Andy Manson's Reviews
Ultimately, the most disappointing aspect of JYDGE is the game that I could see it being with just a few tweaks. As it is, it’s a game with a great aesthetic and some neatly implemented ideas that just doesn’t do enough where it matters.
Windjammers is back, just as you remember it. And whilst that’s both a blessing and a curse, I’m just glad to have it back, and at a price that doesn’t make me openly weep. If you’re after another game to add to your collection of party titles, you could do a lot worse
Ultimately, what sets LawBreakers aside from its competitors in a very crowded genre is its ability to create moments.
Difficulty aside, Sine Mora EX is a unique and fun experience that sits memorable amongst the plethora of cookie cutter shmups. More importantly, it's just a genuinely good game in its own right. If you didn't play it in 2012, you should definitely play it now.
Deadcore feels like something that should have come to console sooner. It’s not terrible by any means, and many will enjoy the thrill of climbing the leaderboard. The overall 'Tron meets Portal' future aesthetic was also something I enjoyed. Sadly though, it’s all just a little underwhelming.
Tokyo 42 is a tidy little package, representing another solid addition to the Mode 7 stable. For the princely sum of £14.99, there's a lot of game in there, and you could do far worse for your money.
Metrico+ should serve as a pleasant surprise for Xbox One owners looking for something to tax the brain, whilst whiling away the time until the big releases start to roll through again. However, it’s actually a game that I’d recommend at any time. It’s a unique mix of puzzling and platforming in its own right, but tie in the abstraction that permeates every aspect of it, and it’s a surprisingly intriguing package.
Unfortunately, none of this is enough. HoPiKo is a great idea, badly let down by being suited to one very specific control scheme. In a wider sense, it's another release in a long line of mobile ports that just don't need to exist.
I knew within five minutes that Firewatch was special. And, whilst the game itself isn't mechanically perfect, it didn't have to be. By the end of it, it had emotionally affected me in a way that perhaps no other game has.
In breaking away from the norms of the genre, OPQAM has created the first shmup I’ve properly cared about in years, and that’s saying something.