiplayer offerings are currently in shambles, but Gravel is still brimming with attitude and excellence. No-frills racing to the extreme, Gravel is a nostalgic road trip that excites, thrills and charms when its given a chance to rev its engine.
A best of everything collection, Evoland II takes a lengthy stroll down memory lane and offers something for everyone with its various nods to the past.
Metal Gear Survive is a good idea that finds itself crippled by an overwhelming mob of bad ideas. It's interesting but ultimately handicapped by a ruthless application of unnecessarily brutal constraints that serves to diminish what should have been a fascinating spin-off.
A solid and dedicated start right out of the gate, Monster Energy Supercross struggles to maintain its momentum across the entire race as technical issues and a bland road to Supercross glory hamper its progress.
If you've got a need for speed and plenty of death through trial and error, then Remnants of Naezith will easily scratch that itch with its mix of platforming and finding the perfect path through its numerous deathtraps.
Quick on the attack and heavy on style, Under Night In-Birth Exe:Late[st] is a fighting game that requires an equal mix of brawn and brain to survive its unique take on all-or-nothing fisticuffs.
The line between hero and villain is further blurred in Telltale's latest Batman episode, as a world of half-truths and lies comes crashing down on players in the most unexpected of ways.
The definitive Dragon Ball fighting game, bar none. Arc System Works have created a game which walks across many a fine line, blending style with substance and accessibility with reverence for the source material. It's wild, it rocks my dragon and it sets a benchmark for the series that proudly enters the domain of fight game gods.
Clocks and glocks all come together in a game that makes the most of its signature idea, as Time Recoil adds a new twist to the twin-stick shooter genre with its chronal-stretching gameplay.
Challenging, quick on the draw and leaning heavy on the action component, Fallen Legion+ may be unnecessarily frantic at times but it still packs in two interesting stories to great effect. A complete edition that falls just a little bit flat of truly realising its potential, Fallen Legion+ is still an ambitious title with plenty of charm.
Crimsonland has always been a book that you can judge by its cover: A loud and silly twin-stick shooter that throws buckets of enemies at you as you fend them off. Not the most complex game ever devised, it's still a firm slice of action that's perfect for killing aliens and time.
It may have a sparse selection of tables on the Nintendo Switch and visuals that looked more jagged than the inside of a shark's mouth, but Zen's Pinball FX3 is a magical replication of the joy of pinball thanks to some savvy use of the Switch hardware that'll delight any pinhead on the go.
Destiny 2's first substantial piece of DLC may look pretty, but it's a surface fix that misses the mark on truly pushing the series forward.