Drew Sherratt Avatar Image

Drew Sherratt

Macclesfield, Cheshire, England

Favorite Games:
  • Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past
  • Final Fantasy VII
  • Secret of Mana

71 games reviewed
66.6 average score
70 median score
62.0% of games recommended

Drew Sherratt's Reviews

Drew was lured into video games by the Dizzy series on the ZX Spectrum and then further bewitched by The New Zealand Story arcade cab in the corner of the Boarhound pub while his dad played pool! As home consoles became more prevalent so did his love of gaming, and he's now been an unabashed Nintendo fan for more than half his life. Between reviewing games for VGN he likes to dabble in other artistic ventures like graphic design or fiction writing, but more often than not you'll find him stuck to his Switch and attacking his enormous games backlog! First Console: SEGA Master System Favourite Game(s): Final Fantasy VII, The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past, Secret of Mana
Are you Drew Sherratt? If so, email [email protected] to claim this critic page.
6 / 10.0 - OTXO
Mar 28, 2024

All told, OTXO is quicker than a muzzle flash, offering rapid-fire twin-stick action that is seriously intense. Wrapped in a cool monochrome package and splashed heavily with the blood of your enemies, what it lacks in visual clarity it more than makes up for with an impressive sense of style. The gameplay isn’t built for lasting impressions though; with no long-game to speak of, it’s strictly a ‘how far can you get this time’ affair that harkens back to the arcade shooters of the 80s and 90s. Best enjoyed as a run or two in between more meaty experiences, OTXO is perfect for the Nintendo Switch or the Steam Deck, where you can wile away short commutes with a hail of bullets before slipping your machine back in its holster, ready to let rip again at a moments notice.

Read full review

Mar 25, 2024

I fell in love with Greak: Memories of Azur from minute one and would be overjoyed to see a sequel sometime in the future. Navegante Entertainment have created a world rich with lore and overflowing with melancholy storytelling that I quite simply wish there was more of it to explore. The powerful orchestral score adds considerable weight to both the action and the narrative, folding in another layer of depth to the experience. The puzzle-solving may not be the most taxing, but the levels are well designed and showcased with the most beautiful hand drawn visuals. Short, sweet, but almost perfectly formed, Greak: Memories of Azur should be on the radar of every Metroidvania fan out there.

Read full review

5 / 10.0 - Goetia
Mar 9, 2024

With some excellent backgrounds and a well crafted soundtrack, there’s a tonne of atmosphere packed into Goetia. In fact, the point-and-click puzzler has a fair amount going for it, offering an interesting premise, a well written story, and some decent puzzles that lean on the occult themes incredibly well. But with poor signposting, buggy menus, and puzzle solutions that are often just too tenuous, I found Goetia as frustrating an experience as it was interesting.

Read full review

7 / 10.0 - Berserk Boy
Mar 5, 2024

Berserk Boy is a beautiful homage to the 2D games of yesteryear, offering lightning-paced platforming that’s an absolute blast. With stunning environments and wonderful, anime-inspired pixel art characters, the visuals are to die for - as is the top-tier, turbo shredding soundtrack. A lean towards being slightly too easy, along with some level design oversights late-game keep it from being a classic, but Berserk Boy certainly offers a fun experience. I hope this is just the inaugural entry in a great new series of 2D platformers - it certainly has the potential.

Read full review

Jan 16, 2024

The Pale Reach DLC adds another solid level to an already excellent game, bulking up the playtime of Dredge by another couple of hours and offering some great new equipment options for captains exploring the Eldritch seas. The content loses some impact if you’ve already completed the rest of the game, as you won’t really enjoy the longer term benefits of the new gear, but if you loved the original game (like I did), The Pale Reach offers the opportunity to enjoy more wonderfully grisly storytelling from Black Salt Games. For players yet to pick up Dredge, I’ll fly the flag for buying The Pale Reach alongside the main title, as this icy tale and additional kit will add plenty to your experience.

Read full review

Unscored - Makis Adventure
Jan 15, 2024

Makis Adventure is the inaugural project from a young solo-developer and honestly, it plays as such. The love for the project pours from every pixel, but from a pure gaming perspective, it’s a little all over the map. Essentially, this is a small collection of mini-games held together by a rudimentary story and basic cast of characters, created by a passionate dev looking to test a variety of skills for the first time. Makis Adventure is limited in what it offers to a player, but can act as a stepping stone for Zoroarts to create bigger, more polished projects in the future, and we wish Matteo Covic all the best as he continues his journey through game development!

Read full review

The Legend of Nayuta: Boundless Trails is a faithful port of a PSP classic. It ticks all of the boxes for a typical noughties JRPG that offers a tonne of nostalgia for fans of the genre, but with an arcade action-adventure style that brings a fun pick-up-and-play vibe for a broader audience. That said, it’s a game that shows its considerable age; with few modern improvements added, players may well grow tired of the formulaic gameplay long before the heavily padded content is complete.

Read full review

After all these years, Another World still tells a great tale and is chock full of exciting moments - I had a tonne of fun with it, but it’s such a product of its era that I fear it’s unlikely to endear itself to modern audiences especially well. The original pixel art visuals may shine in the retro-renaissance we’re living through, but the 3D cinematics look thoroughly ancient and the entire runtime is shorter than a modern tutorial once you know what to do. If you’re a fan of old school experiences and want to play a shining example of adventure from a bygone era then give Another World a try, just be prepared for endless trial and error and more “gotcha” moments than an M. Night Shyamalan marathon.

Read full review

Sep 17, 2023

Oxenfree II: Lost Signals is a wonderful advertisement for games absolutely competing with movies -and even books- at telling a meaningful and engaging story. With a tremendous voice-cast, a heartfelt script and impactful dialogue options, Oxenfree II puts you firmly in the position of ‘captivated audience member’ and ‘engaged player’ at the same time. Fans of the original game will be treated to equally lovely visuals and atmospheric soundtrack as those boasted by the first Oxenfree, but I did get the feeling that the similarities are perhaps a little too strong, with the unique gameplay elements that made the original so memorable not quite having the same impact the second time around.

Read full review

Short-lived thought it may be, We Were Here Expeditions: The FriendShip is nothing short of tremendous. The puzzles are tricky enough to pose a challenge, but are cleverly enough designed so that any stress you feel is aimed firmly towards your partner and not the game itself! Boasting the same playful visuals, excellent voice-acting and engaging gameplay as We Were Here Forever, The FriendShip marks a stellar maiden voyage for Total Mayhem Games’ Expeditions series, and will undoubtedly win over a boatload of new fans.

Read full review

9 / 10.0 - Dredge
Sep 10, 2023

Dredge is masterful in its execution. Black Salt Games takes the most simple gameplay elements and weaves them alongside a sinister storyline, stunning art direction and moving score to create a net that I couldn’t break free from. Like a swimmer carried out to sea by a riptide, I was powerless to resist the game’s pull. I became Captain Ahab; spending hour after hour on the deck of my vessel, hunting the all elusive catch with manic addiction. The story is wonderfully told and brings the human and the eldritch together in magnificent fashion – I urge anyone to give it a try; I guarantee you’ll be hooked.

Read full review

Aug 18, 2023

With the sights set firmly on creating a precision platform experience that offers players a decent challenge without making you want to tear your hair out, Planet Cube: Edge undoubtedly delivers. With a punchy synth soundtrack that wonderfully matches the sharp throwback ‘Gameboy-2000’ aesthetic, it’s anything but square and will have you hooked on bouncing, dashing and blasting your way to the goal right until the very end. Planet Cube: Edge offers a balanced and rewarding experience that will definitely appeal to existing fans of the genre and surely create some new ones to boot. This one is well worth the price of admission and has a tonne of replay value for those really wanting to squeeze every drop of enjoyment out of their games.

Read full review

7 / 10.0 - OUTLANDERS
Apr 5, 2023

Outlanders is a small-scale city-builder that pulls you in with the jolly visuals but really gets its hooks in you with the focussed objectives and micromanagement. Things play out at a pace just north of ‘glacial’ which can be relaxing and/or infuriating, but the chill banjo soundtrack will do its utmost to calm the savage beast of your frustration and keep you chugging along. A fun entry to the genre - I loved the stripped back, low-stakes objectives and the need to keep an eye on the smallest details, but the mechanics don’t leave a lot of room for error which can be a headache when you’re learning the ropes.

Read full review

6 / 10.0 - Lootbox Lyfe+
Mar 26, 2023

Hidden beneath the veneer of some pretty outdated visuals, Lootbox Lyfe+ is a solid little Metroidvania that offers some moments of challenge. Progressing from a stationary orb into a double-jumping, ground pounding, speed dashing platform whizz is good fun, and there’s enough unique areas to give a nice sense of exploration too. The more random elements of the game might leave some scratching their heads, but if you’re willing to put your tongue firmly in cheek and just enjoy the platforming, there’s a few hours of enjoyment to be had here.

Read full review

3 / 10.0 - Lydia
Mar 5, 2023

Lydia is not so much a game as it is a public service announcement about the risks of alcohol, delivered through the medium of the eShop. The dark subject matter is at times well outlined by some bleak and surreal imagery, but it’s discussed in such a blunt manner that even a powerful ending leaves the story feeling less poignant and more thoroughly miserable. There will be those who can forgive the complete lack of gameplay in the face of raising such an important topic, and while I applaud the intention and understand the gravity of its creation, I find it hard to advocate anyone taking on 45 minutes of pure distilled depression, topped with a smattering of trauma.

Read full review

7 / 10.0 - The Knight Witch
Feb 19, 2023

The Knight Witch is a blend twin-stick bullet hell shooter and the Metroidvania that succeeds in the face of some technical problems by virtue of its enjoyable story and wonderful universe, expressed in beautifully hand drawn visuals and filled with endearing characters. Whilst not perfect, the gameplay is enjoyable and requires a good amount of skill -  there’s just a few elements that just needed a little more polish in order to really make the most impact. It feels to me like the opening entry in a wonderful franchise, where new spells and features could lead to even bigger and better things in the future.

Read full review

7 / 10.0 - Ship Of Fools
Jan 28, 2023

Ship of Fools is a beautifully drawn sea-faring roguelike with a play style that will keep you coming back for more, long after beating the final boss. With a derpy cast of characters, an awesome soundtrack and hectic cannon-fire action, it’s a game that’s tonnes of fun on your own but is even better with a friend. It would have a higher score if it weren’t for some performance issues, but some noticeable slow down on the Switch version and annoying bugginess in the online co-op mode acts like an albatross around the neck, keeping it from sailing into the sunset entirely victorious.

Read full review

5.5 / 10.0 - LONE RUIN
Jan 13, 2023

While I like the low poly X pixel graphics style and think that the pulsing (albeit limited) soundtrack is great, I didn’t fall in love with Lone Ruin. Despite marketing itself on replayability, the main problem is that it didn’t do enough to make me want to keep coming back for more. The rapid-fire spell slinging is pretty good fun and there’s plenty of variety, but the short run length and lack of plotline or overarching upgrade systems makes Lone Ruin feel more like an arcade game than a roguelike. I’ve no doubt that the pick-up-and-play style will appeal to coin-op fans who like short-burn, intensive action, but I think traditional roguelike fans might lose engagement after just a couple of runs with the lack of a long game on offer.

Read full review

Dec 14, 2022

Ultimately, Yomawari: Lost in the Dark shows very little progression from the previous two entries, which is a shame, since the series has tons of potential. While this plot has something of a more meaningful framework and boasts an unexpectedly impressive final chapter, this game continues to be bogged down with the same glacial gameplay and woolly storytelling as Night Alone and Midnight Shadows. Lost in the Dark will be greatly enjoyed by existing fans of the series, as it follows the established formula closely, but those wishing for more than the same pretty hand-drawn graphics and well-rounded sound design will be left disappointed, as there’s been little evolution between entries one, two and three.

Read full review

Nov 29, 2022

She Wants Me Dead is a concentrated precision platform experience that doesn’t take itself too seriously and wins as a result. My dash through the game was a fun-filled and blood-soaked affair, and despite taking me just an hour, chasing perfection will pose a significantly sterner challenge for those crazy enough to give it a try! With some genuinely tricky patches, the makings of a great soundtrack and swathes of collectable options, this is a game that could (and should!) easily be built upon into a much fuller experience.

Read full review