Until You Fall is simple but fun. It’s not going to win any awards but it’s certainly going to get you moving and feeling a bit awesome for a while. It does get a bit repetitive, so it’s not going to grab you for long periods at a time, but the sword fighting is enjoyable enough to make you want to come back for more. The worlds are pretty, if a little lacking in substance, and the structured and limited level design is something that holds the game back a little. Basically, if you’re in the mood to swing a couple of virtual melee weapons at big baddies, and who isn’t, then you’ll really enjoy Until You Fall.
Silver Chains surprised me in many ways, I didn’t expect it to make me jump as much as it did and I didn’t expect the story to have me as engaged as I found myself. It may be a bit simple in terms of its gameplay, but if you think of it more like an exploration game, in the same vein of Edith Finch, rather than an out and out horror game, it makes more sense. The sound design is brilliant and there are some interesting monster designs to go along with those hideous sounds too. Silver Chains isn’t going to win any awards, as it doesn’t really do anything new or exciting, but that being said, it’s a solid horror title with a gripping story and some poo-your-pants moments. If you’re a fan of the genre, definitely give it a play, if not, it’s still worth your time for the story.
In all honesty, my favourite parts of Little Witch Academia VR: Broom Racing were the ones without gameplay. I enjoyed being with the 3D character models, discussing parts from the show and the story within the game. It felt like I was actually in the show, offering a unique up-close experience which was nice and immersive after recently enjoying the show. The broom racing is fun, but it was a little too simple and repetitive – you’re probably best playing it in short bursts rather than sinking many hours into it in one go. If you’re a massive fan of the show, definitely check the game out as it’s fun feeling like you’re within this magical world. If you’re not, it’s a decent time killer if you have a VR headset, it’s just not amazing.
It Takes Two may be the best co-op game I’ve ever played. I haven’t played a game that’s incredibly fun, like this, in a long time – it’s mind-blowing how much stuff there is to interact with and do with your partner. You can’t help but smile as you progress throughout the game, finding yourselves improving your co-op skills very organically whilst having an absolute blast. I loved every second of being in this world and I’d love to return at some point in the future. I know I’ll be popping back, from time to time, challenging friends to the mini-games – since they’re worthy of being standalone games in their own right. Hazelight have really upped their game here, I loved A Way Out but It Takes Two raised the bar even higher. They’ve well and truly created a co-op masterpiece, an experience which I feel the modern consoles have been lacking for a long time. So, grab a friend or partner and play this game, it’s a true showcase of how great gaming is as a medium to have fun. There’s one big problem though; I wish it had never ended!
Zombieland: Headshot Fever is just simple and chaotic Virtual Reality fun. The characters are as witty and miserable as they are in the films, with my favourite line being “it’s as hot as two rats fucking inside a sock”. The shooting is really fun and the desire to do better and improve those high scores is very addictive, especially when you factor in the world leaderboard too. Don’t expect a game as complex or engaging as The Walking Dead: Saints & Sinners, it’s much simpler and just really an old-school arcade shooter with some comedy. Honestly, if this game were in the arcades, I’d be putting in a lot of coins, so it must be doing something right.
Kill It With Fire is a simple concept by design, but that doesn’t make it bad. In fact, when you have 30 minutes spare it’s a perfect time killer. It really is as simple as it sounds, offering sadistic fun as you take out revenge on all those creepy crawlies you’ve screamed at over the years. The joy is in getting the upgrades and finding the different weapons you can use, then going back through the levels and getting those damn red jumping spiders back. If you’re after a pretty easy 100% and have some hatred towards spiders, this is unmissable. Otherwise, I’m not sure there’s enough here to make it a game that needs to be played.