Ashley Bates's Reviews
A great game that will likely be even better soon, Mortal Kombat 11 offers plenty for any fighting game fan, though it does need some refinement with regards to certain modes and features.
A pale imitation of a great franchise, Dangerous Driving just can't quite fill the hole left by Burnout.
A fun budget fighter that has its core mechanics in the right place but is currently missing a lot of content, Battle for the Grid is a good fighting game with the potential to become great.
The Xbox One launch means a new audience can experience the hilarious gameplay that Gang Beasts offers, but it won't do anything for players who own the game on other platforms.
For what it is, Dead or Alive 6 offers an enjoyable experience for new players and veterans alike, but the full package currently fails to deliver in a lot of key areas.
Though the core gameplay loop of getting better loop will undoubtedly hook players in, Anthem currently doesn't offer enough original content to make the investment worth it.
Though there are moments here that'll bring a smile to your face, Crackdown 3 is crammed with ideas and game design choices that were done better over a decade ago. Just play the original game and wash your hands of this version.
Fight of Gods was never going to be a contender with the likes of Street Fighter or Mortal Kombat, and it shows in the ropey albeit enjoyable gameplay. However, releasing the game without key modes and features makes Fight of Gods hard to recommend.
Though not the perfect JRPG experience, Tales of Vesperia: Definitive Edition still manages to stand shoulder to shoulder with modern offerings. A worthy purchase for new fans and veterans alike.
There's the nucleus of a great mech punch 'em up here, but Override: Mech City Brawl needs some more time in R&D before it can get there.
Crap gameplay, worse story and a terrible gimmick, The Quiet Man just barely manages to be ironically enjoyable, but you should probably leave well enough alone.
A must have for any beat ‘em up fan, Speed Brawl's unique take on the classic genre is well worth checking out.
Gripes with Tira notwithstanding, Soulcalibur VI exists in its own special pantheon when it comes to current generation 3D fighters. Even if you're not usually a SC fan, consider this your jumping on point.
Fingers crossed that Rebellion can continue this run of form with the next few content drops.
What Forza Horizon 4 might lack in terms of an overarching structure, it gains in amazing gameplay and a sheer amount of content.
Though it feels less developed than the more recent Yakuza offerings, Fist of the North Star: Lost Paradise still provides plenty of head exploding bang for your buck.
Though the glitches are still present, along with the Bible puzzles, Episode 4 of The Council focuses more on what works: narrative twists and tense conversations between the characters where everything is at stake.
Although Brawlout's mechanics and gameplay are decent, and great for any party, the lack of modes hampers the game's replayability, making it harder to recommend.
Though it's value is diminished significantly to anyone looking to play the game solo, Strange Brigade stands head and shoulders above the pack as an incredible, action packed co-op adventure.
Even though the battle royale genre continues to add new competitors, H1Z1 should stand out amongst the pack, not just because it's one of the concepts founding fathers. Hell, it got me, noted battle royale curmudgeon and all round miserable bastard, to enjoy my time with the game. That's worthy of some merit.