Max Parker's Reviews
Pro Evolution Soccer remains the best, most accurate representation of football you can play without suddenly realising you can play out from the back like Harry Maguire.
I'll still be exploring islands that I haven't touched and meeting NPCs whom I haven't yet met. This big, beautiful, bloated world has no end in sight.
FIFA 19 is a great game, packed with plenty of detail. It isn't a huge step forward in terms of raw gameplay, but the sheer amount of stuff to do will mean you keep coming back for more.
Hours 20-through-30 have made me a believer in "The Taken King" and the future of "Destiny." Bungie has set out to right past wrongs with this expansion's wealth of content. But it's not just about the quantity of content. "The Taken King" reimagines how players interact with the game world. These changes are all for the better. In year one, it was difficult for serious "Destiny" players to defend the lack of story and the structure's repetitive nature. "The Taken King" creates a community that fans can be proud to be a part of.
"Always Sometimes Monsters" is as much of a mirror of the player as it is a looking glass to view the world through the eyes of the creators. It elicits thought about life philosophies. Any game that explores the existential crisis is a welcomed break from the tightly compartmentalized genres of contemporary gaming. Assigning a static review score to a game such as this seems silly. Play it and see where it takes you.
If "Diablo 3" is any indication, there's a reason that this is an influential series in the annals of video games. This has the makings of being a serious timesink for me, but I'm looking forward to wreaking further havoc in the underworld.
The development team at Dontnod have successfully crafted a story that explores the mental strain of growing up. The subject matter is mature, but because of its stark exploration of humanity rather than shocking violence. After three episodes, "Life is Strange" rivals some of the most intriguing prime time dramas on television.
A basement is a room built well below the good stuff to hold a bunch of junk. The name "Basement Crawl" is appropriate.
That's "Knack's" bottom line. It's a solid concept with horrible execution. I can't recommend paying $60 for this bare-boned experience, when it feels more like a $20 digital download title. If "Knack" does well enough to warrant a sequel, lets hope they rebuild him.
"Thief" is an easy game to make excuses for all its shortcomings: "The combat is lacking, but it's OK because it's a stealth game. The world is dreary, but it's OK because that's the style. The A.I. is moronic, but it's OK because it would be too frustrating if they worked harder at tracking you down." None of this is "OK," and the summations of these sub-par gaming experiences make for a sub-par game. It excels at nothing. Not even blind nostalgia can save it. Don't let Garrett steal your time.
Demos are free to try. Even if you consider this a short prequel, DLC is usually between $10 and $15. I'm against the business practice that "Ground Zeroes" has introduced. Therefore, I can't recommend this game, demo, prequel, or whatever you want to call it. Wait for it drop significantly in price, or to become free on PlayStation +. I'm sure that will happen as we get closer to the real game, "The Phantom Pain." "Ground Zeroes" has the stench of a cash-grab, which is an unfortunate thing to happen to a series that is as artistic as "Metal Gear Solid."
"Andromeda" missed its mark by lightyears.
"Screamride" could have been a respectable evolution of the popular "RollerCoaster Tycoon" franchise, but it veered off the track along the way. The roller coaster design sections contain strokes of genius, but that genius is constantly mired by boring gameplay that make up two thirds of the game. This lack of cohesion creates a seriously bumpy ride.
The lush environments of "Firewatch" are a joy to explore, but the story at the heart of the woods leaves something to be desired. The early emotion felt in the game's intro loses its trail among a bramble of side plots and head scratching character decisions. "Firewatch" gets lost like Henry on his first day on the job.
"The Order" will likely become a long running franchise for Sony. It will be interesting to see how it evolves. It could stay in content with being a game that is only interested in presenting a cinematic story with gorgeous graphics, or it could evolve into a game that grants players with more creative freedom. Its current form is a step back from what modern games have become. "Shadow of Mordor," "Dragon Age" and "GTA V" achieved accolades because their settings were molded and enhanced by the player's freedoms. "The Order" feels confining. Galahad is trapped between the gorgeous buildings of London with nothing to do other than play out his story. The player has nothing to do but watch.
The game of football in FIFA 23 is great, but everything else misses the mark.
FIFA 22 offers a better game of football than before and a whole load of new features for PS5, Xbox Series consoles and Stadia. Shame it’s let down by countless bugs and a lack of true improvements in many modes.
If you've already got PES 2020 and have found other means to update the squads and kits, there's very little of note here. The changes are minimal and this edition is likely just for those who decided against picking up the previous entry. But if a cheaper version of PES has you interested this is a great starting point. Yes, there are plenty of issues with the modes, commentary and AI but most of that just fades into insignificance when you're actually playing a game. Until the next-gen version arrives next year, this is the best representation of football you'll find.
Put all of this together and you have a game that is overflowing with grin-inducing charm. But once you peel back the bright and gaudy layers of decaying skin and leafy greens, it's a semi-stable shooter that has plenty of room to grow.
"Counterspy" begins as a novel approach to 2D stealth when the levels begin with a simple layout. The gameplay declines in the later levels when it becomes a shoddy shoot 'em up. The action in small doses is tolerable, but the final level tries its hardest to ruin the entire experience.