Colm Ahern's Reviews
While this Switch re-release doesn't add as much as some may hope, Captain Toad: Treasure Tracker is still a delight.
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.
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.
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.
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.
If you've played a Lego game before, you know what to expect. It's full of charm and wit, while lacking much innovation.
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.
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.
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.
Untitled Goose Game encapsulates the pleasure in poking fun without ever turning nasty. And you're a goose, which is great.
Judgment tinkers with the Yakuza template enough that it provides something for fans, as well as those who have always thought about visiting Kamurocho.
The Coalition has slightly fiddled with the formula, and whilst some adjustments need to be refined for future entries, Gears 5 is ultimately the gorgeous third-person shooter you want it to be.
Far Cry New Dawn is your regularly scheduled stop-gap Far Cry, with some lovely tweaks like the ranked enemies and weapons, and a fantastical element that reaches its natural conclusion.
Hitman 2 walks familiar ground and provides the type of delightful moments you expect in the maps on offer, as well as a multiplayer mode with bundles of potential.
FIFA 19 is the finest playing game in the series. The Journey may be after running its course, but the fluid representation of football, the added element of Dynamic Tactics, and the madness of the updated Kick Off mode are all wonderful.
While some of the antiquated trappings of open world games from years gone-by are present, Spider-Man manages to remain a delight through great acting performances, a compelling story, terrific combat, and joyous swinging.
Fighting and exploring is more free than ever, and the story, while wanting in certain areas, introduces a few great characters. Some activities and side missions lack a punch, but how many games do you get to wear a giant orange on your head?
With a cast of well-realised characters, and a story that captivates from start-to-finish, Subsurface Circular's robot mystery will have your attention from the moment the train leaves the station.
FIFA 18 is the best FIFA game in years. There are some obvious flaws — some of which are more frustrating than others — but as a complete package, the series is making progress, once again.
While Mario + Rabbids Kingdom Battle may have been the crossover that no one wanted, it's materialised as a really good one with some interesting systems, despite its smattering of shortcomings. It shouldn't work, but it does.