Foreclosed is a classic case of style over substance, as the lacklustre gunplay and narrative leave much to be desired. The futuristic comic book presentation does look pretty decent, although it can’t mask the mediocre voice-acting, gameplay flaws and extraordinarily average story and characters.
Even though NEO The World Ends With You is a 50+ hour JRPG, a good 20-30% of the experience should’ve been trimmed out. Looking beyond that there’s a surprisingly deep combat system (mainly for bosses), wonderful characters and awesome music/art that newcomers and TWEWY veterans will no doubt enjoy.
Tales of Arise is a classic case of almost is never enough. It nails nearly every open-world JRPG staple; the gameplay, exploration, characters, music and presentation are all top-notch. It’s just a pity that the story wrestles with a litany of issues that keep this entry in the Tales of series from reaching legendary status.
Lost in Random has many interesting aspects going for it. The stop-start tactical combat system, the Halloween-inspired look, the appropriately moody soundtrack and quality voice-acting/cast make this short journey a worthwhile experience. However, the way combat is structured means its fundamentals can occasionally get lost in execution, and the story itself isn’t really worth writing home about. A solid 7 overall.
In Sound Mind nails a majority of the typical survival horror elements and then some. It’s just a pity that a couple of rotten game design aspects drag down an otherwise top-notch presentation and puzzle construction. It’s an easy pick-up for horror fans, but be warned – there will be several moments of frustration.
FIFA 22 brings a smidgen of interesting additions to the series, although a few of them recoil – for lack of a better word – upon closer examination. Manager mode is relatively the same, Ultimate Team still heavily prioritises micro-transactions and Volta Football only edges slightly closer to the glory days of FIFA Street. A decent entry overall.
Nickelodeon All Star Brawl is an easy to approach brawler in the same vein as Super Smash Bros. Whilst it does have some extremely intricate mechanics and technical aspects for high-level gamers to get stuck into, the average player may find it’s lack of core game modes and party-style options a major cause for concern.
Far Cry 6 sets its player up for hours upon hours of unadulterated, open-world, action-adventure goodness. While it does contain some very rough glitches and a few story beats that fall a little flat, the over-the-top charm of the series has never been as refined as it is here. Far Cry fans, make sure you’ve got the 6th entry in your shopping cart.
Metroid Dread raises the classic formula to new heights, with a cat and mouse gameplay hook that makes it extremely hard to stop playing. The sprawling level designs, tough-as-nails boss fights and hidden collectible locations help Metroid Dread easily rank in the upper echelons of the series.
House of Ashes belts out some decent cinematic horror, but at the same time, the whole adventure is rather forgettable. The characters are quite fun to watch and the variety of death animations are certainly amusing. Although since the story itself isn’t very memorable, it’s hard to stay invested.
Fatal Frame: Maiden of Blackwater is a disappointing horror venture. It gets the creepy, Silent Hill-type atmosphere just right but drops the ball in so many other key areas. The story and characters are vapid, the movement controls are as stiff as Harry Potter’s broomstick and the general gameplay loses its lustre well before the credits roll.
Forza Horizon 5 easily cements itself as one of the premier racing titles of 2021. Playground Games have implemented a multitude of fantastic features and quality of life improvements that make this game so hard to put down. The story and characters are largely forgettable, but practically everything else about this open-world racer is top class.
Sherlock Holmes: Chapter One successfully puts you into the shoes of London’s greatest detective, albeit with crippling, pace-killer conveyance issues. However, the precision-based combat, fun crime scene investigations and decent story help to mitigate the general lack of direction. Holmes is also as sassy as ever.
Pokémon Shining Pearl effortlessly captures the essence of the classic handheld titles. And while there is plenty of new content and Pokémon to discover, it can’t help but seem stuck in the past somewhat. Frequent random encounters, a bland story structure and a low level of difficulty can quickly drag down the experience.
Halo Infinite features the same great gameplay and control from past campaigns, merged together with some awesome new additions like the Grappleshot, slide mechanic and AI field scan ability to bring the series up to modern FPS standards. The story and open-world design ultimately feel a bit lacking, but it’s still tonnes of fun regardless. Let’s finish the fight!
You may be a little sceptical at first, but don’t hesitate. 2021’s Vertigo has such excellent story and character moments which are bound to leave a strong, lasting impact long after the credits roll. The acting/cutscene presentation is a bit wonky at times, and the gameplay is relatively simplistic. However, Vertigo’s Hitchcockian influences ultimately shine through and help to create an experience that’s more than worth the price of admission.
Monster Hunter Rise is an awesome new entry for both die-hard fans and beginners. The newly-released PC version packs in all the extra content from the Nintendo Switch release whilst adding in uncapped framerates, 4K resolution, HDR and more, making it the ideal way to play. No matter which platform you choose though, Monster Hunter Rise will devour your social calendar.
Grapple Dog combines some fantastic 2D platforming with an awesome grappling hook mechanic that's a cinch to pick up n' play.
If you’re looking for an entertaining turn-based strategy game and a linear, school-based story similar to the first two Persona titles, then go forth. For everyone else, it’s going to depend on whether you can stomach a bunch of frustrating puzzles, terrible graphics, annoying exploration mechanics and a story that takes its sweet sweet time to get going.