Mick Fraser's Reviews
Crysis Remastered is a very pretty game when it runs smoothly, which sadly isn't often. That said, it's still a satisfying shooter, even if the AI needed more of an overhaul than the graphics
The Sims 4 Journey to Batuu is a great addition to the library, but it's reaching a point where I'd like to see how far Maxis can push the Sims concept with a new iteration
Serious Sam 4 does what Serious Sam has always done: deliver short-lived cathartic thrills that manage to be fun despite its creaky engine and dated mechanics – but you have to wonder how long they can keep flogging the same horse.
Despite some graphical concessions, The Long Dark on Nintendo Switch is an excellent port of a very good survival game
Hades is a fantastic experience regardless of platform. An addictive, accessible, and charming roguelike adventure.
Spellbreak is a unique, fast-paced Battle Royalke that takes a few risks which mostly pay off. It needs some work in fringe areas like cosmetics and levelling, but the gameplay is solid.
BPM: Bullets Per Minute is an addictive, innovative, and punishingly hard roguelite shooter-slash-rhythm game - and it's great
Fustercluck doesn't add anything that feels super new, it at least offers up an incredibly Borderlands-y expansion filled with meat chunks and silly weapons - and it's the only game this year that'll let you shoot down the actual moon, go on a mini quest to retrieve it, load it into a catapult and use it to batter down the walls of a meat castle. So, y'know, there's that.
If you really enjoyed The Outer Worlds and need a reason to play again, or have been hankering for more, then Peril on Gorgon is worth checking out.
The campaign is brilliant, and despite its flaws I've had a great time with Marvel's Avengers - and I'm not done yet
Star Renegades has some great ideas; the characters are solid, likeable and believable, and the world is intriguing, but it may be too punishing for some.
It may not be the most important remake of the year, but Kingdoms of Amalur: Re-Reckoning is a gorgeous, dense, and charming adventure.
Smaller and more focused than The Foundation, Control: AWE is sold entirely on the return and crossover with a certain Mr. Wake.
Surgeon Simulator 2 is intended to be silly, irreverent fun that keeps you coming back for more and more surgical shenanigans, and in that regard it's a total success.
An enjoyable little rogue-lite with a mountain's worth of replayability, Heroes of Hammerwatch is the perfect game for killing a little time either alone or with friends
Crusader Kings III is an excellent kingdom management game, more intimate but no less intricate than the likes of Civilisation VI, it's as unforgiving a simulation as you're going to find while still being more fun than you'd expect it to be.
Risk of Rain 2 is an excellent time that takes you from a scrappy fight with some pesky aliens to a desperate battle for survival in a 3D bullet hell every run
The PC version, ironically, remains the true definitive edition, but console owners hankering after a new RPG to lose a few hundred hours in could do worse than Pathfinder: Kingmaker.
Those willing to fully commit to Microsoft Flight Simulator will find an immersive experience like nothing else they've ever played.
Wasteland 3 is a huge undertaking, marrying deep, choice-driven role play with fast-paced tactical combat and vast areas to explore.