Drew Hurley's Reviews
This second episode feels a little slower (curse of episode two!) but even taken as a standalone it's superb. The storytelling and development are top notch, and if the low point is this good, it shows some much promise for the future.
The Elder Scrolls Online: Tamriel Unlimited has taken significant strides to correct the wrongs that plagued its initial release and although there are still a number of issues, they don't massively impact the end product. Admittedly, it has a huge lineage to live up to and when compared to the legendary Skyrim it comes up slightly lacking, but it is still a game that deserves experiencing.
Tales from the Borderlands: Episode Three - Catch a Ride on PlayStation 4 is easily the best episode to date in a series that is already full of fantastic chapters. Brimming with the trademark stellar storytelling and character development that made Telltale what it is today, Catch a Ride continues to develop the story in original and unpredictable ways, delivering an all round superb experience.
The Swindle is superb: a truly original entry to stand beside Spelunky and a great opportunity to test the player's ability not to snap their controller in half. The stealth combat is an interesting new take on the rogue-like genre, the gadgets and abilities are fun and interesting to experiment with, and - most importantly - there is a quality to the game that makes the player want to come back to play again and again. A trait system and an infinite mode would simply serve to make an already fantastic game even better.
There's a great, yet flawed, game here. The open world is a joy to explore, but grows tiresome for those who want to get 100% completion. Combat is fun and brutal, but not varied enough to stay interesting long term. These flaws are not enough to highly impact the end product, thankfully, which manages to be a superb open-world experience, with a real unique style and character.
Attack on Titan: Wings of Freedom is absolutely superb and is all the fans could have hoped for—and more. Exhilarating and addictive, it manages to do justice to the source material and deliver moments fans will adore. A must-buy for any fans of the series and even worth picking up for newbies, too.
There's a reason that Skylanders] has survived so long. Even without the Toys to Life aspect of the title, the game is addictive fun whether played alone or, even better, in co-operative mode with a friend. The new aspects added in this latest incarnation add a whole new dimension to the play and it is done very well indeed. The vehicle-based parts of the stages are great and all of the race-based aspects are a superb addition to an already established universe. Skylanders SuperChargers is the best in the series yet and proves that LEGO Dimensions and Disney Infinity still have a yardstick to reach.
A great return to form and on par with Black Flag for the best in the series. It's certainly not flawless, but Ubisoft have clearly taken their criticisms on board and hopefully will continue the series with this kind of quality. The combat, exploration, and parkour are highly enjoyable and the story and characters well written and compelling. Definitely worth a second chance for those driven away by Unity.
This is an adventure game the likes of which is rarely seen anymore and is completely unlike anything else on Switch.
Monster Boy and the Cursed Kingdom perfectly bridges the gap between old and new, delivering the same style and charm of games from the Master System and Mega Drive, but including the same style of platforming and puzzle solving that have made modern indie titles stand out from the crowd. Essentially, it has captured the heart and soul of the original, and given it a breath of fresh life.
CD Projekt Red has lived up to its word and, apparently, this is just a taster of what is yet to come. The next DLC, Blood and Wine, will come in at double the cost, but promises double the content and a whole new land to explore. Admittedly, Hearts of Stone's content is very much focused on the story it is telling, resulting in a very narrative-focused final product with lots of dialogue and cut-scenes, but that is not much of a negative considering the quality of the story that is told. It's a truly original and fantastic piece of storytelling, filled with great moments and set pieces that any fan of the series truly needs to experience.
Fans of interactive story experiences, or just horror in general, would be wise to give this a shot. Supermassive Games has done a great job and hopefully they will have the chance to experiment more with titles of this ilk in the future.
It's a great time to be an anime and manga fan... and a gamer, with Bandai Namco bringing some great licensed releases to the West, at long last. Although disappointing to see some major characters being absent, this is by far the best One Piece game out there. Tecmo Koei will be taking time off the series after this release so sadly it may be some time before we get Pirate Warriors 4 but at least it will give the source material time to introduce more characters and tell more stories.
It's not a Sonic game, and yet, it's one of the best Sonic game in years. It takes all of the best elements of the 16-bit series and mixes in other classics like Rocket Knight and Ristar, amongst numerous others, to craft a great new IP. It may be derivative right now, but it has the strength and the potential to be so much more. What little flaws there are, are down to the inexperience and budget of the team, something that makes the upcoming sequel very exciting. Imagine what can be offered now. This new release on Switch gives another platform of players the opportunity to see what it has to offer and reminds those who experienced it the first time why Freedom Planet 2 should be on their radar.
Those who loved Don't Starve will find their new obsession here. The Flame in the Flood is a highly enjoyable rogue-lite survival title that makes a fantastic game to play on the go. Headphones on, volume on full and enjoy the ride with this addictive new release. Get ready to welcome yet another distinct and individual game into the fold, fattening up the Switch's already bulging catalogue.
The series signature humour and gameplay fits perfectly with Star Wars, after all, it's what it was originally designed for! The new features add enough to keep this long-running franchise feeling fresh, the stages are short and fun, fitting perfectly to the handheld for pick up and put down gameplay. In conclusion: a great addition to TT Games' magnum opus.
While Persona Q: Shadow of the Labyrinth is very much aimed at a core audience and may alienate potential newcomers, the fans are going to adore it. It keeps many aspects the series is famous for, while expanding a new and fun story with a ton of fan service. For fans of Persona it's a must-buy, and for those new to the genre it's worth a shot - even without getting all the in-jokes there's still a great game here.
Monster Hunter has a huge fan-base, but those new to the hunting genre may find it very difficult to get into Monster Hunter Generations. The combat and design can be quite niche and challenging to newcomers. That being said, though, for fans of the series, this is a superb addition. It may not have much of a narrative, but the focus on gameplay and new additions make this a fantastic amalgamation worthy of its price-tag. For those who enjoy Monster Hunter adventures, prepare to lose a lot of time to this. It has the same sort of addictiveness as an MMO and drags its audience back again… and again... and again…
A brilliant, dark, twisted tale reminiscent of the phenomenal Steins;Gate, and one that will get players digging into every possible branching pathway to experience every facet of the story and finally understand the truth beneath this marvellous tale.
This is easily the best Skylanders title to date, although Crash alone makes it that! There is some fantastically entertaining stages and solid gameplay, along with plenty of originality to keep the series fresh. It's always a risk with toys-to-life titles that it will rely too much on extra purchases, but that is not the case here, as Skylanders Imaginators contains enough content and replayability to make it feel value for money without having to resort to buying more toys. Hopefully, the adventure packs will prove to be just as good value.