It may not be the definitive version of Resident Evil 4, but it is still a fun one nonetheless.
Simple, yet satisfying. Skies of Fury DX is a mobile title that belongs on the Nintendo Switch. A quick pick-up-and-play experience that has appealing audio-visuals, can be enjoyed in short bursts, and has flexible multiplayer options. The only downside is the lack of variety in the types of stages and missions that are on offer, particularly for the current, £14.59 price tag.
Monster Energy Supercross - The Official Videogame 3 does indeed capture the sport down to a tee, and has incredibly flexible, and deep customisation tools, that are able to thrust a player into the AMA Supercross universe. Its unforgiving difficulty and steep price point is probably the stumbling block to making this a renowned and accessible racer, but at the same time the purists who love a good challenge will absolutely adore the subtle tweaks that can be made to player setups. Anyone who adores the sport will love this, but those hoping for a leisurely, easy racer to play through, will be sorely surprised.
A competent port of a Nintendo 64 classic, Star Wars Episode I: Racer looks great with the added spit-shine, controls tightly, and performs excellently, with no slowdown in frame-rate. Loading screens have also been removed entirely, which was not really an issue in the original versions, but it is something that should be commended here. At a budget price, many will be pleased that this will help them re-live a piece of nostalgia, and for those on the fence, do not hesitate as this is a great quality port in both docked and handheld modes, yet it will leave others wondering what Aspyr could have done by adding in an online multiplayer and improved AI.
The lack of changes in FIFA 21 overall, particularly compared to FIFA 20 is telling. The iconic pairing of Martin Tyler and Alan Smith have been removed from commentary, and for what it's worth they may as well have taken the goalkeepers with them. Modes have had tiny incremental touches added to them which amount to very little more than quality of life enhancements. However, it cannot be argued that FIFA 21 is still a fun arcade experience bursting with a plethora of different modes whether it be FUT, Career Mode, VOLTA or House Rules.FIFA 21 hasn't re-written the wheel but it is fun, fast attacking football and hopefully EA have big plans to shake up the franchise next year for its true next-gen console experience.
Undeniably, this is a free upgrade worth downloading for new Xbox Series X owners, as it brings over some of the technical performance boosts from the PC version as well as 60fps cutscenes. Owners of both the Series S and Series X experience a number of upgrades including the sublime 120fps in multiplayer, alongside a huge toolbox of customisable options for the main story campaign. Although at the same time, as mentioned in the Cubed3 Xbox One review, the campaign mode still suffers from a weird mesh of linearity in some chapters followed by some bland tedious back-and-forth sandbox exploration. Any Gears of War fan should definitely take Gears 5 for a spin if they really want to test the power of their new hardware but may feel somewhat let down by the campaign mode if they are huge fans of the initial trilogy.
Neon Chrome is a fun twin-stick shooter that has a rewarding upgrade feature and a good visual aesthetic. The controls feel tight, even if they do take some getting used to, and the procedural environments, enemy placements, and character selection, all ensure that each playthrough feels fresh. The visual setting from level to level could do with a bit more distinction as each level is based in the same type of office floor, but this is a minor gripe. Overall, there is a lot of game-time to be had within Neon Chrome, and those looking for a twin-stick shooter on the Nintendo Switch should certainly take note.
The Yomawari: Long Night Collection represents great value with its two-games-in-one package. Despite both games being quite short they represent the horror genre like no other. The tension is often palpable, and feeling of fear while out on the streets is almost constant. The audio may appear to be basic, but it does a stellar job of immersion with small sounds helping to heighten the paranoia that something could be lurking around the corner. The visuals will appeal to fans of a chibi-anime style and really do help lend to gorgeous backdrops and animations. Yomawari: Long Night Collection is well worth a purchase for horror fans.
Luckily, the original Sonic Colours stands tall, featuring fun, exploratory gameplay and it is rewarding replaying levels to attain higher ranks. The 3D sections are far and few between, but the ones that are there are fun. The 2D gameplay is vastly improved from Sonic Generations with tighter controls and added variety in the form of Wisp abilities. Ultimate adds a lick of new paint to bring this to the Xbox platform, of which it is recommended to play on either Xbox Series X|S to get the standard performance that players have come to expect. Rival Rush is a fun mode, but there are only six acts and some of these levels are incredibly short. The other additions that Ultimate has added are superfluous, but don't do anything to really damage the core game either. If Sonic Colours doesn't exist in your library and you are a fan of the Blue Blur then there is no excuse to not pick this up.
There is no doubt that the Booster Course Pass is going to heralded as "must-have", but so far Wave 1 hasn't set the track on fire. The runaway winners of Wave 1 are the three courses featured from Mario Kart Tour, but that is not to say the other courses are bad, but are lacking in imagination compared to other retro-courses featured in the base game of Mario Kart 8 Deluxe. The lack of anti-grav and some questionable graphical decisions also mount up to disappointment and it is interesting to see if Nintendo are going to address this with the remaining 40 courses. However, in the grand scheme of things it is great to have new courses to race on and is certainly thoroughly recommended for all Mario Kart fans.
On one hand there are 4 great games in Sonic Origins, all are well cherished by Sonic fans, and are games that are considered some of the best in the Sonic franchise. Players might not even notice some of the glitches if they have never played Sonic, some long-time veterans might not even encounter them, but then on the other hand, these games, which have been out on the market for 25 years or more, cost a premium price with so many bugs and glitches present. Anniversary mode, Story mode and Mission mode will certainly be a refreshing change of pace for those that have completed these games dozens of times and it's fun while it lasts, but the package falls short by not including more than previous collections.
Perhaps not as strong of a track selection as Wave 1, Wave 2 of the Booster Course Pass is still very good, headlined by a completely brand-new track in Sky High Sundae and complemented well by Sydney Sprint and New York Minute. It is a bit of a wonder why the retro tracks haven't been given the anti-gravity love, especially as the retro tracks in the base game have it. Waluigi Pinball and Mushroom Gorge are all certainly fan favourites, but it is a shame that they weren't given a bit of reimagining in the same vein that Kalimari Desert received. Nonetheless, Mario Kart fans are grateful that new tracks are coming out for Mario Kart 8 Deluxe and it is doubtful that many will have a bad thing to say about getting these courses added in.
It is difficult to not be blinded by nostalgia, especially when a game has been part of the ongoing zeitgeist of the franchise for nearly 20 years. Resident Evil 4 Remake is, by intention, an unfaithful love letter. The remake has changed certain story beats, altered movement, overhauled combat and revised the visuals. Those jumping in for the first time in 2023 may not understand the hype surrounding this particular entry in the series, but remember that a lot of modern games owe their DNA to Resident Evil 4, even if they have perfected it since.
Stray is an awesome looking game, with a neon-cyberpunk world that feels like it is alive. The run-time is short enough that the gameplay loop of solving puzzles via finding random items scattered throughout the world is well complemented from sequences that require running from area to area without getting caught by local mutated predators. While Stray is pretty to look at and is fun while it lasts the limitations of movement and rather simplistic puzzles hold this back from being greater than it could have been.
FIFA 23 is perfectly serviceable - the gluttony of FIFA fans won't find much to complain about. Truth be told, the formula is so one-dimensional that it is hard to get wrong after iterating on the same product year after year. Subtle tweaks to gameplay do mix things up, but not enough has been done to refresh the modes on offer. Either EA is out of ideas, or they are storing them up for the next game in their new franchise. Anyone looking for a football game in 2023, though, should certainly stick with the tried and tested FIFA.
Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Games Tokyo 2020 is an all-around solid good title that would be a fantastic gift for young children.
Dr Kawashima's Brain Training for Nintendo Switch is a missed opportunity to throw together a comprehensive package of mini-games from past entries on a hugely successful console.
The Fire Emblem: Three Houses Expansion Pass currently retails at practically 50% of the base game price, and considering the sheer amount of content in the core title, it has to brought into question how much Cindered Shadows segregates itself from the core experience.
At a cheaper price this could be recommended for a quick Sunday afternoon stroll, especially for anyone nostalgic of the original title. A nifty touch would have been to include the original game as an unlockable, which would at least help sweeten the fact that this can be completed within an hour or two. Despite its abundant and underwhelming flaws, Panzer Dragoon: Remake is still a piece of gaming history that deserves to be played, and shooting down waves of enemies does still prove to be satisfying.
Need for Speed: Hot Pursuit Remastered is a mixed bag. On one hand, its simplicity in its pick up and play race-to-race gameplay style can suit those who enjoy "back to basics" game modes. Anyone seeking an experience that can be fun to play with limited options will find Need for Speed: Hot Pursuit Remastered a joy to play, especially given its relatively budget price. Petrol heads and those looking for a bit of nostalgia will be satisfied with the car selection and arcade gameplay. However, Hot Pursuit Remastered's game modes both inside and outside of career mode are fairly scant, and fall short of standards set by other racing games in the modern landscape - even those upheld historically within the Need for Speed franchise itself.