Colm Ahern's Reviews
Untitled Goose Game encapsulates the pleasure in poking fun without ever turning nasty. And you're a goose, which is great.
While Cersei and Ramsay's omission is felt and backdrops still haven't improved on episode one, the story remains strong and Castle Black sticks out as a big highlight for Game of Thrones fans.
In many ways, seeing a developer give the player such a large degree of responsibility is forward thinking. It's certainly rare, these days. Unearthing the story at your own pace is wonderful. However, Ether One goes too far in that direction and puzzles become tedious exercises in trying combinations of different items you acquired in a completely different area. There is no shortage of interesting ideas present, but it's hard to look at Ether One and not think it could have been more.
If The New Order was up your alley, The Old Blood will be, too. But here, it's all about murdering nazis and zombie nazis, with less of the reflection.
If you've played a Lego game before, you know what to expect. It's full of charm and wit, while lacking much innovation.
Octodad: Dadliest Catch is a rare beast, then, because it made me laugh out loud the first moment that I ambled down the aisle to meet my doting bride-to-be. Whilst the joke didn't have me splitting my sides with laughter for the entire duration, the shift to a more endearing tale of one sea-dwelling creature's pursuit of a normal life was a welcome one. Octodad: Dadliest Catch is a lovely game, despite its issues.
The relatively gratifying story and straightforward puzzles aren't the real reasons to visit Red Creek Valley. The location is a good enough reason itself. More often than not people look to graphics as an indication for this medium's progression and even though that's somewhat of a falsehood, it has to be said that this spirit story's looks are otherworldly.
At a higher player count, the chaos get's too much, but when it's at its best, #IDARB is a hell of a lot of fun.
While the human element of characters isn't as fleshed out as it could've been, This War of Mine is an interesting take on the war genre.
While this Switch re-release doesn't add as much as some may hope, Captain Toad: Treasure Tracker is still a delight.
The longer South Park: The Fractured But Whole went on, the less I laughed. Exploring the mountain town, however, is a delight, and the battles are a marked improvement on the original's combat.
Looking down the scope and holding your breath to line up that perfect shot in Sniper Elite 4 is exhilarating, as are the subsequent Kill Cams. It's just a shame that the poorly delivered story and wooden characters get in the way.
While not offering anything groundbreaking as such, this tranquil, simplistic puzzler is a joyous distraction in a medium that can sometimes pride itself on pomp and circumstance.
Other games of its ilk may punch harder on their message, and the challenge here is all but non-existent. But RiME is a beautiful painting come to life, backed by an exceptional score that will make your journey across this island a joy.
It took two decades and change, but a team of developers has shown they understand what made the old Sonic games great with Sonic Mania, even if nostalgia is sometimes too much of a driving force.
While its impact isn't as great as the original, Guacamelee 2 is a reminder of how good combat and traversal can feel when married together as they are in this 2D platformer-cum-brawler.
When you and your two pals are sharing item pick-ups, driving in each other's racing lines, and skimming past one another for a boost, Team Sonic Racing shines. It offers something different in the kart racing genre.
Blair Witch is great at building tension and letting you get lost in its unforgiving forest, but sometimes it takes that too literally. It mostly overcomes that, however, thanks to your magic camcorder and superb pooch.
At times, Concrete Genie can be a little too pleasant, which makes the action-packed conclusion really jarring. Still, the contrast between Ash's fantasy and his reality is truly stunning.
Call of Duty: Modern Warfare's campaign is more throwaway blockbuster than challenging look at conflict, but its mission variety makes for an enjoyable few hours. And even with the disappointing Spec Ops, a wealth of entertaining multiplayer modes makes this a worthwhile addition to any Call of Duty fan's collection.