Darryn Bonthuys's Reviews
Flashy, brutal and deeper than you'd expect. Killer Instinct is back baby.
Bayonetta 2 is something new blended with something familiar, improved in every way possible. Few other games can top it for sheer audacity and ballsiness, and if this is the last time we'll ever see the leggy witch, then she's going out with one hell of a bang.
So what kind of a game is the Pre-Sequel then? If you said 'more Borderlands', you wouldn't be far off. But it is a Borderlands game that feels revitalised thanks to the new gameplay mechanics, enemies, humour and weapons. It plays out like a massive expansion pack, one filled to the brim with more secrets, ideas and a familiar gear-grind for better loot. And more Borderlands is actually a fun idea after all.
Massive, complete and nostalgic, Halo: The Master Chief Collection isn't just a greatest hits collection. It's a legacy that paves the way for what's still to come.
Pinball FX2's take on the popular South Park brand is a smorgasbord of fan service. Neither table is an essential buy if you're a pinball wizard, but they're competent enough to at least give you a decent chuckle for your buck.
The reality of war, hammered home through stark visuals and tight resource management, in a game where just surviving another day is winning.
Lego Batman 3 is much of the same, but so much of it. A slow start quickly gives way to an entire universe worth of content that borders on the obscene. It's tried and trusted gameplay, but it certainly is time for the studio to get working on a new Lego experience.
Far more than a simple remake, Pokémon Omega Ruby and Alpha Sapphire returns players to the past, with all the new bells and whistles intact in this latest installment.
WWE 2K15 is a slick product, but on closer examination it hides numerous problems and flaws. It's the game of tomorrow with the problems of yesteryear, a transitional game between platforms that feels like very little care has gone into crafting the ultimate simulation in sports entertainment. And that's the bottom line.
Beneath the frustrating design decisions and pacing issues, there's a solid game to be played in Citizens Of Earth. It's a game that wears its Earthbound influence proudly, dipping into a well of nostalgia. It's going to have a term in office that is highlighted by grinding gameplay and oddball structure, but dammit, it's hard to not love the charm that Citizens Of Earth oozes.
Neither heavenly nor hellish, Saints Row: Gat Out Of Hell is an average standalone that is firmly stuck in Limbo.
Dragon Ball Z is off to a solid start this generation, with XenoVerse. There's still plenty of room for improvement, but fans are going to find plenty to love with the latest chapter in this long-running saga that tells the same story but with a different spin.
Surprisingly deep enough, flashy and cathartic, Screamride is its own roller-coaster beast, even if it is uneven at times. But thrill-seeking fans will be in for a treat with a game that will have your buttocks firmly clenched with vertigo-inducing action.
It's Far Cry 4 simplified into a four hour experience of looting, exploring, climbing and injecting exotic herbs into your bloodstream all over again, in one short and sweet DLC expansion.
Ori and the Blind Forest doesn't add anything new to the genre of gaming that it was inspired by, but few other games can match the polished gameplay and humbling difficulty of this charming little fella.
Devoid of any real personality, Battlefield: Hardline's single-player campaign is cheesier than an 80's pick-up line. It is however saved by a superb multiplayer that is both solid and entertaining.
It's pure Borderlands, with more than enough content to keep you going for some time. It's just a pity that the Handsome Collection didn't receive the technical love that the franchise clearly deserved as it jumped onto newer platforms.
Gloriously gory, rich in kontent and featuring a robust selection of characters to choose from. Mortal Kombat X is back, and ready to duke it out as one of the finest fighting games of 2015.
Ride has some genuinely good moments going into the corner, but it fails to remember that it needs to hit the throttle in order to power on through ahead of the pack. Competent, but hardly excellent.
Not A Hero is an unforgiving and relentless dive into the world of politics, bullets and ballots. Silly, violent and nostalgic in all the right ways, it's strangely weird and gleeful attempt at winning votes with swift deaths and top notch level design.