Thomas McDermott


36 games reviewed
70.8 average score
80 median score
52.8% of games recommended
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Dec 18, 2013

The end result is, that not through lack of effort, Forza 5 turns out to be the first true regression the series has seen since its inception.

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7 / 10 - Peggle 2
Jan 8, 2014

But this industry loves its numbers, and is never, ever that honest, so we get Peggle 2, which really is just shorthand for more of the same. It is still quality entertainment though, and should be enough to warm your heart on even the coldest winter days. I can't help but want it to be more though – even if I still cannot fathom what that "more" should be.

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Jan 16, 2014

Even though there are a few moments where the game is quite satisfactory, you're always wishing for more than it ever truly delivers.

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Feb 11, 2014

It will not be the most compelling thing you play all year, but it does what it set out to do very well. It is a clever game, with a simple idea at it's core, that consistently brings enough clever ideas to the table as it goes to remain captivating throughout.

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Jan 1, 2015

Life with Destiny continues to be a vast range of meaningless numbers set up in a small but complex maze that breaks players will to fight before a way out is found. The core gunplay mechanic may be genre leading, but the wrapper that surrounds it continues to be irreparably broken.

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Jan 2, 2015

Ultimately this is a game that should cheer most up, even from the dullest of moods, and possibly make them feel a bit tingly in the process – due to the near saccharin levels of sheer cuteness on screen at all times. You could almost call it the video game equivalent of an ASMR video – but a lot less creepy and weird.

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4 / 10 - The Crew
Jan 14, 2015

When the great void of the map greeted me for that final time, I just shrugged my shoulders and mouthed "why," before turning the console off. I've never been so happy to be able to move onto something else in my life.

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Feb 23, 2015

Regardless of quantity concerns (which is a valid complaint), where The Order more crucially falls apart is in regards to quality. It does not matter if a game is one or one hundred hours long, you need to enjoy playing it, and The Order fails at that most crucial of tasks. This is unforgivable, and instantly makes it impossible to recommend.

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There is a certain air of quality about the current product, but it is not enough. However, as more episodes come, I feel (and I hope) it will evolve and get better. Lets hope Max does not have to grow a beard for that to happen though,

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On to Wednesday we go, otherwise known as Episode Three. If the quality of the series remains at this level, Life is Strange could grow into something truly great. I just hope I can keep that damn plant alive until Friday.

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"If only I could go back and fix my mistakes," is a phrase often casually uttered when people face hardships the world throws at them. Life is Strange is a game that turns that fantasy into a reality, but by the time Episode Three comes to an end that question itself will have changed. As fans collectively wait for Episode Four, the question on the tip of everyone's tongue will be is one person choosing to incite such change always the right thing to do?

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9 / 10 - Her Story
Jul 2, 2015

Ultimately, above all else, the game comes across as feeling wholly authentic – and that is a word you can attribute to only a small handful of games released in this day and age.

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I'm with you to the end Life is Strange.

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7 / 10 - Cradle
Aug 13, 2015

I enjoyed my time with Cradle, but I dare say many will not. Its detailed, although imprecise storytelling gives many of its suitors reasons to dislike it, to not understand it, and at worst give up on it. Regardless, I believe there is something quite special at work here. The developers have built a fascinating world filled with possibilities, and for that they should be applauded. However, there is no getting away from the fact they could have done a better job presenting players its unique offerings. Simply put, sometimes it can be a little bit too vague for its own good.

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8 / 10 - Until Dawn
Sep 7, 2015

It may not be a masterpiece, almost solely relying on jump scares to shock, but it is fun to play, and that's what matters most. Once it gets going, it is a non-stop rollercoaster of visceral excitement. Letting players have control as they take a selection of disparate characters through the nastiness awaiting them is a fantastic idea that is also well executed. The fact these characters quickly go from looking fine and dandy to resembling someone that's been dragged through a hedge backwards only adds to the fun!

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Oct 5, 2015

This is not a game, it's a black hole where no fun can exist, and any hope the Tony Hawk franchise had to reboot itself died a slow suffocating death within. No one should buy this.

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As the end approaches, it feels right to be alongside Max Caulfield in her effort to seek closure once and for all. Even though Episode Five may be a continuous torrent of truly dire situations, it is an experience that demands attention. Intense monologues – both venomous and heartbreaking – are its standout moments. Its clever narrative offers a sense of finality that can fill you with terror, happiness, and heartbreak in equal parts. Thank you for the year that was Life is Strange – it's been emotional.

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Oct 30, 2015

With one episode behind me, I feel like the series may be too rough in far too many areas to heartily recommend to all, but regardless there is something compelling about it. Whilst it is not always wise to gamble on future events, now that introductions are out of the way, hopefully the series can grow, and learn to better present its unique offerings in future episodes. I am happy to stick with it to see where it goes.

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5 / 10 - Mad Max
Nov 9, 2015

Whilst it may not initially be obvious, open world games have dramatically evolved in the last 5 years. I was once happy with mindless collectatons, but I've grown to want more. The best open world games nowadays are an expansion of the form, but Mad Max is highly regressive in far too many areas to be meaningful. Everything I experienced during my time with the game felt like it came five years too late to the open world party. Those with any interest in the genre will have already trod similar ground long before. We've seen all these tricks done dozens of times – so much so that all the props that were once cleverly hidden away are now clear to see.

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8 / 10 - Rebel Galaxy
Nov 10, 2015

The overall aesthetic of the game was more than enough to keep me going during the times gameplay may have faltered.

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