Adrian Burrows's Reviews
With more development time, copious patches, and some decent tutorials, the good game hidden deep inside Flint: Treasure of Oblivion could be dug up and unearthed. But for now, that treasure remains hidden, with only a map inscribed on the back of a wooden peg leg to try and find it.
Shadow Tactics: Aiko's Choice is the kind of stealth game that makes me reconsider my opinions on stealth games. Finely crafted and gloriously conceived, if you've missed out on Shadow Tactics before, don't let Aiko's Choice sneak on by... but you should play or replay the original first.
I was so excited by the prospect of Power Rangers: Rita's Rewind, it looked like a vivid nostalgia infused dream-game for 9-year-old me. Don't be fooled though, this is not the game your inner child has been looking for. Repetitive and lacking in imagination and finesse, Power Rangers: Rita's Rewind should be rewound and begun again.
G.I. Joe: Wrath of Cobra is a total and complete waste of a classic license. Avoid the unrelenting pull of the nostalgia tractor beam and give this one a miss.
Redacted ain't no lazy Hades clone, instead it offers an experience that is unique amongst the crowded Roguelike genre. Put up with the steep difficulty and slow progress and you'll experience an immensely enjoyable game, one that is cram-packed with slick combat and brilliant characters.
With a multitude of Metroidvanias out there, a prospective new entry in the genre must stand out from the pack to get attention. Awaken – Astral Blade certainly stands out, but not in a good way. A poor story, poor collision detection, and overly floaty platforming combine to provide an unforgettable experience, just for all the wrong reasons.
One thing they never tell you about parenthood is that you should prepare to play a lot of Monster Truck video games. If that's you, you should do yourself a favour and skip straight to Hot Wheels Monster Truck: Stunt Mayhem. It's easily the best Monster Truck themed game out there right now. Most importantly, it'll keep your youngster busy whilst you wash the pots, order a food shop, and get the hoovering done – what's not to like?
Neva is almost brilliant. This is a finely crafted game let down by too much empty time-wasting, untapped potential in its puzzling, and a rather onerous desire to make people cry.
There's a lot of soulslikes out there, but Enotria: The Last Song makes a decent grab for your attention with day-glow brighter than bright visuals and the fresh and engaging setting of Italian mythology. Unfortunately, too many text-boxes and confusing gameplay systems, along with a healthy dose of jankiness, takes the shine off this otherwise colourful soulslike.
For under a fiver and with around five to six hours of content, the Mask of Darkness is practically an essential addition for fans of The Lost Crown. Offering an intense experience; as well as a surprisingly compelling story that fills in many of the blanks from the original game. Recommended.
Cobra Kai saved Karate Kid from drifting into irrelevance, plunging Daniel LaRusso and company into modern cultural consciousness. Sadly, there's nothing about The Karate Kid: Street Rumble that will save it from fading into obscurity. And based on the apathetic fisticuffs the game offers, that's probably a good thing.
In an Autumn release schedule of sequels, hero shooters, and the latest slightly different iteration of a long-running franchise; the uniqueness of Wild Bastards resolutely stands out. This innovative, bonkers, daring, and entirely brilliant genre-hybrid absolutely demands your attention.
On first impressions, I had Harry Potter: Quidditch Champions down as a broomstick crash waiting to happen. It isn't that, thankfully, but without some major improvements this game will glide, but never fly.
Shadow of the Ninja - Reborn looks the part, this is a sumptuous 2D scroller that clearly loves the 1990s with unabashed and borderline obsessional desire. It effectively emulates the experience of playing a game from that era too. The problem is that includes dodgy controls, plentiful gameplay frustrations and difficulty spikes so sharp they'd make a 42-year-old man cry. And they did.
With an engaging lead, amusing story, crunchy combat, thrilling platforming, and a fascinating world to explore, Crypt Custodian is a near purr-fect metroidvania. Litter-ly one of the best I've ever played.
A game about racing massive trucks that look like dinosaurs should not be boring, and yet Monster Jam: Showdown achieves the seemingly impossible; this game is an absolutely slog of an experience. Best avoided, even for Monster Truck loving aficionados.
In a crowded genre, Bō: Path of the Teal Lotus, stands out with its wonderful hand-drawn visuals and rewarding platforming focused gameplay. The demanding difficulty won't be everyone's cup of tea, but for those after a challenge, it's well worth seeking out.
EDF 6 is, without a doubt, the very best entry in the series so far. Tremendous fun from top to bottom, from beginning to end, it is everything an EDF fan could have hoped for.
Wo Long: Fallen Dynasty – Complete Edition is, without a doubt, the ultimate form of Team Ninja's soulslike series. It's just a shame that no attempt has been made to make this edition more accessible for a new player and to explain the game's complexities more clearly. Still, if you wanted things easy, then you wouldn't want Wo Long.
Horizon Chase 2 is a fantastically fast, fun, and frenetic old-school arcade racer; improving on the original game in almost every way. With its budget price and great multiplayer options, this is an absolute must for those who like their racers stuck firmly in the 1990s.