In setting expectation for the journey ahead, pulling teeth and using them as weapons in a brain wholly fixated on dental fears is about as clear an indication as you need.
Hades is a rare breed of game. Supergiant’s design confidence is almost reflected in the cavalier attitude of the game’s protagonist, Zagreus; capable and arrogant, young and vibrant. But evermore charming as a result. I’ve used the phrase before, but this is absolutely a franchise-in-waiting, and more, if the studio and Private Division were so inclined. But know this, at the very least: those accolades? The ones that kept coming? We’re adding to them -- a year on, and now with a new audience and new homes, Hades is still near-perfect and an absolute must-play. Don’t miss the bus again.
It's also never glaring (aside from a few very obvious <b>Nintendo</b> design nods), and so the end result is an experience that feels whole and homogenous, and entirely new in the lit videogame pantheon.
Most games from the sport dump you into a links lexicon water hazard, Super Rush, however, assumes a conservative approach to a player's golf and golf-lingo knowledge, and educates in a manner that isn't patronising at all. In fact, it's just a lot of fun without being cheesy or too OTT.
The reasons for that are two-fold: it was the most up-to-date version of the game I ploughed through, and two: it represents Unknown Worlds' reinvigorated trust in its own console development chops, which was <i>choppy</i> at best in the first sink or swim release back in 2016.
Ireland may be a neighbouring stomping ground to <b>England</b>, but that doesn't mean they're like for like in the biome department.
Not to suggest your rendezvous with the Lady of the Castle isn't one to savour, or even tremble at, it's just that most of the released media and tone for Village has been centred around her and a bit of the village, but what they wholly amount for in the full product is essentially tutorial content, at best.
Enemies spawn in unpredictable ways, and for what it thinks it's worth, Returnal tries to keep you guessing, on your toes, and Eveready -- like the battery.
But looking past those things, and into the vale reveals a game bucking trends and showcasing what's truly capable in our medium. A bigger budget, more player-agency and a more expansive world are all that's holding this back from being groundbreaking. And a lot of learnings will be taken from this latest outing.
And so it was with gusto I took on the opportunity to crank up my big-person points by reviewing <b>Monster Truck Championship</b> from developer <b>Teyon</b> and publishers <b>BIGBEN INTERACTIVE</b> and <b>Nacon</b>.
As you level up and progress, new jobs open up, but it's not a tacked-on system, choosing jobs changes the game's makeup and that of your party, so simply unlocking a new job doesn't necessarily mean you assign someone to it.
That said, Spidey fans will dig it. Sony fanpeeps will sing its praises from Manhattan rooftops and it fills a gap. There’s just a question of “is it enough?” and even as a massive comic book geek and lover of all things wall-crawling, I’d have waited another six months for a more fleshed-out experience, and one that doesn’t overly mimic the foundation of its origins. Miles might learn from Peter, and Peter might be the ‘A’ Spider-Man, but that doesn’t need to mean Miles lives exclusively in his design shadow.
Despite that less than acceptable end game experience, I can still recognise the glimmer of potential in Godfall. For a first outing, Counterplay has achieved something that's undeniably striking in the visuals department, though that's marred by sameiness and the odd, isolated framerate hitch. We also have an addictive loot game and a surprisingly deep RPG upgrade system here, though it's hamstrung by fisticuffs that don't nail down those all important fundamentals.
Talk about ushering in a next-generation
For a game that centres itself around the idea of settlements, negotiation, alignment and choice, Valhalla does an amazing job of making you feel like the spotlight is always on you.
But if you're like me, playing every year, then know this: NBA 2K21 is the best basketball game around, but it's also the only one. And as any high-level competitor will tell you, that's never a good thing for long.
And between the three of them for completionists, we're talking at least 100 hours of gaming, but really, probably more.
If you’ve ever played either game or the series before, you know what you’re in for, it’s just more. If you haven’t and this is your first time dropping in -- don’t be scared, the opposite transition awaits and gravity will take hold in that this series will launch you to new, fun and endearing heights.
I’d love to see this survive as a franchise -- all the elements are there, it just suffers identity crisis throughout and needs a bigger hook than “alone among a series of islands trying to find answers”. And unfortunately, that’s the game as is presented -- a solitary experience, directionless and without contextual form. Gorgeous, yes, and presented as an ambitious and familiar package with an equally resonant soundtrack, but oddly empty.
Battletoads is fun, challenging and self-indulgent, but in ways that are respectful and reverent.