Sam Brooke's Reviews
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.
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 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.
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.
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.
Knock Knock isn't quite a nightmare, but with a little more focus, it could have been a dream to play.
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.
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.
NOW That's What I Call Sing is a solid buy for anyone in need of a karaoke game on the PS4. Its wide variety of modes make it a hugely entertaining release to play with friends or by yourself, and the vast range of songs ensures that you'll always have something to sing. Whether you're in the mood for Jess Glynne or Lorde, this title has you covered – and that's what makes it Charli XCXellent.
Guitar Hero Live surpasses Rock Band 4 in terms of track list and replayability, but sadly lacks the party appeal that Harmonix's latest provides. Though Guitar Hero TV is an excellent addition to the series that really makes the game, the microtransactions ruin it for us. There's no kidding that Guitar Hero Live is a very fun game, it just feels like it cares more about the money than it does about the fans.
Just Dance 2016 is great fun for people of all ages, and is an excellent game among friends. The tracklist is diverse and the dances are crazy, and the addition of using a phone as a controller is the best idea that the franchise has had in a while. It's got replayability, variation, and – most importantly – fun in spades. We don't think that we can make this any more clear – this game Derules.
The sheer length of this review should tell you that Call of Duty: Black Ops III is filled to the brim with content. While there are some low points and pacing issues, the campaign's customisation, freedom, and verticality make it excellent to play with friends. Meanwhile, mutliplayer has more customisation and replayability than ever before, and Zombies is brilliant in its complexity and difficulty. While Ghosts may have bitten the bullet, Black Ops III reloads the franchise into a new, brighter era.
Let's Sing 2016 is practically the same game as Now That's What I Call Sing adapted for the North American audience, which means that it's a pretty solid singing game. The wide range of modes makes it fun to play with others, and the songs are varied enough to keep things fresh, whoever you're playing with. All in all, this game certainly isn't rudimental.
If you've already played Deadpool on previous platforms then there's no real reason to revisit it. However, if you're a newcomer and you want to get hyped for next year's movie starring Ryan Reynolds, then you'll have a fun time with this PS4 version. While it's not the most ambitious remaster, the hilarious jokes, varied gameplay, and stellar voice acting ensure that you'll have a good time.
Despite the technical problems – which need to be sorted out quickly, really – we've had a terrifying amount of fun with Just Cause 3. The freedom enabled by this game is second to none, and the island of Medici offers plenty of opportunities for creativity – or, of course, explosions. The campaign may have some low points, but attacking bases and liberating towns is some of the best fun that you'll find on the PS4 this year.
Aside from the setting, Assassin's Creed Chronicles: India doesn't make much of an effort to distance itself from its side-scrolling predecessor. While its stealth system works well and its combat feels good, it's just more of the same. The dialogue is dull, the art style doesn't look good at all, and the game just doesn't have much appeal. It's certainly not bad, it's just so bang average that you'll have seen it all before.
If you're looking for a complicated game that will take a lot of time to master, then look no further, but if it's a pick-up-and-play shooter that you desire, then World of Tanks isn't Reich for you.
Awakening is a solid start for Black Ops 3's DLC catalogue, with some moments of excellence punctuated with patches of dull dreariness. Gauntlet and Skyjacked provide excellent, fast-paced fun in most modes, while Splash could also become a favourite in time. Rise deserves no praise for its cookie-cutter style, but Der Eisendrache is easily one of the most unique and fun Zombies experiences to date, despite its occasional shortcomings. All in all, despite its slightly steep price, Awakening provides the pep pills needed to keep Treyarch's latest alive and kicking.
Assassin's Creed Chronicles: Russia Marx the end of the ill-fated Chronicles series, but instead of making a final stand, Climax's latest treads water. While the visual style is pleasant and the atmosphere is strong, attempts to inject the game with innovation fall flatter than the Berlin Wall in 1990, and the title hasn't really got much to offer to fans old or new in terms of stealth or combat. There are far better Assassin's Creed games and far better platformers, so this spin-off has nowhere else to go but the gulag.
Ironcast is a surprisingly strategic and complex game, while will hold your interest for quite a while. There's enough randomisation for the title to feel fresh for a long time, and every battle is one of tension and risky moves, with each action really meaning something. Winning a skirmish feels very satisfying, with the rewards after feeling even better, and though the difficulty may put people off, those who can grin and bear the painful defeats will be treated like un prince.