GameSpew's Reviews
Available on their own or as a double feature, RetroRealms: Ash vs Evil Dead and RetroRealms: Halloween both provide fun old-school platforming experiences reminiscent of classic Castlevania titles. There are some unique mechanics and features, however, such as being able to switch between realms and using playable characters in any RetroRealms games that you own.
Transformers: Galactic Trials is one of those games that has some good ideas but fails to execute them successfully. While the racing action is basic but fun, its on-foot sections are terrible, and there are other issues, too. And so, while it looks fairly nice, has plenty of unlockables and its roguelike elements add some variety between runs, it's ultimately impossible to recommend.
Bloober Team has achieved what some thought was impossible: it has taken the horror classic Silent Hill 2 and made it even better. This is a phenomenal remake that remains faithful to the original while adding new content and features that elevate the overall experience. It's a must-play for horror fans; a truly terrifying journey with an unforgettable story and plenty of replayability.
An open world sandbox that lets you run free around Bikini Bottom, there's plenty of fun to be had in SpongeBob SquarePants: The Patrick Star Game. It's packed with minigames and activities, but it's just a shame the whole experience feels rather rough.
It takes a little while to warm to, but once you've got the hang of controlling your bike in Parcel Corps the fun quickly ramps up. Getting companies signed up to your delivery app and mastering each location is an enjoyable endeavour, and delivery rush events feel a bit like a mix between Crazy Taxi and Dave Mirra Freestyle BMX, which can only be a good thing.
Kill Knight is easy to pick up and hard to master, but it's rewarding to do so thanks to the wealth of unlockable weapons and more that are on offer. Most importantly, it's devilishly fun to play, being fast-paced, responsive and full of variety.
Colourful visuals and a nice soundtrack aren't enough to save G.I. Joe: Wrath of Cobra from being a disappointment overall. Thanks to your limited combat options, dull boss fights and overuse of grunt enemies, it's just not all that fun to play.
The Holy Gosh Darn may well be Perfectly Paranormal's best game yet, and it's clear the team has learned a lot from developing Manual Samuel and Helheim Hassle. This is a seriously slick adventure: it looks fantastic, its puzzles are fun to solve and it will have you laughing out loud every step of the way.
If you're a fan of run-and-gun shooters, Iron Meat is a must-have thanks to its responsive controls and excellently-designed stages. A genuine blast from beginning to end, it's just a shame there aren't more modes.
Despite its steep learning curve and occasional forced endings, Elsie is a fast, frenetic and fun roguelike with plenty of ways to change up your runs. It'll have you running and gunning for hours on end, leaving you eager to jump in for yet another run. If roguelikes are your thing, Elsie is well worth its bargain price.
An RPG that moves at a breakneck pace, Beyond Galaxyland is utterly engaging from beginning to end. It's Star Wars meets Final Fantasy, with a hint of Pokémon thrown in for good measure. Add in some good old-fashioned platforming and a tad of photography, and you have an experience like no other, and one of the quirkiest games of 2024.
The Karate Kid: Street Rumble isn't the best example of the side-scrolling beat 'em up genre but it's a welcome one nonetheless. There are some issues that detract from the fun a little, but on the whole this an entertaining adventure, especially when played with others, and there are plenty of modes and light RPG elements to add longevity.
Pneumata is an ambitious first-person horror game considering it's made a by a solo developer. But while it looks rather nice and succeeds in creating a tense atmosphere, there are numerous issues that ultimately bring it down considerably.
Whether you're a long time fan or a newcomer, this remaster of the classic Broken Sword: The Shadow of the Templars is likely to have you enraptured from start to finish. Its visuals have been lovingly updated, and while there are some issues with the game's audio, this is undoubtedly the best way to experience George Stobbart's debut adventure. It's just a shame there aren't any extras.
Frostpunk 2 takes the already excellent original and improves on it in some suitably satisfying ways. It's an excellent city-builder, especially if you're prepared to take lessons from failure.
We've been absolutely spoiled by excellent platforming games recently, and The Plucky Squire is up there with the best of them. Controlling Jot in this fourth-wall-breaking adventure is an utter delight. It's a shame a few bugs persist, but they're not quite enough to stop The Plucky Squire being one of the highlights of the year so far.
With its massively improved visuals and impactful quality of life improvements, Dead Rising Deluxe Remaster takes a great game and makes it even better. There are still some frustrating issues, but if you simply want to have fun in a shopping mall overrun with zombies, consider this essential.
Grapple Dog: Cosmic Canines improves on the original in every way. It's one of the best platformers we've played, and a superb buy whether you've tackled the original or not.
Spiritual sequel to Void Bastards, Wild Bastards changes up the formula but isn't necessarily the better for it. Its board game-like maps introduce some strategy, but its basic first-person shooter Showdowns disappoint, as do some of its other underdeveloped elements.
Disappointing, that's the best word to describe Test Drive Unlimited: Solar Crown. Its handling is solid and it has a large open world filled with a variety of events and activities for you to explore, but technical issues, poor visuals and other frustrations just bring it down.