Ben Skipper's Reviews
As suspected, 1-2 Switch would have been much better served packed in with every Nintendo Switch (and it may yet become that). As a demonstration of the Joy Cons' abilities it's fantastic, as a multiplayer party game it's fun and often hilarious, but it could stand to have just a little more in the way of longevity.
In reinvigorating the Zelda series, Nintendo has rediscovered what gave it life all those years ago, capturing a spirit of adventure that flows through Breath of the Wild like the breeze on Hyrule's fields. Link and Princess Zelda's battle to save Hyrule and vanquish evil has rarely felt like such a personal journey, thanks to a masterful game defined by its peerless, charming and truly beautiful setting. A masterpiece.
IO Interactive's new, episodic Hitman is a triumph. The developer knew how to revive its ailing series and did so with aplomb, crafting a robust set of core mechanics and designing superb levels around them. Reminiscent of everything Blood Money did so well, from its focus on gameplay over story to its cold, sardonic presentation and dark sense of humour, this is Hitman as it is and always should be.It falters when the game leans too heavily on optional Opportunities, but counter to this hand-holding system are Elusive Targets – a fantastic test of any Hitman player's abilities. While these one-chance contracts are only available for a few days at a time, IO's consistent, quality support of the game ensures many more will follow this first season's physical release.
Everything that would make the game a beautiful and unique classic to match or even surpass its predecessors is here, but like its captivating star the game doesn't always perform as you'd hope.
Gears of War 4 offers everything you'd expect from a Gears title, and a surprising amount of great new ideas that enhance the core gameplay. Its campaign has problems in terms of story and characterisation, but in terms of fun is up there with the best the series has produced. The overall impression is that Gears of War is in thoroughly capable hands The Coalition. With more confident storytelling the studio could well produce a classic.
Arkham VR is a limited game but a robust experience, with only some replay value through collectable Riddler trophies dotted around subsequent playthroughs. Like many other VR games it serves well as a showcase for the possibilities of virtual reality, but doesn't offer players an experience with any real depth.
Virtual reality racing has an enormous amount of potential. Racing games are often visual delights however, so what Driveclub VR lacks in this department is notable despite the sense of presence that makes it so fresh.
It's the same game as Hustle Kings PS4, only with the addition of rudimentary virtual reality support and irritating Move control support. Unless you're a particularly obsessed with video game pool, Hustle Kings VR offers little more than the ability to look at balls closer than you ever have before.
Stripped down, Headmaster is a simple game, but it's well-made and presents itself in a fun, light-hearted way. As a launch game it fulfils its purpose and then some, providing a sizeable challenge but one requiring a level of fidelity the headset itself isn't quite capable of replicating.
Virginia is astounding in many ways. The way it conveys its meaning through visuals, character tics, a few hundred written words and one incredible score without uttering a single line of dialogue is remarkable. Confident and measured use of editing lends a sense of style, but Variable State's swagger turns to over-confidence in the final stretch and leaves Virginia on a befuddling rather than satisfying note.
If this review appears overly-critical, it's only because Pro Evolution Soccer is so close to being a complete product on and off the pitch. With the base gameplay seemingly nailed down, Konami should be capitalising by improving other elements of its beautiful game: chiefly its presentation, style, and game modes. Whatever shortcomings it has before and after the whistle blows however, the pure footballing experience of PES remains second-to-none.
Like so many indie platformers before it, Hue takes a great core concept and turns it into an admirably inventive game buoyed by some vivid design, a genteel story and a lovely score. That core concept doesn't stretch quite as far as the developers would like to think, but if you like puzzle platforming then Hue is a game that you should certainly pick up.
Reigns is a Python-esque text adventure rougelike played out with the swipe-mechanics of Tinder. If that sounds at all appealing, then Reigns is absolutely worth the small investment. Light and undemanding, it offers short, great bursts of play perfect for the mobile platform.
No Man's Sky is about cutting your own path through a galaxy teeming with possibilities. It is a playground in which to let loose the human urge to explore and discover, supported by a deep crafting system that keeps players engaged in their journey. Improvements could be made, new features could add greater depth, but Hello Games' achievement here is nothing short of incredible.
Abzu is well beautiful and well put-together, but cannot escape its self-inflicted sense of déjà vu. Matt Nava and Giant Squid Studios have played it safe. Too safe. There is an obvious artistry to Abzu however, that we can only hope is put to better use in whatever comes next.
Battlefront's Bespin expansion is let down by some functional but uninspired map design, inhabited by the location of choice. New mode Sabotage also feels like a misstep. DICE's next expansion will finally take Battlefront to the Death Star – and the developers will absolutely need to up their game to match what will be very high expectations.
Inside is a worthy successor to Limbo, that improves upon it in many ways. It's visually richer, less obtrusive with its puzzling elements and tells its evocative, grim fairy tale with a greater panache.
The best in the series, and another Naughty Dog classic.
This fault only prevents Hitman Episode Two from achieving near-perfection, it is still an exceptional example of the series at its very best. IO's strong start is becoming a hot streak, and all eyes will be on the third episode, set to be released in May.
Once free of the arduous and obnoxious trappings of its main mode of play, Superhot is nothing short of a delight. At its core is a gameplay mechanic that deserves to be revisited, only next time we hope it's all held together significantly better.