Sam Brooke's Reviews
While its setlist does underwhelm in some areas, and the online multiplayer mode is not ready yet, Rock Band 4 still feels like the music platform that Harmonix set out to make. Career mode is deep, fun, and customisable, Freestyle Solos is an excellent addition, and the general gameplay maintains the awesome feel of the originals. The revival of this much-missed franchise may not be revolutionary, but it definitely hits a high note.
PES 2016, while not being perfect, feels true to its title - it's an evolution. Master League has been revamped and fine-tuned into an excellent mode that only suffers thanks to the lack of licenses, MyClub is growing well and differs enough from Ultimate Team, and the gameplay feels refined and balanced enough to make every game a challenge but not a chore. Thanks to all of these factors, PES 2016 currently feels like it's in a league of its own.
Knock Knock isn't quite a nightmare, but with a little more focus, it could have been a dream to play.
Madden NFL 16 is a fine addition to the series that started way back in 1989. Draft Champions adds a lot of replayability to a game already jam-packed with content, the new in-match mechanics give you a greater sense of control than ever before, and Madden Ultimate Team is steadily growing bigger and better. Sure, loading times are long, but the presentation and the way that the crowd reacts to every move is well worth it. All in all, it seems as though Madden as a series won't be deflating any time soon.
We thoroughly enjoyed our time with Gauntlet: Slayer Edition. While playing single player can be fun, this game shines at its brightest when played with friends at its hardest difficulty. Simply put, Gauntlet: Slayer Edition is a great lark about with buddies, and Arrowhead almost hit the bullseye with this one, if only the visuals and music were a bit more interesting.
With perfectly weighted physics that feel nice on the thumbs, tactical combat that allows you to deal with any situation in a number of ways, and a soundtrack that's catchy and euphoric, Galak-Z is one helluva ride. Though the framerate can detract from the experience at times, it makes up for its one notable shortcoming with charm, nostalgia, and by bombarding you with joy.
Q.U.B.E Director's Cut does very, very well for a game in a genre perfected by Portal, and while it's not quite at that calibre, it's a polished, complex, and enjoyable puzzler that has replayability, too. The story is deep, the mechanics are well thought out, and the graphics are simple – the ending is the only real downer in this game of many high points. A must for any indie or puzzle game fan.
With fantastic dialogue, beautiful graphics, and some truly innovative puzzles, Pneuma: Breath of Life is a great buy, even for a short game. Though it does have some boring and frustrating moments - as well as some framerate issues - it's all worth it for the incredible ending. Pneuma may not breathe life into the puzzle genre, but it certainly gives you a new perspective on it.