Robert Cram's Reviews
To conclude then, I really like this game once I got into the flow, as the hybrid shooting and melee combat works really well. I enjoyed Hannah's character and the plentiful goofy moments. However, I think some gamers won't get it, and frustrations with the camera, stun-lock and long checkpoints will dampen your experience. That said, Wanted: Dead comes highly recommended for anyone looking for an old-school challenge.
Serial Cleaners whilst unique, holds on to its premise well and should keep players entertained for the duration. You can live out your Harvey Keitel (Pulp Fiction) fantasies here and then some, with its range of characters and diverse scenarios. The game will appeal more to those who like slower paced gameplay and stealth. Given its relative cheap pricing at £20, it’s a steal.
So, is ANNO: Mutationem any good and worth playing. We’re going to say yes it is, despite some moments which don’t gel so well with the overall feel of the game. You do get your monies worth and the visuals are spectacular at times. If you like cyberpunk themes, then this ambitious game should be in your library.
Sherlock Holmes Chapter One is an enjoyable romp and pleasant change of approach compared to more restrictive offerings of the past. Open-world works well here but could do with some additional oomph to make it feel more interesting. Sleuths will enjoy the varied investigations here and if you desire an even greater challenge, then we suggest setting the game to it’s more cryptic highest difficulty for a first play through.
To conclude then and ultimately advise whether GROW: Song of the Evertree is worth your time and money. The answer is, if you enjoyed Yonder, then you will love this. If you never tried it, then sure there are several games that offer similar approaches, but the combination of ease-of-play, excellent audio/visual fidelity and the wonderfully relaxed pacing makes this a joy-to-play and well-worth checking out if you haven’t dived into this type of non-combat gameplay experience before.
We like Far Cry 6 as it seems to rest comfortably with its tried-and-trusted formula honed from 5 previous entries in the series. The game offers some great missions, strong characters, and an engaging story of an uprising against an infallible regime. There is enough identity here to make it its own game despite the similarities with other Ubisoft titles. If you like stealth, open-world and action, then Far Cry 6 is well-worth checking out for some no-nonsense gaming 101.
To conclude then. Deathloop is a great concept that knows its own boundaries and sticks to it with a sensible aplomb. Colt is a lovable rogue, against a backdrop of some accomplished gameplay Arkane have honed from their other games. There is not much to dislike about this game aside from a few niggles such as no in-level checkpoints for those crashing to desktop moments. Odd AI behaviour that doesn’t feel out-of-place, but comes across somewhat sloppy. However, niggles become outweighed greatly by an awesome soundtrack and voice acting, alongside great visuals making this a must-play title as we near the end of 2021. Hopefully, Bethesda/Arkane look to develop the IP further.
We have mixed feeling about Encased. No doubt for some players it’s a great game reaching the upper echelons of the review scale. For us, less so due to our own preferences or perhaps expectations. A lack of direction, vagueness and tendency to draw on some frustrating quest design over-and-over have us at odds with the neat combat, excellent writing and fantastic audio alongside its neat premise. However, with our grievances aside, we still recommend this for those looking for strategy turn-based role playing. It’s certainly got character and that’s something most people can probably agree on.
Gamedec is an interesting adventure game that won't appeal to anyone looking for action-based antics. It's just not that type of game. It's also quite text-heavy, so if this doesn't appeal, then Gamedec won't change your opinion. That said, if you like role-playing various rogues or being mister nice guy then this is worth checking out. It's also pretty decent value for money.
Foreclosed is an interesting stealth-action adventure game that offers a neat presentation and mildly interesting story. Whilst the gameplay could do with some polishing, it’s not all doom-and-gloom if you stick with it. There is some fun to be had here, but sadly it’s over far too quickly and could have done with some extra content, perhaps additional difficulty settings. If you desire a visually different game to play then Foreclosed is worth a look especially considering the asking price of around £12 which is quite reasonable.
Sniper Elite VR then grabs the cool features from the 2D game such as masked shots, the x-ray kill cam (which you can disable if desired), focus aiming and the fusion of stealth/action gameplay. For the most part it works well and converts to VR as expected. However as mentioned, the game isn’t perfect and perhaps depending on what setup you have will dictate your overall enjoyment. It’s a nice sniper based game that offers 6 hours or more gameplay (with leaderboards and collectibles for replay). We would have preferred the open-world approach of Sniper Elite 4 rather than shorter condensed missions though. For VR heads looking for a stealth sniping game, this is pretty solid and hopefully the developers can improve things with some post-launch updates once they have more player feedback.
To wrap-up then, Resident Evil Village is a fun game to play for those looking for a less scary experience and one that is not too taxing on the grey matter. It feels like Resident Evil 4 revisited and works using a similar style of gameplay. Fans of the slower-paced survival horror games might feel like this game could quite easily have had its own spin-off series and in some ways we can agree with that sentiment. However, in its own right and for all its theatrics, Village pushes the right buttons where it counts. In many ways it’s liberating to reside on the side of aggressor rather than tortured weakling, and that gets a dismembered thumbs-up from us.
Is Borderlands 3 Director's Cut worth it for its asking price? There are two perspectives here really. On one side having just spent in excess of 35 hours playing through the main game, the new content didn't matter much and perhaps there might be an element of Borderlands burnout or fatigue. If it wasn't for this review, there was still plenty to go back to with the base content. So, for newcomers it's not an essential addition to the package as far as we are concerned. However, on the other side, those players who already invested X numbers of hours and in need of more content will find the additions interesting but perhaps a little on the pricey side considering how long it will take to see it all (2 hours or less). Therefore, it's hard to recommend fully to both camps at the current pricing unless you have deep pockets or just have to play anything new as soon as it releases.
Little Nightmares II offers an atmospheric romp inside a crazed, surreal world. Part horror, a little stealth with some platform-puzzle solving tossed-in make this a joy to play. It is short in length though, so bear that in mind if you are on a budget and perhaps wait for a sale. Some fiddly controls might get the better of you at times as well, but persevere and you have a very good game well worth checking out.
To conclude, HITMAN III is a fitting end to the current trilogy and it will be interesting to see where IO take the series moving forwards. With lots to do in this game, plenty of replay value and the chance to create your own missions means it is a solid package.
Night City is the host of a very neat and cool playground for a mercenary, gun-for-hire, bounty hunter type persona. We can't fault CDPR's handling of the main-story and fleshed-out side quests. These are both excellent and well worth playing the game for. Whilst the game does feel lacking in other areas as if unfinished, and has its fair share of bugs, it's still a cracking top-notch experience on top-end PC.
Observer System Redux looks great and thankfully plays excellently as well. The new content is nice to have and offers additional twisted and perverted happenings for Lazarski to uncover. The visual overhaul is pleasant, although a shame the game didn't include the original visuals as an option to toggle. That said, it feels fresh to revisit the game here after enjoying the original release in 2017. If you’re not a fan of walking-sims, then the pure assault on the senses might mean this could be an exception for you. It’s an engaging investigation, full of neat touches. The only negative, aside from not being able to explore more of the game world, are moments where progression forwards feels a little too-contrived or unclear, but this is a minor niggle. The core game, its character Lazarski and the world around him make for an exceptional journey for players that comes recommended for anyone with an interest in cyberpunk/sci-fi adventuring. Action gamers need not apply though.
The story presents an assortment of scenarios for the player to work through as they conquer England, though force, diplomacy or guile. However, no matter how great the story or optional side-questing, the game becomes severely let-down by bugs and expected glitches. The latter is easy to overlook, but the former often impacts play which is a massive shame. In this regard it might be prudent to wait for more patches. That said, if you're willing to endure, you will find an entertaining romp with such a great subject matter. Plus, there's still plenty of assassin action within this Assassin's Creed instalment.