Adrian Burrows's Reviews
Flashback 2 is a shameful nostalgia cash-in that is an affront to the classic original. Unfortunately awful in every way imaginable, do not buy this game.
Asterix and Obelix: Slap Them All! 2 could have been a tremendously fun arcade-inspired side-scrolling beat 'em up. Instead, it's a boring, lifeless, repetitive, and unfinished mess. Avoid like a menhir to the face.
The Greek Myths have been plundered by video game developers to such a degree it's hard to conceive that a fresh take could be even possible. Remarkably, Achilles: Legends Untold offers just that. This action-adventure might be a little rough around the edges, but that arguably adds to its charm. If you can put up with some nasty difficulty spikes then you'll find a remarkable world of myths and legends to explore.
Thirsty Suitors succeeds because it delivers on story. Memorable characters, top-notch voice-over work, and stand-out dialogue all help elevate the average gameplay elements. Ultimately, Jala's is a story that you'll enjoy from beginning to end, even if it does involve suffering through a deluge of QTEs.
Robocop: Rogue City certainly looks the part, but beware of this gleaming, shiny, polished graphical exterior; it hides mechanical insides that are rust-riddled and broken. Dead or alive, this game definitely shouldn't be coming with you.
I started Everspace 2 deeply unsure about a space looter shooter. Tens of hours later I don't want to play anything else. Everspace 2 is a towering achievement of space-based thrills and spills. It absolutely deserves your attention.
Hot Wheels Unleashed 2 Turbocharged is like Hot Wheels Unleashed, but better in every single conceivable way. Frenetically fluid and stonkingly fast, this is a quality arcade racer that will slap smiles on the faces of both young and old alike. Just don't mention the single-player campaign.
Super Bomberman R 2 should be great. It can do just about anything a Bomberman game could possibly be asked to do. If only it could offer a decent game of Bomberman. A real missed opportunity.
If you've enjoyed the Trine series up to this point then you are in for a treat, Trine 5 is by far the best entry yet, offering puzzles that are phenomenally inventive and an utter delight to solve. If you haven't taken the plunge yet with Trine, then now is the perfect chance. If only we could ditch the combat and have twice the puzzles, then truly would Trine reach co-op puzzling perfection.
Forget your 2Ks and your Fight Forevers, if you want to experience fun and surprisingly authentic pro-wrestling action in 2023 then WrestleQuest is by far your best bet. Wax your back, coat yourself in baby oil, and prepare your promo, because WrestleQuest is the pro-wrestling RPG love-fest you never knew you always needed.
Personally, I found the 'grim' nature of Gord just too nasty, the developers often shocking for the sake of it, rather than doing so to support the story or gameplay. Still, there's a lot to admire about Covenant's creation, with the game offering a compelling and tense survival RTS experience. Only really worth picking up on PC, mind.
It's a clichéd line but that doesn't stop it from being true: if you loved Moving Out then you'll love Moving Out 2. It's a whole lot more of the same chaotic multiplayer action you've come to expect. Sadly, when you get your mates around to play, you'll likely just focus on the early levels, as the game once again loses its way and gets far too hard in the latter stages. A focus on straight-up non-stop silly fun would be much appreciated if there's a Moving Out 3.
When I first heard of Stray Gods, I was intrigued. A video game musical might not totally work, but at least it would be interesting to play, I thought. How wrong I was. The concept of Stray Gods is the most interesting thing about it, but the execution is boring to the extreme. If you want a fun musical video game experience, you're better off watching Singing in the Rain whilst repeatedly changing the volume on the remote. That way you'll have better songs, a more enjoyable story, more interactivity, and a greater sense of player control than Stray Gods provides.
It's hard to be anything but disappointed by AEW: Fight Forever. The AI is game-breaking, the roster is lacking, and online play is in the doldrums. If you are purchasing AEW: Fight Forever to play local with mates then it might be worth a look, as there is a lot of arcade fun and silliness to be had here, but for everyone else, this one is best avoided.
Crash Team Rumble is an accessible and terrifically enjoyable online platforming battler, and as more seasons of content are released, it could become a pretty essential multiplayer game. In the here and now, though, it's a bit too limited and features too little content to be anything more than throwaway fun.
With its wonderful hand-drawn aesthetic Death or Treat looks like it should be fantastic. Never judge a video game by its visuals however, as those visual delights disguise a bland and repetitive roguelite. Death or Treat? More like Death or Trick.
If you are looking for another Dead Cells, another indie souls-lite-vania, then you might be disappointed by Nuclear Blaze. If, on the other hand, you are after a fast, fun, 90's styled action adventure firefighting puzzle game, then you'll love this game as much as I do.
I'm sure Wolcen could be a good isometric hack-and-slash adventure. The problem is, this console port does its utmost to hide all of Wolcen's positive qualities with a constant barrage of crashes and performance issues, rendering a game that should be escapist fun into a frustrating slog. In time this might be worth your attention, but significant patching will be required for it to be so.
Fueled Up may be an Overcooked! clone but it nonetheless has some intriguing ideas that set it apart from other games in the genre. Unfortunately, the issues with pacing, poor tutorials, haphazard controls, and difficulty spikes make for an uneven experience that will not suit many players. If you've done Ghost Town Game's finest to death then Fueled up might be worth a look, otherwise, forget fuelling spaceships and go fry some burgers instead.
With thoroughly inconsistent combat and painful platforming, The Crown of Wu has earned itself the unfortunate and distinctive demerit of being the worst video game based on the Journey to the West.