Craig Shields's Reviews
F1 2017 is another leap from last years game. While it won't reinvent the wheel, the addition of classic cars, a more in-depth career mode and tougher AI makes it a significant improvement on 2016.
Splatoon 2 offers a stellar single-player, a robust and addictive multiplayer and in Salmon Run, a horde-like mode that provides a great alternative to standard online matches. Splatoon 2 is funky, fresh and most importantly, fun.
Mr Shifty is a frantic top down brawler at a staggering pace. Great on the go and with a suitable price point, Mr Shifty is a strong candidate for your next Switch game.
It won’t present much of a challenge but RiME is a delightful experience from beginning to end. It urges you forward at every turn and while there are minor technical issues, it’s a wonderful game that most should explore.
It’s charming, relaxing and can also provide a challenge. Snake Pass is a wonderful game to get lost in for a little while and if you can pick it up on the Switch, you’ve got a title that is great to play on the TV and on the go.
It’s fast, it’s fun and if you have any type of nostalgia for fast racing games on a Nintendo platform, then Fast RMX should be your first port of call on the Switch.
I thoroughly enjoyed my time with Psychonauts in the Rhombus of Ruin, it was witty, it presented a challenge and – most importantly for a VR title – is comfortable to play. For owners of PlayStation VR looking to justify their headset purchase and an enjoyable game, look no further than this.
Red Dead Redemption 2 has problems when it comes to its moment-to-moment gameplay but its attempt at pushing the boundary in mechanics, interaction and narrative within an open world that’s one of the finest ever crafted, almost more than makes up for its faults.
Yooka Laylee brings the classic 3D collectathon platformer into the modern age, although not without camera issues. Despite that, it takes what made past 3D platform games great and puts it on a larger scale with substance.
There’s no doubt that there’s an audience for Mantis Burn Racing. It’s a neat little top-down racing game that’s great for the pick-up and play nature of the Switch. It’s let down by a lack of variety and personality but don’t let that put you off if you’re a keen racer and own a Switch.
For newcomers, Yakuza 0 offers enough to make it a worthwhile purchase with over a hundred hours worth of content. For those returning to the series, apart from a new story, you’ll be walking a similar path to what’s come before, which, depending on how fatigued you feel from the past games may be a good or bad thing.
Batman: Arkham VR is a short but lively experience and I wanted to keep going and finish it in one sitting. While it’s hour length may put some off, it’s not everyday you get to be Batman, and an hour in Batman’s shoes will convince you that your expensive headset, is worth every penny.
In terms of pure gameplay, Pro Evo takes the crown from FIFA. The subtle improvements made to last years version have been thoughtful and impactful to the way the beautiful game is played. PES 2017 is, arguably, the best football game ever created.
It’s a bit of a cliche but there’s no doubt that Resident Evil 7 is a return to form for both Capcom and Resident Evil itself. It’s horrible, grotesque, and panic-inducing, but I love it.
While there are minor issues with continuing the story and finding yourself a bit lost at times, Zero Escape: Zero Time Dilemma is a fantastic story-driven game, with characters you’ll quickly become attached to and a narrative that drags you through to its gritty conclusion. For Vita and 3DS owners, playing the previous titles is a must, but once you get here, Zero Time Dilemma won’t disappoint.
For those who have trodden the path of Twilight Princess' Hyrule before then it's a judgement call as to whether you want to walk that road again. The HD remake isn't as mind blowing as others before, but if its been a long time since you've played it, then revisiting Twilight Princess isn't the worst game to go back to.
Uncharted 4 is a great game with minor flaws that hold it back from reaching Naughty Dog's previous heights, but don't let these minor gripes stop you from experiencing a wonderful game.
Donkey Kong Tropical Freeze is one of the premiere platformers that’s released in the past decade and it’s move to Switch is a welcome one. Despite a higher than normal difficulty level, it excels in most areas to present a game that currently stands as one of the best on the Switch.
It’s not a remake, it’s a brand new game and a fantastic one at that. Resident Evil 2 2019 is one of the best games of this or indeed any generation as it combines visual and audio mastery to produce a paranoia-inducing game that isn’t matched by many.
In a world where stealth games are few and far between, Hitman 2 is the closest we’re going to get to sneaking around and taking out a target. While hiding in plain sight is different to sneaking around in a box or in permanent night-vision, Agent 47 has a prominent place again in video games.