Platinum's modernisation of the classic shoot 'em up form has delivered something thrilling, distinct ‒ and in need of a bit of a polish
While staying true to the series that it extends, Cotton Rock 'n' Roll / Fantasy brings so many different experiences in a single shmup that it may as well be a compilation release - and unlike the arcade versions, it is all presented in English language. The more time you give it, the more the replay value snowballs. The faults to be found are few and far between, while sharp level design and a joyful, even mischievous personality define Success' latest. Simply put, Cotton Fantasy has a lot of fun to give.
Thanks to the skill of the M2 team, two very important shmups have enjoyed a range of thorough and brilliantly authentic ports - as have two Toaplan oddities. But compared to many of the previous ShotTriggers releases, Toaplan Arcade Garage appears just a shade less ambitious. Still, if you enjoy purebred '80s 2D shooters, obsess over the shmup form, or have a soft spot for arcade preservation, it absolutely deserves to take up a little of your shelf space.
Yes, Raiden IV is not a typical shmup by contemporary standards, and won't be for everyone. Equally, all of these modes have been available in some form elsewhere. But as a single package, Raiden IV x Mikado Remix offers the Switch one of its best shooting game releases yet – and that is saying something on a console that has emerged as an unexpected star vehicle for the genre.
R-Type Final 2 makes an authentic if flawed contribution to an iconic shooting game series. Many of the problems seem technical, so hopefully an update could do plenty - especially if it lets you lock that camera pitch. All we can hope for, then, is that we are still in the beginning of R-Type's final phase, and that what Final 2 gets right is allowed to rise to the top.
Overall, Capcom Arcade Stadium is a very good package filled with brilliant games, each updated with modern functionality. It doesn't rival the quality of original hardware or the likes of M2's sublime individual ports of arcade masterworks as seen with the release of Esp.Ra.De Psi, but at £30 for 32 games, it is well worth the price, warts and all.
It's a satisfying experience as you glide gracefully over the ocean, but too often the dogfighting and bombing runs play out as erratic scrambles
The legendary skateboarding sim is back in a brilliant rerelease that offers a portal to the past
Phoenix Point may not meet the legacy of its celebrated forebear X-Com, but then few games ever will. Elegant, atmospheric, and energetic, Gollop's latest remains remarkably hard to put down.
There's plenty to do in this exciting and empowering simulation game, where automation is the key to your shining future
You can't beat the feeling of playing Magic with cardboard in your hands. Still, Arena presents a slick realisation in digital form, and one that should suit both old hands and newcomers.Will Freeman
Ports don't trump arcade hardware originals, do they? M2's elaborate build of Cave's brutal genre masterwork thinks otherwise.
Rival Megagun may fall short of the standards set by genre masterworks like Cave's Ketsui, Seibu Kaihatsu's Raiden Fighters Jet or Raizing's Battle Garegga. But those are some of the finest pieces of game design of all time, and failing to meet their lofty standards doesn't stop Spacewave's creation being a tremendously fun and rather distinct shmup that really does offer something fresh, and serves as a great demonstration of the Switch's multiplayer prowess in the process.
You should play 11-11, and not just because it's a chance to enjoy a captivating piece of interactive storytelling. This game is important, because of the way it makes you think, without ever telling you what to think. Lest we forget.
It's easy to forgive Spintires: MudRunner exactly because it has such an eccentric charisma. It should be dull. It should be frustrating. It should be prettier. But it has its own strange beauty and offers something refreshingly unconventional in the driving genre.
Dakar 18 is a curious creature. It absolutely delivers something truly distinct in the wider racing genre, and though the core gameplay isn't immediately accessible, it can be greatly rewarding to those that take a chance on tackling it properly.
If you like fishing in reality – and are also open-minded to digital pursuits – there's a very good chance you'll be delighted by the detail Fishing Sim World delivers. There's enough reel, bait, line and rod types to keep you busy exploring your hobby for hours, and plenty of reasons to use the gamut of hardware available. If you sit in that audience you'll likely find that Dovetail's creation suits numerous shorter play sessions over many weeks. And throughout, you'll be delighted by all the fishing authenticity.
This is a strange beast. It's devoted fan base might already be satisfied by the PC release, while the console crowd may need a little more help familiarising themselves with the conventions of train operation. There's a good chance that many a player will quickly be bored to the extreme by the gameplay, but for those of us looking for an alternative to intensity and drama,
The best bits of this dino-business-management game roar into action when disaster strikes, but too much of it is repetitive
There is a sense that with just a couple of updates, Lego Worlds could leap from a captivating proposition to an essential purchase. But for now, the very loose framing that allows Lego Worlds and its players to be free from stifling game design conventions has equally made the experience sometimes ungainly and directionless, leaving its protagonists stranded in a world that is as full of confusion as it is ideas and potential.