Jordan King
Umbrella Corps is a laughably broken mess, unworthy of the iconic franchise it inhabits. The small echoes of nostalgic beauty are negated by its repetitive gameplay, awful mechanics and complete lack of worthwhile content.
The Crew 2's evident ambition to encompass cars, planes and boats into a seamless sporting experience is admirable, but constantly undermined by the bland, unattractive shell in which it's contained.
As the great Paul Hollywood once said, this one could've used a little more time in the oven.
Rogue Trooper Redux is an impressive remaster of a shooter that doesn't quite hold up when compared to its modern competition. That being said, it's still a fun, atmospheric and wonderfully charming outing with a few neat tricks up its sleeve.
The Lego Ninjago Movie Videogame is a fun platformer that expands on the established formula with an enjoyable combat system. Unfortunately, performance issues and lacklustre level design hold it back from greatness.
Slime Rancher is an enjoyable foray into virtual ranching, yet fails to provide enough meaningful depth beyond its adorable visual identity.
Life is Strange: Before the Storm is an underwhelming start to a miniseries that still has plenty of promise. Deck Nine has shown it can create lovable characters and believable drama, yet fails to cohesively implement them into the experience. That being said, things could easily improve from here.
Travis Strikes Again: No More Heroes is a flawed experience, yet boasts such as a commendable level of creativity amidst its restrictions that I was unusually smitten with it. The combat is repetitive, the visuals are sub-par and, sadly, there isn't a lot of depth to many of its mechanics.
My Hero One's Justice is a competent brawler that makes effective use of its source material to craft something fans will most likely adore.
The World Ends With You Remix is always surprising, always challenging and always willing to ask the player to think outside of JRPG conventions they might have grown accustomed to. Granted, the art direction, once considered groundbreaking in 2007, now feels cliched, but the human voice added to the writing pushed aside any doubts I had about getting stuck in.
Sushi Striker: Way of Sushido is an enjoyable puzzle adventure with an excess of charm behind its silly characters and lovable premise. However, its lacklustre presentation and 3DS origins mean the overall package suffers on Nintendo Switch. It simply doesn't look very good, which is detrimental for a puzzler so reliant on its outlandish world.
Far Cry 3 still offers damn good time, and the Classic Edition is a great way to revisit Ubisoft's influential classic or dive into it with fresh eyes. The tried-and-tested formula has advanced in recent years, leaving some aspects of Far Cry 3 to feel aged and inconsiderate, which could be too high a hurdle for newcomers to overcome.
Shadow of the Tomb Raider is an enjoyable action-adventure for the most part, yet frequently falls victim to a haphazard narrative and structural pacing that stops the trilogy's finale from truly standing out.
The Swords of Ditto is an enjoyable RPG held back by its procedural world that hinders the potential creativity of dungeons and exploration.
Detroit: Become Human is complicated. It's a technological marvel with great performances and an entertaining narrative at its core. Kara, Connor and Markus are all given enough room to breathe as characters that you feel connected to all of them. I cared about where their stories would end.
LocoRoco 2 Remastered is a solid enhancement over the original release that fails to iron out all of the kinks I would have liked. The simplistic platforming and inventive level design are occasionally let down by imprecise controls, although this is far from a dealbreaker.
Monster Hunter Stories is a delightful little JRPG that makes a big splash with its adorable visuals and addictive battle system. Performance problems aside, this is a great introduction to Capcom's beloved franchise.
Pokkén Tournament DX is an enjoyable fighter that provides plenty of fan-service for hardcore and casual fans of the beloved franchise. It's also a surprisingly deep experience, now equipped with more fighters and stages than ever before on Nintendo Switch.
The Escapists 2 is a solid improvement over its predecessor, and a fun prison escapade in its own right. While all of its parts don't come together in the most ideal manner, busting out of prison remains a blast when you finally manage to conquer the obstacles set against you. Combine that with a staggering amount of variety and replay value, and you have a package that's well worth going under for.
Knack 2 is a pleasant surprise that improves upon the majority of its predecessor's faults. It still lacks in genuine creativity and new ideas, but Japan Studio has crafted a confident platformer that acts as a whimsical spark in the PS4's exclusive catalogue.