Simon Brown's Reviews
A difficult, interesting journey through deep space that constantly has you making interesting decisions. The complexity isn't always a good thing but there is a ton of replay value here.
A fun if simplistic third person shooter with quirky, entertaining characters and an over the top charm that makes up for the repetitive gameplay. Let down by a sloppy localisation and some stiff controls but still a good time.
Vasara Collection brings two rare Japanese shmups to a modern audience in a competent (if relatively no frills) experience. Unique melee mechanics and a quirky feudal Japan setting make them well worth experiencing, just don't expect them to be easy. The bonus Timeless mode is a nice addition but feels a bit wasted.
An interesting and entertaining attempt at bringing the main Wolfenstein series' shooting mechanics into a co-op adventure that for the most part succeeds as long as you bring a friend. Solo play is disappointing but functional and fun times can be had regardless of how you play.
A solid if slightly disappointing offering, bringing fun and engaging urban conflict to the strategic landscape of the Inner Sphere. New mechs, enemy vehicles, missions and equipment round out the additions, for committed fans it's pretty much essential.
A surprise expansion that's a fun romp across the Mediterranean with a wide array of new toys to play with and some subtle but useful changes to the original game. No new mastery and a handful of polish issues are a shame but it's a great reason to go back to Titan Quest.
A competent if flawed JRPG that has a unique combat system undermined by poor localisation as well as just dull implementation. If you are after a Persona-like RPG you might get some enjoyment from this, but it's pretty generic fare.
An ambitious, complex sandbox space game that allows you to do almost anything from spacewalking to commanding a carrier with a fleet of ships onboard. A steep learning curve and an inconsistent interface mar an excellent return for Egosoft's flagship series.
An intriguing RPG/Survival hybrid sandbox that invites you to experiment in the world it presents. Some technical hiccups interrupt the open world and the freeform nature definitely isn't for everyone but if you are after something different, Kenshi is the very definition of that.
A satisfying colony-building sandbox with a lot of replayability that suffers from a lack of polish in the UI. A great aesthetic and quirky sci-fi take on the genre mean there is a lot to like here, it just takes a little digging to get there.
A laser-focussed expansion that adds variety and depth to the already solid base game. BattleTech: Flashpoint gives players new stories and something to plan their time around whilst playing in the sandbox of the BattleTech universe.
The return of the horsemen delivers an entertaining if challenging action adventure. Some beautiful environments and fun enemy design help keep it engaging as you play but Darksiders' third outing is ultimately forgettable.
An interesting experiment that fails to nail either side of the experience, it uses Fallout trappings to good effect and can be fun with great environmental storytelling and West Virginia itself is gorgeous. The lack of NPCs and overall cohesion along with lacklustre PvP hinder its identity, however.
No online multiplayer, oddly narrow selection of properties, a lack of characters and imagery from the shows they used along with oddities like no voice work make it hard to recommend, there's the nugget of a great kart racer in here but it all feels so half-hearted. A real shame.
A great little twin-stick shooter that wears its inspiration on its sleeves but backs it up with challenging wave based fun that might easily become an addiction as you try to work your way up the leaderboards.
TWEWY -Final Remix- does a stellar job with updating the DS originals visual and aural design. Some control issues and changes to combat mechanics to fit the Nintendo Switch are unfortunate but the story and game systems are still excellent and will still have you eagerly trying to survive the Reaper's Game.
A fast, furious and fun shoot ‘em up that brings some interesting gameplay changes into its different modes. Doesn't do anything groundbreaking but plays like a dream and looks and sounds exactly as you remember shmups do!
A solid, if uninspiring run ‘n gun title with some very nice visuals. The game's length and difficulty make it hard to recommend without reservation but if you are after something a little quirky you might enjoy your brief time with this.
The Bard's Tale IV revisits the classic dungeon-crawling formula from years past, simultaneously showing reverence for its history whilst not being afraid to change it up mechanically. Visually stunning with a wonderful Gaelic folk soundtrack to go with it.
SNK's female-only fighter lacks the complexity of its older brethren but can be a glitzy over-the-top fun time if you let it. Fanservice hides a fun, simple to grasp fighting system that is deeper than you think.