There are no two ways about getting the expansion if you are already a fan of the game. It adds so much to the vanilla experience that going back to an expansion-less version seems like a foreign idea. While many of these changes will undoubtedly filter their way down to those of you who are holding out on the expansion, the value is there in both the new setting, the expansive new story, and the first free seasonal pass and level 30 boost.
The Last of Us Part II does an incredible job of letting you know the world is a lived one, where people exist, and animals and places have continued on with or without the protagonist. However, with all of these things going on in the background and the world, it ensures you know you are living every single moment of Ellie’s journey. You get to experience her meeting new people, learning to trust these people, and eventually love these people. You get to see her memorable moments with Joel, and how she managed to grow up into a young woman capable of doing the most perilous of tasks herself. You also get to see the slower side of her life, where she sits down and reflects, where she plays the most beautiful acoustic cover of Take on Me on the guitar, and how she sits on a balcony and stares out into the sunset. This is Ellie’s journey, and it is one of the most beautiful, aggravating, heart wrenching, entertaining, fun, and riveting stories I have ever played (and enjoyed). It may not be perfect for all types of gamers, especially those who might get irritated during sections where the combat will result in Ellie’s death; but it is perfect, beautiful, engrossing and gorgeous in every other way! Although a new decade has only just begun, The Last of Us Part II is already at the top of “absolute must play titles” for the decade ahead.
The Command & Conquer Remastered Collection is a surprisingly great game that, with the added benefit of getting two for the price of one, also includes a bevvy of improvements, new support, and multiplayer options.
While Iron Man VR is not the most spectacular or ground breaking VR title available, it does a great job of making you think and feel like you are Tony Stark. The world is big and beautiful and you can get lost in it so easily, that it is astonishing how limited the actual campaign actually is by comparison. It is also nice to see all of the classic characters make their warranted appearances throughout the experience - particularly the banter between two of Tony’s virtual assistants, Gunsmith and Friday. Naturally, it also helps how great everything looks, despite the massive lack of anti-aliasing. Overall, the game is great fun. While there is little reason to return to the game after completing the campaign, it is possible the title could become a household go-to for children and big fans of the character. Iron Man VR does an incredible job of driving home the fact that you can be Iron Man, and that is the only thing that counts in this PlayStation VR experience.
Ultimately, the XCOM 2 Collection serves its purpose of bringing a masterpiece to a mobile platform. Granted, it could do with additional polish and optimisation, and the very cumbersome UI could be better on the small screen. However, the game looks and plays well beyond the aforementioned issues, and adequately serves as a great mobile way to play what is arguably the best tactical turn-based shooter of the last decade.
Ghost of Tsushima focuses intently on telling the story of the last Samurai of Tsushima. It tells the tale of Jin's inner struggle to contain the demon he was destined to become, and to bring peace to Japan before the war reaches the mainland. The game ensures players have as many options of play available at all times, with an extreme focus on just how much they can do while exploring a beautiful open world. While the game does not push the limits of story telling or graphical prowess, it does serve as an excellent open-world title where becoming a samurai is enjoyable, engrossing, and as morally challenging as real life.
Paws and Soul may not be some triple-A action spectacle, but it is a beautiful and colourful display of what it may be like to explore and reflect on memories of a life long lived. It does so with aplomb as well, as it showcases wonderful and easy puzzle segments that never hurt the brain. The music helps to immerse you while the gameplay lets you embody the game's literal spirit. Paws and Soul successfully accomplishes what it is set out to be, a beautiful tale with ethereal ideologies to make it an experience worth enjoying.
As far as these ports go, they are pretty solid. The entire Borderlands Legendary Collection runs at a locked 30 frames per second and comes with the added benefit of very quick loading times. The stuttering issues can always be patched out with future updates and the bad texture loading can likewise be solved by optimising future builds of the games. Unlike the Handsome Jack Collection, the Borderlands Legendary Collection includes the first game, as well as the second and their prequel/sequel. For ten or twenty bucks more, it would have been nice to have included Borderlands 3. Nevertheless, the package is great for anyone who has yet to play the franchise or for gamers who desperately need it on the go.
It may still have a long way to go before it can be considered a “full-fledged” release, but there is no denying how wonderfully complete Artificer: Science of Magic already feels. Similarly, the game plays like the best of its genre while carrying an art style that is simultaneously unique and exceptionally creative. The combination of art style, addictive gameplay, and manufactured “need” to survive “just one more day” is real, and well worth investing time into.
Given the original title is over 15 years old, the remaster may be forgiven for some of its strange quirks. Although a much longer and deeper narrative or a more streamlined and involved gameplay loop would be preferred, it is a product of its time. This knowledge helps to ease any discontent the title may exude from dated gameplay and narrative elements. In addition, developers Black Forest Games have made some wonderful improvements to the older title, including the addition of the long lost Area 42 Mission - originally cut from the game due to time constraints. Overall, the enhanced visuals, slightly updated gameplay, and old fashioned call-it-as-it-is humour; helps to elevate Destroy All Humans! as one of the better action games of 2020. Granted, it may not be a grade-A contender by modern standards, but it is a faithful and wonderful remake of a classic, and is far better than anyone could have hoped for.
Overall, Deadly Premonition 2 is a wondrous game. It successfully follows on from a masterpiece of a game with a wonderful new cast of characters, improved graphical fidelity, and mature narrative that does not take away from the wacky charm fans of the first game have come to expect. It is a wonderful sequel with an equally as wonderful narrative hearkening back to the best of what the first game offered, and then some. Alas, it is let down by some truly atrocious optimisation. While it does not live up to the standards of the first, this sequel will undoubtedly go down as the perfect companion piece to the immortalised classic. In a way, it is very much stuck in time - almost like it released in the same year as the previous game, and never really managed to dig itself out of the decade old pit of classic action-adventure titles. It is a game frozen in time, meant to be consumed in no other way, and offers one of the most memorable and enjoyable detective experiences this side of York.
F1 2020 most definitely cements the fact that Codemasters have an unfaltering love for the sport and will go through many lengths to make sure the qualms of their F1 fanbase are heard loud and clear. The game builds on everything F1 2019 brought to the franchise, and then some. It looks phenomenal and proves its worth as the best franchise to invest in for F1 fans. Although F1 2020 comes in at the tail end of the console generation, it most definitely wins pole position thanks to exceptional gameplay and a whole lot of love and dedication from the developers.
The Horizon Zero Dawn Complete Edition is a brilliant port, which has been updated with even more pizazz and unfaltering graphical fidelity than previously possible. Sure, there is only so much you can do with a game originally restrained by seven-year-old hardware, but what Guerrilla Games have managed with this PC port is next to incredible. Apart from the occasional bug that will be ironed out at launch, the only issues possibly marring the experience are the long load times and one or two weird controller mappings. Overall, the game looks phenomenal with some truly substantial PC-only upgrades. The Horizon Zero Dawn Complete Edition is a port worthy of the price of entry, and is perfect for anyone who has never played the game before or for big fans who wish to play the visually definitive edition of the game.
Mortal Shell is to Dark Souls what Gears Tactics is to XCOM. It takes the tried and tested formula, wipes away all the years of hubris the original developers have grown accustomed to, and brings back the initial excitement of the first title. It works on those original premises and ideas and instead of replacing Dark Souls, it stands next to it as the new benchmark of the genre. In many ways Mortal Shell is as unpolished and raw as Demon Souls, but ultimately captures the heart and soul of what Dark Souls was, Dark Souls II wanted to be, and Dark Souls III only somewhat achieved. It is a beautiful homage to the original Soulslike titles and comes in strong as a competitor that will stand the test of time as the quintessential Soulslike game.
Beyond a weird bug or two, Parkasaurus is a genuine treat to play. From a genuinely surprising number of management systems through to one of the silliest cartoon aesthetics ever seen in a park simulator, the game holds a wonderful amount of unexpected surprises belying its cutesy storefront presentation. In more ways than one, the game hearkens back to 90s classic cartoons like Dink, The Little Dinosaur. Overall, it is an amazing title with a lot of promise, and has the ability to eventually become one of the best park simulators available.
Frostpunk: On the Edge is a simple (yet nerve-wracking) end-game scenario that offers a tiny glimpse into the future of New London, and the regime they impose on all of their offshoot settlements. Whatever 11Bit decides to do now that Frostpunk is done with, I am certain it will play into the ending On the Edge sets up. This War of Mine set in the Frostpunk universe, perhaps? Whatever the case may be, it is genuinely a sad day, knowing this is the end for one of the best city builders this side of the video game generation.
From beautifully remodelled pro skaters, aged to look like they do in 2020, to maps rebuilt from scratch, it is evident Vicarious Visions thought of it all. Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 1+2 is a masterful remake. Every pixel, menu option, and in-game object has been meticulously crafted to exude streams of nostalgia while keeping things fresh and new. It is a beautifully balanced experience where new players will never even know of the massive legacy the game hides below its surface. Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 1+2 is an excellent return to form for the franchise, and a must have title for fans of the originals.
While Vampire: The Masquerade – Shadows of New York has a few negative points, it ultimately works well as a standalone title. Admittedly, it is a bit of a hard sell when compare it to the main titles in the series and even the proviso expansion, but it mostly gets it right in the end. Although the loss of player initiative and a noticeable lack of player choice do mar the overall experience, the tight narrative is ultimately enhanced by an extremely relatable protagonist – who helps to keep things interesting from start to finish. Vampire: The Masquerade – Shadows of New York is a Visual Novel that takes a step back from the flashiness of its predecessor, but still manages to stand on its own as a decent companion. It is perfect for anyone who wants more World of Darkness, but may come off as a bit of a surprise to fans of gameplay-rich Visual Novels.
While it is still unknown whether Breakpoint: Red Patriot features as the final DLC content in the Year One pass; it is without a doubt a great addition to the game. With ten brand-new story missions, Red Patriot follows directly on from Deep State while also acting as a standalone narrative – pushing Nomad’s story further into one of greatness. Much like how Scott Mitchel is the legendary Ghost Recon operative from past and present titles, Anthony “Nomad” Perryman is being set up to be the next generation legendary Ghost Recon operative. The missions are exciting and hearken back to Wildlands while also teasing how Breakpoint is linked to other Ghost Recon titles, whereas the cosmetic and gameplay additions serve as the extra cherries on the top of a good piece of DLC. Red Patriot is only the next step in what will undoubtedly be a massive multi-year journey for Nomad, whose journey began with Tom Clancy’s Ghost Recon Wildlands. Whether you decide to get Ghost Recon Breakpoint: Red Patriot as a standalone addition, or as part of the Year One Pass, there is no denying it will be well worth the cost. It may not be exceptionally robust, but it offers enough content to tide over the wait for other post-game additions.
While questionable decisions have been made, fans of the franchise will either have to adjust and get used to the brand-new direction or simply stave off purchasing Project Cars 3 altogether. While it does some things right, there are many things it does badly. The biggest issue lies in how Project Cars 3 wants to deviate into a wholly new direction. It wants to take the hardcore simulation with its niche audience into a new arcade racer direction where many more players will jump onto the bandwagon. This is a commendable change. However, Slightly Mad Studios should have taken its fans into account with this decision. If Project Cars 3 had any other name — perhaps denoted with a subtitle — it would have been a much easier transition. Alas, it is not, and this is the card supporters have been dealt. Thankfully, the game does come onto its own in higher tier races. It also features a massive selection of vehicles and races feel good, as long as simulation-levels of play are not expected. While AI needs a lot of work, it does fare better when higher speed divisions come into play. Project Cars 3 is the first step in reimagining the franchise as an arcade racer, however, fans of simulation titles are better off with Project Cars 2.