An overlong episode, but one bookended with some terrific scenes. The impacts of the tiniest details via time travel are explored and the continuing plot strands about the underbelly of Arcadia Bay take their darkest forms yet. There's a lot riding on the season finale though.
An intriguing start for Dontnod's leap into episodic gaming. Chrysalis is very much a scene setter, easing us in gently to a host of intriguing characters and ensuring we get to grips with the rewind mechanic before we're asked to make any seriously tough choices. As long as the momentum continues to build pace, this could turn out to be something special. At this early stage, I can't wait to play more, but to put a numbered score on this at such an early stage would be strange. Such is life.
Both the Raid and Campaign modes are off to great starts, although the episode ends just as things are getting going. As a new idea for the Resident Evil series though, I think the episodic feel could be a hit. I'm loving that each one is only a week apart too. Raid mode has eaten up my weekend, the unlocks are starting to come together and the mode will surely continue to grow with new content each week.
In a few weeks, this episodic take on Resident Evil will be over and Tuesdays will have no longer have meaning. Episode 2 has some of the best moments I've experienced in the whole Resident Evil franchise. If Capcom can maintain this intensity and not give in to all out action (easy on the Assault rifle, Barry), they may be about to bring the series back to its prime.
While it's a shame the excellent horror vibe from Barry's section last week has taken a backseat, the action here is tense stuff as the numbers of enemies and bosses has increased greatly, with player two having a larger role this time too. We're hooked in for the final episode next week.
Life is Strange's momentum could do with a little shove for the next episode, but once again I find myself eager for more. At times the episode treads water, but the optional discoverable details turn out to be important aspects that make the exploring worthwhile. It's just a shame that we have to wait six weeks (at least) for more.
There are so many questions left for Life is Strange to answer, and with only two episodes left, it's going to need to hit the ground running next time. You're looking at two to three hours of game time in this episode depending on how many extra details you want to dig out. The mystery of Rachel is getting clearer though and there's another gobsmacking finale.
The procedurally generated stages and piped horror-movie tropes just don't work for Daylight even for one playthrough, never mind multiple visits. The frame-rate is choppy and the environments are dull rehashes of every haunted house gaming has dragged us through over the years. As a download, I can only delete it -I'd rather burn it.
A great idea executed poorly. £15.99 on PS4 is a big ask for a shoestring budget shooter that handles far worse than the games of yesteryear it seeks to emulate. Nostalgic retro FPS fans would be better off spending the money on a copy of the book.
WRC 5 patronises gamers with hollow victories amidst a game full of painted-on features. It's a shame, as the track design is suitably stuffed with tight corners surrounded by car-shredding traps. Car handling is up to the task, if a little lacking in speed and excitement. You're better waiting for 2016's rally games.
The live action cutscenes make Need for Speed painful to witness and the bland events and dull tracks mean you'll soon tire of hanging out in Ventura Bay. It's a shame, as the graphics are fantastic and the customisation options are top quality. If EA continue with the Need for Speed brand, they need to focus more on what's under the hood.
Surviving in a real post-apocalyptic wasteland would be a miserable existence. Mad Max nails that feeling of just wanting to crawl under a rock wait for the end. It's a miserably dull grind, occasionally made bearable by the vehicular carnage once you've suffered through the first half.
I can only really recommend giving this a go if you're going to be able to get it for free as a former buyer of the Vita version. You'll appreciate the improved controls, but this is still a frustrating experience for the majority of the time. Avoid until the GBP 9.99 / USD 14.99 price tag is slashed in half.
The repetitive missions grate all too soon and the bloated levelling makes little difference. The random chunks of story lack consistency and will only be understood by hardcore fans of the show, who deserve a better narrative than this. But when played in short bursts or with people online, there's an easy-going yet empowering flow to the action that makes it hard to put down.
Tales of Zestiria is passable in most departments, but it makes no real effort to excel at anything. The combat and visuals aren't aging well and the story and characters are clichéd, even for a JRPG. There's some fun to be found fusing equipment, but overall the series needs to up its game.
The controls and the way they unpredictably unleash the wrong moves at the worst possible time really disrupt Tembo's platforming gameplay. Pair this with a no-mercy difficulty and you have a frustrating mess that could have been so much more.
Despite the transformation from Belmont to Dracula, combat feels is largely the same and buying your combos over again feels like a cheap excuse for not bothering to come up with anything new. Some design choices seem to have disrupted other core elements too; gone are the beautiful crisp visuals and varied fantasy/gothic settings, replaced by stealth sections and modern day concrete. This is not the ending I was expecting for the Lords of Shadow series and it's certainly not the one it deserves.
The 2.5D gameplay is a success with the combat and exploration feeling almost as rewarding as the regular console games. However, the galling amount of backtracking and the forced detective mode scanning to highlight weak walls or Batclaw points took the edge off what was otherwise an enjoyable night with the Dark Knight.
This could have been much better if it had made a few more modern day concessions like random loot drops and a proper XP system. Still, if you're a retro gamer who fancies a change to Diablo III, it's undeniably fun for an evening session while you catch up with friends or even with randomers online.
Lego Jurassic World has clearly been rushed through to release alongside the new movie, and as such is riddled with bugs and glitches -more so than any other licensed Lego game. There are plenty of grin-inducing moments for fans of these incredible movies though and as such Lego Jurassic World is still worth a look if you love the films enough to forgive the defects in its DNA.