Alex Laybourne


58 games reviewed
70.9 average score
70 median score
72.4% of games recommended
Are you Alex Laybourne? If so, email [email protected] to claim this critic page.
Jul 13, 2023

A little over three years ago, I reviewed Super Mega Baseball 3 for the site. It wasn’t the first baseball game I had played, but it was the first after I found a deep enjoyment from and interest in the sport. Now, I have the honour of reviewing the next title in the series, the cunningly titled Super Mega Baseball 4. Has a three-year wait been worth it? Find out in this rapid review.

Read full review

Jun 29, 2023

I first raised my interest in reviewing AEW: FIght Forever back in 2021. Having watched its development over the years and suffered through the delays and update doldrums, I was over the moon to see launch day creeping ever closer. Getting a review code a week early was enough to warrant a widely used Vince McMahon GIF, but we can’t credit the opposition this early on in a review.

Read full review

Jun 13, 2023

Aquarist is a case of the right game coming along at the right time. Aquarist is a calming simulator that places you in charge of increasingly large and complex aquariums. Following the likes of other simulator games, it promises a calming but engaging gameplay experience. Read this rapid review to find out if it delivers.

Read full review

I’ve been writing reviews for this site for a number of years now, and one of the best things about it, for me, is picking a game I know nothing about and enjoying the surprise it offers. Reviewing games has helped me step outside of my comfort zone numerous times. Some of my favourite reviews have been on games I would have passed over had I known more about them before I took the code.

Read full review

May 8, 2023

Dredge is the sort of game I never thought could exist, yet does so in such spectacular fashion. I knew nothing about the game before it came up for review. The name alone had me intrigued, and so blindly, I hoisted the anchor and set sail on a journey from which there is no going back. So pack your bags, grab a line and hop on board this rapid review. There’s something dark lurking beneath the water, and the wind’s mournful cry pulls us and this review ever onward.

Read full review

Apr 17, 2023

I had no idea what to expect when I grabbed The Beast Inside. However, it was classed as a horror game, and that was enough for me to be interested. Boy, was I not prepared for the game that lay ahead of me. Now, with the credits rolling before my eyes, I am feeling a strange combination of emotions. Find out why exactly by reading this rapid review.

Read full review

SpongeBob SquarePants: The Cosmic Shake is not my usual game. However, variety is the spice of life, so when the chance came, I thought, why not. And so, with childish enthusiasm I loaded up the game and prepared to venture for a stroll through Bikini Bottom.

Read full review

It’s not often that I pick up a demo for a game. I don’t know why. The idea of just playing a teaser feels more frustrating than enjoyable to me. However, I was pulled so heavily towards Theatrhythm Final Bar Line that I just couldn’t help myself. I sunk a lot of hours into the demo – on my Switch – and leapt at the chance to review the game proper.

Read full review

Mar 19, 2023

Helvetii is a hack ‘n slash game set around Celtic and Gaelic mythology. The hack ‘n slash genre is an acquired taste, or so I feel. I’m no expert in the genre, but the gameplay often feels frantic but directionless. However, I am a big fan of any and all mythologies, and games that explore cultural folklore always grab my interest. So I loaded up Helvetii with high anticipation.

Read full review

Mar 18, 2023

Paper Dolls 2 is the sequel to the aptly named Paper Dolls: Original, a game I remember playing and reviewing for the site about four years ago. It was a fun game, but not without its annoyances. So when the chance came to get my teeth into Paper Dolls 2, I was eager to jump back into the Yin mansion and see if anything had changed.

Read full review

Mar 11, 2023

I did not play many of the Fire Emblem games growing up. In fact, my first true experience was with Fire Emblem: Three Houses, a game I loved and really really need to go back and play again. However, when the opportunity to play Fire Emblem Engage came along, I jumped at it.

Read full review

Feb 2, 2023

As a horror lover, whenever I see a game with a dark-sounding name, I am always interested. As a title, Hell Pages was too intriguing for me to pass up. Going in blind, I loaded up the game and eagerly awaited the horrors.

Read full review

Jan 31, 2023

I started following the development of Ashwalkers long before it hit the stores. So naturally, I jumped at the chance to get my hands on a copy to review. Unlike many games I take, I had high expectations going into Ashwalkers. The real question is, does it live up to the hype I built for it, or did my enthusiasm disappear like smoke? Keep reading this rapid review to find out.

Read full review

I am a big fan of Sherlock Holmes. I’ve not read anywhere near enough of his stories. However, a good friend of mine is the author of a fantastic series of Holmes novellas, which I have devoured with gusto. When the opportunity to review Sherlock Holmes: Crimes and Punishments came along, I was all too eager to grab my hunting cap and pipe and dive into his caseload.

Read full review

I was very excited when I was offered the chance to review The Devil in Me, the newest instalment in the Dark Pictures Anthology series. I love horror titles and story-heavy games, and while I have yet to play House of Ashes, I have enjoyed the other titles in his franchise.

Read full review

Dec 28, 2022

The NHL 23 review has been on my mind ever since I first started seeing the adverts for the game. I have written the NHL review for the last few iterations of this game, and I always find myself eagerly awaiting the next round of challenges. For this NHL 23 review, I have focused mainly on the HUT gaming option, but more on that shortly. The reason why I chose to focus on the HUT gaming mode is that NHL 23 is a vast game, offering a lot of different game modes. For my NHL 22 review, I focused on Franchise Mode. These games are largely carbon copies, with the focus mainly placed on improving the technical side of things. Therefore, to keep them fresh, I opted for a different focal point for this review.

Read full review

Jun 6, 2022

I only recently invested in a gaming laptop. I’d always been console only before then. So when the chance to review Eastward came along, I was all too happy to oblige.

Read full review

May 14, 2022

I’m a wrestling nerd and I’m not afraid to say it. So, when the chance came along to review WWE 2K22, I grabbed that brass ring with both hands.

Read full review

Let me start this review by saying how much I love hand-drawn animations. I play and enjoy a wide range of games, but visually, there is always something about the hand-drawn titles that catch my eye.

Read full review

Mar 14, 2022

I have long been a fan of sports games. Those who have read any of my other reviews will have no doubt come across a plethora of such reviews here on the site.

Read full review