After capturing our attention with a strong concept and an intriguing open world, Homefront: The Revolution struggles with the basics: weapons feel unsatisfying to use, side quests are repetitive, characters are under-developed, and the online multiplayer represents a step back for the series. Sadly, for all of its ambition, there's just not much here worth fighting for.
Sketching the true horrors of mental illness, Neverending Nightmares succeeds in creating an unnerving atmosphere that will keep you forever on the edge of your seat. It's let down by a lack of environments and varied gameplay, but it still stands as a chilling experience that those with an interest in the genre should check out.
Although it may be undeniably pretty, Masquerade: The Baubles of Doom suffers from a number of glaring flaws that prevent it from being a worthwhile experience. A clunky combat system, misdirected humour, and stale repetitive gameplay are just a few things that will likely diminish any amount of enjoyment that you may be able to draw from this sadly mediocre effort.
Far Cry Primal is able to stand out from the pack, throwing in enough new and appealing additions along the way to warrant a full-game release. As somebody who was largely disappointed in how similar Far Cry 4 was to its predecessor, I found Primal to be a breath of fresh air, adding in it's own new features while still keeping the core mechanics that we've grown to love from the series. It would be refreshing if Ubisoft could continue to do more with the series within upcoming installments, possible toying with more settings and time periods to prevent future entries from feeling monotonously familiar.
Ultimately, Layers of Fear exists as a chilling cinematic experience that is capable of more than a few scares along the way. Uncovering the game's narrative is largely enjoyable and will forever keep you guessing, as clues feel well paced and each horrifying set piece is related. The game may rely on a few too many jump scares and voice acting may feel off at times, but there's still no denying that Layers of Fears is a truly memorable and massively creepy experience.
Ultimately, Unravel presents itself as an unspoken story of lost love and a yearning for the past. Protagonist Yarnie is instantly loveable and is possibly one of the most likeable videogame characters in recent memory. The game shines through its stunning visuals, heartfelt soundtrack and unique platforming elements creating a truly unforgettable experience. Unfortunately, gameplay does lack substance, as it can be completed in just six hours and lacks any real replay value. These criticisms fortunately fail to tarnish the beauty and tranquility that is forever on display.