While the story is forgettable and the gameplay can get repetitive, A Quiet Place: The Road Ahead is a surprisingly nice treat for fans of the franchise. It doesn't reinvent the wheel for horror games when it comes to the hide-and-seek genre, but it does have some nice mechanics.
Super Mario Bros. Wonder could be Mario's most magical adventure, offering up an enchanting experience that shines among the best of the side-scrolling Mario games.
Despite its few flaws, The Devil In Me is a more than fitting end to The Dark Pictures Anthology Season One, improving on its predecessors in the main area in which they drew criticism: weak story. The endings of both Man of Medan and Little Hope, in particular, left many players unsatisfied, but The Devil In Me offers a substantial and sinful story full of dastardly deeds, classic crimes, and unabashed gore. The Devil In Me is a game that immediately deserves a second playthrough after the credits roll - and perhaps even a third, or fourth.
The Last of Us Part 1 is a must-play game. However, for those who already own the remaster, the price tag may be too much to swallow.
For those who’ve been patiently waiting for an up-to-par follow-up to the immensely popular Until Dawn, The Quarry might not be it. While its immersive gameplay and dynamic characters are enough to carry the majority of the game, the title is a narrative adventure with no resolutions for its heroes. A post-credits scene revealing how The Quarry survivors escaped - and what came next - or even just a reunion between the friends after their ordeal would have gone a long way in saving what ended up to be a disappointment. While The Quarry is an impressive graphical showcase of new-gen possibilities, it seems that in terms of story, players will have to continue waiting for a true successor to Until Dawn.
With its charming world, enjoyable soundtrack, and dogs brimming with character, there’s lots of fun to be had with Pupperazzi. Unfortunately, replaying the levels even with variable weather conditions and day/night options can get stale a few hours in. Exploring is a joy the first time, but once players have seen everything there is to offer, there’s not much else. There's also some inconsistencies with dogNET, with users' responses sometimes praising a photo for elements it doesn't include. Despite this, Pupperazzi is barking up the right tree for dog fans. Thanks to its simple controls, this wholesome indie game is one that can be enjoyed by the whole family, and with its humor and cute pups, it’s hard not to crack a smile while snapping away.
Mundaun is one of the most unique and beautiful horror games I’ve ever had the pleasure of playing. If you’re a fan of slow-paced and tension-filled horror games like Amnesia, you absolutely shouldn’t sleep on this one. A true labour of love, Mundaun is one which will stick with you for years to come.
If you enjoy dark stories, difficult gameplay and the original game, Little Nightmares 2 is absolutely a must-play dark fairytale that you shouldn’t miss out on (if you can help it)! LN2 is a triumph for Tarsier Studios, but definitely needs to rethink accessibility.
I’ve been waiting a long time for Bloober to finally nail down true horror, and The Medium is a wonderful example of how to do scary without relying on cheap tricks. If you’re a fan of Silent Hill, Clock Tower, Haunting Ground or even if you just want to test out the capabilities of the latest Xbox consoles, The Medium is a must-play.
No More Heroes 1 & 2 are two games I’ve been waiting for on Switch, and while their Accessibility features could be improved, there’s little else to criticise the re-releases for. Both games are challenging and fun, though the NSFW language and the occasional sexist comment might turn some people away. If you’re looking to feel like a powerful sword-wielding assassin then these games are for you. If I had to pick one, I’d go for No More Heroes 2: Desperate Struggle over its predecessor, simply because it looks a little better, feels a little more dramatic, and you can help Jeane lose some pounds. You can’t go amiss with picking up both titles though – as long as you don’t mind some potty humour!
The Sims 4 Snowy Escape introduces new gameplay elements, a world that’s filled with wonder and – most importantly – there’s a million and one things to do within it. With its added focus on mindfulness and relaxing activities for your Sims, plus the addition of snow sports, The Sims 4 Snowy Escape is about as perfect as an Expansion Pack can get. A must-buy for Sims players, or the perfect starter pack for base game-owners, you can’t go wrong with Snowy Escape.
Where Man of Medan (slightly) failed to meet the standards set by Until Dawn, The Dark Pictures Anthology: Little Hope comes closer to what I wanted to see from these games. Though it’s not quite the fun-filled, horror-fuelled romp that Until Dawn gifted us with, it’s a lot more spooky and immersive than Man of Medan. Little Hope is a must-play for horror fans, and it’s one totally deserving of a place in your games library.
Assassin’s Creed: Valhalla is a game definitely worthy of the Assassin’s Creed name. It’s fun, it’s vast and it continues to give players the freedom to do pretty much whatever they want to do in the game.
Double Pug Switch is a fantastic addition to your games library if you’re a fan of tough but rewarding gameplay.
All in all, if you enjoyed the first Remothered then this one is worth picking up, but you might want to wait for a sale.
If you’re fine with the occasional minor graphical bug, Oceanhorn 2: Knights of the Lost Realm is an essential RPG for the Nintendo Switch, and it might just tide you over until we get a new Zelda.
Projection: First Light started out as one of my favourite indie games of the year so far, but with a game-breaking bug in the mix, it’s sadly going to fall short of what I initially expected to score it. Hopefully the bug will be fixed soon, but for now, it unfortunately has to be reflected in my score.
If you’re looking for new linear adventures for your favourite Sim – and if you have even a vague interest in Star Wars – there’s definitely lots of hours of fun to be had with this one
A beautiful and wonderfully executed story, Raji: An Ancient Epic is definitely an enjoyable way to spend a few hours of your time. Its combat mechanics are functional and fine, but rarely stray into the realm of “fun.”
Though No Straight Roads is filled to the brim with character and style, it can’t overcome its needless complexity in a game which is more taxing than it is fun.