Drew Hurley's Reviews
Sure to be one of the final, first-party, big games on 3DS, as it slowly winds down into retirement, but at least it's going out with a bang. As this is definitely the best Kirby game to hit the platform to date, and easily one of the best platformers. Yoshi may be the star of the woolly show at the moment, with Yoshi's Crafted World landing on Switch soon, but Kirby did it first and did it best. This is an utterly charming patchwork that's absolutely impossible not to get tangled up in.
The gameplay is massively fun, and there is a positively absurd amount of things to do. For Yakuza fans this is a must buy. For those new to the franchise, this is the perfect opportunity to jump in.
For the new generation who never even held a Game Boy (or picked it up in Virtual Console), this is a chance to experience this gaming masterpiece in its best form to date.
Developer Brace Yourself Games has knocked this one out of the park, making something that feels like a perfect follow up to their wonderful Crypt of the Necromancer, but also manages to perfectly capture the magic innate to a full, first-party The Legend of Zelda title.
Borderlands 3 has been crafted from the ground up with fans of the series in mind.
The Switch's catalogue of Metroidvania titles was already impressive - though ironically it's still lacking an actual Metroid - and now its ranks have been bolstered by one of the best in recent memory. Ori and the Blind Forest is an absolute masterpiece, a beautiful story polished to perfection in both its artistic design and core gameplay mechanics. The utterly beautiful presentation and soundtrack crafts a charming and memorable world and there are more stories in that world to come as Ori and the Will of the Wisps landing on Xbox One in a few months. Hopefully, the Switch version comes shortly after.
These are some of the finest video games ever made, with no hyperbole. The storytelling is absolutely masterful, gripping and enthralling, filled with characters that the audience will fall in love with. Each title filled with magnificent cinematography and choreography, in not just the dramatic FMV sequences, but just as much so in the fights on the streets.
There's nothing quite like Pikmin, as it perfectly captures the same magic as Miyamoto's other masterpieces. While the Wii U itself was a sales disappointment, it hosted some absolutely wonderful titles that deserved a better home and it has been great to see them finally receive that with Nintendo's initiative to bring them to Switch. Pikmin 3 was already a superb game, and while this release is not a remaster, the extra elements added to Pikmin 3 Deluxe elevate it to something special. While the price point may be exclusionary for some, this is completely worth the asking price, even as a double-dip for those who already have it on Wii U. Perfect for families to play together, for friends to grab a Joy-Con each, or for solo play sessions to track down every badge and master the highest rank.
Resident Evil Village feels like such a culmination. Bringing together elements from the franchise all the way up to now and crafting what looks to be the next step of survival horror, it embraces every aspect of the franchise. While the insidious dread of Resident Evil VII is missing, there are still plenty of scares. The monster designs are fantastic, from the generations undead, the fury of the Lupine beasts, to the towering monstrosities. It's well worth delving into the concept art and 3D models to enjoy them fully. The story is just the right amount of silly with the terrifying, and the odd dash of the surreal. The combat is smooth and fluid, best evidenced in the addictive Mercenaries mode. All of these elements added together make quite possibly the best Resident Evil to date, and a foundation for a fresh new generation of terror.
This is, regardless of medium, one of the finest time travel stories to have been told, and a superb example of a true artist plying their craft. The other titles in the Science Adventure series have all been great and worth experiencing, but Steins;Gate sets itself completely apart as something truly special. Not only is it a requirement for any visual novel fan, but it is also an ideal title to introduce potential new players to the genre.
Another fantastic example of both DLC and survival horror done right, these two parts have been such a joy to experience, it cries out for a full sequel to The Evil Within to be made entirely in this style - less action, more terror! With The Consequence wrapping up Juli's story, the next DLC, The Keeper, looks like it will be something completely different. Stay with Cubed3 to see how it feels to play on the side of the monsters when this is released next.
Game of Thrones: Episode Four - Sons of Winter again meets the high quality set by previous episodes. The superbly written characters continue to keep people truly invested in their stories and the choices are really beginning to show just how much player choice can influence the tale. This and Tales from the Borderlands are fantastic examples of just why Telltale's games are so well loved.
Superbly atmospheric with some truly chilling aspects and moments, The Evil Within: The Assignment further explores the twisted world that Shinji Mikami and the team at Tango Gameworks have crafted and opens the door for more with its upcoming follow-up. This is definitely a great example of Survival Horror done right and, equally, a perfect show of how DLC should be done.
Crazy. Unique. Fun. Addictive. Although Saints Row IV: Re-Elected is not much of an upgrade of the original, a low price point, tied together with all of the DLC bundled, makes this is well worth a purchase for both those that finished the original version on the previous generation of consoles, as well as those that missed out and are intrigued to find out what all the fuss is about.
Although Game of Thrones: Episode One - Iron from Ice is yet to test new waters with its gameplay, the difference of multiple lead characters and their impact on the bigger world is very promising and it's going to be interesting to see how it pays off in future releases. As a standalone chapter, whilst a little narrative heavy and gameplay light, it's a great start that fans of Telltale and Martin's series will adore, capturing the tone of the source material perfectly.
Far Cry 4 may just be more of the same from Far Cry 3, but, in the best possible way. Ubisoft took what was great about the third game, and improved it in almost every way, making this one of the most refreshing, fun and addictive open-world titles available. With solid fundamental mechanics, a superb open gameworld, multiplayer to come back for, and some fantastic DLC, this psychotic voyage through a deadly paradise is worth setting a course for.
This is all that Duke Nukem Forever could and should have been. A nostalgic blast, with gameplay that is fast and fun, comedy which while cliché actually delivers laugh out loud moments, and a story which is surprisingly engaging. Definitely, one title worth picking up in order to get ready for the upcoming sequel.
This game is not what was originally promised, but that's not a bad thing. While many were hoping for the next Silent Hill 2, it became the next Resident Evil 4, instead. With The Evil Within, Mikami has taken the highlights of a number of his other games and combined them into one terrifying amalgamation of gore, horror and action. The Evil Within is a great game. Survival horror fans will find it a great addition to their collection, and even for those with little experience of the genre it's well worth a play.
Shadow of Mordor shows that the Tolkien licence still has a lot of life in it yet. It falls short a little in that some of the aspects feel like they don't quite live up to what they promised, but this is a great first step for a brand new IP. Hopefully this won't be the last we see of Talion.
LEGO games may very well be formulaic, but the old adage of "if it ain't broke, don't fix it" applies very aptly here. There is the same comedy and parody of the source material as with many of the other releases, which while is done to make the game more family friendly, has the added benefit of resulting in some genuinely funny moments. The games are simple and fun to play for audiences of all ages and sizes; for fans of Jurassic Park or the LEGO games in general, LEGO Jurassic World is a must pick up.