George Foster's Reviews
Eidos Montral has actually flarkin' done it - Marvel's Guardians of the Galaxy may not be much of an RPG, but it delivers a heart-warming Marvel adventure that has an identity all its own.
The difficulty without much progression and lack of any kind of guidance can make BPM feel a bit unwelcoming, which is a shame when its mechanics feel so great to learn. It's worth diving into for the core premise alone, but don't expect to have anyone hold your hand through hell.
Despite some balancing issues and some issues with how cars are obtained, Hot Wheels Unleashed is still a ton of fun thanks to its breakneck-speed racing, a detailed track editor that would make your inner child jealous, awesome collectible cars, and packed single-player content. Add in the nostalgia for playing with Hot Wheels cars and tracks as a kid, and you might find it to be one of 2021's hidden gems.
It’s rare that a long-awaited sequel does most things right, but this is one of those times and I’m confident in saying that Psychonauts 2 is Double Fine’s best game to date and an early contender for game of the year.
The first and second Ninja Gaiden games are absolutely worth playing through and look great, whilst the third is slightly less recommendable.
Some fun customisation options and unique charm can't save Biomutant from feeling unfinished.
Even with small issues, I have absolutely no trouble recommending Mass Effect: Legendary Edition to anyone looking for a good RPG, a good story, or just a good shooter. The effort put into the original Mass Effect is commendable, especially considering its age, and Mass Effect 2 and 3 are as great as before but with better visuals and the ease of access of all being on the same disk. Like the title says, this is a legendary trilogy, and it’s one that everyone should play.
The fact that Disco Elysium - The Final Cut is now in a good state makes me incredibly happy because it means I can scream from the rooftops how much I want people to play this game. Not only did its gameplay mechanics surprise me with just how much variety they offer, and how much fun they are to mess around with, but its world, story, and characters are second to none in the world of gaming. I haven't stopped thinking about Disco Elysium since I put it down, and I am very excited to go back to Revachol and craft my detective's identity all over again.
NieR Replicant is a game I won't be forgetting anytime soon. Its story is fantastically dark, incredibly unique and told in such a fascinating way, while its mix of combat and exploration has just the right hints of Zelda that make it a hell of a lot of fun to play through. It has some repetition issues and shows its true age in some areas, but it's a game I'd recommend to the first-time NieR players like myself as well as the Automata die-hards. I guess it's time for me to finish that game after all.
It may not be a perfect porkchop, but it's certainly a hot dog of an RPG.
By the end of my adventure I almost felt embarrassed that I'd missed out on the Ys franchise for so long. It has some pacing and technical issues, but the loveable characters, intriguing story and fantastic combat and movement far exceeded my expectations and made me want to experience everything I've missed. Ys IX: Monstrum Nox has made me a Ys fan and I couldn't be happier about it.
Sony's latest first-party title is fantastic fun, but needs balancing and more content.
Earthblood's satisfying combat can't quite make up for its constant repetition, boring characters and short run-time.
Ubisoft's latest open-world is one of their most colourful, imaginative and plain fun in quite some time.
Hitman 3 may not introduce much to the established Hitman formula, but it messes with that formula in unique and confident ways with varied and interesting locations that make this the best of the Hitman trilogy.
Visage isn't going to be for every horror fan. It's slower pace, difficult puzzles and lack of direction are going to make many struggle, but that's also kind of the point. For every moment where I didn't know what to do and felt like I was on a wild goose chase, there was another moment of gratification for finally figuring it out. Throughout all of those moments, I was scared and that's indicative that even if I didn't, Visage knows what it's doing.
Although Kingdom Hearts Melody of Memory might not be the story-focused experience many expect from the series, it arguably does something much more special. Not only does it set up the next chapter nicely, but it celebrates everything that came before it with some fantastic rhythm gameplay and abundant content that makes it feel like a loving send-off to the past 18 years of the franchise.
As I came away from Ghostrunner and started writing about it, I realized that I genuinely wished there was more game to play. That's not a comment on the game's length, which is very well paced, filled with bonus collectibles and perfect for speedrunners, but more a comment on how much potential there is here. Give me more levels, more platforming gauntlets, more cybernetic abilities to use, just give me more Ghostrunner.
It's frustrating to not be able to talk about the bits of Rebirth that I liked the most due to a fear of spoiling things, but just know that there's a lot to uncover that makes the bits that I liked less worth going through. Although the pacing and second half of the game let things down a bit, an awesome story and a campaign full of tension make Amnesia: Rebirth worth playing through for both the horror fans and the horror fearful.
Hades' godly mix of strong narrative and addictive roguelike mechanics makes it an absolute must-have, and one of 2020's best.