Push Square
HomepagePush Square's Reviews
Dark Souls III is another triumph of the imagination for From Software, a studio which surely now must rank as one of Japan's leading talents. The company's Souls series has a near-flawless track record and after the cult nature of Demon's Souls has thankfully found a large and receptive mainstream audience – not bad for a franchise which delights in being obtuse and hair-pulling tricky in equal measure. Dark Souls III is arguably the most accomplished entry yet, refining the core mechanics and cunningly utilizing next-generation hardware to excellent effect.
Minecraft: Story Mode - Episode 5: Order Up! is the strongest individual episode in this series thus far. We say individual, because this is essentially a soft reboot of the season. Telltale's typical chapter-based story format just didn't work this time out, so an extended series of self-contained narratives may be the change that this spin-off needs. If these individual stories can maintain the level of intrigue in this instalment and build upon it, then we're interested to see what lies ahead. Until then, however, we remain sceptical – after all, the track record of this series isn't exactly on Telltale's side.
DiRT Rally is the purest and most visceral rally game in a long, long time: it's a constant knife edge experience of risk and reward, trial and error, concentration and sweet, sweet progress. This simulation comes highly recommended to both rally and racing fans everywhere.
While Nights of Azure is an enjoyable enough ride, it doesn't really possess anything that makes it worth investing a large amount of time in. A lot of the game's extra components, like the inclusion of merchant trading, seem sloppy and poorly thought out, offered as a mere distraction from the rest of the release. Luckily, it's fairly easy to power through combat and see out the story, and doing so is reasonably satisfying, if not a little repetitive at times.
Assault Android Cactus is a very well-polished, entertaining arcade twin-stick shooter. Its only prickles come in the form of some poor level design, occasional difficulty spikes, and a little too much repetition. If you cast these issues aside, what you're left with is a short but sweet experience that's perfect for some competitive couch co-op with your friends.
A sterling example of the point-and-click genre, this revitalised classic continues to exceed expectations more than twenty years after its initial release. A must-have for fans of the original and a great point of entry for anyone new to the formula, Day of the Tentacle Remastered harbours a fantastic charm that can scarcely be found elsewhere.
République is a smart, engrossing, and often frustrating game, but one which really captures the imagination once its hooks take hold. You really have to work for what you get, though, and even the bulk of the narrative is formed through optional side collections. A couple of gameplay hiccups and a slightly drooping fourth episode aside, this is a strong stealth game which requires a slow, steady, and methodical approach. Big Brother may be watching, but he's never interfered in proceedings quite like this.
EA Sports UFC 2 certainly has a lot of new additions for fans new and old, but it still hasn't gotten the gameplay right just yet. The standing game is satisfying and has some real weight to it, but the floor and clinch mechanics are where things go downhill. This content-laden sequel packs a fair few punches, then, but ultimately doesn't deliver the knockout blow.
Sheltered is a complex strategy and resource management game which gets a lot of things right. Its presentation creates a palpable atmosphere, while its many relatively simple systems interlock in ways that are both thematically appropriate and mechanically interesting. Unfortunately, those same clever systems sometimes rely too heavily on luck, which – when combined with the title's abysmal controls – often make the entire experience more frustrating than its worth.
Catlateral Damage is a charming and unashamedly simple game, and it's clear that a lot of love has gone into every facet. It's not without its paws... Claws... Sorry, flaws – but if you can forgive some screen tearing, and are taken by the idea of playing as a destructive kitten, you'll find a lot to like here. The core gameplay of batting myriad items to their demise is surprisingly a-mew-sing, and may just help you to understand your real life pet that little bit more. For the cat lovers and the curious amongst you, Catlateral Damage is pretty much purr-fect, but anyone else may want to give it a hiss.
Fun for at least a few hours, Automatron is a solid start to Fallout 4's stream of DLC. While it isn't quite substantial enough to satisfy those waiting for a proper expansion, there's still a surprising amount of depth to be found here thanks to the newly implemented robot crafting system. If you've been looking for an excuse to revisit the Commonwealth, there's no reason to ignore the call of the Mechanist.
TrackMania: Turbo's a gaudy game that demands you excel in short bursts. A truly compelling online component and a meaty single player campaign is offset by some shaky handling that, in the case of one car in particular, is far too fiddly to be fun – but those that like a challenge will still enjoy attempting to tame the title's increasingly outlandish maps. With a clumsy but empowering track editor there's certainly no danger of this racer running out of gas – it just depends how long you're willing to keep up with the quest to be the best.
Any enjoyment to be found in The Division could easily have been smothered by its tremendously dull side content. Fortunately, it's saved from some all too familiar open world bloat by not only the high stake thrills of the Dark Zone but its top notch story missions. When added to a wealth of other positives – like its loot system and detailed open world – this entertaining action RPG manages to muster more than enough antibodies to overcome what thankfully turns out to be a mild case of the Ubisofts.
Not quite as bad as falling into a pit of spikes, 101 Ways to Die is a serviceable physics-based puzzle game. Fun in short doses, it does enough right to warrant a quick look, but even though creating your own weird and wonderful traps is the title's main draw, the gameplay can outstay its welcome when the difficulty level begins to rise.
Kholat may be daunting to approach at first with its massive scale, but its eerie setting is worth exploring for its intentionally perplexing narrative and unsettling visual and aural atmosphere. The simplistic gameplay may turn some off with how tedious exploration can become with few scares and long stretches of nothing, but if you choose to remain steadfast on this trail, the sights, sounds, and story may very well be worth your effort.
For all of its shortcomings, Sky Fortress adds a lot of enjoyable content to an already enjoyable game. The Bavarium wingsuit is out-of-this-world fun, making for plenty of chaotic and explosive scenarios, and the campaign – despite being rather short – doesn't have many low points. It may be hard to justify the price of this DLC if you're not a committed fan, though, but keep in mind that Sky Fortress really does make Just Cause 3 that much better.
Senran Kagura Estival Versus doesn't stand out as an action game, but there's more than enough enjoyable content here to keep fans happy. An imaginative character roster and expansive storylines ensure you get enough, er, boing for your buck, and the title's presentation is top notch. As always, if you can look past the game's controversial exterior, you'll find the beating heart of a reasonably solid hack and slasher.
Do not underestimate Salt and Sanctuary: it'll chew you up and spit you back out, drawing from From Software's modern action RPG blueprints and translating the hard-as-nails gameplay to two dimensions. It demands your attention, never holds your hand, and rewards your patience and skill. Some players will find the lack of information too obtuse and difficulty too harsh, and a few cheap enemies and well-hidden traps will certainly frustrate. For those willing to go the distance, however, this is an intricate and fulfilling game just waiting to be conquered. As far as Souls wannabes go, this is one that's certainly worth its salt.
McDroid is a game with plenty of charisma and sweet ideas. It takes a tired genre and throws it together with elements from elsewhere to create an engaging and charming hybrid. It's aesthetically excellent, with some provocative ideas, but technical problems in larger sections of the game hamper the overall experience. Difficulty spikes and repeated levels also let the game down and prevent if from being truly memorable, but underneath the issues lies an interesting game which provides quite a rush.
Samurai Warriors 4: Empires is another solid spin-off, but veteran fans may feel a little let down by some of its streamlined gameplay. However, its dynamic nature is usually enough to make up for its lack of depth. Watching your clan grow and your allies form various bonds with one another is an addictive way to spend a few hours, and Samurai Warriors' great combat system is always standing by for when you're ready to crack some skulls. This latest entry isn't quite an unstoppable empire, but it's definitely a force capable of planting its flag firmly on your free time.