Colm Ahern's Reviews
Backdrops still aren't easy on the eye, Gared's tale has dipped and it doesn't have the tension present in previous episodes, but Mira and Rodrik's gradual transformations are a delight, and Asher's narrative finally steps up.
TellTale's meandering Game of Thrones ends with an episode that is very much like the rest of the series. Just "alright".
Soaring through Hell thanks to the wings on your back adds another element to your A-to-B arsenal, however the repetition on offer stifles flight. A lot.
Gods Will Be Watching takes some tired features like pixel art and adventure-style dialogue options, and makes them feel fresh. Choices have consequence, but the mortality of those around you can't be dwelled upon as your mission is far more important. You'll question how inhumane you have to be and then, without batting an eyelid, become the efficient lunatic you never thought you would be. While the decisions feel weighty, the story is essentially disjointed and becomes confusing. Where Gods Will Be Watching is really testing, though, is in its almost impenetrable difficulty. There's a fine line between challenge and frustration, and sadly, with all of its positives, Gods Will Be Watching will leave you questioning whether its really worth it.
When taking in the world around you, NaissanceE is a thing of beauty. The scenery is so bare bones that it walks a fine line between being soothing and unnerving in one fell swoop. It starts with such a care and precision, but quickly becomes less memorable once you are asked to be more precise in your own movements. A lot of that comes down to an to an innovative yet flawed respiratory design choice. With exploration touted as a hook, the disorientating nature of later sections is also frustrating, especially after a measured opening. Lucy is indeed lost, as are a number of features in NaissanceE.
The mission structure is repetitive, the story's utter wallop, and the baddies are there for shooting practice. But, damn it, it's fun being an over-powered superhero scaling a building in Crackdown 3.
This massive open-world is unfortunately full of dull objectives to complete that rarely vary from one to the next. There are some pretty sights in here, and it's more fun in co-op than solo, but that doesn't make Wildlands anymore than serviceable.
The shock value of Ladykiller in a Bind's sex scenes wear off the more they occur, but that doesn't take away from the interesting manipulation game that sees you trying to gain votes from your classmates.
Tokyo Dark is an enjoyable supernatural mystery that holds your attention up until the end, which makes the disappointing execution of the SPIN system a real shame.
The challenge of Transference's puzzles tapers off, and there's little subtlety when it comes to certain themes, but great use of some grim audio make this a decent little horror game.
A pleasant story about two best friends who refuse to be separated by a great evil, My Memory of Us is brought down by some awkward controls, but remains impossibly nice throughout.
Gris plays to your aural and optical senses by delivering something exquisite in that area, but lacks a compelling story to prop itself up alongside equivalents.
Shooting the bad men and tinkering with your loot in The Division 2 is good enough to keep you coming back to something that's regularly monotonous and lacks any real message.
This puzzle-platformer's puzzles and platforming might be merely alright – and the music is a proper irritant – but Pikuniku is full of so much cheer and loveliness elsewhere. It's bursting with character in a story that's equal parts silly and uplifting.
Granted, the chase sequences are frustrating and the story falls a bit flat, but there's some wonderful attention to detail in Close to the Sun's environments, and tension is present even in the game's calmest moments.
While the rewards in hidden areas aren't as satisfying as you might expect from a game like this, Gato Roboto's tense, creative boss battles with a talking rodent are an absolute delight.
Unravel can deliver some picturesque desktop wallpaper, but when in motion, this 2D platformer becomes a frustrating puzzler that expects you to know more than you've been taught.
At the middle point, Game of Thrones is losing its momentum and, except for Gared and elements of Rodrik's story, hasn't shown enough progression to get people excited for what's to come.
My cranium is red raw from tearing strands of hair from my scalp in frustration and I'm sure plenty of others will be bald within an hour of playing The Castle Doctrine. It's a shame that this is the case because there are some interesting options available to players, but the cutthroat design choices are a step too far.
Motion control has its detractors and its advocates, but both parties should be able to see that Mario & Sonic at the Sochi 2014 Olympic Winter Games is not one to fly the proverbial waggle flag. The awkwardness of waving a large GamePad around and unresponsive controls make this one of the less enjoyable party offerings available on the system.