Overall, the release version of Golden Lap, even with those couple of areas where it could be better, is still very much the game I enjoyed in a short burst earlier in the year. It knows exactly what it wants to deliver, and does so in the wonderfully characterful manner that’s come to define Funselektor’s games and help them stand out from the racing crowd. Without giving you an actual whiff of the petrol fumes, properly deafening you with engine roar from behind the wheel or offering you a mouthful of podium bubbly, it manages to capture the spirit of what it depicts, and with a few tweaks, its pull could be even more irresistible.
Overall, if you’re looking for more Dredge, or a reason to delve back into the game for the first time since The Pale Reach, The Iron Rig more than likely has at least a weekend worth of fun to offer you. Even if it feels in places like it could have been a bit more than just another fish added to the catch of a good and spooky net.
Sarepta Studio’s latest work is all about diving deep to unearth the truth behind tragedy.
It feels like it’s still got some room to grow in certain places in order to reach its full potential, but, unlike real world F1 in 2024, it’s pretty damn fun.
I will manage to retrieve it eventually though, because if there’s one thing Expeditions and its terrifying muddy siblings will teach you, it’s that eventually overcoming the perils of picturesque, but unyielding nature through sheer relentlessness will never stop feeling rewarding.
It’s a game about finding out who your mates are, and that they’ll be there for you no matter whether you need a good laugh, a telling off or a helping hand.
That said, the most important thing about EA Sports WRC is that I’m pretty sure I’ll get addicted to the moments its recreation of rallying can provide across its plethora of modes. As with Dirt Rally 2.0, it’s those simple, brief moments when you get into a perfect adrenaline-fuelled flow and feel - just for a second - like you are as good as Colin McRae, that’ll keep me coming back for more, no matter how many trees I hit in between them. I'm pleased and relieved to report that post-acquisition Codemasters still understands what makes a good rally game tick.
Inkulinati is a wonderfully quirky strategy game with a great sense of humour and plenty of room to grow. Yaza Games have certainly done something interesting with medieval manuscripts.
The Witcher 3’s next gen update adds a great new quest, some snazzy armours, and litany of interesting tweaks to the game, but, on PC, it’s undermined by a parade of performance issues.
Pentiment’s incredibly compelling characters, immersive ambience and impactful choice and consequence make it a masterfully crafted RPG. Josh Sawyer and the team at Obsidian have created a truly special game.
NBA 2K23 on PC is a paradoxical game that purports to be channelling the spirit of Michael Jordan’s Bulls, only to end up more accurately mirroring the discordant energy of Scottie Pippen’s tenure with the Houston Rockets.
On PC, Madden 23 makes a couple of decent changes to the established formula, but not enough to truly move the chains for the series