Paul Hunter's Reviews
If you enjoyed the first Blasphemous then you will definitely enjoy the sequel as there's a lot to love here. From the nice variety in weapons, abilities and loadouts to the well-designed map to the pristine presentation, everything here is on point.
Prince of Persia: The Lost Crown with surely satisfy longtime fans while welcoming newcomers to the series with its superb blend of action and adventure. The gameplay is fast and precise, the graphics are attractive and crisp, the map is huge and chock full of secrets, and the excellent story is the icing on the cake. 2024 is off to an incredible start all thanks to Ubisoft and The Lost Crown.
Helldivers 2 has single-handedly reinvigorated my love for live service games. The lighthearted yet intense gameplay feels like a throwback to multiplayer games from the PS3/360 era where the focus was on fun first and monetization second. Everything is on point with this game, from the immersive environment aesthetics to the great arsenal of weapons to the diverse enemy factions to yes, even the friendly-fire hilarity.
Princess Peach: Showtime! is a cute, colourful and creative adventure befitting of one of Nintendo's most iconic characters. It's incredible that Peach finally has a game series to call her own, and what a fantastic start it's off to. The transformations are awesome, but it's the varied and compelling gameplay that really steals the show.
Days Gone is glorious. It took some time for the story to find its groove, but once it did I was hooked. After completing the game I immediately hoped for a sequel, and if that's not a glowing endorsement I don't know what is.
Days Gone is glorious. It took some time for the story to find its groove, but once it did, I was hooked. Deacon is a deep, interesting protagonist that's far more nuanced than he initially appears. The Oregon setting is visually breathtaking, heightened by the dynamic weather system that significantly adds to the moment-to-moment feeling. Encountering hundreds of Freakers roaming in a horde is intense, and battling them is an adrenaline rush unlike any I've experienced before. The map is huge, too, offering a minimum of 50 hours of gameplay, and likely much more if you're a completionist. After completing the game, I immediately hoped for a sequel, and if that's not a glowing endorsement I don't know what is.
Being the first, and likely only Devil May Cry game of this console generation, Capcom has really stepped up and delivered for their fans. What’s not to love? Devil May Cry 5 offers an excellent story with three very interesting protagonists, matched by superb gameplay delivering extreme style. Top it off with an awesome metal soundtrack, detailed graphics, and lots of modes to extend replay and you have the total package.
Being the first, and likely only Devil May Cry game of this console generation, Capcom has really stepped up and delivered for their fans. What's not to love? Devil May Cry 5 offers an excellent story with three very interesting protagonists, matched by superb gameplay delivering extreme style. Top it off with an awesome metal soundtrack, detailed graphics, and lots of modes to extend replay and you have the total package.
There's a lot to love about New Super Mario Bros. U Deluxe. The graphics are bold and beautiful, the story is light and whimsical. The game provides plenty of challenge, yet is still approachable for younger gamers thanks to the new characters Nabbit and Toadette.
Sure, I would like to have seen a few more updates from the Wii U version, but there's enough in New Super Mario Bros. U Deluxe to keep even the most die-hard Mario fan happy. If you have a Nintendo Switch, New Super Mario Bros. U Deluxe is a must buy!
The bottom line—and this seems to be a common theme among Nintendo's releases—is once again we have another must-have game to add to your Switch library.
Yoshi's Crafted World is a blast to play and it's easily one of the best Yoshi games yet. It's even better played locally with friends or family, if you have other gamers in the house or neighbourhood. The wonderful, handcrafted visuals are a real treat on the eyes, and it's just as fun playing levels on the reverse "flip-side". Toss in a huge number of collectibles and 180+ costumes and you've got extremely high replay value.
I'm having such a great time playing Samurai Warriors 5. I've already beat all six chapters, completed all the Citadel missions and have put in over 60 hours so far, and I still have interest to keep on playing more. The bottom line is that if you're a musou fan you absolutely don't want to miss this gem of a game. The revamped graphics alone are enough reason to dive in but the refined gameplay and plethora of modes are just icing on the cake.
Deathloop is a superb adventure that rivals the best from Arkane Studios. If you’re a fan of their games or action-adventure titles in general, don’t miss your chance to break the loop and end the cycle for good. While the bugs were frustrating, I still had an amazing time playing the game and I'm already looking forward to my next attempt to plan the perfect assassination.
Castlevania: Circle of the Moon is an exceptional entry in this iconic vampire-slaying franchise and certainly a must play for fans. Considering the entire Castlevania Advance Collection is only $24.99 US, just this game is worth a good chunk of that value alone. I really enjoyed how fresh this game is given the unique RPG elements and the DSS card system. After playing Metroid Dread and F.I.S.T. this year, I have to say that Circle of the Moon holds up nicely compared to both of them. An easy recommend from me!
I'm having a blast playing Dying Light 2 and could easily see myself breaking the hundred hour mark, or more.
It's been a blast playing Ghostwire: Tokyo largely because of how authentic and awesome-looking Tokyo is. It feels great being in this game world, much like what SEGA's achieved with their Yakuza series.
My family and I had a total blast playing this latest Kirby game and certainly I recommend it for Kirby and platforming fans alike. It's a joy to explore the 3D worlds and the new Mouthful abilities and Copy Ability upgrades are great additions to the series that I hope carry forward to future games. If you're looking for a fun, easy-breezy co-op experience for your next family games night, this is the one.
Carrion is a devilishly enjoyable horror experience where you can swoop up enemies in your tentacles and rip them apart with a smile on your face. It's a short adventure lasting around 6-7 hours, but it's worth it for the gameplay alone. The awesome reverse-horror story is icing on the cake. It's too bad there's no in-game map as that would have eliminated getting lost and made this an even better game. Still, with what's on offer it's an easy recommend for anyone wanting their next juicy horror experience.
OlliOlli World is skateboarding bliss. I've already plunked a few dozen hours into the game and it's a game I'm going to keep coming back to, whether that's to expand on my trick skills or to simply chill out for an hour and while having a blast. I love the new cel-shaded graphics and kudos to Roll7 for making this iteration a lot easier to get into. If you're a fan of Skate or Tony Hawk's Pro Skater and are craving your next skateboarding fix, this game absolutely delivers.