Ainsley Bowden
- The Witcher 3
- Red Dead Redemption 2
- Halo (Series)
Ainsley Bowden's Reviews
“All I ask is that fans of the first one put faith in us and trust us. We’re going to do right by you.” When it was announced by Naughty Dog that they were making a sequel to The Last of Us, considered by many to be one of the greatest games of all-time, Creative Director Neil Druckmann offered the above quote. After spending over 35 hours on my initial playthrough, I spent the following couple of days reflecting on the game before sitting down to write this review. So in the end, did Druckmann and the team at Naughty Dog do right by fans? Yes….and no.
Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 1 & 2 is one of the greatest remakes we’ve seen this generation.
While Watch Dogs 1 and 2 were very good games, they felt like a collection of good ideas that never fully melded. With Legion, it feels as though the third time was the charm.
One of the best games of 2020
Underneath its issues, and often in-spite of them, Cyberpunk 2077 is a true masterpiece of a game.
The Medium has very few jump scares and it's not about killing a bunch of monsters and then moving on to the next. It's deeper and more intimate, with notable imagery and symbolism subtly presented to the player along the way.
In an industry overflowing with sequels, copycats, and remakes, Returnal is a beacon of originality.
Village is one of my favorite entries in the franchise so far, and my favorite modern Resident Evil.
Biomutant is simply a joy. What it lacks in big-budget presentation, it more than makes up for by being unique, charming, and downright fun.
The Ascent’s setting is remarkably striking, and it’s quite fun to play to boot. But the aspects that are either lacking, or entirely non-existent in the game’s design, have a large, detrimental affect on the overall quality of the experience.
By the time the credits rolled, I sat back and reflected on the overall journey which was well-crafted, intriguing, and unique.
With Psychonauts 2, Double Fine has firmly planted down a pedestal of their own, creating one of the best platformers of all-time.
The way Deathloop presents the player with mystery, and allows them to uncover it at their own pace, is fantastic. It is easily one of the most enjoyable games I’ve played this year.
Such is the story of Tails of Iron. It doesn’t accomplish anything notably remarkable, but it doesn’t have to. It’s a well-designed, fun, and engaging title that I was surprisingly addicted to.
Far Cry 6 provides the familiar Far Cry experience you know and love along with all of the craziness that comes with it, but with a more engaging, cohesive narrative, and a fantastic antagonist.
Fans of super heroes have an enjoyable title here, and die hard Guardians fans will be enamored.
Riders Republic contains a beautiful, expansive playground of the likes we’ve not seen before in an extreme sports title. Its ability to combine real-world locations, equipment, and tricks, with an over-the-top, “just go crazy and have fun” demeanor is truly a joy.
At this point in time, this is the pinnacle, and it’s clearly the culmination of years of work and iteration. I say with absolute confidence: Forza Horizon 5 is the most complete racing game ever made.
As a spiritual reboot that maintains the current Halo timeline, Halo Infinite is everything I had hoped for and more. It's an emotional and heartfelt journey that sat with me for days after finishing it, and I'm already excited to experience it again.
Should you overcome SIFU, you’ll find a game that has few peers, which will stick with you long after beating it.