Paul Murphy's Reviews
Not since Super Mario 64 has a Mario adventure had me this captivated, immersed or impressed. Super Mario Odyssey is Nintendo's finest Super Mario title yet, and easily the most impressive Nintendo Switch title available. With so much to see and do - long after you've dispatched Bowser - you'll be returning to the Odyssey for a long time. Essential for all Switch owners and worth buying a Switch for. It's that good.
It's Rocket League, and it's incredibly entertaining. Static screens do not do this game justice; yes it's a little rough visually but you will hardly notice because you will be having so much fun. It's brilliant. If you love fun, football and/or racing you'll love this.
The amount of humour, fun and character within West of Loathing is astounding. Repetition in the turn based battles is the only slight in an otherwise amazing game. DLC is on the way too, and I for one cannot wait for it.
Repetitive battles are The Banner Saga’s biggest issue, but they don’t stop the enjoyment from what is otherwise a fantastic experience. Strategy and fantasy enthusiasts should find a lot to enjoy here. Roll on part two!
South Park The Fractured But Whole is like a 20-hour episode of South Park. A satirical take on superhero films, it looks, sounds and feels the part – for the good and the bad. Essential for fans of the show, not for those that are easily offended. And absolutely not for kids!
A lack of multiplayer at release detracts from how brilliant (and essential) Tiny Metal could have been, but it's the next best thing to Advance Wars that's currently available on the Nintendo Switch. Fans of that and/or turn-based strategy games will find something worthwhile here, despite that not so tiny price.
It’s clever, it’s impressive and it’s undeniably Nintendo. If you have children and a Nintendo Switch – and your children love being creative – then it’s hard not to say it’s essential. However, despite its undeniable charm, it’s very niche, it’s expensive and not for everyone.
It’s still running on a custom engine which means that whilst it lacks some of the features of other FIFA 19 variants, improvements over last year’s edition on the Switch are very welcome and noticeable, offering a great experience. Arguably the BEST handheld football title yet. If you don’t own FIFA 18 and want a football game, then this is for you.
It’s the best Super Mario 2D experience for more than 25 years and a welcome addition to the Switch’s library. If you’ve not experienced it before then you’ll be in for a treat. Those that purchased this on the Wii U, however, are probably best off avoiding it. For everyone else, it’s a treat.
I wasn’t expecting much from Outrun, and initially I wasn’t impressed. Thankfully I persevered and found a surprisingly charming little racer that occupied me for many days. If you are looking for a simple, cheap and cheerful racer you could do far worse.
LEGO City Undercover is an action-packed platformer filled to the brim with secrets and charm. Whilst the series as a whole has evolved - negating how impressive this was back in 2013 - you'll still find plenty to enjoy on its own merit.
It’s the middle part of a story and at times it certainly feels middling. More polished that the first title yet nowhere near as enthralling or captivating, it feels like it was dragging the story along at times. Fans of the first title will still find plenty to enjoy, and I hope that the final part sees some of the choices pay off.
It's a welcome return for Bomberman with an unwelcome price, but you will have a lot of fun with the game - especially with others. For me it isn't the best game in the series, but if you've never played it before that won't matter. If you are looking for a party style game or just something different, then Super Bomberman R is worth a look.
1-2-Switch is guaranteed to generate more than a few laughs in social situations, even if some of the games will only be played once or twice. It's definitely THE title to show off the Switch's features, if you wanted to show them off. It lacks any real long term sustenance, though, and definitely should have been a pack in.
It's charming, and definitely an experience. It features explosive gameplay of sorts, but not what you'd expect. Little Inferno isn't for everyone, but for those looking for something different - and who just want to waste a little time, or watch the world burn (figuratively speaking) - you could certainly find something to enjoy.
It would be hard to make a bad chess game, but it's not easy to make a beautiful one and that's what Ripstone have achieved with Ultra Chess. It's priced reasonably, plays and looks fantastic and if you are a strategy or chess-afficiando then it's a no-brainer. Unlike some of the matches you might play...
It's all become a bit "paint by numbers" with LEGO styled games, but what's on offer in LEGO Marvel Super Heroes 2 is enjoyable. There's plenty of content and Marvel fans young and old will no doubt enjoy it.
A high launch price and a lack of online multiplayer mar what is an otherwise enjoyable local multiplayer romp. If you have loads of friends locally then Stikbold – A Dodgeball Adventure is certain to bring laughs, at least until the next great local multiplayer game comes along.
It’s more expensive than the Variety Kit and although initially more impressive, is perhaps even more niche and surprisingly suffers from getting old much quicker. If you have a burning desire to unlock your inner Optimus Prime and have £70 that you want to throw down, then you’ll be impressed.
It plays a cracking game of tennis, both with simple mechanics or the enhanced ones and you’ll certainly have fun with friends. For the solo player, you’ll breeze through the tournaments with ease, though, and that Adventure mode is one of THE most infuriating gaming experiences I’ve ever encountered, which is a shame.