Sammy Barker's Reviews
Dying Light starts out disappointing, but once you allow its brand of undead action to circulate your bloodstream, it can be difficult to put down. The storytelling is expectedly lacklustre, but with some 40 hours' worth of quests to complete, this is the type of title that's made for kicking back in co-op and culling corpses to your heart's content. The best thing about it, though, is that it gets better as the time flies by.
It's hard to describe Super Stardust Ultra as a disappointment, because the core gameplay loop – almost eight years after its original introduction – is still as enjoyable as ever. That said, this doesn't feel like the next frontier for Housemarque's revered shooter series – more like a stopgap along the way. Veterans should know that, outside of some visual enhancements and extra modes, this is pretty much Super Stardust HD. That's not necessarily a bad thing, of course; newcomers are encouraged to take aim at this right away.
The Order: 1886 is an antique that's aged ungracefully. The presentation is sublime from the release's rousing start right the way through to its anticlimactic finish, but several shoddy design decisions detract from its otherwise exemplary gloss. The developer's crafted an incredible universe, but outside of the title's core cast, it's failed to do much of note with it. This is a property that's begging for a sequel to realise its undeniable potential – but only time will determine whether it gets that opportunity.
Resogun: Defenders signs Housemarque's shooter off in predictably sublime style. Protector is arguably the game's greatest mode to date, offering everything that's enjoyable about the original – just at pulsating pace. Commando's not quite as successful, but it delivers an imaginitive twist on the existing formula, all with plenty of personality and panache. This is still, in this author's opinion, the PS4's best original game – and the frightening thing for other developers is that it just got better again.
It's hardly a revelatory release thus far – but this could yet be great.
Who needs blockbusters when your local indie theatre is rolling out releases like this? OlliOlli 2: Welcome to Olliwood doesn't re-invent the wheel, but its subtle tweaks result in a vastly improved experience; Tony Hawk's promised Pro Skater reboot will certainly have its work cut out if it wants to top Roll7's latest take on the genre. Tight controls, top-notch levels, and tons of content ensure that this sequel makes a clean landing – the only stumble being that its excellent local multiplayer mode isn't quite ready for prime time yet.
Capcom already laid out its stall with the previous instalment, so Resident Evil: Revelations 2 – Episode Two: Contemplation can no longer be considered a pleasant surprise. This is another enjoyable romp, though, which sprinkles just enough new ideas into the experience to make it stand on its own. Most importantly, the action is much tenser this time around, and while it's still largely ridiculous, it will have you squirming at points.
DmC: Devil May Cry - Definitive Edition is one of the more thoughtful remasters on the PS4, and its emphasis on modifiers means that you can more or less tailor the experience to your tastes.
A pastiche of ideas from Resident Evil's past, Episode Three: Judgment represents the best of Capcom's surprisingly enjoyable episodic series so far. Its ambition is modest, but the execution is good, with ridiculous plot beats, larger than life boss fights, and solid puzzles. Only the dismal environments let this instalment down, which are more lifeless than the corpses that you'll be pumping full of lead.
One finale is better than the other, but Resident Evil: Revelations 2 is still a triumph as a whole. Episode Four: Metamorphosis' lop-sided nature means that it's individually weaker than its immediate predecessor, but when you consider its importance to the story, you'd mad to miss out. Just make sure that you get the good ending, sit back, and soak up the silliness.
RIDE's adequate in almost all areas, but it's never going to offer the ride of your life. There's a clear passion for motorcycles on display here, and petrol heads will appreciate the depth of the tinkering that's on offer – but the on-track experience is far too clinical to confidently capture the pastime that the developer is so enthusiastic about. If you want to build up a stable of obsessively rendered motorcycles, each tuned to your exacting tastes, then this may get your internal engine roaring for a while – but everyone else will find a competently made racing game that, beneath all of the gusto of its creepy announcer, never really hits top gear.
Mortal Kombat X doesn't hit with quite as much impact as its predecessor, but it still improves upon a brutal blueprint. The story's stupid and poorly written, but it's all of the options outside of the campaign that will keep you engaged – whether you're playing with others or alone. With hundreds of modifiers, the ever-rotating Living Towers, and some truly exceptional online additions, this game really goes above and beyond. However, it doesn't ignore what's important either, employing the new variants system to keep the fighting fresh – even if you only play as one character. Misplaced microtransactions sully the experience slightly – but this is still only a few scratches short of a flawless victory.
LA Cops has inoffensive intentions, but its execution is as flawed as its characters' fashion sense. The pleasant presentation represents the still-edible icing on this otherwise stale, circular snack – but glaring design issues have left us close to dialling 911.
Tropico 5 is a real treat – and not just because it's something a little bit different. The game's sharp sense of humour tallies well with its accessible yet intricate economical action, and while it's always likely to be an acquired taste, we're hoping that it sparks a swell of console construction games. If you're even the slightest bit intrigued, you should give this a go. And just so that we're clear: that's an order.
Once you get the controls where you want them, your car exactly how you like it, and your race day tactics tightened up, it delivers an exhilarating ride, but few will have the patience – or, indeed, the willpower – to reach that point, and thus it's hard to imagine this outing achieving the mainstream success of other competing motoring series.
You'll need to be willing to get your hands dirty to get anything out of Farming Simulator 15, but if you can cope with a slow start, then the game gets pretty compelling once you've got a production pipeline in place. It's never going to be everyone's cup of canola, but the name probably gives that away. With several new tasks and a couple of unique locations to conquer, though, this release is outstanding in its field.
There's too much content in Beach Buggy Racing for it to accurately be described as shallow, but outside of the seaside motif, there's not a whole lot here that feels fresh. The controls can seem slow at first and it fails to address many of the genre's major pitfalls, but if you're desperate for a kart racer on your PS4, then this sunny side up outing should tide you over until something better comes along. Just remember to slap on the sunscreen before taking to the track.
Rocket League is a good idea that's been expertly executed. While you may roll your eyes at the idea of a vehicular adaptation of America's least-favourite sport, this is a title that's hard to put down once you give it a try. Flawless controls and a frightening amount of depth ensure that both casual and hardcore players will have fun on the field – and the generally excellent online implementation transforms it into four-wheeled crack. Not even a lacklustre single player option and an out-of-place soundtrack can stop us from declaring this the beautiful car game.
[W]hile this remains an exceptional example of Sony Santa Monica's slick character action series, you should only really consider ripping open your wallet for this re-release if you've never experienced it before.
Tembo the Badass Elephant is made even more frustrating by the fact that it doesn't flat out suck. There's a solid sidescroller in here, but Game Freak's taken it in the wrong direction. This should have been an adventure all about momentum, but it does everything within its power to pump the brakes. Give this wide load a wide berth – it's made itself irrelephant.