The classical ensembles feel like John Williams has personally escorted you on your mission and is with you to blow the enemy to bits with nothing but sheer musical brilliance
The promise of an authentic UEFA Euro 2016 experience would mean that you expect all national teams of the competition to be licensed with their actual kits… Unfortunately, it’s not quite the case
The dungeons are well designed, but it's the cartoon sprites with real character that really make the game come to life
I won't pretend [Dungeons 2] blew me away, but it did surprise me how addicted I became to playing it
If you already own Football Manager 2022, then it likely isn’t worth upgrading to Football Manager 2023. The changes it boasts do make for a better experience, but it feels more like a slight quality-of-life update than a whole new game to replace what came before it. That said, this is undoubtedly still the best sports simulation game on the market. And if you’re looking to step into the world of Football Manager for the first time, or you’ve been away for several years, you won’t be disappointed.
There’s a lot to love about Age of Empires IV. It’s clear the developers have listened to the community in creating a game that feels both fresh yet faithful to the franchise. It has tried to combine the best elements of all previous games in the series and, largely, it has succeeded in doing so. Its small pool of factions may be a problem for some, and its camera issues need addressing, but in the grand scheme of things, this is an excellent entry into the RTS space. Is Age of Empires IV the best Age of Empires game to date? For me, it doesn’t quite knock Age of Empires II Definitive Edition off the top spot, but regardless, this modern entry has undoubtedly been well worth the wait.
Football Manager 2021 has done something that great managers do: it has acknowledged its weaknesses and improved upon them without completely rocking the boat. It still feels truly familiar as a Football Manager game, but the overhaul to expectations and communication makes for a more coherent and impactful experience. There’s more of a focus on what you say and do in your role as a manager and, over seasons, your performance is better judged. It makes a real difference to how the game can play out. The matchday experience may not be massively improved, but the improved focus elsewhere makes a real difference. For anyone who truly likes to get into the role of manager, Football Manager 2021 is a must.
Adding to the mix the Emperor DLC and the extra decisions, missions and incidents it imposes onto Europe, and you’ve got a wholly upgraded experience. The wrestling matches for power and influence become that much more apparent, that much more important and actually – very unlike Europa Universalis IV of the past – much more clear.
It's hard not to fall in love with Smoke and Sacrifice, simply because it is a beautiful game.
Genital Jousting is a secret gem that far surpasses the toilet humour you'd expect. But don't worry — there are still plenty of dick jokes. This is certainly a juicy title that you will want to wrap your hands around.
Developer Tea Powered Games has some great ideas here, and I can't help but hope that its next title be something like a murder mystery game! But if you do fancy sliding into the shoes of a struggling writer, you could do worse than play Dialogue: A Writer's Story.
The developers have created a very interesting world in Get Even, and the brilliant atmosphere coupled with varied gameplay makes for a very worthwhile experience.
Sure, it can be a fairly short experience, but providing you engage with it in the way the game intends you to, Herald is a fantastic experience.
Ties That Bind is a fantastic introduction to The Walking Dead: A New Frontier. The story is incredibly well created, still managing to feel fresh despite the amount of baggage its carrying from two previous seasons of diverging narrative.
Hopiko is a solid, action-packed platformer that will push your limits in ways that its traditional counterparts could only dream of.
The customisation is insane. You can really do anything. This is more than Fallout 4 level of crazy facial manipulation
There’s no reason to go back to the original now, and its generously low price (£15/$20) makes Age of Empires II: Definitive Edition an easy must-buy.
Imperator: Rome truly has the depth and versatility to become one of Paradox’s finest.
Divinity: Original Sin 2 was already one of the best, and with the release of the Definitive Edition, it's even better than ever.
Overall, This Is The Police 2's mechanics are a vast improvement on an already solid formula, and this change for the better also stretches into the game's plot.