Jacob Hull


31 games reviewed
63.2 average score
60 median score
29.0% of games recommended
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8 / 10 - Toki Tori 2+
Feb 25, 2016

Toki Tori 2+ is a cheery tune of delight which thumps to the rhythm of a chick's stomp. It's a beautiful, colourful, and clever environment to play in, and harks back to those feel-good games which used to be so prevalent but have unfortunately fallen from grace in recent years. This is a fine 2D platformer with original ideas tied to a tried-and-tested formula of platforming goodness. It can be frustrating at times, requiring thought and precision, and a little vague in its exposition, but it rewards you for your efforts with bundles of charm and eventual satisfaction.

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8 / 10 - Chambara
Aug 5, 2016

Chambara is a smart, stylish, and truly entertaining game to play locally with friends and family. There's a timeless class to games of this ilk which offer experiences that you simply cannot get elsewhere. As long as you can provide a steady stream of willing players to engage with, Chambara returns the favour with a limited but excellent selection of arenas to engage with them in.

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8 / 10 - F1 2016
Aug 19, 2016

F1 2016 is a Formula One nerd's dream come true, but not without a few small caveats in the presentation department. On the track, though, where it really matters, it's a joy to play with plenty of depth and complexity, and a career mode that's made all the more engrossing by making what happens outside of the race both relevant and meaningful to your career as a Formula One driver.

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Jan 25, 2017

Tales of Berseria takes a positive turn with a much darker theme, a great cast of characters, and perhaps the best storyline that the series has seen for quite some time. The fast and tactical battle system is also a definite step up, but the game is starting to look dated and needs to lose its last-gen shackles. For those disillusioned fans of recent Final Fantasy outings, however, Tales of Berseria might just be the game that they're looking for, with a more traditional Japanese RPG setup that sticks closely to what it knows, while offering a new and exciting narrative direction.

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8 / 10 - Beat Saber
Dec 13, 2018

Beat Saber is a thrilling rhythm game that makes ideal use of virtual reality to envelop you in an enthralling tour down the coloured highway, time after time. We suspect it's the kind of game that will resonate with just about anyone, VR sceptic or not, and it's an essential addition to any PlayStation VR owner's library.

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It's fair to say that Ni no Kuni: Wrath of the White Witch didn't really need a remaster at all, but we won't look a gift horse in the mouth, and choice is a good thing. It's undoubtedly nice to have this standout last-generation title running so smoothly on PS4, and it's just so tidy. After all, it's also fair to say that this was and is a truly special game. Far more narratively focused than its sequel, this is a tentpole title for lovers of traditional Japanese role-playing games.

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8 / 10 - Mortal Shell
Aug 17, 2020

With beautiful environments and plenty to discover, Mortal Shell is a compelling world to explore. After a steep learning curve, its combat is challenging but fascinating, and with a great sense of reward once you master it. It might be a little too similar to Dark Souls in terms of overall tone and style, but it brings enough new ideas functionally to make it stand out from the crowd. Ultimately, this is a great entry into a demanding sub-genre that fans won't want to miss.

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While it's perhaps not the graphical powerhouse we would use to showcase our new console to friends and family, WRC 9 on PlayStation 5 runs at a consistently smooth 60 frames-per-second at 4K resolution, and marks a significant improvement over its last-gen underling. However, it's the game's use of the haptic feedback technology provided by DualSense that really takes centre stage here, potentially offering a transformative experience for players who choose to play with a controller.

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Mar 26, 2016

République is a smart, engrossing, and often frustrating game, but one which really captures the imagination once its hooks take hold. You really have to work for what you get, though, and even the bulk of the narrative is formed through optional side collections. A couple of gameplay hiccups and a slightly drooping fourth episode aside, this is a strong stealth game which requires a slow, steady, and methodical approach. Big Brother may be watching, but he's never interfered in proceedings quite like this.

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7 / 10 - Oxenfree
Jun 7, 2016

It may be brief, but Oxenfree has elements of greatness and stands out as an excellent example of video game storytelling. It's also a beautiful and intriguing game that draws you in from the very start and makes you want to see just how deep the rabbit hole goes. Unfortunately, the situational narrative is let down slightly in the final third where it confuses even itself and fails to merge with the far stronger and more prominent social narrative.

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Integrity and Faithlessness is a much faster game than previous Star Ocean entries, but it sacrifices narrative and contextual depth for it. There are a few interesting but unsuccessful design choices here which let the game down, but it mostly makes up for its shortcomings with a frenetic battle system, excellent character design, and a standout soundtrack. It's a little bit vague, and it's a little bit shallow, but there's still plenty of fun to be had in tri-Ace's latest, and for newcomers, it's by far the most approachable entry in the series.

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7 / 10 - Rive
Sep 15, 2016

If this is indeed Two Tribes' swansong, then it's a goodbye wave accompanying tears and smiles. This is a fine way to leave, and it's pertinent to think that its final legacy is accomplished through the use of aspects which are, sadly, already in the rear-view mirror. It takes a lot of commitment for a relatively small game, and it's sometimes a little too eager for you to suffer its wrath. However, the charm, style, and sophistication by which it mixes up so many different styles successfully is a testament both to RIVE's great design and also some of the most beloved games of years gone by.

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It's especially important to remember that Star Ocean: Till the End of Time is a 13-year-old game, and you'll notice this from the off. It was a bit of a dungeon-slog in 2004, and the spotlight's even brighter now. Some awkward dialogue sections and rudimentary dungeon design aside, the fundamentals of this classic JRPG keep it more than relevant, with a progressive battle system, a series best soundtrack, and a thought-provoking narrative that concludes the Star Ocean timeline with aplomb.

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Star Ocean: The Last Hope straddles the line between highs and lows – it's both exhilarating and bombastic in equal measure, even though its story never reaches the same euphoria as its predecessor. It makes up for this with a tactical and action-packed combat system, interesting crew management system, tons of content, and a marvellous remaster job that has the game running beautifully on both PS4 and PS4 Pro.

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7 / 10 - Code Vein
Sep 26, 2019

Code Vein is a stylish JRPG with an interesting combat system that just falls short in a few areas. Its inspirations are clearly worn on its sleeve, but it brings enough to the table to stand out on its own. This title has promise, and we think the developer could iron it out into a worthy franchise if it's given the chance to make future instalments.

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6 / 10 - McDroid
Mar 15, 2016

McDroid is a game with plenty of charisma and sweet ideas. It takes a tired genre and throws it together with elements from elsewhere to create an engaging and charming hybrid. It's aesthetically excellent, with some provocative ideas, but technical problems in larger sections of the game hamper the overall experience. Difficulty spikes and repeated levels also let the game down and prevent if from being truly memorable, but underneath the issues lies an interesting game which provides quite a rush.

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Nov 25, 2016

Yesterday Origins has a strong cast of characters, an intriguing plot, and beautiful presentation. When you manage to work it all out, the game can be a real joy, but when things go wrong, it can be frustratingly slow and pedantic. Like its narrative, it jumps back in time to remind us of when games were far more frustrating and constrained. It brings back elements of gaming's past that we like, but it also brings back those that we don't. We've come a long way, but if all those troubles feel far away, well Yesterday Origins, to quote The Beetles, makes them look "as though they're here to stay".

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For a free side course of Final Fantasy XV goodness, you can't go wrong with A King's Tale. It's nothing special – either as a new entry to the narrative or as a 2D brawler – but it provides some depth to a character that lacked development which, in turn, further expands upon the personality of Noctis and his relationship with Regis. Despite some lazy moments of design and unnecessarily repetitive combat sequences, there's a couple of hours of fun to be had here with a surprisingly good combat system and a nice, nostalgia-inducing presentation.

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Apr 11, 2018

Bridge Constructor Stunts bucks conformity and injects a little pizzazz into proceedings with a more entertaining and liberating play on the series formula. Perhaps a better fit for mobile play, it lacks enough depth to keep console players genuinely engaged, and it's a little reluctant to let you play with the toys. Still, there are a few hours of fun to be had here.

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6 / 10 - Lost Sphear
Jan 27, 2018

A less focused outing than its predecessor, Lost Sphear gets lost amid its various, undercooked systems, and it fails to successfully consolidate its many inspirations. It's a pleasant enough game with a nice aesthetic, but we doubt we'll be looking back on this one with too much sentimentality.

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