Sean McCarthy


23 games reviewed
81.3 average score
85 median score
60.9% of games recommended
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May 22, 2020

Saints Row the Third Remastered is a great way to revisit a truly classic series that sadly missed out with a new entry this console generation and I hope this is something that might be addressed on the birth of the next generation coming this year. But the bugs take the shine of what is a fun game to play and I fully recommend grabbing a friend and playing this co-op as there is just so much fun to be had at a time when smiles and laughs in the world are few and far between at the moment. I loved returning to Steep Port and the Saints, it has a humour that appealed me all those years ago and this shows that there is still room for Saints Row in current gaming. This is unashamed crazy chaotic fun when everything works, but the frustration of the old issues still being present stick out like a sore thumb.

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8 / 10.0 - Maneater
May 28, 2020

MANEATER was huge fun and I really loved all the RPG elements and exploring the world despite the very repetitive nature of the regional activities. It really is just satisfying to be a massive Shark taking on the world of land and sea and the story is both amusing and very well told with some great voice acting that gives this game a lot of credibility. This is a game to definitely sink your teeth into whilst you maybe waiting for some of the bigger name games to come out this year and it will surprise you just how good it is.

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Jun 1, 2020

If you have not purchased the original MK11 or you did but never got round to buying any of the DLC and character packs than for the asking price I would absolutely recommend the Kombat Kollection which has the original game, all the DLC to date as well as the Aftermath expansion and content all together in one package for just a little more than the expansion by itself. This really is the best version to buy and it just makes the standalone price seem over the top but at this point, it is probably fair to say if you have purchased all the DLC than Aftermath is a no brainer for you. For me, revisiting MK11 because of Aftermath reminded me just why I loved this game on release and now thanks to the Kombat Kollection I am inspired to try out all the DLC characters I missed along with all the quality of life updates and refinements made along with this new update. Quite frankly, just having Cary-Hiroyuki Tagawa voice Shang Tsung to deliver his iconic “IT HAS BEGUN” makes Aftermath a must have just by itself!

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8 / 10.0 - Beyond Blue
Jun 18, 2020

Beyond Blue is a welcome bonus experience, correctly priced and manages to get the balance between being an educational title as well as a solid gaming experience as well which so few others have successfully done. I truly hope to see follow up titles or content for this game as the wonder of Ocean life was ever present just as it was with Blue Planet series of documentaries.

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Aug 6, 2020

I had a great time with this which was enhanced due to having played the original, I also really liked the old school feel to the gameplay though after over a decade later, the mechanics feel more than just a little dated compared to more recent action games. The asking price does reflect this is a “would be fun to play” than a “must have right now” game. Playing the game does mean having to go back to a very old style of video game and its an adjustment that many may not be able to make but once you do get a chance to play this, you might just find yourself having more fun than you expected to.

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7 / 10.0 - Windbound
Aug 28, 2020

Beautiful in visuals and in sound with a survival system that works best when the player learns from mistakes made, Windbound is a charming budget entry in a very crowded entry genre and may have stood out more if less of it was a tribute to a game like Breath of the Wild that simply does everything far better.

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Sep 11, 2020

This was a fantastic trip down memory lane and playing some of the iconic skate parks like ‘School’ and listening to the original soundtrack sounding and looking even better on my Xbox One X and TV system of 2020 rather than the CRT TV and PlayStation One from 2001 and yeah, the value of this is certainly not lost on me!

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Sep 16, 2020

But this DLC has all the elements that makes The Outer Worlds so fun to play and serves as a good reason to return to it if you had put it down and enhances it for those playing it for the first time. Though it doesn’t hit that must play level, it is certainly worth picking up if you have enjoyed the main game and have an itch to return. Peril on Gorgon is satisfying though short and to capitalise on this, I hope the second DLC is released pretty soon into 2021 and not a long wait for it.

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Sep 24, 2020

CRYSIS Remastered is fun to play but its very much dated now and the issues this has only makes it stand out far more which is why it would have been better to have remastered all the series for the same asking price rather than just the first game and showing that this 2007 game, even with 2020 shine applied to it, still feels and plays like a 2007 game.

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9 / 10.0 - The Survivalists
Oct 8, 2020

The Survivalists keeps everything simple and easy to follow but has some very rich and deep systems that keep the game from becoming stale. From playing solo or with friends, there really is so much to enjoy with this game and I found it really relaxing and a fantastic change of pace from all the big action AAA games around right now that I really hope this game does not slip under the radar as once again TEAM 17 have come up with a beautiful and rewarding game that is best when shared with friends but also as a full on solo experience should you choose.

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Crash 4 was indeed worth the wait capturing everything that made the series so loved and builds on what the N’Sane collection did in bringing the series back to a modern generation of console and gamers. It is tough but rewarding and does exactly what the original games did, it kicks your butt but never enough to make you feel like you cannot finish it……old school with a fresh look, this is definitely one for your game collection and with the new generation of console sent to launch in just over a month, I would not be surprised to see this get a PS5 and Xbox Series X upgrade for Ray Tracing goodness potentially.

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Oct 19, 2020

Whilst not on the same level of Streets of Rage 4, I did enjoy this more than the over frustration focused Battle Toads. 9 Monkeys of Shaolin fits very nicely into a genre but it definitely could do with some quality of life improvements to fine tune more than fix some of the niggles I feel it has.

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Oct 22, 2020

I can Peaky Blinders: Mastermind featuring in the upcoming end of year Christmas sales and this would be the best time to pick this up simply because of the very ‘one and done’ feel once you know how to complete the levels. But as a puzzle game, this certainly has enough clever elements to offer a fun experience particularly if you know the show and just as a puzzle game it works well. It just needed more substance to the earlier levels and the story to really make it stand out more and perhaps if there will be DLC or a sequel, they can focus on that and perhaps storylines from the seasons to help give the game the punch this sadly lacks.

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The Ancient Gods Part 1 is more of what made the main game so much fun and a stand out game of 2020 but it does feel held back by its own stubbornness to stick to the frustrating problems which should and could be ironed out. The ending sets up something very special to come in 2021 and it did remind me just how brilliant DOOM Eternal is if you had perhaps put it down since release but as 2020 comes to a close and silly season is about to launch some heavy hitting games and new gen consoles, this DLC is a perfect “remember why you loved me” reminder for fans of DOOM.

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Oct 27, 2020

If you are looking for that Star Wars fix until the next game appears or just as a way to get all Star Wars after watching Season 2 of the Mandalorian which kicks off this week, Squadrons has more than enough for the low price to make it satisfying for any fan whilst deliver an experience if you want an arcade flight shooter or a more hands on flight simulator style approach.

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Little Hope managed to actually give me some hope for this series after Man of Medan ultimately failed to deliver anything other than a lacklustre experience.

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8.5 / 10.0 - Watch Dogs: Legion
Nov 6, 2020

Watch Dogs Legion is worth your attention if you are a fan of the series and will other enough gameplay to make it fun to have and not a bad way to try out your shiny new next gen console should you get one or find one under your Christmas tree this year. It will be interesting to see what DLC will bring to it with the Season Pass but for now, there is enough here to keep you going and it will never not be fun to recruit a team of OAPs and have them take down an entire enemy base!

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Dec 1, 2020

There is just so much to do and see in Valhalla which I have purposefully refrained from divulging too much about the main story so not to spoil it for you. Know this, Valhalla Is exactly the game this series needed right now by continuing on the path to the open world RPG that began with Origins but also being mindful to remember the games that brought us to this point and both celebrating it and using elements to enhance the experience of playing a good Assassin’s Creed game should give fans.

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Dec 8, 2020

One for the Christmas list and definitely one to showcase the power of your PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X if you were lucky to get one but it has been a rocky launch for the game with technical issues still plaguing the online element that till need to be ironed out for this to be the enjoyment Treyarch wants you to have.

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Dec 16, 2020

Do not overlook this game and if you are a fan of big colourful worlds to explore with freedom to play as you like and a very satisfying experience, then just one more trip to Ubisoft’s Ancient Greece as Fenyx is definitely worth your time!

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