Gareth Fidler's Reviews
Some of the content in Call of Duty: Black Ops III - Descent may or may not be the direct result of giving the work experience lad a bit too much sway when brainstorming for multiplayer locales, but credit where it's due, as it does add some much needed variety to the map rotation. While the selection is decent enough, Empire's vibrant splendour serves only to emphasise Cryogen's generic aesthetic, in the same way that Berserk's highly detailed, sprawling Nordic layout makes Rumble look fairly sterile in comparison. Fans of the shuffling undead will soak up every rotten second of the particularly strong 'Gorod Krovi' chapter, but it still remains a steep challenge for the lesser skilled zombie hunter who will likely never progress far enough to discover and enjoy its many secrets.
While Alienation might lack Resogun's instant hook, it retains its visual flair and stacks enough firepower in its core to keep even the most ardent shooter fans busy for a long time to come. Sure, the storyline might be somewhat hackneyed, but it's a genre that doesn't really require a deep narrative and its robust play mechanics, competitive/co-operative multiplayer options, and deep layered rank progression more than compensate for any shortcomings in plot. Housemarque has once again remained true to its arcade roots and delivered a solid twin-stick that channels its many influences into a game far exceeding the sum of its parts.
When considering the volume and frequency of Milestone's motorbike-focussed output, it wouldn't be too out of line to suspect that MXGP2 might have been 'dialled in' to an extent, though making such an assumption would be doing the developer a great disservice, considering that it does everything it sets out to do very competently. While the managerial aspects of the campaign do feel like an unnecessary dressing used to pad out the experience, scramble fans eager to release the throttle and churn up the tracks should still enjoy the wealth of content on offer.
While Borderlands was always going to be a fairly tough act to follow, Battleborn succeeds by possessing enough depth and charm to stand up on its own two feet. Here, Gearbox have created an interesting universe brimming with their trademark humour and populated by an interesting cast of characters that make it a fun place to kill time and other people in. Yes, there are a few minor issues that mar the experience somewhat, and the overall package could definitely use a bit more content to boost its longevity, but hopefully these are concerns that are currently being addressed.
Any Call of Duty: Black Ops III fans looking for a fresh excuse to swear loudly and frequently at their television set should definitely consider picking up a copy of the Eclipse DLC. Four great new maps to feel like an inferior gamer on, while repeatedly getting mown down at the hands of hyperactive kids with cat-like reflexes, not to mention the option of watching co-operative squad mates competently cut a swathe through a sea of the undead while regretting that decision to try and stab the oversized glowing zombie in a rash moment of madness... What's not to like?
It's easy to see why Insomniac is held in such high regard when it consistently delivers experiences as well polished and enjoyable as Ratchet & Clank. Everything, ranging from the gorgeous visuals to the excellent voice acting, the well-paced story, and the immaculate musical score, contribute to a timeless package well worth its surprisingly low entrance fee. Ratchet & Clank pays loving homage to its roots by enjoying the kind of lavish remix that only fourteen years of gaming evolution can bring to the table and, by doing so, has created a universe well worth saving.
Deadpool is an odd proposition. As an updated port of a last generation title, it fails to take any advantage of the available increase in horsepower, so, by default, fails to elevate itself above any of the other low-budget reissues currently cluttering up the marketplace. As a brawler, it doesn't compare favourably to the likes of Bayonetta or Devil May Cry, purely due to its inferior fight mechanics and lack of depth. As a cheap cash-in job to coincide with the release of a Hollywood blockbuster movie of the same name, it succeeds greatly as it's cheap…a cash in…and it coincides with the release of a Hollywood blockbuster movie of the same name. As a game, it's actually pretty good fun and tosses a few interesting ideas into the mix to ensure player engagement remains constant throughout the campaign. That said, it still doesn't feel like an essential purchase, so while those that specifically seek out a copy will likely enjoy what it has to offer, there's little incentive to return for those that have already played it on one of the previous generation consoles.
At times, DiRT Rally can be quite the humbling experience. There's a good chance that casual drivers might crumble at the first hurdle, but perseverance brings with it a sense of reward that just can't be found by playing the likes of Need for Speed, etc. Victory is well earned, mistakes are swiftly punished - there's no middle ground. It is video game driving in its purest form, and much like the competition it emulates so well, it can be brutal at times. Motorsport fans will appreciate the lengths that Codemasters has striven towards, ensuring it's as authentic an off-road experience as is currently possible to achieve on a home console.
Despite being good, clean, mindless fun, Earth Defense Force 4.1: The Shadow of New Despair lacks the depth and polish to elevate it above its peers, and likely won't appeal to those unwilling to commit to the grind. Fans of past iterations in the series will no doubt lap it up voraciously and call out anybody who disagrees that it's the greatest thing since...well, the last EDF game. While it's fair to say that it does have a certain low-tech charm best enjoyed in small doses, extended sessions only serve to emphasise the shallow, repetitive gameplay, with prolonged exposure inducing what can only be described as brain atrophy. So bad it's good? Yeah, probably.
Action Henk is a fun little blast that proves to be the very epitome of 'just one more go' and possesses qualities that should appeal to fans of the Xbox classic Doritos Crash Course, Sonic the Hedgehog, and not forgetting, of course, the Trials series. The constant need to improve ensures regular returns in the short term, although the lack of the online multiplayer and level editor included in the PC version will no doubt impact on its longevity.
After the undead Exo-based antics of Advanced Warfare, and the more recent Cthulhu-inspired 'Shadows of Evil', it feels like the zombies mode has gone back to its Nazi roots with 'Der Eisendrache'. This, combined with the four new multiplayer maps, ensure that Awakening is a solid first entry to Treyarch's planned content that should keep the armchair warriors busy until the next scheduled drop.
The Following should appeal to anybody who enjoyed holidaying in Harran during the original outbreak, and provides the perfect excuse to electrify a meat cleaver and slice up a few more shambling corpses for old time's sake. Those yet to witness the thrill of evading a pack of hungry virals by shinning up onto the nearest flat roof can pick up the Dying Light: Enhanced Edition which besides including both the full game and The Following expansion also includes a further two DLC packs of co-op zombie-slaying fun.
Tachyon Project is a solid, if slightly generic, shooter that chooses to tread familiar territory rather than forge its own identity. Nevertheless, it should still scratch that itch for hardcore fans of the genre, although it is unlikely to succeed in reeling in the 'twin-stick curious.' A few difficulty spikes midway help prolong a fairly short-but-fun campaign, however, it would be hard to recommend this over Geometry Wars 3: Dimensions, which, besides providing the obvious inspiration to what's on offer here, also includes considerably more content.
The release of Treyarch's Black Ops III will no doubt impact heavily on Advanced Warfare's player base; however, its consistent stream of high quality DLC provides a compelling reason for season pass holders to revisit on a regular basis. With the Exo-suit mothballed and packed away, it'll be interesting to see whether it makes a return for Sledgehammer's next entry in a couple of years' time. Whether it does or not, Sledgehammer should be applauded for daring to take the franchise in a different direction.
Treyarch has shoehorned an almost overwhelming amount of content into Black Ops III, with two sizable co-op capable campaigns, a gothic horror-flavoured zombie mode and an e-sports-driven multiplayer component that should keep fans of the franchise occupied for quite some time. Constantly getting humiliated at the hands of superior players has never been so much fun (note to self: get good!).
GHTV is a game-changer, pure and simple. With an already sizeable library that's set to grow further, it's a title that pretty much demands repeated play. All it needs now is 'Freebird' adding to the set list and it will be perfect… Rock on!
There's absolutely no joy in declaring this game a disaster. There are occasional fleeting moments that serve to remind that skating around a virtual skate park was once an enjoyable pastime, but these are few and far between, and even the most diehard of fans will struggle to find much to enjoy in this package. After a lifetime of flips, nollies and grinds, the Hawkman deserves far better than this.
While it does occasionally get repetitive, the solid play mechanics and constantly evolving challenge is just reward for those that persevere with it. Plus (and this can't be stressed enough)... it has a ship that transforms into a giant mech.
It's business as usual for Sledgehammer, who has once more delivered a solid package that both compliments and adds longevity to the vanilla Advanced Warfare experience. There is a minor concern that a fracturing of the player base between those that own the new DLC and those that don't has started to impact slightly on the matchmaking, as finding Exo Grapple matches has started to take longer than it used to. However, those invested in the Exo-Zombies storyline should enjoy getting to grips with 'Carrier,' and the welcome addition of a wisecracking Bruce Campbell to the fray is a good choice that bodes well for an explosive final chapter.
Edelweiss is to be applauded for applying modern day game design to a genus long in need of a 21st century lick, and while it might not totally rejuvenate an interest in bullet hell shooters, it would be foolish for fans of the genre to ignore a game as polished and slick as Astebreed. Granted, there's a limited audience for this type of game, and it's definitely not for the casuals, but any gamer nostalgic for the time when skill played a major factor in progression should find this a worthy challenge.