Stefan L's Reviews
Much like an actual 35th birthday party (I assume), Super Mario 3D All-Stars just feels a little halfhearted. It bundles together three great platformers, all of which benefit from the bump up to HD resolutions, and Nintendo have done well to adapt the varying controls to suit the Nintendo Switch, but there's a squandered opportunity to enhance and go beyond this in a meaningful way. Maybe Nintendo are saving themselves for the big five-oh in 2035?
Struggling is a mess. While I can't fault the controls themselves, the object physics are just not reliable enough in crucial areas, as the momentum when using some objects is too chaotic to reliably make progress. Unless you have the patience of a saint or an online audience eager to see your reactions as you're battling through, this is probably not the game for you.
The best way to think of Crusader Kings 3 as a sequel is in terms of its own dynastic gameplay. Sure, Paradox have started from scratch with a new game, but it's still full of scheming, warring amidst an impressive breadth of cultures and religions. Crusader Kings 3 is an heir that has been born from Crusader Kings 2 and its many expansions, including and improving on so much of what made that game great, but it can still grow and improve in its own right.
Reining in on the supernatural, Tell Me Why is a more nuanced, intimate and mature story that explores family trauma that challenges our memories and relationships, while making another bold step in representation for video games.
Amid its gentle but affectionate satire of Chinese norms and customs, Chinese Parents is an accessible and engaging life sim that should resonate with just about anyone who's gone through childhood and adolescence. Even if you fail, you'll still have a good time.
Full of cute and cuddly jellybean dude bumbling into each other in a race for the crown, Fall Guys is just about the most wholesome battle royale imaginable, and a whole lot of fun.
Horizon Zero Dawn Complete Edition brings Guerrilla Games' fantastic sci-fi adventure to a whole new audience, but PC players used to ultra-high frame rates will have to accept a step down in performance as they enjoy Aloy's journey.
Turning the horror game genre on its head, Carrion is a gory delight for you rip and tear your way through.
Rock of Ages 3 stretches the series' core concept to the limit, but this tower defence and boulder platforming hybrid has still got some legs. Adding a few new game modes and the new level creation tool extends the game's longevity, but ACE Team could do with refining a few of the rougher edges still in the game.
Beyond A Steel Sky has an enjoyable tale to tell that compliments the original game, building a newer, more modern dystopia atop the foundations of the Union City of old. It's just a shame that it's so rough around the edges.
Paper Mario: The Origami King is a solid, but unremarkable sequel. It's like a table of snack food at a party, where you'll happily nibble away just because you're stood next to it or feeling a bit peckish, but it's not exactly going to fill you up. The new battle puzzles and the boss fights in particular stand out, but the world and endless Toads fail to spark the same delight. This feels like a missed opportunity.
Rocket Arena is an energetic new take on the arena shooter that revels in and rewards skillful play with its projectile weaponry. There's breadth to the cartoony character line up, and while their varied weapons and abilities muddy the purity of the classic rocket arena concept, you'll quickly find a favourite and get to enjoy the frantic scrapping of the game's various modes.
Golf With Your Friends has all the rage-inducing charms of minigolf to savour while playing with your chums. With plenty of varied courses to play through and some good variations, there's a lot of fun to be had, even if the game often feels inconsistent and unpolished.
Ooh, aah, that's how it always starts, then later there's running and screaming. Deep Rock Galactic can be deceptively easy going at times, right up until the swarms of bugs come crawling out of the inky darkness to besiege you and your friends. Who knew space dwarf mining could be so fun?
As far as physics puzzling games go, Good Job! does a pretty good job of it. There's a few rough edges and occasional annoyances from the genre as a whole, but with a quirky set up and visual style, there's fun to be had climbing this particular corporate ladder.
Animal Crossing: New Horizons is the perfect island escape, drawing you in to play day after day. All of the charms of the series' previous games are here, but with gorgeous new graphics, DIY crafting and the eventual ability to remodel your island, you can really create the island settlement of your dreams.
If you like video games, have a sense of humour and remember the mid-90s, there's far worse things you can do for half an hour. Just don't buy it on its own.
Two Point Hospital's performance is better on PS4 than Switch, but whichever platform you choose to play on, it's a fun hospital sim with bags of personality and humour.
Lair of the Clockwork God is a genre mash-up that probably shouldn't work, and yet it does. It feels a little unrefined, intentionally so, but there's plenty of comedic fodder in indie platformers, modern gaming and life for Ben and Dan to riff off through the lens of classic LucasArts style adventures.
Through the highs and lows of a newfound love, Florence is a wonderfully told and emotive story that engages you in such simple, but effective ways.