The first imagery we ever saw from our initial glimpse at Death Stranding, was a naked Daryl Dixon cradling a baby. No explanation, no story detail. But it was from Hideo Kojima, so naturally, hype arose. However, for me, I never really pushed to find out what the game was about or watch any more trailers over the years. It was for PS4, and as an Xbox player, I was never going to play it, so why bother?
Our journey through the Assassin’s Creed series has taken us from Italy to London to Egypt, meeting historical figures along the way. We’ve delved into the past and become a pirate or a Medjay, yet always fighting for the Assassins against the Templars. In the latest addition to the series, Assassin’s Creed Valhalla, we now take on the role of a ruthless Viking warrior!
I didn’t immediately play the initial Life is Strange upon its release. In fact, I think my first time playing it was when I first bought Xbox Game Pass. Having thoroughly enjoyed the Telltale Walking Dead series, I was curious to explore this narrative, choice-driven title. I fell in love with the story, focusing on the real side of humans while also adding the supernatural element of controlling time. The choice-making, while hectic, makes you feel in control and immersed. I couldn’t not love Chloe and Max either. Having played through Before The Storm, Captain Spirit and Life is Strange 2, loving them all as much as the last, my body was more than ready for another addition to the series.
I’ve had Chicory: A Colorful Tale sitting in my Steam wishlist for quite a while, after seeing it come up on Twitter. What caught my eye was the illustrated animal characters and the focus on painting powers, seeing as I like to illustrate myself. Not wanting to spoil any more of the game, I added it to my wishlist in the hopes of returning to it when I had the money.
I’ve yet to meet anyone who doesn’t adore our pink, lovable and friend-shaped Nintendo mascot, Kirby. If they don’t, maybe they aren’t to be trusted… Anyway, yes, Kirby is back with the first 3D action-platformer in the series, Kirby and the Forgotten Land, on the Nintendo Switch! The title was first announced in September 2021 in a Nintendo Direct; I was instantly enamoured with the abandoned city overtaken by nature vibes, which I’ve expressed my love for in my Cloud Gardens preview and review.
No matter what type of gamer you are, whether you live and breathe video games or pick up a mobile game every now and again, life simulations seem to appeal to just about everyone. Animal Crossing: New Horizons is certainly proof of this, people who don’t usually play games are desperate to find a Switch which have shot up in demand during the pandemic. They’re relaxing, and don’t require a lot of skill or concentration. They’re the type of games you can play in chunks whenever you choose, during a lunch break or in bed late at night.
In 1999, Pokémon Snap was released for the Nintendo 64. One of the first console-based games as a spin off for the Pokémon series, and featuring Pokémon rendered for the first time in real-time 3D, it remains a fond memory for many. It was something unique and much different from the mechanics in the main line titles, with first-person rail shooter gameplay.
I’ve been following the development of Cloud Gardens for quite some time. In fact, to my utter disbelief, it has been a whole year since I covered the Early Access Steam version! Having enjoyed it thoroughly, I naturally was alerted when an Xbox code dropped onto our list.
With the original Pokémon Diamond and Pearl releasing in Japan in 2006, the 10th anniversary of the series, the journey to the Sinnoh region is back! Well over a decade later, Pokémon Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl have been released as remakes on the trusty Nintendo Switch. This news was much to the excitement and nostalgia of longtime fans, the Sinnoh region a fond favourite of many.
When Embracelet popped up in our games list, I immediately fell in love with the art style. Reminiscent of the design in Untitled Goose Game, the low-poly art looked utterly charming. There was something about the characters with their beady eyes and little mouths that captured my heart. However, I thought the story sounded a little cheesy. I’m all for magic and fantasy, but a bracelet with magical powers? I thought it was perhaps a little childish. But as they say, don’t judge a book by its cover, as I soon found out I was wrong!
The PlayStation 2’s Star Wars Battlefront II is a much loved game in my brother and I’s collection. Countless hours spent playing heroes vs villains mainly, but also taking down star destroyers in the space battles. I was pretty dreadful, confusing myself by spinning around and blowing myself up…but it was fun nontheless! The news of Star Wars: Squadrons had me longing to relive those days. With the new Battlefront‘s exclusion of space battles, they seemed lost to nostalgia. Though they were introduced in the second installation of the series, there were mixed opinions. So does Star Wars: Squadrons get space battles right once and for all? Let’s find out.
Though some of you may recognise our orange heroes Score-chan and Gig, this was actually my first time delving into the Piczle universe. The Piczle series focuses on nonogram logic-puzzles, in which you have to fill a certain number of squares within a grid to create an image. Similar to Sudoku though, you need to make sure there are no clashes and that the numbers correspond both horizontally and vertically.
On the surface, Horace may seem like just another 2D platformer on the Nintendo eShop. It’s hard to summarise the entire story, so the description of a robot trying to reunite with his family while picking up rubbish left over from the Robot War doesn’t particularly stand out. I’ve played many whacky indie games in my time at Rapid Reviews, with weird and wonderful stories, and initially Horace doesn’t sound too different.
I’m sure that all gamers out there have played at least one skateboarding game in their time. The infamous Tony Hawk Pro Skater titles alongside Skate will probably be your answer, and they remain at the top of the genre even today thanks to sequel announcements and remasters. For me, it was Disney Extreme Skateboarding… but anyway, the fact remains that playing these games made us crave to be able to perform these sick tricks in real life with a great soundtrack accompanying us.
Video tapes, scrunchies, plaid shirts, grunge…did someone say a recipe for the ‘90s? Though I was born in 1997, which some would say doesn’t count, I still remember the ‘90s vibe going on strongly into the early 2000s. A time of Pokemon, classic Disney films and the PlayStation 1, where little me had no responsibilities!
For those of you who have played a WarioWare title in the past, you will know just how bizarre and whacky, yet fun, they can be. Smooth Moves for the Wii was a well loved game in my household, which took full advantage of the shiny new motion controls. The weirdness of the high speed micro games though leave some a little freaked out however, but you can at least guarantee it’s a unique experience.
The release of the Nintendo Wii bundled with Wii Sports is of cultural significance to not just gamers but households worldwide. I remember my first experience round a family friend’s for New Year’s Eve, where every one of us joined in, taking it in turns to play. My little mind was blown at the motion controls, which were so innovative at the time.
I’d like to say I’m green-fingered with plants in nearly every room and a conservatory full of them. A splash of green brings colour and nature to the home! Unfortunately, though I love plants, this doesn’t guarantee a natural ability in keeping them alive. There have been some casualties over the years, sadly (one or two have been cat related though I might add).
I fell in love with Cal Kestis and BD-1 almost immediately upon playing Jedi: Fallen Order, and ate up the new Star Wars content to add to the canon and ever growing universe. I loved the story of a young Jedi in hiding and discovering characters and events within that time line. As a game, the combat was challenging but satisfying and the exploration fun. Now, 4 years later, we have been given a sequel in Jedi: Survivor. With such a good original game, does the sequel live up to it?
Launching as a day one title alongside the Xbox Series X|S, The Falconeer has been an anticipated title for many. It’s been on my radar for a while, and I’d frequently seen beautiful shots of soaring birds above the ocean appearing on my Twitter feed. As a game optimized for next-gen, it would be silly not to take the chance to review it.