Steve Wright's Reviews
Simply put, It’s About Time manages to capture the feeling of old school, challenging Crash games of old while adding a modern spin to increase enjoyability for those of us who don’t enjoy bashing our heads against a brick wall when difficulty skyrockets. It’s full of quirkiness, humour, and is a worthy sequel in comparison to Naughty Dog’s previous outings. Kudos to Toys for Bob.
Super Mario 3D All-Stars is a decent bundle of games, though Super Mario 64 has aged poorly with clumsy controls, muddy visuals and no real effort by Nintendo to remaster or re-energise the game for the umpteenth platform you’ve just bought it on. Again. Super Mario Sunshine is a vast improvement upon that (and it should be, published five years later), though Super Mario Galaxy is truly the pick of the bunch, a game as great now as it was back then. Rosalina for life.
I’m about done. Avengers would have been a great story-driven title but its Games as a Service elements completely destroy it. Steer well clear, at least until Achievements and progression are fixed. To date, Square and Crystal Dynamics haven’t even bothered to officially acknowledge the issues the game is facing. For shame.
While Tell Me Why may draw people in because of a transgender character, it offers far more than just that. It presents a complex, psychological narrative that doesn’t use minorities as mere tools to shortcut emotional responses from its players. Take note.
Despite its flaws, there are some interesting concepts, some clever boss and district design and an ultimate message of equality that’s been presented within; should we get a sequel, I hope more time is spent on a narrative and connective tissue that does the entire package justice.
Ultimately, I completed Battletoads in 3 hours and 45 minutes and have no intention of ever going back.
PGA Tour 2K21 is great fun, a solid golf game that should provide hours of enjoyment to those wanting to climb the Tour ladder or merely get out for a hit.
Long story short, make Microsoft Flight Simulator whatever you want it to be — it can handle it.
For all the hype that's been extended to Horizon: Zero Dawn, it hasn't managed to fully deliver.
Destroy All Humans isn’t bad, per se, it’s just bland; a fresh coat of paint on a dated game, clunky in some areas and polished in others.
Despite its flaws, Carrion is immensely enjoyable, though I would imagine its grotesque nature will turn some away.
These slight changes improve upon an already unbelievable base, stylised and polished.
Like the initial entry in Assassin’s Creed, the franchise it unashamedly copies, Ghost of Tsushima is good but not great.
Even if Death Stranding’s narrative was good — and it’s not — a game needs to have actual gameplay. What you find within is abysmal; frustrating, tedious and beyond repair — even with the addition of DLSS on PC. It is to be avoided at all costs.
You'll love it and hate it almost in the same thought. That’s not necessarily a terrible thing though — it’s an extremely unique experience that you owe it to yourself to at least try if you haven’t already.
The end result is an entirely competent game that I finished because I had to, not because I really wanted to.
Everything feels extremely SpongeBob-like, from colourful, zany environments to character design and especially the game’s soundtrack (which you’ll have stuck inside your head for days after you play, though pleasantly so). As a result, those with ties to the television franchise will absolutely adore proceedings, while those who enjoy a old school collectathon will also feel right at home.
If I’ve sounded at odds over The Last of Us Part 2, that’s because I am. It won’t only be polarising between players, it will be divisive with your own emotions. When looking at gameplay it’s best in class, but a host of design and narrative decisions truly bring it down.
There’s a lot of squandered potential in both this title and the franchise itself, and I hope that V1 Interactive is able to salvage this release in the weeks to come. Some much needed focus will greatly improve the package.
Command and Conquer Remastered Collection offers hours of entertainment — I didn’t even get to multiplayer in this review process — for a very reasonable price