Matt Heywood
Matt Heywood's Reviews
Halo Wars 2 is a great console-based RTS game set in the Halo universe that offers a compelling campaign, amazing cinematics, and a breadth of multiplayer modes to keep wannabe Halo commanders busy for months.
Unearthing Mars has potential to be great, but due to its poor technical execution, namely with its visuals and character animations, the experience falls a bit short.
Old Time Hockey is just that--an homage to the 90's era of hockey video games--with NHL '94 being its closest comparison. It's a bit rough around the edges, but it honors hockey games of yesteryear, and should be played by us aging gamers who grew up in the 8 and 16-bit eras of gaming.
Above the Law presents some very difficult choices that can lead to grave impacts on your particular journey through Telltale's latest take on The Walking Dead. It's well worth playing if you're already invested in the series, but also if you're considering picking up the Season Pass.
Shiness is a gem to look at and for the most part play, but a few issues like its overly cheap AI during combat hold it back from being a top notch Action-RPG.
Telltale for the most part has nailed the essence of the Guardians of the Galaxy and their relationships with each other and the galaxy. Outside of a few technical issue such as a bad camera during certain gameplay segments, it's a fun first foray into Telltale's take on the Guardians of the Galaxy.
VR Invaders may not offer a 10+ hour campaign, but it does offer a very enjoyable and immersive VR shooting game experience with vibrant visuals and challenging gameplay.
The fourth episode of Telltale's The Walking Dead: A New Frontier is pretty uneventful and borderline monotonous until its climax, which somehow channels the pure evil of a villain like Negan, and finishes the episode off with a bang. Literally.
What Remains of Edith Finch is a perfect example of how video games can weave highly emotional narratives into their gameplay to provide very deep experiences for the player. It may be short and very eclectic, but it will definitely be on many outlet's game of the year lists, so just play it already to find out why.
Symphony of the Machine excels with its puzzle gameplay and its use of VR, but things get wonky with the camera due to how often you have to reposition yourself on the level to achieve your goals.
The rebooted Prey really has nothing to do with the game that provided its name, but it does take many of Dishonored's gameplay tropes and implements them well in space. Just be prepared for difficult enemy encounters, long loads, and tons of backtracking through Talos 1.
NBA Playgrounds doesn't try to hide its NBA Jams influences in the least, and that's just fine, because this arcade basketball title is one Jam fans and newcomers will both appreciate.
The Surge is brutal, but in a good way, if you're a fan of the Souls formula for kicking your ass but making you enjoy it, then you will more than likely enjoy Deck13's sci-fi spin on it.
Farpoint for the PSVR is probably what most people envisioned when this era of virtual video games was first announced. Simply put, this is the game that justifies a PSVR purchase. A system seller if you will.
From the Gallows isn't the best finale Telltale has ever cooked up, but it presents enough tough choices to keep you engaged. Plus, it definitely alludes to more series to come from Telltale, which is never a bad thing.
Embers of Mirrim is a beautiful looking game with a unique approach to platforming, and outside of the challenge getting a bit frustrating late in the game, it's a solid title worth checking out on the PC, PS4, or Xbox One.
Telltale's Guardians of the Galaxy series continues with Under Pressure, the second of five planned episodes, and while it is competent and features a bit of Rocket lore, it still lacks that Guardians flair James Gunn has perfected in his live action films featuring the same characters.
Nex Machina is a stellar arcade style twin-stick shooter from Housemarquee that embraces the Bullet Hell mantra perfectly with frenetic action and precise controls. This game is just a pure blast to play, and easily a standout type of title in 2017.
Ancient Amuletor is a solid VR tower defense game, but due to the lack of maps and content, it can't be recommended for a launch day purchase.
Chess Ultra is just an all around great chess video game, and its 4K and VR support make its package even more unique. Players of all skill levels will find hours of fun and learning contained within this complete digital chess experience.