Tom Hopkins

London, UK
Tom_Hopkins

Favorite Games:
  • Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare
  • Uncharted 2: Among Thieves

83 games reviewed
71.7 average score
80 median score
50.6% of games recommended

Tom Hopkins's Reviews

Senior Editor @ RealSport 101
3 / 5.0 - Rive
Sep 19, 2016

Difficulty is a good thing when managed correctly. Most players want to beat an area and be overcome by a feeling of pride and accomplishment, not be glad it is over. RIVE often prompts the latter emotion and while the levels, art, and hacking are fun and well-designed, the main take away from Two Tribes’ game is a feeling of frustration.

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4 / 5.0 - FIFA 17
Sep 28, 2016

As always, FIFA 17 dramatically outshines its rival off the pitch with its re-creation of the match-day atmosphere. On the pitch, the transition to Frostbite has improved the look and feel of the game but a few gameplay inconsistencies frustrate and the returning server issues are just as prevalent as always.

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4.5 / 5.0 - Thumper (VR)
Oct 19, 2016

Thumper is an incredible assault on the senses when played in virtual reality. The speed at which you have to turn corners and hit notes in a stunningly designed world makes for an intense and enjoyable ride. Any PlayStation VR owner should pick it up, even if it’ll make you want to go to bed after one level.

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Nov 8, 2016

2017’s iteration of Football Manager is still the irresistible management sim with a seemingly endless number of statistics to track and players to look after. It offers so much potential for unique stories and is unrivaled in how well it recreates the world of football and management.

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Dec 7, 2016

Crystal Rift features some interesting puzzles and may be simple and easy to grasp, but the poor visuals, easily manipulated enemies, limited field of view in standard play, and difficult virtual reality movement means it pales in comparison to the dungeon crawlers of old.

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2.5 / 5.0 - Windlands (VR)
Jan 30, 2017

If you’re looking for a vibrant world to explore in virtual reality then Windlands is certainly worth trying. However, if you are looking to feel like Spider-Man seamlessly swinging around a new landscape,  keep in mind that poor traversal mechanics and awkward movement will make that feel less authentic that you might have hoped.

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4.5 / 5.0 - Night in the Woods
Mar 7, 2017

While Night in the Woods does have the platforming and exploration elements that you would expect from a 2D adventure game, it is first and foremost a game about conversation and listening. The detailed characters and excellent writing tell stories that can be hilarious and heartbreaking and, as Mae, you develop some relationships with people you truly care about.

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3.5 / 5.0 - Snake Pass
Apr 5, 2017

While Snake Pass looks and sounds like a 3D platformer of old, the 'think like a snake' idea that the gameplay is built around makes it a game that will influence platformers of the future. The puzzle is the movement, and since that movement is so fun and engaging, it makes for enjoyable experience, even if the unreliable camera makes it more frustrating than it should be.

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Apr 24, 2017

Granting players the freedom to decide how to take on missions and utilize the excellent sniping mechanic however they like is an idea that the Sniper Ghost Warrior 3 series required to improve on the underwhelming first two entries. However, since everything else, from the characters to the open world itself, lack polish, depth, and quality – on top of the game being riddled with technical problems – Sniper Ghost Warrior 3 is far more dull and frustrating than it is ever enjoyable.

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Apr 28, 2017

Although What Remains of Edith Finch is a short experience, Giant Sparrow's second game tells a beautiful and emotional anthology of stories, woven together by the titular characters equally touching tale. The allegories are unique and convey just what is possible from video games, in terms of storytelling and design.

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3 / 5.0 - NBA Playgrounds
May 15, 2017

NBA Playgrounds scratches that arcade basketball itch we've had since NBA Jam. The gameplay and progression are simple and fun to mess around with but unbalanced power-ups and a shallow online multiplayer offering keep it from being as consistently fun as the classics.

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3 / 5.0 - Portal Knights
May 31, 2017

There is a lot for you to do in Portal Knights. Exploring the well-designed and colorful worlds while taking on groups of challenging and unique enemies is consistently fun but the shallow and repetitive quests and almost unnecessary crafting system make the game frequently tedious to play.

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4.5 / 5.0 - DiRT 4
Jun 20, 2017

Dirt 4 manages what very few racing games do. It's driving is challenging yet accessible, and it pairs this with an almost endless amount of content. The career mode is robust, and the stages are varied and beautifully designed, but the ability to create your own unique tracks using Your Stage is what sets Codemasters' game apart from every other rally game that has come before.

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4.5 / 5.0 - Nex Machina
Jun 25, 2017

Nex Machina is up there with Resogun as the best game Housemaque has ever released and is a great throwback to the arcade shooters of old. In terms of presentation and design, it is perfect and its smooth, brutal, and challenging gameplay makes it feel wonderful to play.

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2.5 / 5.0 - The Town of Light
Jun 28, 2017

Sticking with The Town of Light's slow, meandering storytelling and linear exploration in the early chapters does pay off eventually, but if the dark and often distressing tale of Renee and the happenings in World War II era insane asylums doesn't interest you, there is very little to see that wouldn't be even more of a turn off.

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4 / 5.0 - Black The Fall
Jul 10, 2017

Black The Fall not only succeeds in Sand Sailor Studio's aim of bringing attention to the Communist history of Romania but it also stands strong as an excellent puzzle platformer. The use of unique devices and companions ensures that you never solve the same puzzle twice and the excellent design ensure that every moment of your journey to escape from oppression is enjoyable.

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3.5 / 5.0 - SUPERHOT (VR)
Aug 4, 2017

Superhot VR is a unique experience in virtual reality. Very few games give you the heart-pumping thrill that Superhot does and the issues that come with the tracking capabilities of the Move Controllers and PlayStation Camera do not stop it from being a game that every PlayStation VR owner should pick up.

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Aug 31, 2017

There are a few design and progression issues but, ultimately, Everybody's Golf is a triumphant return for the series. The golf gameplay is deep yet simple enough to fully understand, there is a huge amount of content both online and off to get stuck into, and the light-hearted tone and style make the world a joy to spend time in.

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3.5 / 5.0 - NHL 18
Sep 15, 2017

I have a feeling that NHL 18 suffers from its lack of competition. While, as always, its gameplay is strong, its presentation is pretty much perfect from in-game to the menus, and there is plenty of enjoyable modes for all standards of players to sink their teeth into, the lack of substantial new features and innovation mean that it is a step behind even some of EA's other marquee sports titles.

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Sep 19, 2017

While the same issues of bland presentation, a lack of in-game atmosphere, and licensing inconsistencies return once again in PES 2018, if you're looking for a football game that plays close to perfectly, offering you the control to be precise with every touch of the ball, Konami's game is comfortably the best option around.

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