John-Paul Jones's Reviews
As arguably the biggest, full-fat PSVR 2 first-party release since Horizon: Call of the Mountain, it's clear that Firewall Ultra doesn't quite match the deservedly lofty expectations that have been set for it. This is thanks in no small part to a modest amount of content and a progression system that is currently grind-heavy to say the least. However, it's also clear that this is a gorgeously realised tactical shooter that approaches excellence when everything falls into place with your fellow human players - it's just that, as of right now, such occasions are more fleeting than I would like thanks to so much for Firewall Ultra's promise being locked behind promised future updates that have yet to arrive.
Agatha Christie - Hercule Poirot: The London Case is an enjoyable, if unambitious detective yarn. Though its simplicity might fail to stimulate the tactile minds of more practiced video game sleuths, the resolutely relaxed and accessible detective beats on offer mean that newcomers will find few better introductions to the genre and should probably feel free to add a point to the review score below in the process.
In the end, though Dust & Neon nails the fundamentals of a twin-stick, looter shooter it feels far too limited, familiar and simply isn't ambitious enough to stand out from its genre peers. Though still reliably satisfying to play at times, Dust & Neon just doesn't offer anything new.
Honestly, it feels churlish to chide Shadow Gambit: The Cursed Crew for being too similar to Mimimi Games previous output, not least because this enormously talented studio has a track record of kicking out superb stealth strategy offerings and has once again fashioned a relentlessly engaging tactical stealth effort that is absolutely at the apex of the genre. With Shadow Gambit: The Cursed Crew however, I'm not sure the concept has ever been executed with this degree of charm and that's something Mimimi Games should be roundly congratulated for.
Gord is an impressive marriage of base building, adventuring and storytelling across a ruined world fraught with horrors from Slavic folklore. Though it's more than a little rough around the edges, such issues aren't enough to considerably tarnish the uniqueness of what developer Covenant.net has wrought here.
If you're looking for an action RPG with a sophisticated martial arts slant that unfolds in a fantastical alien world with a driving central narrative that invests you in the key protagonists with ease, then Clash: Artifacts of Chaos is absolutely deserving of your attention.
It speaks to the level of ambition on display here - not to mention a tolerance for risk - that Everspace 2 essentially jettisons the roguelike mechanics of the first game in favour of a much more open and looter focused shooter and is all the better for it. A superior sequel in every way, Everspace 2 delivers on the premise hinted at in its predecessor with aplomb, even if the story campaign that anchors its super looter shooter beats seems to be little more than window dressing for the other impeccable aspects of its design.
The most interesting part of Double Dragon Gaiden's legacy is that it arguably shows there is a whole lot of untapped creative latitude when it comes to freshening up traditional concepts and mechanics. Most commendably of all, late game difficulty spikes notwithstanding, Double Dragon Gaiden manages that rarest of feats by fashioning an irresistibly engaging genre effort that cribs both from the old and the new to give wannabe brawlers one of the best genre entries since Streets of Rage 4 punched its way into our hearts.
Though its credentials as an RPG are both thin and largely uninspiring, Might & Magic: Clash of Heroes - Definitive Edition nonetheless comfortably cements itself as an engaging puzzler with an enticing progression hook. Don't let its humble Nintendo DS origins fool you, Might & Magic: Clash of Heroes - Definitive Edition is a whole heap of fun and is immensely respectful of your time.
Though the narrative setup did little for me and the occasional orientation issues mildly frustrated, Viewfinder still manages to shine through as a resolutely interesting, smart and enjoyable three-dimensional puzzler that feels like it was cut from the same, ingenious cloth as Valve's legendary Portal games. What's not to like?
As Soulslikes go, The Last Hero of Nostalgaia certainly boasts a neat hook on account of its smugly cynical narrative and frequent bouts of cheeky humour. However, the occasionally imprecise combat, uninteresting enemies and worlds coupled with a raft of frustrating bugs and a general lack of polish all serve to commit The Last Hero of Nostalgaia to an oblivion of mediocrity.
Overflowing with replay value, engaging characters and great writing, the end result is that Harmony: The Fall of Reverie offers up some of the most compelling storytelling Don't Nod has ever come up with and in doing so gives visual novel fans a superlative offering that is without peer.
If you've been holding off from picking up Mundaun, now is absolutely the time to jump in. Representing arguably the definitive version of a game that more people really need to play, Mundaun on PS5 brings a level of fidelity and smoothness to Hidden Field's superb horror effort that only serves to strengthen its ruthlessly engaging tale.
Convergence: A League of Legends Story doesn't just manage to stand on its own two feet as a gripping spin-off to the League of Legends property at large, but so too does it also craft an astoundingly accomplished Metroidvania that stands on its own two feet, tying together innovation and heart in one of the most welcome surprises of the year so far.
Chances are I'm not going to improve my take on "Euphoria" anytime soon, but Let's Sing 2023 makes it effortless to keep on trying and embarrass myself in front of my friends and family. And this is the central issue - if you're new to the Let's Sing then feel free to add a point or so to the final score as it remains a whole heap of fun and is both handsomely made and presented. However if you're a tenured veteran of the series, then the lack of innovation and the pay-walling of songs that you've already paid for before will likely grate more than the worst sonic assaults the Eurovision Song Contest has conjured thus far.
Though Company of Heroes 3 might lack some polish and its implementation of a console-friendly control system takes a good while to get used to, Relic Entertainment has nonetheless crafted a layered World War II RTS that combines meaningful tactical choices and consequences with compelling street-level strategy that just begs to be revisited time and again. Armchair generals should rejoice.
The best boomer shooter I've played in a long time, Warhammer 40,000: Boltgun is weapons-grade catnip for genre fans and Warhammer 40,000 fans alike. Indeed in retrospect, crafting a retro style FPS in the Warhammer 40,000 universe feels like something we should have had long before now - so perfect is the fit of form and function. In the Warhammer 40,000 universe there is only war. Apparently there are also supremely great shooters too. Warhammer 40,000: Boltgun is a riotously violent and thoroughly entertaining shooter that everybody needs to play.
With a potentially boundless universe of characters, worlds and more to tap into, Disney Speedstorm could conceivably provide fans of the House of Mouse with a steady diet of endless Disney themed content to get stuck into. Gorgeous to look at super satisfying to play, Disney Speedstorm's pay to win mechanics aren't sufficiently weighty to substantially detract from everything that it does right and for fans of both all things Walt Disney and kart racing, Disney Speedstorm will likely prove to be an irresistible proposition that could largely mitigate the grind of its longer term prospects.
Though short and certainly limited in a number of ways, Saga of Sins nonetheless leaves an indelible impression. With no shortage of imagination and a solid grasp of action platforming fundamentals, Saga of Sins not only impresses but provides an eye-opening blueprint for where a hopefully much more content stuffed sequel could go next. As it is, Saga of Sins is a breathlessly stylish, though overly brief action platformer that boasts a compelling setting that everybody should check out.
For better or worse, Horizon Forbidden West: Burning Shores is simply more Horizon Forbidden West and for fans of the game and also its detractors, that will be to their joy and chagrin respectively. As it is, Burning Shores is an impressively spectacle stuffed, though routinely unambitious expansion that does little to address the weaknesses of the core franchise but still manages to provide an effective bridge to the third game in the Horizon trilogy.