When I think about Marvel’s Spider-Man, my mind keeps returning to a moment early on in the game, where Peter gives Miles Morales a couple of pointers about how to fight well. The pair exchange jokes, look out for each other, and there’s the inception of a real bond there that carries through the rest of the game. This is at the core of Spider-Man’s heart; how well the character warms to the people of New York City. Insomniac Games’ understanding of the source material is truly what makes it shine.
Despite some unsatisfying gameplay systems, Darkwood can provide legitimate thrills and scares for the horror fans that miss the vibes of such classics as Silent Hill 2 and Pathologic without ever using a jump scare. Whether it is the uniquely grotesque art style or the ever-challenging design of its difficulty, Acid Wizard Studio has proven it understands what ingredients make up a good horror experience and the randomised elements of the game allow a unique narrative every time you play.
With perfectly crafted levels and an awesome electronic soundtrack, Vandals proves to be a great entry into the turn-based stealth genre. In many ways, it captures the sensation of what painting at night feels like.
Season is a reminder that memories of the past are all we’re left with, and it staples the importance of being able to carry over that knowledge into future generations. Because otherwise, we’re left with a culture that is doomed to repeat the same mistakes and won’t have the skills to work past it.
Is Scarf a good game then? It’s certainly not terrible. I’d suggest it might even get lost in the shuffle that is the end-of-year period, which it doesn’t deserve. The game has a great foundation for puzzle design blended with platforming and exploration. Otherwise, the shortcomings with the game’s story aren’t intrusive enough for it to be a massive problem. It’s a solid little thing to spend a couple of evenings with.
Altogether, LEGO Star Wars: The Skywalker Saga is the best LEGO game I’ve played in years. It rightly innovates far beyond the standardised formula that this series has built over the years with some fresh ideas. With such strong source material, however, there are so many sequences that feel hung out to dry.
With this stimulating narrative, Lydia is a steady explorative adventure that will leave you speechless by the time you finish it. Its take on adult themes within a childish aesthetic feels familiar but it accomplishes enough to set it apart from other like-minded indie titles. It's a solid debut release by Platonic Partnership and leaves me intrigued to see what comes next from the Finnish studio.
A new lick of paint and some enhanced accessibility improvements bring the Super Mario RPG remake into the 21st century. While the game was already a great outing back in 1996, new players should have no problem jumping into Mario’s first RPG title, hopefully opening the door for next year’s Paper Mario remake and potentially more RPGs later down the line.
However, the performance doesn’t feel like a dealbreaker. Hitman: Blood Money was a fantastic game in 2006 and is still as fantastic in 2024. Performance quirks aside, the Switch port is a brilliant way to introduce new players to the classic stealth game while also riding the wave of popularity World of Assassination brought in. It’s still able to prove it’s one of the genre’s best and will continue to be enjoyable for years to come.
Overall though, Alan Wake Remastered is the same game it was in 2010 but with slightly nicer looking graphics. If you enjoyed the original, you’ll most likely enjoy this. If you hated it, there’s nothing about this new release that will change your mind. And if you’re brand new to the series, it’s definitely the best place to start.
I’m going to be honest here and say that Tiny Tina’s Wonderlands doesn’t make the best impression. Despite a fantasy-themed facelift and a bigger emphasis on character freedom, the issues that plagued previous entries in the series are still too numerous for it to feel like a substantial change. However, I’m still finding things to enjoy in it which, even as a Borderlands skeptic, at least makes it worth the price of admission for anyone playing this with friends.
Despite its faults, I think I’ll be coming back to Evil Dead: The Game quite often. It’s got a solid foundation for asymmetrical multiplayer that doesn’t tread on the toes of its competitors, while also remaining a fun and cohesive adaptation of the source material.
By now we’re definitely starting to feel the effects of genre fatigue amongst soulslikes. And Thymesia certainly reaches a point where it can’t separate itself from the games that came before. However, there is still a lot of originality in its combat systems and world design so that the game doesn’t feel too derivative. It’s just a shame that clunky controls and awkward bugs hold it back.
As a combination of both political strategy and Lovecraftian drama, The Shrouded Isle takes this idea and provides a comfortably tense experience whereby every choice should matter but with enough leeway that inexperienced players can still make mistakes. Fans of classic horror literature may be drawn to this game through its distortedly gothic art style and otherworldly premise, but the large difficulty curve may be too complicated for them, even if the repetitive gameplay structure can feel rewarding once you get the hang of it.
So, Age of Empires 4 then. It’s certainly a competently-designed RTS. Thanks to unique units, buildings and technologies, playing around with each civilisation is fun and offers a different experience each time. Unfortunately, with it feeling so similar to Age of Empires 2 but with many stripped down features, it’s extremely difficult for me to recommend spending £50 on this when you can grab Age of Empires 2: Definitive Edition for £15.
Despite an excellent combat system and intriguing world design, Sifu falls too short of its premise. Regardless of whether you’re playing it casually or going harder, the death mechanic is simply too punishing to be enjoyable. Perhaps with a fairer system, this would make for a better game.
So overall, is As Dusk Falls worth it? It has a captivating story with more than a few rocky moments, but is as close to feeling “genre” as it can get. It also has a lot of shortcomings that might only be saved by the interesting multiplayer features. It’s the perfect game to pull out for any digital or physical get-togethers, but is otherwise a reminder of wasted potential.
For as long as I recall, MediEvil has been a crucial part of my gaming upbringing. It was the first game I ever played; I remember spending long weekends with my dad trying to beat a level. I remember using our horrible dial-up internet to look up cheat codes. I even remember going around the school playground shouting at the other children and muffling my voice like Sir Dan. This is for the fans and it’s not very accessible to anyone outside of that circle. Regardless, it was a big treat to see Sony has not entirely given up on the franchise, and if there’s enough interest, may consider developing a new game altogether.
Abermore is a fantastic idea with lots of potential. I love the writing, the comedy that comes through in gameplay, and the whole vibe as a modern Thief. But just like the classic games that inspire it, Abermore comes with its fair share of jank and bugs. Right now that makes it a frustrating experience.
On a whole, RAID: World War II feels exactly like what you'd expect from a Payday clone. It takes less of a political approach than other games featuring Nazis such as Wolfenstein or the upcoming Call of Duty: WW2, and instead moves away from the ‘war is hell' narrative to opt for a more hyper-violent, stylised approach to the subject matter. While the choice of game engine severely lets itself down, there is still much to appreciate if you enjoy other co-operative shooters of its type.