Although this might have been (or hoped to have been) the expected outcome by fans, it does bring to light the idea that the horror genre is the ideal candidate for the remake treatment.
All of this, for lack of a better term, content, is found in-between video interviews, mini-documentaries, concept art, advertisements, photos, and more.
It’s still a relatively short game, about three hours or so if you’ve got your Portal brain switched on - but still a remarkable experience. The puzzle rooms and pacing toward the big GLaDOS reveal, and iconic end and credits sequence is still spot on. Portal is as finely tuned, deep, and fun as ever.
Marvel's Midnight Suns is huge, not only in terms of the apocalyptic demons and Elder Gods story it tells over the course of several cinematic story missions but in how the relationships between all the superheroes and The Hunter develop over the course of dozens of hours. In Midnight Suns you take on the role of The Hunter, a superhero and partial blank canvas that you can define the look of, choose all of the various outfits they'll wear, and even decide how best to decorate their room at The Abbey.
Another average, but ambitious, outing for the blue hedgehog.
Even if you've never played a Call of Duty, or dipped in and out of the franchise every so often, you'll probably be okay with not knowing who Task Force 141 and Soap MacTavish, Ghost, and Captain Price are before jumping into the campaign.
Take your pick of the four aforementioned proteges listed above, team up with another player, and take-down syndicates and streetcorner thugs using combat inspired by the popular Batman Arkham series of games.
This is the best the franchise has looked from a purely cinematic level. In the end, New Tales From The Borderlands succeeds because it lives up to its namesake and presents the best Borderlands storytelling since the original Tales.
Hardspace Shipbreaker is a sci-fi-inspired sim that puts you in the role of someone that spends their time working in low orbit pulling apart and salvaging old spaceships. And with all great sims, the premise is only a part of the appeal with the end result delivering pure low-orbit job immersion.
It's fantastical, cartoonish, and realistic in equal measure, with a sense of fun and even dread, expressed through impressive art direction and a moody synth-driven soundtrack.
A joyous adventure game that, if you've ever been a fan, should be savoured like a tall glass of aged grape juice.
Ultimately the new Saints Row is a disappointment, especially if you’re a fan of the series.
In the end, Marvel’s Spider-Man Remastered presents the most visually impressive version of a brilliant comic book adaptation to date. And a game that feels every bit as big now as it did back in 2018. Insomniac nails the swinging mechanics to the point where it kind of feels like a magic trick, and the cinematic spectacle is just about always next-level.
The characters too feel real, down-to-earth, and the sort of archetypes you'd expect to see in a branching crime drama.
Outside of a handful of action sequences, the pacing here is slow and measured. And without any real difficulty or challenge, there’s a meditative quality to Stray.
Though it has to be said, the somewhat janky real-time cinematics, not to mention seeing so many others running around as you're trying to trigger an important event, hinder the dramatic impact of the story being told.
A summer camp teen horror inspired by movies from the 1980s, the setting and set-pieces are at times cliché or familiar, but with a cast of engaging characters and great story you're left with something wholly memorable.
It remains to be seen how exactly the online create-a-club stuff pans out in terms of competition, but as a same-room couch jam Mario Strikers: Battle League Football gets better and better the more you play. A surprisingly deep, chaotic bit of Mario Sports action.
The flip-side to this is a positive, in that Rogue Legacy’s intricate progression and many, many secrets to discover is enough to warrant on and off play for weeks and months. If you’re after a pure rogue-lite experience and something that has the combat depth and platforming challenge to keep you hooked on its loop for an extended period, then Rogue Legacy 2 is a resounding success. Visually, it's a huge leap forward over the original too - with some fantastic animation and responsive 2D action.
Nintendo Switch Sports lives up to its namesake in that the sports are both the star of the show, and the entirety of the experience.