Steven Impson's Reviews
Diablo 2 Resurrected is a brilliant way to rediscover an indisputable classic, whether you're a veteran or taking your first look back at Diablo's roots.
I came away from Tales of Arise with a new appreciation for the Tales series. I loved my time with the endearing cast of characters and the exciting, fast-paced story alongside the energetic and action-packed battles. Tales of Arise is an excellent action RPG, and a fantastic entry point into the series.
After bouncing so hard off Xenoblade Chronicles 2, I really hoped that the Definitive Edition of this first game in the series might show me why the franchise has such a dedicated fan base. While it took a while to warm up to, by the end of the story I was absolutely invested in the ridiculous story of Shulk and his friends as they fight for the future of their world.
As it stands, Persona 3 Dancing in Moonlight and Persona 5 Dancing in Starlight are fantastic ways to explore their respective soundtracks from a new perspective. However, they lack the glue that a story mode brought to the previous game in the series that could have made it feel like a cohesive whole rather than a broad but disparate list of songs and customisations.
The appeal of Hacker's Memory will hinge greatly on your acceptance of the grind and your appreciation for Digimon as a franchise. It's fun collecting and fighting with the huge range of Digimon available, and it's wrapped up in a story that, while a little slow off the mark, does develop into an interesting exploration of themes. Being squarely aimed at players of the original Cyber Sleuth, it's unfortunate that so much of the world is straight-up re-used from that game.
Metroid: Samus Returns is an outstanding reinvention of Metroid 2 and a great game in its own right. After all these years and missteps, Samus is back.
In 2017 we are far enough divorced from what was expected of a Final Fantasy title in 2006 that we can really appreciate how XII shook up a series steeped in tradition, giving us a uniquely interesting RPG that still holds up today.
Though it might not be particularly remarkable or memorable as a whole, the science fiction future setting is a nice departure from the dark fantasy that pervades hardcore action RPGs, and there are some new ideas in combat and advancement that differentiate The Surge from its peers.
With the variety of game types and variations, a consistent online experience, and flexible multiplayer options, Puyo Puyo Tetris is a fantastic way for fans and new players alike to enjoy some quality block or blob clearing action.
The short-lived but exciting FlatOut modes are great fun for a minute, but between the unexciting visuals, frustratingly unpredictable collision physics and overly aggressive AI, racing in FlatOut 4 is too hostile to be fun.
I'm not sure if straight to video, shallow Christmas film was what the Capcom Vancouver were aiming for here, but it's what we've got.
There’s a lot of story here for those looking to delve further into the Psycho Pass world.
Worms WMD is a whole bunch of fun. It adds some questionable new elements to the core Worms formula, but matches are so infinitely customisable that you can completely ignore them for a traditional experience if you want to.
Ninja Pizza Girl is an effective exploration of bullying and self-esteem told through gameplay mechanics that are simple enough for a wide audience, but that can offer some challenge to platforming fans as well.
If you're a fan of JRPGs and won't be put off by the slower pace and smaller scale storyline, there's a lot to like in the story, characters and deep alchemic systems of Atelier Sophie.
It's a shame that the story takes so long to become engaging, especially since the title itself places such importance on the story, but if you think you'll enjoy training Digimon enough to persevere through the initially slow narrative there is a lot of fun to be had with Cyber Sleuth.
there is something here for anyone who found themselves ensnared by the Hunter's Dream.