Jon Clarke's Reviews
Whether you’ll enjoy your time with Harold Halibut and the various Fedorans you’ll meet really comes down to what kind of person and gamer you are – if you enjoy deeply narrative games where the focus in more on story and a sense of place, with a very simple gameplay loop, then you’ll fit right in -and I suspect come to adore your time aboard the Fedora.
Outlast Trials may not be for everyone, but I feel confident in saying that those that do love it, will really love it, and considering Red Barrels approach to listening to player feedback throughout it’s early access, it’s sure to be a worthwhile investment.
To say any more would delve deep into spoiler territory, but suffice to say, Brothers: A Tale of Two Sons Remake is still a journey worth taking, and remains a shining example of how gameplay and narrative can combine to produce something that only this medium can provide. However, fans of the original will find little new here outside of a very nice coat of fresh paint and some easy to obtain achievement points.
It may not be the “AAAA” game Ubisoft touted, but with a solid enough foundation, a decently planned bevy of seasonal content ahead of it, and the uniqueness of making the ship and gear the focus, it may be finally on the right course after all.
A Little to the Left is at its absolute best when it’s focusing on finding just the right spot for everyday things, and at its worst when it’s operating on its own, chaotic-puzzle logic. Those two worlds and design choices are at odds in my opinion, and collide to unfortunately produce an uneven end result. However, I feel confident in saying any puzzle game fan will find something to like and perhaps even love here, and with it being available to try on Xbox Game Pass, it’s worth a download.
The big question I asked myself when it came to writing a review was this: Is this just a low-effort cash grab, or is it worthy of the fantastic show? I’m pleased to say, I feel they’ve landed firmly in the latter camp. The usually impeccably imparted ‘lesson’ each episode of the show delivers arrives here in the game exactly where it should be, heart and warmth intact.
Jusant then – a beautiful, relaxing adventure that players can tackle at their own pace. Exploring every nook and cranny of this world, and charting your own path is something that should be savoured, and you should absolutely add it to your download queue via Xbox Game Pass.
I had a great time with High on Knife, and I do plan on going back in to clean up some undiscovered items, which thankfully, the game allows you to do, even after completing the main questline. If you loved the off-beat humour, gross body horror and Rick and Morty style humour of the original game, you’ll hardly be making a mistake picking this mini-expansion up. It’s Knifey’s time to shine (or stab everyone)…or both.
Cocoon is an impeccably designed game that stands as a shining example of how this medium alone can teach mechanics and intent without saying or displaying a single word. Any players who prefer to solve problems with their brain and not a gun, should without delay, go forth and discover the many beautiful worlds of Cocoon. The choice, and indeed, the world(s), is in your hands.
If you can handle some curious design quirks, a few bugs, and don’t mind poking around in the dark looking for clues, The Last Case of Benedict Fox might just be a breath of fresh air.
Minecraft Legends wasn't a game I was particularly excited about, mostly due to its strategy leanings. However, it's always nice to be surprised, and there's a lot of fun to be had, particularly with friends online. The single player can be as chill as you'd like it to be, but PVP is absolute panic enducing carnage in the best kind of way. Who knows, perhaps it'll breed a whole host of new strategy fans? Either way, learn the ropes in campaign, but grab a few friends and team up in multiplayer to get the best bang for your buck.
After spending 12 or so hours with review code, I’ve come to the conclusion that frankly, this game just isn’t very good
Somerville feels like great ambition being stretched a little thin, and fundamentally, the way it feels to actually play makes me wish it spent a little longer in the oven, refining and polishing the best parts. Fans of the genre, and sci-fi fans in particular will absolutely find a lot to love in this 5 hour or so adventure, but once the credits roll, you may be left feeling more than a little underwhelmed.
As finer an example of “AAA” Hollywood gaming spectacle as ever there was – full of incredible visuals and set-pieces with a tonne of gameplay variety and only a few moments that fall flat. It can’t help but occasionally feel to be a greatest hits collection of previous Call of Duty moments at times, despite the earnest and well intentioned efforts to mix things up a bit, and that’s okay. For fans of the series, they’ll be more than satisfied.
So LEGO: Brick Tales then - a bright, colourful and certainly more creative take on LEGO in its digital form. While there's some fiddly controls at times, it's all quite charming and relaxing - and as the rest of the package is so wonderfully put together, it's hard to gripe too much about a fussy control scheme.
Melancholy, thoughtful and as uplifting as it is heart-breaking, it felt good to visit the Finch family and remember them again. There’s nothing but love in these walls, even amongst the sadness.
As a big fan of cinema and storytelling, I enjoyed the attempt at a mostly well told, if somewhat predictable yarn, full of plot twists and surprises, particularly with friends in tow. For those of us out there that like a little more traditional gameplay in our games, you may find yourselves wanting, but as it releases straight on to Xbox Game Pass at launch, I expect As Dusk Falls to surprise and delight more than few naysayers out there – myself included.
If this game is a series of choices, each leading to more choices, leading to different ends only to begin again, then you only need to make one choice to begin. And that’s to choose to play it.
Chorus is a slick, well made game and fans of the genre will find a lot to like, and perhaps even love here. It controls like a dream, looks gorgeous to boot and while the plot left me a bit cold at times, it’s hard not to admire the work and effort put in overall. If you want to become an ace pilot working with a surly sentient space fighter to take down an evil empire and free the galaxy this Christmas, you’d be hard pressed to find a better use of your time.
A Builders Journey does a lot of things right throughout it’s short playtime, with gorgeously designed levels and imaginative puzzle design through to its themes of play and creativity – and the often unwanted responsibilities that can interrupt it. It doesn’t get everything right, but then it’s so short lived it’s hard not to be entirely charmed by it anyway. If you’re a fan of puzzle games or Lego in general, you can’t really go wrong here.