Honestly, I'm surprised that The Following wasn't pushed as a genuine sequel, such is the robust nature of the new content, environments, missions and upgrades that are on offer here. That Techland decided to honour their fans by releasing such a massive expansion rather than nickle and diming players for superfluous costumes or whatever deserves commendation and generates a sense of good will, in me at least, that makes it easier to overlook the occasionally rough edges of the DLC, such as the extreme difficulty spikes during certain missions.
A definite return to form for the series, Resident Evil 7: Biohazard is, to me, the most atmospheric entry in the series and, free from many of the narrative constraints of the early games, manages to forge out an entirely new chapter in the Resident Evil universe whilst still paying homage to classic tropes and even characters.
For the first time in nearly a decade it feels like the Tekken series has undergone an evolution of sorts, with the Rage Arts and Drive mechanics making for a decidedly different feeling game. Your mileage may vary in regards to these changes but to be fair you're never forced to employ Rage Arts and can elect to continue to duke it out old school if that's more your speed.
With the advent of VR games, I assumed that the best experiences would, logically, be those with a first-person perspective, and as such wasn't all that interested in Moss when it was first announced. After all, how could a third-person platformer be any good when you can play games where you literally inhabit the main character?
Nioh 2 is an fast, frantic and fluid action-RPG experience that will appeal to fans of Code Vein, Dark Souls and Sekiro for its intricate combat and role-playing systems, extensive character customisation and striking historic fantasy Japanese setting. While the storytelling for the main narrative mostly falls flat and is confusing to follow, the rest of the package more than holds up against its predecessor. The game presents a great challenge for those willing to put in the time to master its numerous playstyles it caters, so it might not be a great fit for those seeking a more casual adventure.
If you enjoyed Wolfenstein – The New Order then it goes without saying that you should give The Old Blood some of your time. A fine example of a DLC offering that enhances its source material as well as giving gamers a solid and rewarding gaming experience for their money, the inclusion of the original Wolfenstein 3D levels are just the icing on the cake.
If you missed Sleeping Dogs last generation then you really should pick this up – With all of the DLC and refinements this is truly the definitive Sleeping Dogs experience… On consoles, at least. The engaging gameplay, unique setting, solid driving and exceptional combat all come together to give players one of the most enjoyable open world games currently available and hopefully this time Sleeping Dogs won't fly under the radar as much and more gamers will get to experience it.
An esoteric mishmash of genres and with an art style that belies the more sombre elements of the storyline, Valkyria Chronicles isn’t exactly an easy recommend. For me, personally, it all comes together to form a cohesive whole and has reignited my long dormant passion for strategising and turn based combat scenarios but some may come to the game thinking that the RPG elements are much more prevalent rather than simply informing the non-interactive cutscenes.
Hitman: The Complete First Season offers up the entire homicidal experience in one tidy package and is an easy recommend if you dig the stealth genre or open-ended games with a myriad of ways to approach a mission.
I adored Nioh. Like, straight up marry an inanimate object adore. Is it my favourite Souls type game? Well, no, both Bloodborne and Demons Souls pip it at the post for me. Does it now reside comfortable among my top ten of all time? You betcha.
Overall, I have no issues in recommending Sabotage for fans of Call of Duty; perhaps the most solid DLC offering from the franchise in a while, the quality of both the multiplayer maps and the new Zombie film can not be understated.
I didn't delve into the level of customisation available or the immense amount of loot you'll encounter as you grind your way through the levels, although I think that most familiar with this type of game will already have a rough idea of what elements such as these have to offer and nobody wants to read a two thousand page revew.
Far Cry 5 may not be the coming of the Messiah that the marketing materials will have you believe, with the promise of a bold new frontier in gameplay quickly giving way to the usual rhythm of rallying a ragtag group of freedom fighters and overthrowing the ludicrously evil regime, but when taken as a refinement of that core formula then Far Cry 5 succeeds as the most streamlined and immersive entry in the series yet.
Even as someone who was unfamiliar with the series prior to this entry, I'd have to recommend Yakuza 6: The Song of Life on sheer virtue of being one of the best and most naturally designed open-world games I've ever played (even if it's not truly “open”); it certainly doesn't hurt that the developers also decided to chuck in a tight combat system, a handful of sweet classic arcade titles and a gripping narrative to sweeten the pot.
There seems to be a reluctance to embrace VR by most major gaming media outlets and even some developers, such as Ubisoft and EA who, after tentatively dipping their toes in the water, seem to have entirely given up on the format.
Dark Souls Remastered is still essentially Dark Souls, just slightly better looking and with better online functionality.
I'm more than a tad conflicted with Treyarch's offering this year; on the one hand, Blackout is a fantastic addition that has injected some much-needed innovation into the Call of Duty formula, but I can't help but lament the absence of a dedicated campaign.
With a bevy of bonuses, including content that was previously only available to Kickstarter backers, this truly is the definitive edition of Shantae: Half-Genie Hero.
Although the controls can get a little too fiddly for my liking in the latter half of the game, an issue that the first game also suffered, Unravel Two refines the platforming elements to near-perfection and incorporates its puzzles in a way that doesn't feel half as intrusive as it did in Coldwood Interactive's last effort.
As big a proponent of the system I am, my PSVR has nonetheless been kind of collecting dust these last few months after the heady highlights of Borderlands 2 and Astro Bot.