Smoke and Sacrifice is a visually splendid survival RPG that has a strong narrative and a well designed and implemented resource system. The PS4 version is also a great port of the PC version, the control system feeling natural and intuitive. The repetition and bland fetch quests, coupled with hit and miss combat (pun intended) however, mean that getting to the games best moments can occasionally feel like a slog.
What could have been a decent sized expansion to 8-Bit Armies has shaped into its own fully fledged release, for which it probably deserves. More charming and fun than a simple reskin though, 8-Bit Hordes is an accessible Warcraft-meets-Command & Conquer RTS that’s as deep as you want it to be but comes with many of the same issues as its predecessor.
Nubla 2 showed some promise in the half an hour of actual game play I managed to get with it – but a glitch in Chapter 1 followed by the game becoming quite literally unplayable because it won’t let me get past the initial menu means any and all of that potential is squandered.
Jagged Alliance Rage! isn’t the threequel we’ve been patiently waiting for. Instead, this is a spin off the does things a little bit differently, some of which lands and some of which doesn’t, especially on consoles. The humour and light heartedness does carry much of this game because without it, you could be playing any number of grid bound, turn based games. It’s this attitude though that makes it assuredly a Jagged Alliance game worthy of the name that’ll carry you through till 3 finally sees the light of day.
As a port of a mobile game, Lightwood Games have done a good job of bringing their One Word by POWGI game to PS4. It works flawlessly on consoles. For those desperate to play word puzzles on their PS4, this (and POWGI’s other titles) are the only real options. The “written for a lift” music, forgettable nature of some of the quotes and unnecessarily obtuse nature in how they’re often presented however means there’s plenty of other, better, cheaper competition out there – just not on the PS4. Still, an easy Platinum trophy will make the hunters’ dreams come true.
An unnecessary story and a small niggle aside, Big Crown Showdown is an enjoyable, accessible, family friendly party game that’s suitable for any gamer, no matter how small. It’s a colourful tool for getting up to mischief with a group of friends on your couch or across the world with online play. Having a party this Christmas and want a new game to play? Give some serious consideration to adding Big Crown Showdown to the mix.
Youtubers Life OMG Edition is a life simulator first and foremost, with the U-Tuber aspect almost irrespective of the core game cycle. In fact, you could seamlessly replace “recording Youtube videos” with “creating song” or “recording podcast” and this could quite easily be “Garageband Life” or “Soundcloud Life” instead. Where the game does succeed is to highlight how a Youtuber’s life is, I imagine, bizarre and hard work at times, especially when you’ve got creepy events like fans offering you cash for an item of your clothes. It’s droll and witty at times but a slog and confusing at others, presents a skin deep interpretation of dating but with a strangely appealing structure that keeps you playing. While the core cycle has been done many times before and better than it is here, there’s a youthful, innocent charm to Youtubers Life that’s undeniable. Unfortunately, that doesn’t cover up all the peculiar leaps of logic and the pedestrian, mundane nature of the game.
If Gunfire Games fix the technical issues with Darksiders 3 – and I sincerely hope they get that chance – this will then be the sequel that the series deserves. As of right now though, this game is showing far too many frayed edges, bugs and glitches that’ll be enough to make you Furious.
The base Let’s Sing 2019 package is a sold, feature filled singing game with an eclectic yet mildly disappointing mix of music that’s best played with Microphones because of issues with the mobile app. It’s a shame that so many of the more iconic songs have been reserved for the DLC packs, making the Platinum version of this game the best/more expensive option for the game. At the current price though (£49.99), it’s still less than 80 pence per song, which is a good deal. If you’re looking for a night in with a group of friends, a bottle of wine and a sing-song, Let’s Sing 2019 is peerless right now. Just make sure you have some microphones handy.
Farming Simulator 19 is the most expansive game of its type to ever release on consoles and represents a definite step forward for the series and the genre itself.
Despite some initially awkward controls, a few difficulty spikes and some fool hardy camera angles, Steel Rats is a wheelie good time. An excellent art style, nuanced and enjoyable combat, testing platforming, metroidvania-esque level design, meaty audio and some unique traversal mechanics combine to make this game feel much bigger than the sum of its unoriginal parts. While it’s not going to win any Game of the Year awards, this is a game that’ll keep you highly entertained for a week or so.
Timber Tennis: Versus will become repetitive long before you’re unlocked every skin it has to offer and doesn’t do anything unique, proving to be little more than super powered Pong when you really get down to it. A lack of innovation however doesn’t detract from what is a fun little pixel art arcade game with surprising tactical depth and a cracking soundtrack.
Grip: Combat Racing is a content filled tribute to a fan favourite racer from the good ol’ days. If you liked Rollcage, you’ll likely love Grip. Slick combat, fast racing, splendid visuals and a pumping soundtrack from the likes of Hospital Records including Full Kontact and Mart-E that’s driving you ever forward, it’s a joy to play…eventually. The track design and it’s lack of obvious visual clues on where to go next, however, make the first few hours with Grip a litany of crashes against its unpolished edges.
A lack of official music from the TV show and being devoid of any vocals from the pups themselves does dampen the excellent attention to detail applied elsewhere however, which is a big disappointment to the young fan in my house who is so used to singing along to the theme song and to the Pup Pup boogie.
LEGO DC Super Villains delivers good, clean, accessible family fun with recognisable comic book villains getting up to mischief. If you’re a fan of the LEGO games, rest assured, this is another fantastic, content filled entry into the series. It’s not the best entry point for new comers and has a few technical niggles but for those in its target demographic, it’s a real hit.
It does become incredibly stale well before the credits roll but Heavy Fire: Red Shadow is “take your brain out and just shoot” dumb fun. For those moments after a bad day at work, when you just want to pop some melons, sink some ships and blow up a Jeep or 2, Heavy Fire: Red Shadow offers that catharsis but very little else.
Fast Striker then is a competent score focused shooter that’s short but satisfying. It’s missing some modern day features like online leader boards but it’s a visual treat for the eye balls that’s accessible for newcomers on the Novice difficulty and a real test for shmup veterans on Manic or Omake. If you already have the 1.5 edition on the Dreamcast, the only new additions here are screen sizing and button mapping so it’s probably not worth the double dip but if this is the first you’re hearing about Fast Striker and you fancy a coin-op inspired shoot ‘em up to tide you over, Fast Striker could fit the bill.
Fossil Hunters is, in almost everything that it does, good, clean family fun. My young tribe and I have had a real blast playing it together despite the technical hiccups and the fiddly nature of some of the controls. It’s a game best played in a team, when you can all have a responsibility, but it does require at least some gaming experience in the group to overcome its toughest challenges that’ll frustrate the younger gaming archaeologists out there. If you’re looking for a game to play with a bunch of Dinosaur obsessed children or with a couple of older friends who’re up for a laugh, it’s worth digging into Fossil Hunters during the upcoming Autumn/Winter nights.
8-bit Armies is an easily accessible, visually appealing RTS game with a top quality soundtrack. If you’re an old-school Command & Conquer fan that’s looking for something to scratch that itch on the PlayStation 4, this is undoubtedly the best option in that regard. It’s fun, as tactically deep as you want it to be with a enough content to keep you busy for a few weeks. Unfortunately, while most of the game play staples have translated well from classic C&C to this, the control options are still lacking, begging for a mouse and keyboard with the Dualshock 4 acting as a poor translator. It’s also lacking some charisma, feeling almost sterile at times, falling an FMV or 2 away from greatness.
Explanations of the lore, the world, and your place in it are in short supply but over time, you live, die and learn, rewarding those that stick with it with some of the slickest, well implemented writing in gaming.