Steve Wright's Reviews
John Wick Hex is a no brainer. It’s a layered strategy game perfect for long sessions or short stints.
Journey to the Savage Planet balances ridiculousness, humour, and exploration to present something that has really clicked with me.
While Gears Tactics has some refining to do, it’s hard not to recommend
Fans of XCOM will love it if not for its look into the world post-XCOM 2, then for the new characters and abilities at your disposal.
Xenoblade Chronicles was a gem on the Wii and a good add to RPG collections even on the New Nintendo 3DS. We praised the 3DS re-release for its ability to be enjoyed on the go — something that’s great for any long-running RPG, to be honest — and the Switch version’s able to do that while adding a new coat of paint and content at the same time. The end result makes it an easy recommendation to Switch players and RPG fans alike.
There’s no denying NHL 21 is a tight little package — in fact, it’s been years in the making (click that and thank me later) — but that’s because EA Vancouver is doing everything it can to refine a polished hockey game year-on-year. NHL 20 introduced or improved most of the items that feature inside this, so unless you’re super into single-player modes like Be a Pro, you could get away with buying it instead of this. If you’re into multiplayer, well, you have to upgrade; I don’t need to convince you. I’m ultimately rather pleased with NHL 21, but still have to throw some shade at EA for choosing not to support this on next-gen consoles in any way. Boo.
Griz said how amazing Tetris Effect can be in VR, but I’m happy enough just playing with the sights and sounds emanating from my TV. If Xbox isn’t your bag, you’ll be pleased to know that Connected will eventually be coming to your platform — and that includes your VR platform — of choice soon, and for free at that. Everybody wins.
It Takes Two wears a lot of hats, and each of them well. It’s a romantic comedy, a challenging shooter, a head-scratching puzzler and more. While it has a somewhat predictable narrative (less so than A Way Out, for the most part), it’s still charming and full of Pixar-like whimsy. Find a loved one and get into this one; you’ll certainly be glad you did.
Should you play Mass Effect Legendary Edition? Of course you should. This is BioWare firing — for the most part — on all cylinders and hopefully is the dawn of a new resurgence of the franchise (fingers crossed for EA Play 2021!). Get in, get immersed, explore the galaxy and defend it from a once in a 50,000 year occurence. Then head on over to Andromeda to appreciate that before the next adventures in the Sol system take place.
The positives easily outweigh the negatives; Deathloop offers up a highly enjoyable gameplay loop shrouded in mystery.
As per usual with any Nintendo title, this comes complete with a catchy, earworm-producing soundtrack and oodles of clean, wholesome fun. Those looking to rekindle a family gaming session akin to ones enjoyed in the past with Wii Sports will find this a sure winner.
Sniper Elite 5 is stupid fun and a joy to play. Rebellion hasn’t made any giant leaps in terms of new functionality, but it doesn’t need to. Instead, the studio continues to refine and polish an experience that sets itself apart from other shooters.
With strong writing, extreme self-awareness, exceptional performances all around… and a confidence that’s exuded no matter the branching path you find yourself in, Supermassive has outdone itself with The Quarry.
While it’s very true I have a soft spot in my heart for PGA Tour accordingly, there’s no denying 2K23 is solid. Small improvements to an existing formula mightn’t be looked highly upon in a yearly cycle, but PGA Tour 2K23 gets away with it because of its cadence. Welcome back, old friend. 3 click for life.
Coupled with the likes of Star Trek Resurgence, a narrative adventure also released this year, it’s safe to say that Star Trek video game fans haven’t had it this good in a long damn time. If you’re a strategy fan, you’ll enjoy this, and if you’re a Star Trek fan you’ll absolutely gobble this up. As well you should.
"Mario vs Donkey Kong... is an absolutely fantastic little puzzler."
I had very few gripes with Sparkle 2.
In the end, Cuphead proves to be everything I wanted it to be — challenging, stylised and fun. It's a tough, tough game — but unlike Dark Souls, my failures in Cuphead made me want to keep playing. Bring it on.
All up, The Coalition’s multiplayer offerings make up for an inconsistent campaign in Gears of War 4. Even then, and as much as I hate to admit it, what’s been presented has me eager for more – even though I would have preferred some resolution in this title, thank you very much. Gears fans will love it and newcomers should find enough to get them geared up – pun intended – for more.
Playdead has greatly improved how it delivers a story, but hasn't moved away from ambiguity. The latter three-quarters of Inside cheapens the otherwise refined package, only saved because the studio is the undisputed master of horrific puzzles. Ending aside, it's definitely worth a look.