John-Paul Jones's Reviews
A stunning and must have PlayStation 5 launch title, Marvel's Spider-Man: Miles Morales is a beautifully digestible superhero yarn that not only maintains the formula of its 2018 predecessor, but which also lays down an enticing blueprint for a full blown sequel to follow. This is essential stuff.
With its much hyped status as a showcase of the DualSesne controller's fancy new haptic feedback and adaptive triggers, it's equally important to recognise that like Astro Bot before it, Astro's Playroom is a fundamentally excellent platformer that commendably stands on its own merits. Equal parts a stirring demonstration of the capabilities of the DualSense and PS5 console as it is an excellent traditional platformer, Astro's Playroom might just be the best pack-in title of all-time.
An eye-opening restoration of arguably the purest title in the series, Need for Speed: Hot Pursuit Remastered brings distilled white-knuckle thrills and furious racing back in fashion once more. It's time to party like it's 2010.
Armed with its easily accessible two-button setup, One Finger Death Punch 2 stands as a sterling example of how to make the most out of an extraordinarily streamlined concept. More than that though, it's simply a hugely enjoyable and stylish rhythm fighter that does a grand job of keeping players coming back for more.
A delectable morsel of saccharine sweetness that everybody can enjoy, Cake Bash is that rare kind of party game that is instantly accessible and can fit into just about any gap in your schedule. An easy recommendation for players of all ages who just want to feel their faces crease again.
A proper iterative effort that builds upon Coteries of New York in unexpectedly compelling ways, Vampire: The Masquerade - Shadows of New York is an often opulent and brilliantly written visual novel that both veterans and newcomers alike can sink their fangs into.
Far less stuffy than the mainline WWE 2K series and designed for quick bursts of entertaining casual play with friends, WWE 2K Battlegrounds lack of depth and technical issues sadly undercut its energetic audiovisual presentation. Hardly the sequel to WWE All-Stars that so many wanted, WWE 2K Battlegrounds could simply be so much more - but it just... isn't.
An accomplished mixture of sophisticated story sci-fi story beats, off the wall absurdity and satisfying tactical battles, 13 Sentinels: Aegis Rim is a rare sort of genre crossover that ends up being far more than the sum of its parts. Vanillaware's latest is simply unmissable.
A thunderous sequel that surpasses its already incredible predecessor in every way that counts, Spelunky 2 is the ultimate roguelike and ruthlessly inventive platformer that never stops surprising and delighting those who pick up the controller. There are perhaps far fewer better ways to close out a console generation than this.
An intriguing take on the battle royale formula which swaps out soldiers and guns for wizards and spells, Spellbreak is a touch limited in its current form certainly. However, resoundingly solid fundamentals, a gorgeous art style and a promising content roadmap all come together to create a commendable and entertainingly sophisticated battle royale effort that everyone can enjoy.
Though ironically beaten to the punch by the likes of H1Z1 and Call of Duty, and tarnished by a handful of shortcomings, PUBG nonetheless remains a commendably inventive and expansive shooter that deftly embodies the Battle Royale genre.
Though lacking some of the flair and longevity of its classically inspired genre brethren, Darkestville Castle nonetheless provides an enjoyable dollop of point and click adventuring by swapping out the usual fresh-faced hero for a sarcastic and high amusing viliain. This is one for genre newcomers and stalwarts alike.
Without a doubt the best MMA videogame ever made, EA Sports UFC 4 supplements a welcome array of new offline and online modes with a revamped and endlessly sophisticated combat system that everybody can enjoy. For MMA fans it doesn't get any better than this.
A furiously stylish roguelike gothic western that blends genres with deft and aplomb, West of Dead is a resoundingly enjoyable offering that makes picking yourself up and dusting yourself off after every death a ravenously compelling proposition.
Three years on from its original release on other platforms and there's still nothing like Cuphead. A delirious, LSD-infused trip through a prohibition-era styled cartoon hellscape, Cuphead underscores its utterly unique presentation with a rock solid and fundamentally excellent platform shooter that stands effortlessly shoulder to shoulder with the best in the genre. The wait has been worth it.
The modest production values combined with a lack of over-the-top Hollywood bombast will likely ensure that like Verdun before it, not everyone will enjoy Tannenberg. For those who can look beyond such flaws however, Tannenberg cements itself as a gloriously satisfying strategic shooter that invites players to pit their tactical minds and reflexes in one of the most overlooked theaters of war in a way that no other FPS manages to achieve.
A deliriously entertaining mish-mash of roguelike platform shooter, mini-games and Pokemon style mechanics, if Neon Abyss feels like Roguelike Shooter 2.0 - that's because it is.
Ghost of Tsushima elevates the existing open world adventure template with a fantasy-free Samurai adventure that deftly pays loving homage to the Samurai cinema of old. While your mileage may vary according to your level of open world fatigue, Ghost of Tsushima undoubtedly remains not only one of the best open world romps money can buy and a stunning PlayStation 4 exclusive, but also Sucker Punch Productions finest effort to date.
Superhot: Mind Control Delete represents an innovative and meaningfully iterative take on the Superhot formula, swapping out some of its more cerebral design for a much larger, roguelike effort that proves once again that the series is one of the most innovative shooters on the market today.
A sharp retro shooter with a compelling progression system and satisfying fast-paced combat, Project Warlock is an easy recommendation for anyone looking for an easily accessible blaster which does more than just seek to emulate its classical inspirations.