Ben Ward's Reviews
All in all, Telltale's Game of Thrones: Season 1 is an intriguing story of a small house in the north, loyal to the Starks, in the aftermath of one of the most shocking moments in the entirety of the Game of Thrones story. Telltale's well-honed formula serves the story well, and the art style provides a welcome visual treat at times too. A fine blend of ups and downs sees the narrative canter at times, but occasionally start to struggle under its own complexity. Fortunately, it brings it all together in the end, although the typical question is raised of 'just how much did *I* influence the story?' at the end. Still, with my ending proving to be as fittingly grim as I'd expected, it's left me looking forward to the recently confirmed Season 2, even though I'm still trying to figure out exactly why I'm bothered about the Forresters.
Black Ops III really is a mixed bag. On one hand you have possibly the best multiplayer experience since Call of Duty 4, with a strong set of maps and a hugely immersive Zombies campaign to go with it. It's just a shame that it's been let down by a campaign that has some great ideas, but doesn't know where to run with them. I'm sad to say that I think the days of the good Call of Duty campaign are behind us, with last year's decent outing being the exception. Still, there's a lot of content here. In terms of a multiplayer shooter, Black Ops III is easily the best that Activision has published in a long time. After being roped back on board the Call of Duty train last year, I think I might as well buy an Oyster Card at this point, because it has its hooks in me once again. Now if you'll excuse me, I'm off to play Call of Duty 4's campaign again.
I'm not going to lie, Transformers Devastation was so much fun that it might as well have tattooed a smile on my face. From the moment the 80s themed main menu appeared to the sustained wails of the guitar solos over the ending credits, I was grinning like a Cheshire Cat. A couple of niggles in the game stopped me scoring it higher (the camera frustrations and the length are the two key things for me), but at it's core it's a very impressive game. It looks like the TV show, it sounds like the TV show (albeit one relayed via a Kerrang compilation), and it plays like Platinum's best. A fast paced, riotous action game that grabs hold of your nostalgia and refuses to let go until you're done, it's worthy of your time if you have even the slightest affinity for either these types of games or the Transformers license. It's just a shame there isn't more of it.
Overall, there really isn't much more I can say about Rock Band 4. If you enjoyed the series before, you'll enjoy this one. There are some nice neat touches that will appeal and keep things fresh for absolute veterans of the series, but it's still accessible enough for you to throw onto your system when your friends have had a few beers at a party. The best party game of the last generation finally makes its way to the new consoles, although there is a question of its relevance hanging over it, particularly with the price tag of the full band kit. Issues around the DLC should really have been sorted before launch, as the confidence I have in the store has waned a little, but assurances have been made that they're working on this asap. It's these issues that leave a sour taste in what can otherwise mainly be described as "the most Rock Band that Rock Band has ever Rock Band-ed".
LEGO Dimensions is by far and away the best toys-to-life game I've played. Not only that, it's my favourite LEGO game too. A lot of what you'll get out of it depends on whether you enjoy the Lego games of old, and also whether you embrace your inner child and enjoy playing with actual LEGO. Fortunately for me, I really enjoy both. The fact that Dimensions opens up the Toy Pad beyond being "just a thing" is a really great addition, and ultimately this is the pinnacle of the Toys to Life genre right now. What other game will see you playing as Gandalf, driving the Batmobile, hurtling after a Dalek whilst Marty McFly and Doc Brown are in hot pursuit? Exactly. The only reason this isn't scoring higher is simply down to the pricing. And the fact it's probably going to bankrupt me. Don't these folks know that I'm trying to save for a house?!
Mad Max is probably the best example from the past few years of games that were released on the wrong date. There are moments in the game that will bring a broad smile to your face and leave you feeling incredibly satisfied, but at the same time you'll sit there thinking "Man, I wish there was more variety". For all the comedy, action and genuinely beautiful visuals that the game throws your way, some of the flaws will bring you back to the barren wasteland with a bump. It's a game worth playing, and I really enjoyed the highs that the game has to offer, but it's hard to recommend picking this up over a lot of titles that are out in this horrendously busy period. Unless you like Australian accents. In which case you won't find a better game this year.
Even with its flaws, Volume is a hugely enjoyable puzzle game, wearing its influences proudly on its sleeve. Near-perfect pacing, a wonderful soundtrack and deceptively simple gameplay, Volume will have you creeping back for more to try and top the leaderboards on as many levels as possible, and maybe even create a few more as well.
Until quite late on in the game, I struggled to figure out what I thought about Everybody's Gone to the Rapture. An absolutely stunning piece of visual art, it's somewhat let down by its impossibly slow pace, and the ease of which key plot points can be missed. It felt at times like I would rather have been "in the moment" of the apocalypse, experiencing the titular Rapture first hand, rather than piecing together the events after the fact. A game in which you sometimes struggle to find yourself caring about some of the people involved, but with enough atmosphere to enable life on the Moon, Rapture really is a mixed bag. If you want a change of pace from the regular "shooty bang" fodder, then it's worth a look, even with its (very obvious) flaws.
Brothers: A Tale of Two Sons is a simple game, yet at the same time an incredibly complex coming-of-age story about fraternal love, loss, the conquering of fear and the importance of family. It's the kind of game that will leave you wanting to go and find someone you love, hug them and never let go. It's not perfect, and the control system will irritate at first, but it's worth persisting with it for the chance to roll with the punches that get thrown all around at the end of it. If you've yet to play it, it's impossible not to recommend it, and if you have then it all comes down to whether you want to experience it all over again.
Hotline Miami 2 was in a very difficult spot. Had it solely done more of the same as the first, it would have endured criticism for not evolving. Instead, Dennaton has taken some of the formula that made the first game brilliant, and literally expanded pretty much everything in the game. Sometimes to its credit, but often to its detriment, Hotline Miami 2 hasn't quite managed to live up to the hype of the first game, and will often leave you feeling unfairly treated as a single bullet will come from literally out of nowhere. It's gone from a tightly paced action puzzle game, to a slightly flabbier paced action puzzler that relies much more heavily on the firepower that the first one encouraged you to shun so much. It's worth playing, if not for the soundtrack alone, but this is really the only area that it surpasses the original title. All in all, a shaky sequel that is built on extremely solid foundations.
All in all, Evolve is going to be a game that gives back what you put in. If you can team up with some friends, or some random players that know what they're doing, you'll have a fun time with the hunters and it'll lead to some intense battles. If you get one or two that want to play it like Call of Duty, however, you're going to find it a frustrating experience. Hopefully as time goes on, the player base will collectively learn the "right" way to play the game, and as they do, it'll become a much more robust environment for everyone. It's the same issue with every online-focused title, and Turtle Rock seem to be committed to ensuring that the playing field remains level. Hopefully they will prove to be just as committed in keeping the game fresh with new maps and modes as well! Arguments about DLC structures aside, Evolve is a fun take on traditional class-based multiplayer. Whether you decide to be the hunter or the hunted, there are plenty of moments in Evolve that will have you on the edge of your seat, and as long as you play to your class, you'll have a good time. Whether the legs are long enough to keep the game running for an extended period of time remains to be seen, but as long as they can keep it as fun as this, I've not got many complaints at all. And that, I'm proud to say, is an entire review without saying that "Multiplayer has evolved", or any other terrible puns.
Grim Fandango is very much a product of the late 1990's. It's an extremely well put together story, with interesting and funny characters that you begin to care about as the tale unfolds. It's an absolute stone-cold classic of gaming history, and is a title that everybody should play. The remastered character assets and re-recorded audio simply look and sound great, and whilst the overlaying of these on the classic VGA level of backdrops is sometimes disjointed, it never feels "wrong". In fact, Grim Fandango Remastered holds up so well it's a little scary. I would like to think this isn't nostalgia clouding my judgement, but it was hard to suppress a smile the first time I bumped into Glottis and he knocked together the Bone Wagon for me. If you've got the patience to deal with some devious puzzles, and want to experience the final hurrah of the LucasArts point and click legacy, this reissue is more than worth the download. Vita cross-save bug aside, I absolutely loved the chance to get back into Manny's Land of the Dead, and I can now proudly say "Grim Fandango? Yeah, finished it. Great game."
I said in my original review that Rockstar dropped the mic on the previous generation with the release of GTAV. If that's the case, this feels like a remastering of a classic album. The fact that this isn't known as "GTAV: Definitive Edition" speaks volumes to the attitude Rockstar have taken with this release. It's GTAV, and it's on the new systems. There is an absolute treasure trove of content to dive headfirst into, and with its fresh coat of paint, GTAV on PS4 is one of the best looking open worlds that there has ever been on a console. I fully expect the PC version to be modded to the moon and back when it's released in January, but for now, this version of Los Santos will remain the pinnacle. If you've yet to play Grand Theft Auto V and own a new system, there is absolutely no excuse for not picking up this release. If you're thinking about double-dipping, then it's a slightly more difficult proposition, but I would recommend it. Admittedly that's because I was looking forward to taking my time with the game rather than mainlining the story campaign in a few days like I did with the review last year. There are still parts that I've yet to touch on the last generation, so with everything to do all over again plus all of that? It's one of the best value propositions on the market right now. Hopping on a scooter and riding down to Vespucci beach during the sunset never felt quite so good.
To cap this all off, I'll address the "Exo Suit feels like Titanfall" thing mentioned at the start of the review. To the untrained eye, this may well be the case. Jumping up and boosting through a window to take down a player shooting from the other side of the room is possible in both of the games, but the key difference is this. Titanfall was designed like that from the ground up. Advanced Warfare has taken the core Call of Duty mechanics and enhanced them with these new fangled suits. They feel totally different, and frankly, who cares if they've taken an idea from another game and implemented it? That's what video games have been doing since day one, and although I doubt it's been ripped wholesale from Respawn's new baby, it's done more for Call of Duty than anything has done over the past 4 or 5 years. Considering how much I was down on the series as a whole, Advanced Warfare has turned me round on it. Maybe not quite to the level I used to, but it's done enough to get me back on side again.
Hidden somewhere within DriveClub is a very good racing game. A game with online hooks that dig in to every element of the experience, whether you're taking on friends and rivals directly or through the challenges dotted around the game. Sadly, the most crucial part of the game simply doesn't work right now, and in spite of its extra 11 months, feels horribly unfinished in places. Things like dynamic weather should be in the game at launch, particularly as that's what was showcased so much at the likes of E3 and EGX. Whilst everyone should appreciate that things happen that will derail some plans a little bit, the fact that DriveClub is still as broken as it is this far down the line, in spite of the additional year that was given to it is inexcusable. Hopefully, in 6 months time, when everything is fixed and all of the content patches are out, it will be a game worth picking up. Until that day arrives, it's very, very difficult to recommend DriveClub as anything more than an astonishingly pretty, but ultimately nothing more than competent single-player racing game.
Lords of the Fallen is a challenging and well paced hack 'n' slash RPG. If you're not a fan, or have yet to dip your toes into the waters of the Souls series, it might seem somewhat frustrating at first, but once you get your head round the mechanics and pacing, it becomes a satisfying, if not brutally difficult, RPG. Whilst it's not really my cup of tea, I can see this taking a spot in some players' libraries as the wait for Bloodborne gets ever more excruciating. Whilst it's probably somewhat harsh to compare it to From Software's output, it's inevitable really. This is to its credit and its detriment, as certain elements outpace From's games, but other areas fall sadly behind. Overall though, Lords of the Fallen holds its own, but fails to do much more than that.
All in all, inFamous: First Light is a solid addition to the franchise that further showcases the technical excellence that Sucker Punch have been able to pull off so far. Whilst the story falls a bit flat in places, it's generally solid enough to carry you through it. The challenge rooms are a lot of fun and will put you through your paces as you try and best your friends' scores, and if you've not yet sampled any of the inFamous franchise, this is well worth a go as an introduction. A good example of DLC done right, inFamous: First Light sheds some brightly coloured neon light on areas of Second Son that were previously unknown to us all.
All in all, in spite of its flaws, New 'N' Tasty is well worth a purchase. If you've never played Abe's Oddysee and have a PS4, go and buy this immediately. It's a chance to play one of the all-time classic platform games with up-to-date graphics, as well as keeping Abe's unique sense of humour and mischievous ways intact. It couldn't be clearer that the love and commitment to Abe at both of the teams at Oddworld Inhabitants and Just Add Water is huge, and this really is a remake that's worth picking up.
I actually came into Rise of the Dark Spark with relatively high hopes. The "Cybertron" games have actually been quite good, and with the dawn of new console hardware, I was looking forward to seeing what was possible for my favourite robots in disguise. Sadly, what we got was a half-baked offering that was clearly put out to meet the movie's release date. As a long term fan, Transformers: Rise of the Dark Spark is about as fun as having unnecessary surgery. The only thing that poses any form of saving grace is Peter Cullen's voice work, but if you're after that, there's plenty more Transformers content that you could be watching.
Transistor is a worthy follow up to one of the most revered indie games of the last generation. Supergiant have taken a formula that works really well and applied a truly gorgeous art direction to it, with an incredibly deep combat system to boot. It's a game that is well worth your time, and with the big AAA game drought heading our way over summer, it's a perfect title to sink your teeth into for a few hours and just let it wash over you.