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Overall, Spider-Man is the game that a lot of people hoped it would be. An incredible traversal system that will have ironically been protoyped on a competitor’s exclusive title, a franchise with instant mainstream appeal and a story that, without giving anything away, sets things up nicely for a sequel without feeling lacking, all combine to make Spider-Man a must-play for 2018.
A game that will have you swearing at your grandma, and threatening violence upon your closest friends after half an hour, Overcooked 2 is one of the best party games that you can get your hands on, and it's easily the most fun I've had with a multiplayer game in years. The single player can sometimes get a bit overwhelming (please don't play this if you have anxiety!) but with 4 people playing side by side or, for the first time, over the internet, it's an excellent title that will have you in stitches of laughter while cursing your head off. A worthy purchase, even if you've played the original to death.
Control has some very clear threads going back to Quantum Break, but it’s a game that far surpasses Remedy’s predecessor in many ways. A weird, creepy and wonderful exploration of an environment that has been meticulously crafted, it’s a must-play. Plenty of collectibles and side missions should keep you hooked for long after the final credits roll, and I really hope that this brings Remedy the commercial success that it so obviously deserves.
A game full of meaningful moments, of quiet contemplation and brutal, savage combat. A game about family, tradition, honour and change that comes at a significant point of change in Sony’s videogame strategy. A more hopeful and less alienating experience than The Last of Us Part II and a step back to a more gentle and inviting form of open world adventure, Ghost of Tsushima is both a celebration of the past and a look towards the future, and is a fitting first party swansong for the PS4.
Little Nightmares II has far surpassed the original, and it holds true that this series remains one of the most terrifying and emotionally provocative experiences you will ever face! Once again Tarsier Studios have enthralled me, gripping me for a solid 9 hours straight playthrough that I just could not step away from. I have experienced loneliness, companionship, hope, joy, despair, terror and betrayal. Overall, I feel like my heart has been ripped out, but I would willingly go through it all again. If I had to find fault with anything, the controls can be a little cumbersome and may take some getting used to, and at times my jumps did not quite land the way I wanted. I only encountered one bug where a hatch would not open by a checkpoint, but this was easily resolved by restarting from that point. Will I be revisiting? Yes, it appears I truly am a masochist, but there are collectible, wearable hats and sorrowful glitches I must go back for. I am sure this is not the last we will see of Six and Mono’s story, and I am genuinely excited to see what comes next!
Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart is a stunning showcase of just what the PS5 is capable of, even this early into the generation. It looks astonishing, it plays gloriously, and there are enough trinkets and secrets to keep you coming back for more. If you want a great PS5 exclusive, here it is
Deathloop is an excellent video game which truly showcases what Arkane are capable of as a studio. The time loop mechanic is used almost to perfection here, with your eight targets shifting across the four areas and time periods. Each loop will feed you with more information that you can then use to plan out the perfect run, knocking out your eight targets to break the loop and get off the island. The invasion mechanic is implemented extremely well, and I can only imagine the furious texts you’ll get from a friend as you jump in and kill them off for the umpteenth time. It looks gorgeous, it runs really well, and you should absolutely play it.
Another magnificent visual showpiece for the PS5, that runs surprisingly well on the PS4 too, Horizon Forbidden West is a great new chapter in Aloy’s story. If you liked Zero Dawn, you’ll absolutely love this, making it a must-play.
All in all, Evolve is going to be a game that gives back what you put in. If you can team up with some friends, or some random players that know what they're doing, you'll have a fun time with the hunters and it'll lead to some intense battles. If you get one or two that want to play it like Call of Duty, however, you're going to find it a frustrating experience. Hopefully as time goes on, the player base will collectively learn the "right" way to play the game, and as they do, it'll become a much more robust environment for everyone. It's the same issue with every online-focused title, and Turtle Rock seem to be committed to ensuring that the playing field remains level. Hopefully they will prove to be just as committed in keeping the game fresh with new maps and modes as well! Arguments about DLC structures aside, Evolve is a fun take on traditional class-based multiplayer. Whether you decide to be the hunter or the hunted, there are plenty of moments in Evolve that will have you on the edge of your seat, and as long as you play to your class, you'll have a good time. Whether the legs are long enough to keep the game running for an extended period of time remains to be seen, but as long as they can keep it as fun as this, I've not got many complaints at all. And that, I'm proud to say, is an entire review without saying that "Multiplayer has evolved", or any other terrible puns.
All told, Assassin's Creed Unity is a great game that's been let down by some technical issues. It's a shame that Ubisoft drew attention to themselves with the quotes earlier on this year by implying one version had been held back, which judging on the PS4 version of the game simply isn't true. It's even more annoying to think that this will be the talking point when really it should be more about how Ubisoft Montreal have nailed the key things in the game and brought the best things from previous games to the table whilst whittling away some of the less well received parts. If you're a fan of the series, Assassin's Creed Unity is an absolute no-brainer. It distills the essence of the franchise into a campaign of decent length, with more variety than before and a much-needed revamp of the mission structure, and adding in a surprisingly deep and fun co-operative mode has revitalised the online side of things for the franchise. Much like a couple of other high profile franchises this year, Assassin's Creed has its best entry in years with the release of Unity. If the technical problems can be patched out, then add a one onto the score.
Child of Light is a game that's worth of a spot in anyone's collection. With the PlayStation versions being cross-buy, it's difficult not to recommend it. In the video review, I mention that it's £16, and this was an early price for the deluxe edition online. If you download it from the store, it's £12, and that's a fantastic price for what is a beautiful game. If you're willing to forgive the slightly irritating rhyming structure to the narrative and just get on with exploring the gorgeous environments, you won't go far wrong with Child of Light.
LEGO Dimensions is by far and away the best toys-to-life game I've played. Not only that, it's my favourite LEGO game too. A lot of what you'll get out of it depends on whether you enjoy the Lego games of old, and also whether you embrace your inner child and enjoy playing with actual LEGO. Fortunately for me, I really enjoy both. The fact that Dimensions opens up the Toy Pad beyond being "just a thing" is a really great addition, and ultimately this is the pinnacle of the Toys to Life genre right now. What other game will see you playing as Gandalf, driving the Batmobile, hurtling after a Dalek whilst Marty McFly and Doc Brown are in hot pursuit? Exactly. The only reason this isn't scoring higher is simply down to the pricing. And the fact it's probably going to bankrupt me. Don't these folks know that I'm trying to save for a house?!
Hue is a very fun platformer puzzle game that draws you in, especially with its simple melody playing throughout. The graphic style is very simple but engaging enough to keep you entertained and there are several interactions which I also found amusing. However I have found very little replay value which is a shame. There are collectibles as I mentioned for the completionists but the game offers nothing new on a second playthrough. This being said, Hue is a wonderful little title that I will remember due to its simplistic style and incredible attention to detail.
Even with its flaws, Volume is a hugely enjoyable puzzle game, wearing its influences proudly on its sleeve. Near-perfect pacing, a wonderful soundtrack and deceptively simple gameplay, Volume will have you creeping back for more to try and top the leaderboards on as many levels as possible, and maybe even create a few more as well.
Gears is brilliant at doing what it does best. Gears. If you love offerings already on the market, then you will love this game, but it may let you down with it’s lack of exciting innovations and predictable story. Maybe it’s because when you make three solid 8 or 9 out of 10 games, you can’t do much to make it better, “if it ain’t broke don’t fix it”. The hardcore and the newbies alike will love Gears 4, but it won’t be the ground breaking Gears we reminisce about. Gears 4 is back with a smack, bang and wallop! It lets itself down purely because it is holding something back and I cannot wait to find out what that is.
All in all, WWE 2K17 is a wrestling game for wrestling people. If you know your suplexes from your DDTs this is pretty much the only game to sate that need for you, but it’s also thankfully a decent one. If you’re just looking for a new brawler for a short blast but you think the idea of men in pants pretending to hurt each other is silly (because it really is), then you’ll probably find this too slow and detailed to do much for you. As I’m in the former camp, I found a huge amount to enjoy and interest me within WWE 2K17. Not quite a Stunner, but definitely getting there.
They told us they were done with Arkham. Rocksteady lied to us. But that’s OK. As well as being a great showcase for how VR should be done, Arkham VR is a short, sharp, and sometimes shocking Batman experience that should really be played by anyone with access to a headset and any fondness for the caped crusader at all.
If you tore chunks out of Dying Light, Far Cry, The Last of Us, Sons of Anarchy and a bunch of other open-world titles then threw them all into a blender, you’d probably end up with something akin to Days Gone. It’s a game with lots to enjoy, a ton of world to explore and some sensational visuals to take in. As seemingly generic as much of it is on first glance, Days Gone opens up to prove that it’s capable of punching its weight in a crowded area of the gaming landscape. A slow start to the story might put some off, and there are still a few technical issues that raise their head on the odd occasion, but there is plenty in here that gives you cause to overlook them. Farewell, Oregon, I had a great time clearing you out of Freaks.
Returnal is a really strange beast. It’s a game from a studio that have very clearly been given the funding to make a big budget version of the type of game they want to, and it really shows. There’s a very thin line between accepting that you made a mistake and ranting that the game screwed you over, and Housemarque have got it right with their mechanics. If you die, you learn from it and go again. Thankfully, the PS5 makes this incredibly quick, and it’ll have its hooks in you for “just one more run”. If I had to pick holes in it, I just wish there were a little bit more permanence to some of the upgrades you pick up, but I know this will diminish some of the ‘purity’ of the game. While I know some of this will be met with derision at openly admitting to not quite finishing it, I can only hope that the impressions I’ve had of Returnal give you an idea of what to expect if you pick up this absolute gem of a title. Now, Housemarque, here’s the Yellow Pages. Make a game based on that.
Borderlands: The Handsome Collection is a great entry point into a series that has now even spawned a Telltale Games episodic spin-off. The games included now look and play better than they ever have, and even a few performance do little to detract from that