Jim Hargreaves's Reviews
What we’re left with is a competent arcade racer that plays just as well as it looks. However, wrapped around this refined core is a layer of overly familiar tracks that do little to sell players on TTR’s core premise. Weaving in and out of humongous aerosol cans, dinner rolls, and sushi platters is a fun novelty but fails to add a dynamic worthy of praise outside its obvious aesthetic application. Although very enjoyable in small doses, Table Top Racing: World Tour doesn’t carry quite enough substance to make it past the finish line with flying colours.
Uncharted 4 is more than masterful, bearing the hallmarks of a true system seller. What struck me most as an ardent fans of the series is how much it breaks away from the original blueprint yet manages to amaze on every level. Where many studios step safely from one sequel and into the next, Naughty Dog has taken a gigantic leap, proving yet again they're the best in the business.
Maybe it comes down to how easy and accessible Coffin Dodgers is as a racer, but there’s definitely something that’s clicked with me. Even so, it’s a disappointing effort overall, but Coffin Dodgers may prove to be a guilty pleasure of sorts for a small minority.
Several hours and a dozen or so mastery ranks later, there’s still so much to do in Sapienza. The more accomplished I become as an assassin, the more options I’m given to experiment with, unlocking new weapons, costumes, and starting locations. When you factor in IO’s ongoing series of live events and community challenges, Hitman’s replay value grows exponentially and will continue to do so when we touch down in Marrakesh later this year.
When played with a friend, some of its issues become easier to overlook, but the fact still remains that those hoping for a triumphant return will be left disappointed by this rather one-dimensional arcade rehash.
With much of the game centred around matches and how they play out, Lacrosse 16 leaves much to be desired. Clearly, a lot of dedication has gone into making this the most polished adaptation of the sport you’ll ever get your hands on. However, that’s not enough to gloss over its two largest oversights: frustrating controls and an almost nonexistent learning aide.
It's a shame because Kholat has one of the best horror game set-ups we've seen for quite some time. Not only that, the team at IMGN.PRO has clearly put effort into sculpting an spooky collection of vistas each dripping in atmosphere. Sadly, wedged between these tense moments is way too much filler. The mind-numbing map reading and navigation would have been easy to overlook if that only made up a small portion of the game. Instead, it forms this drab and unappealing bedrock that threatens to drag Kholat down whenever there isn't something scripted happening on-screen.
Salt and Sanctuary is about as far from original as you could possibly imagine. It apes the Souls series almost beat-for-beat, from its core design down to very minor things like the health and stamina bars in the HUD.
As a 3D action game, Estival Versus manages to tick most boxes, but it fails to deliver anything which could be labelled as ground-breaking. While in no way poor or unenjoyable, it does little to put this franchise on the map. Still, for fans of previous entries, there's plenty of meat on the bone, bundled together in a respectably polished brawler.
Hyrule Warriors: Legends may be not be of the same calibre as most Zelda games yet there’s something to be said about way it draws from both the gaming properties it looks to fuse together. Although not entirely successful, it’s an interesting amalgam and one that fans from both camps will now be able to appreciate while on the go.
Dreii really is a one-of-a-kind experience, ranking among my favourite puzzle games of all time. Although remarkably basic in premise, it makes use of simple tools and mechanics to glorious effect. If you're particularly price sensitive then we would strongly advise waiting for it to go on sale, but for those who want to immerse themselves in something truly unique, you may find plenty of value in its current asking price.
Unique, accessible, and hilarious to play with friends, Screencheat comes together nicely in one neat little package. It's a chaotically nostalgic trip down memory lane and one that Samurai Punk has fleshed out nicely with a range of systems that shooter fans will be comfortable with. That said, it's tenure over the sitting room may be short-lived. Although fun in small bursts, it doesn't have quite the same staying power or online community that other games enjoy.
After releasing the fantastic Samurai Warriors 4, things slowly started to go downhill for Koei’s flagship franchise. Instead of continuing to innovate, it felt as though developer Omega Force decided to take a breather, letting its guard down as stagnation began to set in. This is definitely the return to form fans were no doubt hoping for.
Square-Enix and IO Interactive have certainly taken a gamble with Hitman, but so far it seems to paying off. With a low-price entry fee, there's enough included within the intro pack to last a good dozen hours or so, especially when you factor in user-generated contracts and other live game modes. There's certainly enough here to whet anyone's appetite, allowing IO to turn present future updates as mini-events, maintaining a constant buzz among fans throughout the year.
It's not impossible to overlook Alekhine's shopping list of shortcomings. There were a few occasions when everything would neatly come together and create something genuinely fun and entertaining. However, the consistency simply isn't there.
Despite having enjoyed the original game on iPad, for some reason I didn't keep it installed for long. In a weird kind of way, this console adaptation feels just as definitive as its title purports to be without really changing anything. Reflecting on this strange trail of thought, I suspect it has much to do with the presence of an actual game controller and time pressures often associated with playing games on mobile devices. Either way, Hitman GO: Definitive Edition is well worth the plunge, even at its current asking price. Although the cost has been inflated, you'd be hard-pressed to find a puzzle game of this calibre on PSN or Steam for just over a fiver.
Branding Far Cry Primal as a cheap reskin would be harsh. Although largely formulaic, there's enough here for both fans and newcomers to sink their teeth into, not to mention a wonderfully realised depiction of the stone age. However, beneath this wildly altered aesthetic, for better or for worse, Ubisoft is still playing it safe. Personally, I found Primal to be far more entertaining than Far Cry 4, but even then it's hard to overlook the series' systematic regurgitation of ideas and concepts.
Whether a returning fan or simply someone looking for a new roleplaying game to play, Cyber Sleuth caters to both parties. Although those familiar with the brand stand to gain more from this recent revival of the series, the gameplay systems are accessible for just about anyone. Still, despite its overall fun factor, Digimon Story isn't exactly innovative, while also being hamstrung by a few niggling issues.
In a way, it feels kind of cruel to mark Gemini down. For all its flaws and lacklustre looks, you can tell that Phosphor were really onto something in the way it experimented with superpowers here. Given more time and resources – and without being weighed down by the Heroes license – the studio could have created a truly special comic book adventure.
When an Assassin's Creed game has you swearing under your breath more than Super Meat Boy or Dark Souls, you know that something has gone terribly, terribly wrong. Where difficulty can be used to make a game more addictive or rewarding, here it manages to sap every ounce of fun out of the experience. Factor in the copious amount of idle waiting the stealth genre entails and what you have is a frustrating game that besmirches one of the industry's biggest franchises.