Jim Hargreaves's Reviews
Moss is an absolute joy to play, proving that a great VR experience doesn't always require that you flail your arms around while fending off bouts of motion sickness. It's a wonderfully realised puzzle platformer with clever twists, beautiful backdrops, and an adorable hero, making PlayStation VR even more tempting for prospective buyers.
Sprint Vector is a wonderful surprise and by far the best VR title I've played in 2018 so far. The feeling of movement is just so ridiculously fun and empowering yet precise and responsive at the same time. When it all comes together – the drifts, the jumps, and the well-timed manoeuvres – there's honestly nothing else like it.
Pop-Up Pilgrims is far from a must-have for PlayStation VR though helps demonstrate the tech's implementation in terms of clever gameplay mechanics and not just immersive dioramas.
Sadly, this isn't the breakthrough fans were expecting. Omega Force took a pretty big risk with Dynasty Warriors 9, and while its open world integration can be seen as a small triumph, this newest entry is marred by its heavily outdated approach to combat design.
For a sports title that strives to be adventurous, Steep's year-old snowboarding gameplay is starting to feel somewhat limited. Pulling off a sick combo still feels satisfying (as does racing down the slopes at breakneck speeds) but there's a sense of repetition there.
For those who have been following the game since long before it's PlayStation 4 announcement, Gang Beasts really does come as a poisoned chalice. Its meathead multiplayer melees will light up your living room for hours on end, yet when there's only one person in the hot seat, it loses that charm almost completely.
Monster of the Deep definitely succeeds in immersing players, though fans of Final Fantasy may be left sorely wanting. It comes with a hefty price tag and, gameplay-wise, there's so very little tying Monster of the Deep to Final Fantasy XV even if it does feel like part of the universe.
If you've been dying to play The Sims 4 but don't have a PC that's up to the task, this is the perfect solution. It definitely feels different on consoles, losing some of its fluidity through the gamepad, but there's nothing else like it on Xbox One and PlayStation 4.
The recurring theme here is substance. On paper, creating a wave-based shooter doesn't sound all that inventive or ambitious, yet Raw Data is just that. In a bid to capitalise on the VR gold rush, we've seen plenty of smaller, lacklustre shooting galleries, but Survios effortlessly puts them all to shame.
Deep into yet another playthrough, I'm eager to explore Skyrim now than I have ever been before. Bethesda has proven yet again that there's still more life in its fantasy flagship. More importantly, it's proven that traditional games, no matter how big, can work in VR.
The easily outrun and overly simplistic combat is a major blow that Road Rage never manages to recover from. The basic open world design, ugly visuals, and various bugs become harder to tolerate knowing just how deeply unfulfilling the core gameplay is, even when you factor in the budget price tag.
If the combat were just a touch more dynamic, Hand of Fate 2 would be essential. As it stands, it's still a great sequel and perfect for anyone wanting the thrills of an RPG without feeling loss. Defiant constantly prod players into the unknown and the results are always fun and rewarding.
Three years ago, Sledgehammer took a bold step forward with Advanced Warfare. Now, in 2017, it's taken a bold step back. Despite some interesting additions like Headquarters and War) Call of Duty: WWII is arguably the most reserved entry we've had in years, but is already proving a hit among fans. There is still that sense of fatigue, however, and if Call of Duty is to soar to the top once again, Treyarch and Infinity Ward will need to change something more than the time period in the coming years.
With the original game having done so little to impress me, The Evil Within 2 has come as a massive surprise. Although the story still failed to hook me, clever gameplay changes and well-used horror tropes combine to create a vastly-improved sequel.
There's definitely room for ECHO to improve and expand, but it's a smashing debut nonetheless. Ultra Ultra has performed a deft balancing act here and one that carefully avoids over complicating things, much to the benefit of the player. It's far and away one of 2017's best sleeper hits and we can't wait to see what the studio has coming next.
It's a shame how RAID turned out, really. Although it arguably came out of nowhere, it's usually games with little to no initial fanfare that can come swooping in to reenergise a gaming genre – just look at the rampant success of PlayerUnknown's Battlegrounds. Still, Lion Game Lion shouldn't be disheartened. There's still a chance to turn RAID into something great, but it's going to take a long, long time for that to happen.
Hidden Dragon isn't terrible, but it's sorely stuck not one, but two generations in the past. The sidescroller is by no means dead, yet those working in this shrinking subgenre are either emulating its most celebrated champions or pushing the boundaries with something new and inventive. Hidden Dragon does neither, nor does it have the visual oomph that can often help overlook a game's shortcomings.
Runic fans waiting on Torchlight III may be feeling sore, but the developer's decision to take a gamble on something new has certainly paid off. Hob demonstrates just how well this team can create a world and stitch it together with intuitive level design. Although some parts are clearly stronger than others, as a whole Hob is easily one of the best indie games of 2017.
Middle-earth: Shadow of War is massive, yet at the same time a prime example of a sequel that's bigger, but not necessarily any better than the original. Once again the Nemesis system shines, allowing players to forge their own unique stories, even if the game tries to do too much with it at times. Getting caught in its tangle of new systems and features can be frustrating, but there's still a great open world game here.
Tooth And Tail charts the midpoint between traditional RTS games and their massively popular mobile counterparts. It's quick and streamlined yet complex and deeply tactical when played competitively. Some fans of the genre will no doubt revel in customising their decks to devour their opponents, but others will find Pocketwatch's approach either too simplistic or not simplistic enough.