Expansive's Reviews
Civilization VII is undoubtedly the most divisive instalment in the series to date. Removing the classic formula of play for the new Age system is a bold stroke that, for the most part, does pay off for the series. It rebalances the gameplay to make it more approachable for a wider audience pool – feeling surprisingly comfortable on controller – gives players more chance of winning conditions in a gameplay style that feels appropriate for them, and the objective based system really diversifies each playthrough to make it unique. However, some UI issues, lack of a classic mode offered and a shortened end date than expected mean this one isn’t going to be what everyone wants, even if it’s mostly, the Civ you know and love.
Tomb Raider IV-VI Remastered is easily the best way to play all three of these games. They’ve never looked better, never played better, and in the case of Angel of Darkness, are manageable now and even have cut content. But all these games are brutal, tough challenges that will punish and frustrate. They’re not always fun, they’re definitely pretty rough, and don’t quite have the same standard of quality as the early trilogy. Still, Aspyr have done an incredible job with the games – better than the last time out – the price of history is well worth it, and they’ve somehow made this forgotten trilogy at least slightly more enjoyable than they were before. One cannot fault the efforts of remastering at all, even if you are at odds with the content.
Luck be a Landlord is an enjoyable roguelite to play in waves and blasts but it’s not necessarily the best use of a PS5. More a natural fit for handheld devices, LBAL has a core loop you’ll find yourself keeping coming back to, even when the odds keep stacking against you and the RNG is never in your favor. With ways to customise the experience and a variety of symbols at your disposal, the game has bountiful possibilities, but you’ll feel like it’s stretched to its limits after a while and it no longer enchants so much as it feeds a short term fix.
Lost Records: Bloom sets the scene for a very intriguing finale with good character and story build-up but it does take time to get there and the episode ends just as the story is taking a turn. In that build up is some brilliant characterisation across two periods in history, world-class acting that makes these characters feel truly three-dimensional, compelling writing that keeps you hooked and a truly stunning depiction of Michigan that glows and glistens with beautiful, natural scenery. Swan’s recording adds an interesting approach for players to tell their own interpretations of the memories and this is a pleasant trip that often feels soothing and wholesome, but you feel Rage has quite a bit of work to do to stick the landing.
Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 is a true sequel in almost every regard. Bigger, bolder, more expansive, better story and characterisation with a world brimming with stunning visuals and detail. But it maintains many of the original systems and mechanics that proved divisive last time and in case of combat, saving, and lockpicking, doubles down on them to the point where they become even more frustrating. What Warhorse have accomplished here is astounding and in many ways have raised the bar for Open World RPGs across the entire industry, yet you can’t help feel the game’s often times obtuse, unintuative systems and tutorials hold it back from its full potential.
Avowed is a wonderful RPG that feels like Skyrim’s true successor, at least until TES VI arrives, despite the scale and scope making it feel a tad barren in the genre’s current landscape. Combat is the game’s truly shining star with its variety and wealth of options and the writing is as compelling and engaging as you would hope and expect from this world and developer. Between that and the healthy amount of content you can find and the beautiful environments to explore, you’ll find yourself going deep under Avowed’s spell. We absolutely need more from this world and franchise as Obsidian continue to be one of the crown jewels in Xbox’s developer crown.
Sniper Elite: Resistance is as enjoyable as any other Sniper Elite game out there and offers the best of all options, especially if you’re new to the series. For those returning from Sniper Elite 5, you may find this a tad disappointing as the game feels very similar and, beyond the campaign, doesn’t offer a whole lot that’s new. That said, between the multiplayer options, the medal upgrades and amount of collectibles per mission, as well as forthcoming DLC you’re going to have a great time here and for a healthy, sustained period of time while you wait for SE6.
Ninja Gaiden 2 Black is a welcome return for Hyabusa and the perfect introduction to the hard-hitting, fast-paced action series with its accessible hero mode options, gameplay tweaks, and stunningly brutal visuals. It opens the door to new fans where the Master Collection previously didn’t, but it is also confused in its identity as neither a true remake or definitive edition, especially since it’s missing a bunch of content. However, for players looking for a new challenge that’s not a Souls-like and series veterans who’ve been desperate for a shuriken sized crumbs in years, Black is the perfect appetitser ahead of the highly anticipated Ninja Gaiden 4.
Citizen Sleeper 2 is a very special game indeed, a rare indie sequel and an even rarer one that betters its predecessor in almost every single way. From its writing, to its characters, exploration, contracts and surprisingly deep systems, it is a total package. I could not put my pad down, even if I wanted to, and adored the challenge right from the word go. While it definitely won’t be everyone’s cup of tea, you simply must see and experience to truly believe how damn good it is and why it’s the first must-play game of 2025.
Eternal Strands is an enjoyable RPG with some fantastic ideas and bold ambition. Filled with compelling story, spirited voice acting and really fun combat system, you’ll find yourself swept up in its charms sooner than you expect. Despite some bugs, performance issues and tedious quests and traversal, this is an exciting starting point for a young studio and leaves potential for a franchise that has plenty of room to grow.
Star Wars Episode 1 Jedi Power Battles is still incredibly dated despite its updates and upgrades, to the point where it feels like only those who grew up with the game will have much fun here. While there absolutely is a gap in the market for a side-scrolling lightsaber-em-up in 2025 and this can be enjoyable in short blasts, its awkward camera, control, brutal combat and repetitive levels can be hard to get through. That said, Aspyr deserve full credit for making the game more approachable for new players with easier difficulties and a wider character roster.
Donkey Kong Country Returns HD is, unsurprisingly, the definitive way to play this platforming gem. Its difficulty is going to be off-putting for some and there are questions around how much this adds from previous iterations of the game. But despite some slight frame rate dips and it not quite being to the same quality standards of Tropical Freeze, Donkey Kong Country Returns HD is a fantastic platformer that you should absolutely add to your Switch library, especially if you’ve never played it before.
Indiana Jones and The Great Circle has shot up to the top of my favourite games in 2024 and is by far, the best Indy since Fate of Atlantis! It understands and respects its source material so wonderfully and in so doing creates a compelling, enjoyable, epic adventure that does an amazing job of blending action and adventure together so seamlessly. From the excellent performance of Nolan North, to its stunning graphics, intriguing plot and hard-hitting combat, The Great Circle is everything you could want from a great game, whether you’re a fan of the films or not.
Legacy of Kain Soul Reaver 1 & 2 Remastered is an excellent example of how you preserve and reintroduce a dormant, classic franchise to its adoring fanbase and aspiring newcomers. While some of the mechanics and controls feel very dated, the narrative, world-building, voice acting, puzzle and level design, along with the beautifully updated visuals still stand out and have aged just wonderfully. On top of that, a treasure trove of wonders offered in the bonus selection make this a must-buy for fans, including never before snippets of playable levels, concept art, renders and deep dives into the lore and wider universe. A piece of gaming history we’re incredibly glad isn’t being lost to time and hopefully an exciting new chapter for a franchise we love so dearly.
Dragon Age: The Veilguard has been a very long time coming and while it’s arguable whether it fulfils fan expectation in a way that will make everyone happy, what Bioware and EA offer is a solid RPG that is a huge return to form for a studio that have fallen from grace in recent years. From its well-developed mechanics, deep lore, established, varied characters with interesting back and side stories, and a direct continuation of a saga we’ve waited on answers for, The Veilguard feels like a breath of new life for Dragon Age, whether you’ve been here since day one or you’re desperate to see what the hype is all about.
Rise of the Golden Idol is a smart sequel that doesn’t massively reinvent what the brilliant Case of the Golden Idol did but adds some smart new additions, updates the visual style and UI, and makes its storytelling more cohesive with a well paced difficulty curve. While the UI can get a bit cluttered and disruptive with questionable controller navigation and the game can get bogged down in semantics and its mechanics, it’s one of the most enjoyable, entertaining narrative experiences I’ve had in some time and a series you absolutely must make the time to check out!
Broken Sword – Shadow of the Templars Reforged is one of the best examples of a remaster done right. It is faithful with stunning visuals and content that’s aged like fine wine, but also updated wonderfully for 2024 and the next twenty years to come. With some further additions to the UI to make it more friendly and appropriate on consoles, this would have made our PS5 experience better. But perhaps this is one you should be playing as intended anyway, mouse in hand, on PC.
The Legend of Zelda: Echoes of Wisdom is a very successful debut outing for the titular princess. The game does still suffer the frame rate issues of Link’s Awakening and at times, felt as if the story became too centered around Link so that it became less about the character we play, but the ideas, mechanics, feel, look and style of the game are an absolute treat. Alongside Another Code, it’s my favourite Nintendo release of 2024 so far and gives an exciting glimpse into what Nintendo may be cooking for 2025 and beyond.
Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine 2 has been worth the very long wait and is an incredible worthwhile sequel that betters the original in just about every conceivable way. From the visuals, to the story, gameplay and additional modes on top, it not only continues a story that was set out a decade ago, but it carves a way for a much brighter, more elaborate future for the franchise. Full of epic moments, it’s a game you and your friends will love fully and completely.
Star Wars Outlaws is one of the most bold Star Wars games I’ve seen in years. It’s not perfect, and definitely punishes the player who doesn’t take the time to learn its systems. It also buries a lot of the open world content deeper into the game, meaning you really have to invest time to get the most out of it. And with the strong focus on stealth and combat, there’s a degree of patience required. But once you really get into a rhythm and get into the mindset of the game, there’s a lot of fun, enjoyment and excitement to be had here that offers something really different to the Jedi-led games we’ve been playing over the years. Especially when trying to balance the factions and their requirements.