Chris Harding's Reviews
The American Dream is silly from start to finish. Its over-the-top commentary will no doubt rub some the wrong way, but for those of us with a modicum of intelligence, The American Dream is a silly gallery shooter that just happens to mock American gun culture.
Destroy All Humans! 2 – Reprobed is a really good game that doesn’t take itself seriously. In some ways, it’s a relic from another era, a reminder of how simple and fun games used to be; a time before the endless grind. Heck, there’s even couch multiplayer, once a standard feature in games that has slowly faded out over the years. Despite its heritage, Destroy All Humans! 2 – Reprobed feels and plays modern enough with refined controls, decent visuals, and enough over-the-top fun to easily overlook the few shortcomings.
inFamous: Second Son still carries a lot of the weight of a last-gen release, but with the pretty coat it's wearing it's easy to overlook the few issues it has. Even those crappy graffiti mini-games...
EVE: Gunjack may be a little on the short side, but for the cheapy cheap price, you can't really complain. It's a fun shooter that's got a lot of replay value, not to mention some of the finest head-tracking on the PSVR. Best played in small bursts, and definitely not with a sore neck.
LawBreakers is a fast, fierce, fun shooter. It's just a shame that I'm not very good at it! That's not a problem, though, thanks to the objective-based gameplay that's pushed to the forefront of this gravity-bending hero shooter. So if you, like me, are crap at shooters but really want to get involved, LawBreakers will welcome you with open arms. Then its players will crush you with mad floaty parkour skills, but that's all part of the charm. Right?
CastleStorm VR is a sort of middle-of-the-road release for Sony's fledging platform. It's not going to be a massive hit that'll be remembered fondly as one of the early greats, nor will it be hated by VR enthusiasts on release. It's a familiar experience with the added flavour of VR. An ice cream with an extra chocolate stick is how I'd put it.
Yes, the visuals have taken a hell of a beating to get DriveClub VR running on PlayStation VR, but even without the game's trademark obsessive attention to detail, DriveClub VR provides a hell of a lot of fun. Just, er, make sure you've got a bucket parked next to you. You know, just in case.
All in all, Ace Banana is a silly little game that provides a slice of first-person-shooter fun that’s sorely missing from the PSVR’s launch lineup, and it’s family friendly, too. It’s not going to be your go-to game to show off your headset to friends and family, but it should keep you entertained far longer than it has any right to. Sharp visuals, cheery music and sound effects plus reliable VR tracking makes this one a solid game. Now, if you’ll excuse me, my bananas need saving.
How We Soar is a super chilled-out game, no questions asked. Flying around on top of the magnificent phoenix is incomparable to any other game - yes, even Eagle Flight, they're different! - and it really does need to be seen to be believed. There's a decent story tucked away within the scattered pages, but there's not much reason to go back in once you've seen it through to the end.
I Expect You To Die is a silly game that doesn't expect you to take it all that seriously, even if it does expect you to die in some pretty nasty ways. I drowned. I suffocated. I got shot. I had my head taken off by a laser beam. I had a bloody good time. It's just a shame that it's over within a few short hours and that the replay value isn't especially high. Dare I say that I would actually like some DLC for this game? Hell yes.
Hell Pie isn’t the funniest game around but it really doesn’t need to be, because its solid gameplay and fantastically disgusting world is more than enough to carry its not-so-lovable hero through the duration of this not-so-family-friendly adventure.
Street Fighter V feels like a great game in the making - literally, in the making. The unfinished story mode that feels cheaply tacked together and the distinct lack of single-player focus makes me think that Capcom is hoping that players will forgive the day-one let downs by throwing updates at the game post-release.
Metrico+ is as annoying as it is awesome. On one hand, I loved the visual presentation and the absolute minimalist design. On the other, I hate maths with a passion. Still, the game kept me entertained for a good few hours and I really did feel like a god-damn genius when I passed a level. Any game that makes me feel smarter is OK in my book.
Organic Panic is a genuinely impressive little game that'll have you smiling and screaming in equal amounts. Intricately designed levels and top-notch physic-based gameplay go hand-in-hand to deliver a rare gaming experience: proper fun that makes you think. It's colourful, it's bright, it's got some wicked sounds behind it, this one isn't a 'must buy' but it's certainly a 'should try'.
It's a fun visit to go back to Harry's magical world with the LEGO Harry Potter Collection, it's just a shame that more wasn't done to warrant the relatively high price.
Toby: The Secret Mine may look like another famous platformer, but it deserves to be recognised by its own merits. There's plenty of brain teasing going on as well as some tight platforming to keep you pushing towards the end. Don't bother getting invested in the non-verbal narrative, just enjoy the journey.
If you're a veteran airship racer then you'll have no qualms with this collection. It's decently priced, it looks bloody amazing, and it plays like a dream. If you're a newbie coming in fresh as a daisy, take the time to learn WipEout's intricacies and style before you resign it to the bin. What you're getting is effectively three great games at one great price. They're a little old, and at times their clunky, but it's a decent release no less.
The Last of Us 2 takes a massive misstep with its story, but it’s saved from failure by its brilliant gameplay. It’s slow and shallow far too often, but when the gameplay is allowed to take centre stage, there’s something special to be had. It’s a thriller and a bore, and while I enjoyed the gameplay, I don’t think I’d be able to endure it again for the New Game+ mode.
Super Dungeon Bros is a simple yet brutal game. If you tackle this beast head-on without a friend of two, you're probably going to get a wee bit annoyed. However, a few mates really does help pull the fun from within the depths of Super Dungeon Bros and it's really the only way worth playing.
Grow Up retains the charm and whimsy of the first game without being a simple re-tread. There's a bigger world to explore and you'll be reaching for the stars in no time. Just be sure to hit those checkpoints on the way up, lest you fall down and curse your luck... It's a cheap and cheerful game that I recommend, especially if you found yourself laughing at B.U.D's gammy legs in the original.