Ashley Bates's Reviews
A brilliant standard setter for remasters and re-releases going forward, Quake 2 feels like a love letter to one of the grandfathers of boomer shooters.
El Paso, Elsewhere might suffer from some filler levels, but the excellent gameplay and writing make it worth checking out.
It was the undisputed ruler of the golfing genre, and that crown remains unchallenged, but Everybody's Golf is one of few games that could benefit from better online integration.
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.
We'd like to focus on how deep and intricate the game is, or how much fun it can be learning different characters, but the way Blazblue: Cross Tag Battle handles its DLC and roster can't be ignored. Take 2 points away if you hate DLC, more if, like me, you hate the fact Enkidu from Under Night isn't included.
While far from a perfect comeback, Need For Speed Heat refocuses the franchise on what it does best, and it’s all the better for it.
Though some flawed level designs and weak narrative hamper the overall experience, Superliminal is a mostly sublime puzzle adventure.
Captain Tsubasa: Rise of New Champions isn't a perfect rendition of the beautiful game, but it is a welcome return to an era of football games that don't take themselves too seriously.
The Medium is Bloober Team's most ambitious game to date, and while certain aspects work better than others, the result is a decent horror romp that even the most horror-averse can enjoy.
In spite of the weak story and awful launch state, Outriders still manages to be a compelling and rewarding looter shooter.
Though there's some technical issues, some more devastating than others, The Big Con is a heart-warming teenage road trip that's worth playing
Pupperazzi sells the fantasy of being surrounded by dozens of adorable good boys, while ensuring the gimmick doesn't overstay its welcome.
Grapple Dog's not a perfect platformer by any stretch of the imagination, but the core gameplay concept and visual design still manages to raise huge grins.
Demon Turf: Neon Splash is a bite-sized version of one of 2021's best platformers, and while it's not quite on the same level, it's still great fun.
A loving homage to horror gaming's biggest franchise, Save Room is a puzzle title that won't give you a fright.
Evil West isn't the most complicated game ever made, but it doesn't need to be, offering a good few hours of overpowered fun.
Like A Dragon: Ishin is a competent remake of a previously Japan-only release, but series veterans might find more issues to nitpick over.
A fun space-faring RPG held back by a few glaring decisions, Starfield is a good launching point for a game that'll become something great in the future.
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.
Frank's a likeable protagonist - witty, gruff, and we suspect he has a heart of gold to go with the elixir of eternal life he's clearly been sampling. And, to be frank, Frank deserves a little more polish and a lot more jeopardy than Capcom Vancouver has delivered with Dead Rising 4. Slaying zombies with a variety of ridiculous weapons is as fun as ever, but we hoped for more.