Even if players only progress as far as 'I don't get it', playing Inside—and stepping outside of that comfort zone—will leave you changed, even if only a little, on the inside.
Moss previously showed players that PSVR experiences didn't have to necessarily be first person only and Astro Bot Rescue Mission exemplifies this mentality, taking things one step further than the more diorama-esque levels of the aforementioned title by placing players directly inside the levels themselves.
Make no mistake, the Tony Hawk series is back in all of its resplendent glory. It's awesome seeing the Birdman back up on his perch and coming back to these games after a decade of unworthy entries really felt like a revelation as I was immediately reminded of how much I'd been missing the series from my life.
Bloodborne is the system selling exclusive that the PS4 has been waiting for (Sorry, Infamous: Second Son; we're still cool though) and stands tall as the most accomplished game to come out of From Software's studios to date. If you dig Bloodborne then definitely go and check out From's other offerings… You won't be disappointed, even if the pace is somewhat slower (And, coincidentally, Dark Souls 2 is getting a current gen remaster sometime this month, so get on board!).
With the crumbling edifice of the world being chipped away every day by the chisel of COVID-19, it's a welcome comfort diving back into these three games and reliving the classic days of Mario's early adventures in the third dimension.
Shaking up the formula somewhat whilst still ensuring that longtime fans and purists are catered for, Lucid Games have done the unfathomable and created a game that betters the already stellar efforts of Bizarre Creations. The gameplay additions work tremendously well and also serve to keep players on their toes by demanding that they change their tactics in accordance with the context of a particular stage.
Despite catering to a slightly wider audience than previous entries, the fact remains that if you didn't really enjoy the Soulsborne games before then Dark Souls III won't go any way towards changing your mind, as most of the barriers of entry still remain – Vague storyline, esoteric puzzle solutions, high difficulty and an overall lack of direction.
I went into NHL 16 expecting yet another generic sports simulation and instead found a deep and engaging experience that, above all, was a blast to play.
The Old Hunters effectively enriches what was already an astoundingly accomplished title, offering up a wealth of new challenges for returning players to overcome. Journeying through the environments and watching a battle between blood lusting Hunters and cowering beasts is an amazing sight to behold and the selection of new enemies rank up there with the game's very best. Sure, some of the areas and enemies are reused from the base game but From have added enough of a spin upon them that they somehow feel fresh and new.
I really regret dismissing Titanfall 2 as easily as I did, for by doing so I nearly deprived myself of one of the most exhilarating and inventive FPS experiences available on the market today.
To comprehensively list all of the gameplay tweaks and graphical upgrades would take up far too much of this review; suffice it to say, I regard Modern Warfare Remastered to occupy the realm of complete remake more than being a simple remaster.
I initially mentioned my affinity for games like Ico and Journey earlier in order to quickly paint a picture in the reader's mind of what kind of game Rime is. Using comparisons is a simple, if somewhat lazy, way to easily convey a genre or narrative direction of a game, and, much like those games are their own entities, Rime shares as much in common with those titles as it does its own thing.
Intended to complement Spider-Man: Miles Morales, this return to the game that started it all is well worth taking a gander at, even if ironically being bundled with Miles may have cast an even larger light on Spider-Man: Remastered's flaws, as the tighter story and streamlined objectives of the former really draw attention to the more grindier portions present in the later stages of the game.
The core gameplay loop is definitely not for everyone but the rewards for persisting are well worth pursuing here. The gunplay and movement feels absolutely divine and the "one more run" approach to the gameplay is certainly addictive and unique amongst larger budgeted titles.
Capcom have committed to ensuring that Street Fighter V is the only version of the game that will be released this generation, meaning there won't be a slew of the traditional Super Turbo Hyper Mega Street Fighter V – Street Harder versions following in its wake; this bodes well for the game's future but, as it currently stands, it's hard to recommend Street Fighter V to any but the most ardent of Beat-Em-Up fans.
It's not a perfect game – There are some cheesy, overly melodramatic scenes that border on Soap Opera-esque levels of ridiculousness and the resolution will most certainly be unsatisfying for some – But it's almost a perfect experience.
Call of Duty: WWII is precisely what fans have been clamouring for over the last few years – A return to traditional boots-on-the-ground gameplay with an increased focus on skill and I have no doubt that it will resonate with fans in a way that the last few games have failed to manage.
Sonic Mania was easily the best title to star Sega's mascot in years and Sonic Mania Plus builds upon these foundations to give fans a more refined and content packed version of the Blue Blur's triumphant return to two dimensions.
Bolstered by a surprisingly effective story mode that incorporates slight RPG elements, the quality of which was surely boosted by Bioware stepping in to lend EA a hand throughout development, FIFA 17 also benefits from a rock solid gameplay foundation and the transition to the Frostibite engine, making this an easy recommend to fans of the series and football aficionados in general.
Oddworld: New and Tasty is a painstakingly rebuilt example of how to breathe life back into beloved games. The game's satirical anti-capitalism message is still as relevant today and the dark and twisted humour and distinctive visual design serves to set the game apart from its contemporaries.