Hayden Nelson's Reviews
NBA 2K27 is easily one of the strongest entries the series has delivered in years. The refined ProPLAY gameplay, historical MyCAREER Eras, co-ed City and deeper MyPLAYER builder are backed by meaningful improvements across MyNBA, MyTEAM, The W and MyWNBA. Combined with responsive controls, excellent graphics and authentic sound design, this is a seriously impressive basketball experience that kept giving me reason to return to the court.
Sniper Dan takes the traditional hidden-object formula and gives it a ridiculous but surprisingly enjoyable twist. Searching colourful environments, finding the right target and then solving the problem with a well-placed sniper shot kept things simple and entertaining, while the upgrades gave me something to work towards. The soundtrack did start to get repetitive after a while, but overall, I had a genuinely fun time with Sniper Dan, and it’s easily one of the more unique hidden-object games I have played.
Wo Long: Fallen Dynasty Complete Edition remains a brutally challenging but rewarding action RPG, with excellent combat, memorable boss fights and plenty of content packed into the one release. Unfortunately, the Nintendo Switch 2 version is held back by inconsistent frame rate and some significant visual compromises, particularly in handheld mode.
Dumb Ways to Build takes everything that makes the franchise so lovable and turns it into a genuinely entertaining co-op experience. The colourful visuals, ridiculous physics, proximity chat and simple building mechanics work together to create plenty of hilarious and also frustrating moments. Positioning objects can feel a little touchy, but it doesn’t take away from the overall fun experience. If you have a couple of mates that you can embrace the chaos with, I highly recommend trying this game out.
Onimusha: Way of the Sword is a bloody and satisfying return for a series that has been missing for far too long. The brutal sword-fighting, interesting story, incredible environments and entertaining dialogue kept me hooked, even when the camera decided to fight me harder than the Genma. Onimusha is finally back, and it was well worth the wait.
Nightmare Shift delivers an unsettling psychological horror experience through its mysterious story, excellent art style and atmospheric sound design. While the awkward controller navigation and emotionless voice acting occasionally pulled me away from the experience, they were not enough to ruin what the game did well. Overall, I genuinely enjoyed my time working the night shift and would recommend it to anyone who loves a slow-burning psychological horror.
Hell Let Loose: Vietnam takes everything I already enjoyed about the series and somehow makes it feel fresh again. The brutal 50 vs 50 battles, huge and varied maps, expanded movements, helicopters, patrol boats and massive selection of specialised roles all work perfectly for the Vietnam setting, while the incredible visuals and absolutely chaotic sound design make every firefight feel intense and unpredictable.
Meat Grinder: Hot Dog Simulator is one of those games where the concept is probably more entertaining than the experience. I genuinely enjoyed the first couple of hours, and the idea of running a hot dog shop by day while sourcing your own meat by night is bloody ridiculous in the best way. Unfortunately, the gameplay loop became too repetitive too quickly, and once that novelty wore off, I found myself getting majorly bored.
Quarantine Zone: The Last Check has a fantastic concept and does offer a unique take on the zombie genre that immediately stood out. While I enjoyed my time making the difficult decisions, managing checkpoints and smashing infected with drones, the repetitive gameplay loop ultimately stopped me from wanting to stick around for the long haul. There is some fun to be had here during the first little bit, but it wears thin too quickly.
Halo: Campaign Evolved proves that legends never fade; they simply evolve. This is not just a remake; it is the definitive way to experience where one of gaming’s greatest franchises began, and it deserves every bit of praise it receives.
Traders Life Together is an enjoyable simulator that has plenty of great ideas, but it struggles because it tries to do too much at once. I really enjoyed the detailed stock placement system, the dynamic economy, and, obviously, the satisfaction of gradually growing your business over time. I couldn’t help but feel the game lost its core identity by piling on too many different mechanics.
Star Fox on the Nintendo Switch 2 is exactly the kind of remake fans have been hoping for. It stays true to what made the Nintendo 64 classic so memorable while introducing enough visuals, audio and gameplay improvements to make it feel fresh for a new generation of gamers.
For what is ultimately a simple management simulator, Tollway Tycoon manages to create genuinely entertaining moments through its bizarre mix of disasters and chaotic events. While I enjoyed the quirky premise and the satisfaction of building a successful tollway, the repetitive gameplay loop, basic visuals and forgettable audio hindered it from becoming something I could sink dozens of hours into.
eFootball Kick Off! surprised me in more ways than one. As someone who grew up with PES and has a genuine love for football, I came into this expecting a fun football game, but I got an accessible and enjoyable experience that really carves out its own identity. It might not offer the depth some of the biggest football simulations offer. It offers fast-paced gameplay, polished visuals, and easy-to-learn controls, making it a fantastic title to pick up on the Nintendo Switch 2.
Cheap Car Repair is one of those games that knows exactly what it wants to be and fully embraces its chaotic charm. Between the entertaining cast of characters and the freedom to perform either proper repairs or some seriously dodgy bush mechanic fixes, it had it all. The soundtrack kept me working away happily and really delivered an addictive experience. While a few controls were frustrating, and minor visual shortcomings held it back from perfection, it was still a great game. The game’s humour, personality and satisfying gameplay loop make it easy to recommend.
LEGO Batman: Legacy of the Dark Knights feels like the ultimate Batman fan game disguised as a LEGO title. TT Games somehow managed to capture everything that makes Batman such an iconic character, from the darker Gotham atmosphere and Arkham-inspired combat, right through to the humour, gadgets, and the ridiculous amount of fan service packed into every corner of the game. As someone who grew up obsessed with Batman, this honestly felt like stepping into a playable tribute to the Dark Knight’s entire legacy.
Forza Horizon 6 feels like a love letter to Japanese car culture, and honestly, the best Horizon games I’ve played since Horizon 3.
Overall, Tomodachi Life: Living The Dream delivers exactly what it sets out to be: a weird, charming and easygoing experience that thrives on unpredictability rather than depth. While it does not fully capitalise on features like touch controls. The presentation quirks keep it alive with the humour, personality and sheer randomness of your Mii’s, making it hard not to enjoy the game.
Darwin’s Paradox is one of those rare games that feels super confident in every aspect of what it’s trying to do, delivering a unique, polished and genuinely memorable experience from start to finish. It blends creative gameplay, a strong visual identity, and an immersive atmosphere into something that stands out in a crowded space.
Jesus Simulator is an interesting concept, turning one of the most well-known stories in history into an interactive experience, and I’ll give it some credit for trying something different. The narrative approach is respectful and easy to follow, and the inclusion of the mini-games helps break up the story. However, the game struggles to deliver on what could have been potential. Between the lifeless world design, stiff animations, poor graphical quality and lack of immersion, it becomes difficult to stay engaged.