John-Paul Jones's Reviews
A much needed re-release of Team Ninja's trio of Ninja Gaiden titles, though the third game is a step below the other two games, and the remastering effort a touch on the conservative side, it's a proper joy to be able to play the first two Ninja Gaiden games once again on contemporary hardware; camera issues with the first game notwithstanding. Bolstered by a neat amount of extras and the seemingly ageless and satisfying combat that's as good now in 2021 as it was before, the king of high-octane, hyperviolent ninja action has returned.
A different kind of survival sandbox, Green Hell's anchoring in a contemporary place together with its narrative help to separate it from its more aimless seeming brethren. Though some additional polish is required, Green Hell nonetheless is still one of the better survival sandbox experiences to come along in a good while.
Leisure Suit Larry: Wet Dreams Dry Twice delivers exactly what you'd expect it to; sex-based jokes and puzzles that integrate that. Even with expectations set there, it's somewhat unfortunate that it serves up such an underwhelming blend of puzzling and puerility. It is at least a passable point n' click effort that occasionally elicits a genuine chuckle.
A stellar remastering of one of the best fighting games ever, Virtua Fighter 5: Ultimate Edition is at the very apex of Sega's long running series and in doing so, its elevated profile will hopefully propel the franchise forward as a whole to heights that it has long deserved. Virtua Fighter is back and it's better than ever.
Wonder Boy: Asha In Monster World is a gorgeous remake of a much overlooked Sega platforming adventure classic that everybody should play. It's that simple.
Warhammer Age of Sigmar: Storm Ground is a compact and well made turn-based strategy offering that neatly walks the tightrope of being able to offer beginners not only a decent introduction to the genre, but also to the sprawling Warhammer fantasy setting as well. Though it lacks in scope and can become repetitive, its bite-sized nature and surprising use of roguelike mechanics helps to ensure it remains compelling in a way that few other Warhammer games have managed.
A textbook example of how to meaningfully update to a classic title while keeping the core appeal intact, Ghosts 'n Goblins Resurrection is a superb way to experience Capcom's arcade classic for both new and old fans alike.
Though a clunky UI and collection of surplus mini-games detract from Beautiful Desolation's evocative setting and characters, this is nonetheless one of the more interesting point and click adventures to come along for a good while. Not least thanks to its superbly imaginative take on a post apocalyptic future where the lines between humanity, evolution and immortality are deeply blurred. Even for the most stalwart adventurer, Beautiful Desolation's narrative and fresh premise will find a way to delight and surprise in equal measure.
A gorgeously framed love letter to the Streets of Rage series, The Takeover is a surprisingly robust and attractive side-scrolling brawler that finds itself let down by poor AI, repetitive enemy types and completely unneeded non-fighting stages. Sadly, the upshot of such devoted love for Sega's series is that the developers behind The Takeover seemingly were concerned more with making the next Streets of Rage, rather than focusing on making the first Takeover.
Ultimately, this is a fine lens with which to get stuck into the Capcom arcade classics of yesteryear and a muscular package that understands the old school score chasing that made those games so compelling in the first place. Until the PS6 comes around and we do all this again with a different set of features sprinkled on top, Capcom Arcade Stadium nonetheless stands tall as a delectable pick and mix buffet of Capcom's golden arcade era.
Wreckfest on PlayStation 5 is arguably the best way to play one of the most enjoyable racers of the previous console generation. A delirious mix of arcade racing and smashmouth vehicular carnage, Wreckfest's gorgeous next-generation facelift is enough to ensure that Bugbear's ramshackle racer stands shoulder to shoulder with the best racing games on PlayStation 5.
Absolutely stuffed to the hilt with twee, waifu JRPG goodness, the Atelier Mysterious Trilogy DX Pack represents a heady offering that will keep the uninitiated busy for well over a hundred hours and change. For everyone else however that has already plumbed the depths of the three games in this pack, this trio of bundled charming adventures will have little to offer, even in light of the additional DLC included with each game.
No less janky or unambitious than its 2019 incarnation, Terminator: Resistance Enhanced offers up a mildly polished up experience that is augmented by some initially promising, but ultimately disappointing DLC. That said, for those that passed over the PS4 version of the game, Terminator: Resistance Enhanced nonetheless offers up a compelling slice of well-executed looter shooter goodness that fans of the motion picture saga will find enjoyable and fulfilling in equal measure.
There are so many aspects of its design in which Disco Elysium stands unmatched. Boasting unparalleled player agency, the sort of writing that makes me deeply jealous and a cast of characters that are resolutely unforgettable, Disco Elysium is easily one of the most intelligent and fascinating RPGs ever made. However, in its current form, the presence of game breaking bugs that prevent you from finishing missions, levels a near fatal blow at Disco Elysium that not even its towering brilliance is sufficient to overcome. I'm sure there's a timeline where all the bugs have been fixed and I'm playing Disco Elysium for the first time, awarding it the 10/10 score it deserves. Right now, this isn't that timeline.
A simple platformer bolstered by a beautifully delicate meditation on family, love, remembrance and loss told through the prism of young girl, Lost Words: Beyond The Page might not have much to offer the genre at large, but it resolutely crafts an experience that lingers long after the stylish credits have completed their inexorable ascent.
Placing a level of sheen on an already stellar effort, Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 1 + 2 on PlayStation 5 is arguably the definitive version of the best two skater titles ever released. If you've somehow resisted buying this twin pack thus far, resist no longer. This is as essential as it gets.
Though Marvels Avengers makes a superhero-sized splash on PlayStation 5, this is still at its core the same game we had back in September 2020. That said, the improved visuals and passage of time both mean that Marvel's Avengers on PS5 is essentially now the definitive version of the game, boasting much more responsive gameplay and a wealth of bug fixes and quality of life improvements. Though no amount of extra pixels or DualSense features can transform the game, the fact that Marvel's Avengers is actually enjoying a fairly steady stream of worthwhile content should be reassuring to those who have been sat on the fence for the superpowered caper. In short, if you've been sitting Marvel's Avengers out, now is the time to jump in.
An impressive card battler with depth for days and an eye-opening visual presentation. What Neoverse might lack in terms of a story or truly innovative mechanic it more than makes up for with customisation, longevity and a much welcome intention to engage with newcomers, rather than just the usual card battling savants.
Monster Energy Supercross 4 on PS5 is pretty much everything you think it is for better or worse. Though Milestone's practiced hand at crafting reliably enjoyable design frameworks and handling models from previous games make it to Sony's latest console intact, there's simply not enough done on the feature set and visual presentation side of things to make Monster Energy Supercross 4 feel like a true leap forward from its last-gen predecessors. Nonetheless, though longtime fans of the series will surely lap this up, newcomers should expect to be freshly punished by the game's unforgiving, though ultimately satisfying handling system.
Representing the definitive version of Mortal Shell that should provide a compelling offering for newcomers and veterans alike, Mortal Shell: Enhanced Edition is a highly polished Soulslike. Though not up to the standard of its classic inspirations, Mortal Shell: Enhanced Edition nonetheless stands ably on its own merit thanks to some great combat and a series of under the hood innovations that the genre at large might consider adopting.