James Birks


46 games reviewed
75.2 average score
80 median score
73.9% of games recommended

All in all, LEGO DC Super-Villains is very good in the way it incorporates your own villain into what is a great story. The featured characters bring a ton of excitement and plenty of laughter, whilst their arsenal of moves ensures the combat doesn’t get stale

Read full review

The Big Top Breakout is cheap, cheerful and worth trying your hand at escaping from at least once, but maybe even twice or more to see the other possible ways out. The whole setting is a lot of fun, the clown inspired customisation items are welcome and the jobs are well suited.

Read full review

Jan 15, 2018

So overall, the surprise success has spawned a fitting sequel in Hand of Fate 2, with deeper RPG elements, interesting lore and some really great challenges which all feel different. The tabletop side and the new action elements blend together well to keep the excitement levels high, as do the new mini-games to test your nerve, skill and luck.

Read full review

The Inner World: The Last Wind Monk doesn’t change the foundations its predecessor found success with. There are a vast amount of extremely creative problems to overcome and a story filled with laughs aplenty, but it’s nice to see a few little additional features being brought in.

Read full review

Episode Three, “Jailhouse Block”, ensures that the Admin is as fearsome as ever and that the heroes are going to have a tough time if they are to ever end his reign of terror. The action provides plenty of fun and the new characters have interesting personalities to get to know.

Read full review

I can’t do anything but recommend getting stuck into this very good start to Batman: The Enemy Within, especially if you enjoyed season one. Big things are coming and it’ll only get better!

Read full review

Oct 19, 2017

FIFA 18 has already made me experience immense highs and depressing lows, just like football in real life. The gameplay takes a lot of getting used to, however, the changes have mostly been for the good and the A.I. is a lot smarter.

Read full review

Nov 9, 2017

Overall, NBA 2K18 succeeds in delivering truly addictive gameplay that is pretty easy to pick up for newcomers, while long-time players will enjoy mastering the advanced techniques. The presentation on-court, pre-match and post-match, delivers a high level of quality throughout.

Read full review

Apr 13, 2017

Overall, LEGO CITY Undercover manages to create a charming and humorous experience for all the family, with a definite old school cop show vibe in style, writing and soundtrack. It provides childish jokes and slapstick style to bring on the laughter, as well as cheeky parodies which are easily recognisable.

Read full review

Star Wars Pinball: Rogue One encapsulates the world in which it wants to convey, but the table layout means that only the brave pinball players should give this a go as it’s really tough.

Read full review

As far as story-driven games go, Knee Deep is certainly ranking high in terms of original concepts and the story itself is chock full of suspense, over dramatisation and mystery. Almost every character has something about them to be memorable, whilst the locations set the scene well without ever looking brilliant. After a strong start, a rocky middle that almost lost me and an unforgettable finale, Knee Deep is a great overall experience.

Read full review

Although World of Van Helsing: Deathtrap looks very drab and appears to be just another tower defense game with a gimmick, playing it will cast these negative thoughts away because the enjoyment factor and depth to the whole thing cannot be ignored and really should be praised.

Read full review

Road to Boruto tells a great story, drawing in the player to becoming emotionally attached to the next generation of heroes. The battles are generally entertaining and using characters I’ve never used before certainly helps to keep things fresh. That being said, the best battle on paper is a real let-down and the side quests can drag on a little. Although extra characters for the roster is more than welcome, there are a handful of omissions that should’ve been included instead of having multiple variants of the certain people.

Read full review

Divinity: Original Sin 2 Definitive Edition is a truly superb RPG experience that delivers a complex but intriguing narrative, some of the most exciting and intelligent turn-based combat I’ve ever encountered, and a shed load of quests to ensure there’s always something to do

Read full review

Feb 1, 2018

Dragon Ball FighterZ succeeds first and foremost in the gameplay, delivering an easy enough control scheme to allow the most inept of players to get a power trip whilst using these insane warriors and pulling off awesome manoeuvres. The variety of game modes gives plenty of choice for all types of gamers to try their hand at and the fast paced fun will keep them coming back for more.

Read full review

Batman: The Enemy Within is flying high at the moment, with a cast of intriguing characters bearing their own identities which feel unique to the series, despite many of them having multiple incarnations in other forms of media. I laughed, was partially fearful of what Bruce has gotten himself into, and felt regular surges of adrenaline as I tried to be convincing as a potential member of the brilliant criminal ensemble in “The Pact”.

Read full review

Episode Two “Giant Consequences” is a great addition to an already exciting second season of Minecraft: Story Mode and is well worth a look.

Read full review

Minecraft: Story Mode Season Two starts off really well and doesn’t let up from the opening chapter to the very last scene of “Hero in Residence”. It’s a great episode with plenty of freshness in the form of new characters and locations. The gameplay is way more varied this time around, with the balance between storytelling and input being just about right.

Read full review

The motto for LEGO Marvel Super Heroes 2 appears to be out with the old and in with the new, seen clearly in the choice of main characters and the inclusion of many new faces alongside just a handful of old favourites. I haven’t had this much fun in a LEGO game since the third Batman iteration, and that’s testament to the new gameplay features, excitingly fresh heroes and intriguing story.

Read full review

The decision to provide a two-part ‘Ties That Bind’ premiere for A New Frontier allows time for the characters to settle in, to initiate the connections and reintroduce players to the deadly world they now live in. As is the norm with Telltale series’ generally, the voice cast deliver performances to a very high standard and help to produce a group of believable characters.

Read full review