Darryn Bonthuys's Reviews
It's shorter and familiar, but the first solo outing of Miles Morales in his own dedicated video game is nothing short of amazing. A follow-up to an already spectacular first game, Marvel's Spider-Man: Miles Morales improves on its core design with creative energy and attitude that sets it apart from the original. A brilliant first step on the PS5 and a final hurrah for the PS4, Marvels Spider-Man: Miles Morales is spectacular.
More than just a tech demo for the DualSense controller, Astro's Playroom is a stunning showcase for the PS5 and the very first game that you have to try out on the next-gen system. Fine-tuned for maximum haptic feedback fun, Astro's return is a marvel that celebrates the past and the future of the PlayStation.
It's both hilarious and serious, but Chicken Police is more than just 2020's weirdest game. Beneath the clucked-up surface is a genuinely engrossing story, amazingly developed characters, and a cast that brings them to life. With slick production values, this is one hard-boiled detective story with a unique flavour.
A saga for the ages, Assassin's Creed Valhalla is a breathtaking journey of discovery that has a cold charm to it. It is both serious and ludicrous in equal measure, an RPG that has added more than it has removed from its core experience while delivering a game that feels familiar and completely new at the same time. Skal!
Dirt 5 doesn't come screaming around the corner as a definitive next-gen spectacle, but it's still pure racing junk food with a confident swagger that I'm happy to gorge on any day of the week. It's a V8 hooligan with a devil may care attitude, familiar to wrap your thumbs around, and a fantastic distraction when you're looking to get some mud on your face.
Watch Dogs: Legion is a fascinating game, massively ambitious and crawling with technology that isn't just on the bleeding edge of what's possible, it's pure magic to see unfold. All of that may sound impressive but slick software and a bustling metropolis of people power can't hide the dull gameplay and shallow approach to the sandbox shenanigans of Watch Dogs: Legion. It's still a fascinating game to experience in short bursts, and it's going to be fascinating to see how Ubisoft evolves London to make it vox pop as a next-gen headliner.
There's a decent game at the very core of G.I. Joe: Operation Blackout , but it's buried underneath annoying controls, a bizarre focus on co-op play instead of multiplayer, and missions that feel like an endlessly repetitive grind. Still, it's dedicated to its source material and it has its moments, but it doesn't do much else to stand out from the pack. And now you know, because knowing is half the battle.
Airplane Mode is everything you'd expect from a well-crafted flight simulator where you're not in control: Boring, hopeless, and a dangerous invitation into the depths of your own unhinged psyche brought on by a high altitude prison that you paid to be incarcerated in. It's almost the end of the year, and I think I've just found the winner of the best horror game of 2020.
Hindered or enhanced by your imagination, Nintendo's latest mad project is still a well-designed and madly charming new entry in its beloved karting franchise.
Genshin Impact may be one of the biggest surprises of the year: A free-to-play RPG that gives players an absurd amount of freedom and content to dip into. Some barriers can still be found in the absurdly rare drop rates for premium characters and the world shows some growing pains, but you're still receiving a gorgeous fantasy world that doesn't press-gang you into spending money on it.
A madcap blast from the past, Neighbors back from Hell doesn't do anything to change its original formula, but the added spit 'n shine polish does give the fantastic pranking sandbox a new lease on life.
Torchlight 3 will scratch any basic RPG itch for adventure, loot, and fantasy, but even with a heckin' doggo sidekick at its side, it feels a bit too old-fashioned to stand out from the rest of the pack.
The Solitaire Conspiracy is one of this year's most surprisingly addictive games, a tense showdown amongst spies using nothing other than your own wits and a few card tricks up your sleeve to deliver a quick punch of strategy.
Mafia: Definitive Edition is a stunning recreation of a classic game, adding competent gameplay upgrades and a polished recreation of its plot. As solid as the overhaul may be though, it doesn't do much else to evolve the experience beyond the bare essentials. Not that you heard that from me, capisce?
WWE 2K Battlegrounds feels like a missed opportunity at the best of times. What could have been a mad breath of fresh air until WWE 2K22 comes along, is instead a boring grind that's all style and no real substance. Invasive microtransactions tarnish the few remaining bright spots of this game, barely allowing it be okayfabe.
If you've become disillusioned with modern-day Pokemon, then Nexomon is super effective at appealing to your nostalgia. It looks great, the price is stupidly low and while it may feel derivative at times, the quality on display with this capture 'em all experience is on par with Nintendo's top-tier offerings.
Gorgeous pixel art, a massively deep combat system, and the pure elation that can only be earned from vanquishing nigh-unstoppable foes makes for a solid package of fun in Star Renegades.
Marvel's Avengers is both a fantastic story and a dead-average grind for meaningless loot. When everything comes together, it's a brilliant power fantasy with heart and a true passion for its source material. Those moments are fleeting though, held back by a range of technical issues, shockingly sloppy design, and no solid idea of what kind of game it really wants to be. Some assembly, definitely required.
There's a fine line between a remake and a remaster, and Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 1+2 doesn't just expertly balance on it, It pops a 50-50 nose grind, rides that line with a devil may care attitude, and lands the trick perfectly. The biggest name in skateboarding is back, and better than ever.
Project Cars 3 will definitely have a place for those wanting a quick and easy racing game with a ton of customisation, cars, tracks and challenges. For more seasoned racing fans, or anyone looking for something even remotely different to what we have seen hundreds of times before, you will definitely need to look elsewhere.