GameSpew's Reviews
At first glance, Tunic might look like your typical breezy indie adventure. How wrong you’d be to think that. Underneath its cute exterior lies a tough-as-nails experience, designed to truly test your mettle.
A couple of missteps aside, Time Loader is an enjoyable platformer with a surprisingly heart-felt story at its core. The backdrop of a house in the 1990s makes a wonderful playground for a tiny robot, and whether you’re whizzing over kitchen worktops, jumping over VCRs or rummaging through boxes of junk in a garage, it’s more entertaining than it has any right to be. It isn’t the longest game in the world – you’ll be done in three or four hours – but you’ll be captivated from start to finish thanks to the engaging gameplay and a narrative that begs for your attention.
Take its unfortunate performance issues in your stride – which will hopefully be ironed out by Team Ninja post-launch – and you’ll have a hell of a lot of fun with Stranger of Paradise: Final Fantasy Origin. Its story may be ridiculous and not particularly easy to follow, but you’ll enjoy trying. And besides, the real draw here is the combat, which is not only highly entertaining but so, so deep thanks to the brilliant job system. This is a new type of Final Fantasy game, one that puts action at the front and centre, and it’s a blast from beginning to end.
It’s a shame that Phantom Breaker: Omnia doesn’t have rollback netcode, because that’s where most hardcore fighting game fans will perhaps be getting their fun out of it. There is still some joy to be had though, and for those who simply like to play against the CPU or another human via local versus, there’s very little to complain about. It may not be a property you’re familiar with, but if you’re a fighting game fan you’d be wise to check Phantom Breaker: Omnia out.
If you’re a supercross fan, it’s very easy to recommend Monster Energy Supercross 5. As ever, if you own one of its recent predecessors, it doesn’t really offer much that’s genuinely new. But improvements across the board, from handling to career features, make this the pinnacle of the series; it’s a must-have for ardent fans of the sport, and great for those looking for a way-in.
Free of any combat, and largely of any challenge whatsoever, Submerged: Hidden Depths is the perfect game to relax with. Its colourful visuals and contemplative soundtrack will immerse you in a world that feels sombre yet hopeful, as you explore every nook and cranny on your modest ship. Though for some the action may prove to be too basic. Still, if you’re after a game that you can chill out with while unravelling the fate of a caring sister and her brother, this is well worth checking out.
For the devout Assassin’s Creed Valhalla fan, there’s about 20 hours or so of solid gameplay to be gleamed out of Dawn of Ragnarok. A bit more if you want to see and do everything. But chances are it won’t particularly impress. It’s simply more of the same for the most part, with a story that fails to truly engage. It’s perhaps the fact that you’re not given free reign of your new abilities that that’s the biggest disappointment – you’re supposed to be a god, so why not let us feel like one? And so, Assassin’s Creed Valhalla: Dawn of Ragnarok is an inessential expansion. One that feels like a missed opportunity.
Young Souls offers up a unique blend of side-scrolling brawler action and RPG progression, wrapped up in a sumptuous package. It’s Young Souls‘ art style and personality that really shines here; we felt a little let down by the combat, which wasn’t as enjoyable as it should be. Still, there’s a lot to like, and Jenn and Tristan’s adventure is one we’re glad we’ve been a part of.
With a simple but cute art style that’s hard not to love, and an enjoyable gameplay loop that sees you hacking and slashing your way through a range of well-designed enemies, there’s plenty to like about Conan Chop Chop. If you dig roguelikes and enjoy being challenged to improve yourself with each subsequent run, it’s well worth jumping into.
If you love loot-based games and like the idea of wielding four weapons at once, you can get some enjoyment out of Babylon’s Fall. You’ve got to look past the drab visuals though, and have plenty of patience to get through its opening hours and lack of direction. Ultimately, there are some good ideas here, and some fun moments to be had, but they’re wrapped up in a package that feels rough around the edges and not up to the usual standard that you’d expect from PlatinumGames.
A year off has truly been beneficial to the WWE 2K franchise – WWE 2K22 is by far the best entry in the series yet. It’s been a long time since a WWE 2K game has had us so keen to jump into one match after another, and that’s largely thanks to the numerous gameplay improvements that have been made. Add in a welcome layer of polish and a selection of modes that have all bases covered, and you have a winner. There’s still a little room for improvement, but if you’re a wrestling fan, consider this a must-have.
Despite its brevity, A Musical Story is a game that will stick with you long after you’ve completed it. Its sumptuous artwork, simple yet incredibly emotive, will leave a lasting impression, though not as much as the fantastic soundtrack, which will pulse through your head long after you’ve turned it off. Combining a narrative driven experience with engaging rhythm-led gameplay, the result is something rather special, unlike anything you’ll have played before.
Whether you want to learn about the history of some of the most iconic cars in the world, take stunning photographs, complete your car collection or race others online, this is the game for you.
For fans of Slay the Spire and its ilk, Roguebook is a no-brainer. This is a gorgeous, engaging take on the roguelike deckbuilding genre that carves out its own niche without ever feeling derivative of games that came before it. Combining the joy of map exploration and discovery with deep, strategic combat, the result is a game that absolutely nails replayability. If roguelikes are your jam, you’re going to find it hard to put Roguebook down.
Shadow Warrior 3 isn’t a very big game. It doesn’t really innovate, either, or let you breathe. But on the flipside of that, it’s focused, and doesn’t waste any of your time. You’re ushered from one combat encounter to another with a big smile on your face, the action never letting up, all the while bombarded with witty dialogue and visual gags that will genuinely make you chuckle. So, if that sounds like your idea of fun, jump right in. You won’t be disappointed.
I can’t quite recommend Little Orpheus, and not just because of its unfortunate choice of narrative given the current climate. Its story is at least told in an interesting way, and it presents you a colourful, well-realised fantasy world to explore. But its platforming is dull and uninspired; you’ve seen it all before in other games. Though being inside a whale is cool, I guess.
Far: Changing Tides isn’t going to be for everyone. But if the idea of a quiet, lonesome adventure about keeping your boat moving forward puts wind in your sails, you’ll love it. There’s a wonderful soundtrack to enjoy, and the puzzles it presents to you are engaging and well thought-out. But sometimes it’s just a little too barren for its own good, and the awkwardness of controlling your ship can get in the way of its serenity.
With GRID Legends, Codemasters has delivered one of the most generous and inclusive racing games of recent years. Though while its moment-to-moment action is pretty much second to none, its career mode just doesn’t quite get its hooks in you like it should. Throw in limited multiplayer offerings, and you have a racing game that’s great but not spectacular. If you want to fling cars around a whole load of city-based tracks and gleefully trade paint with your competitors, this is the racing game for you. Just don’t go in expecting to get all that invested in your career exploits.
Atelier Sophie 2: The Alchemist of the Mysterious Dream is yet another enjoyable game from Gust and Koei Tecmo. Even if you don’t get fully invested in the story, the adventuring alone is enough to keep you playing. A great alchemy system accompanies a fun battle system, all set in a world that’s a joy to explore – with a cast of characters that you’ll undoubtedly enjoy spending time with. If you’ve enjoyed Atelier games in the past, then you’ll love this one too.
Combining the deep and challenging combat FromSoftware is known for with a vast and varied world that’s always a pleasure to explore, Elden Ring is quite simply incredible.