It's by no means perfect, but with a heart the size of the mountain it backs up to, Truberbrook is well worth the play for genre purists and those looking for some quirky personality in their games.
Though fairly safe in many respects, the inclusion of one simple mechanic has completely reinvented the way that you play Overcooked. A single stroke of genius, coupled with improved level design and the always endearing audio/visual style guarantees that Overcooked 2 will be in high circulation through any social events to come.
Though not perfect, Detroit: Become Human is certainly Quantic Dream’s boldest attempt yet, and the refinements they’ve made make for a smoother, more enjoyable experience. Detroit is bursting with personality, full of intrigue, and exploding with emotive depth. The many mechanical and performance issues that have plagued past games have now largely evaporated allowing for you to truly immerse yourself in one of the great narrative adventures of 2018.
When breaking down a product such as this remake it's important to look at the game through the lens of the two different audiences. If you're an established fan then this remake is a mixed bag, it refines and improves the game in some ways, but is a backwards step in others. If you're new, then you're a small purchase away from experiencing one of the truly great JRPGs of all time, not carrying the baggage that others bring with them.
I was happy with God of War being finished, I didn’t think the world needed another game with Kratos as the lead. What I didn’t count on was this masterful reinvention coming along and proving me wrong. I have never been so happy to be wrong in my life.
This underdone entrant suffers from an unreliable playing experience, a very skinny Career mode, and a nigh-on existent auditory component. AO Tennis is a game that with more time to prepare, could have been a serious championship contender but without that opportunity to refine its systems, finds itself being knocked out in the first round.
Mechanically Brawlout is rock solid and with a few patches focussed on smoothing out the touchy framerate and really rough online, it could be an experience that builds and holds an audience in the long term.
Shadow of the Colossus is a must-play game, one that anyone unfortunate enough to have missed this title back in its day needs to play immediately. Just make sure you look out for that endgame – it’s a doozy!
Some design decisions have hampered the DOOM VFR experience, but when you’re locked in an arena with the spawn of hell coming for you, the fight for survival carries you through the experience. It’s a very familiar game but if you were a fan of the 2016 release, and you’re like me then you’ll be happy to return to the fray… just don’t have too much to eat before playing.
Ni No Kuni II: Revenant Kingdom is a powerful experience that has kept me on the hook for well over 60hours and will continue to do so as I chase down each side-quest, look to tackle every Dreamer Maze and expand Evermore’s influence even further. Ni No Kuni II has a charm that few games possess and with it, rarely ceases to put a smile upon your face. With so much doom and gloom in the world, a world that is then reflected in the games we play, it’s so uplifting to see a game that resonates so much with the player because of the heart it has and the love that the developers had for their work.
Saying any game is one of the finest of the year 2017 is a big call, but it isn’t out of place here. It comfortably stands with 2017’s elite and in the realm of the $20 – $30 indie title it is fair to say Steamworld Dig reigns supreme.
The same tension is elicited when confronted by an imposing mechanical threat, and wonder is experienced when you round a corner and make another stunning discovery. If you’ve been looking for another reason to get back into Horizon: Zero Dawn, then you’ve got the best possible excuse right here.
I’m still happy to recommend Yonder as a great experience for people looking for something a bit more laid back and I think parents with younger kids just getting into gaming might get a lot out of this title.
Assassin's Creed Origins is a masterful return to form from a franchise that some had considered to be on the slippery slope towards irrelevance. One of the finest games of the year.
Even on the lowest difficulty level, there’s incredible challenge to be found in Nex Machina, a game that delivers just as much substance as it does style.
It’s important that we look at AFL Evolution through a different lens to the one we look at the likes of FIFA, NBA 2K and Madden through. AFL isn’t nearly the size of those other sports, and gets a proportional amount of financing as a result. It’s consequently much harder for a truly accurate simulation of what is already a very complicated game to be developed, but I applaud Wicked Witch for their effort.
There are some great ideas, and experiments that have all been pulled off in Symphony of the Machine, and with a little more time in the oven to cook, this could very well have been one of the premiere experiences on the platform. The foundations are there though, so perhaps a sequel can expand on the idea, and knock off the rougher edges.
There’s plenty to enjoy about Forts, and as someone who doesn’t typically immerse themselves in RTS games I was pleasantly surprised by how much I enjoyed the moment to moment action of the game. Add excellent gameplay, with a simple hook, with amusing dialogue, enjoyable punchlines and exciting competitive multiplayer all together and you get an incredibly attractive option.
ARMS is a game that boasts both depth and accessibility, instant fun and a gratifying level of challenge.
Speculation that the Uncharted franchise would falter in the absence of Nathan Drake has been silenced courtesy of an always engaging campaign, an interesting cast of characters, some of the best puzzles and set-pieces in the franchise’s history