GameSpew's Reviews
Cut from the very best cloth of open world games, Assassin’s Creed Valhalla is a pleasure from start to finish. Though overwhelming in its early hours, once you settle into Eivor’s shoes, exploring England is an exhilarating journey like no other. Try as you might to focus on the main missions, the lure of exploration is too strong, and you’ll find pleasure in every tiny discovery. Is this the best Assassin’s Creed game yet? That’s difficult to say – but it might just be. Especially if you enjoy the beauty of British countryside and the contrasting brutality of viking combat.
Still, with these minor annoyances aside, Visage goes far beyond cheap jump scares and will chill you to the bone if you give it half a chance. It might never completely shed its inspiration, but it spins it in enough clever (and unsettling) ways to keep you hooked. If you’re a fan of horror, you won’t regret stepping into Visage‘s suburban haunted house – even if your character might.
Still, back on point, if you haven’t already invested in Mortal Kombat 11, this Ultimate edition is a steal. For the price of the base game just over a year and a half ago you get the full package, which includes two great story campaigns, 37 customisable fighters and a whole lot more. Its combat might not be as fluid or enjoyable in action as the latest Street Fighter or Tekken, but it makes up for it elsewhere. As fighting games go, none are more generous than Mortal Kombat 11 Ultimate, especially when it comes to single-player content. None are gorier, either.
There’s nothing revolutionary in Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War. Nothing that screams “this is a must-buy”. But once again it’s a solid all-round package that has a little something for everybody – providing they like shooting in first-person. Its campaign is a nice little diversion with some exciting set-pieces and moments of thrilling stealth, while Zombies provides some solid fun when getting together with friends. And then there’s Multiplayer, which some will prefer over Modern Warfare‘s offerings and others will be less impressed with. Each element is far from extraordinary, but when all put together, it’s not a bad deal at all.
Ultimately, Hyrule Warriors: Age of Calamity is a treat for both Warriors fans and those who adore The Legend of Zelda series.
Undoubtedly, Overcooked! All You Can Eat is the best way to play Ghost Town Games’ excellent co-op party game. There’s a ridiculous amount of content here, and the new features make it a truly impressive package. It’s just a shame that it’s only available on PS5 and Xbox Series X/S, and there’s no discounted upgrade if you own any of the games on the previous generation. But if you’re lucky enough to have a next-gen console and want something to play with friends, you won’t be disappointed with this co-op extravaganza.
You’ll grind your teeth when you’re the last man on the moon, but the more you persist, the more Mars Horizon pulls you in. If you’ve got even the slightest interest in the Space Race, this is one of the most engaging ways to experience it.
It was a joy to visit Part Time UFO again outside of a smart phone. Being on Switch gives the game new life, and it’s more enjoyable than ever. Thanks to its varied levels and its ridiculously cute characters, you’ll come back to it again and again. Just don’t expect too much from its multiplayer mode.
But alongside the visual upgrades, improved gameplay mechanics and the somewhat budget price they are. Observer was a great game, and Observer: System Redux sees it further improved in every area. It’s just a shame that the PS5 and Xbox Series X versions haven’t been created equally. Still, if you’re after a comparably inexpensive game to show off what your next-gen console can do, it’s well worth picking up, especially on PS5 where it particularly shines thanks to its DualSense implementation. Though be warned: it’s not for the faint of heart.
FMV games are a little like Marmite; you either love them or hate them. But while others spin tales of murder mysteries, espionage or the end of the world, Five Dates is a grounded, human story about something we can all relate to: love. It’s simple, touching and heartening – and thanks to its excellent acting and low-key but on-point production, it’s a pleasure to experience. If you’re a softie at heart and love a good romance story, Five Dates will put a smile on your face.
Ultimately, The Pathless is somewhat an uneven experience. Its epic boss battles are thrilling, and the majority of its puzzles are enjoyable to solve. It’s just a shame that there’s so much aimless running around between all the fun. Even dashing around at full speed grows tiresome after a while. Providing some sense of direction may go against what The Pathless strives to be, but it would help make your time with the game feel less wasted, and more fulfilling.
Like almost all of The Sims 4‘s expansion packs, Snowy Escape adds plenty of content, making this a worthwhile addition to any collection. The new location of Mt. Komorebi might just be the prettiest yet, and seeing your Sims try (and often fail) at skiing and snowboarding is wonderful. The new Japanese-inspired furnishings are the cherry on top, allowing you to create homes in a completely new style. If you’re a regular Sims player, you won’t regret walking into this winter wonderland.
As far as quiz-based party games go, Family Feud is solid. It’s put together very well and manages to capture the feel of being on a gameshow better than most. It’s of course more fun if you have friends over, but it’s a welcome touch that you can play solo if you want. With the holidays just around the corner and family gatherings (hopefully) on the horizon, Family Feud is a worthwhile party game to add to your collection.
In terms of gameplay mechanics, there are undoubtedly better rhythm games out there than Kingdom Hearts: Melody of Memory. Being able to use any of three buttons just feels a bit slapdash. And as fantastic as the Kingdom Hearts’ soundtrack is, much of it doesn’t feel particularly suited to rhythm play. As such, you should probably think twice before jumping in if you’re simply after a new rhythm game. But if you’re a fan of the Kingdom Hearts franchise, its issues are easily overlooked, making it much more of an interesting prospect.
It’s a shame that Warhammer: Chaosbane hasn’t simply been given the Smart Delivery treatment on Xbox, or the equivalent on PS5, but if you haven’t yet added it to your library, the Slayer Edition is definitely the way to go. Performance has been dramatically improved despite the visuals also being markedly upgraded, and all the included content added since launch makes for an expansive affair that can easily eat up thirty-plus hours of your time. It’s not quite Diablo, but Warhammer: Chaosbane Slayer Edition makes for a worthy stand-in if you’ve exhausted everything there is to do in Sanctuary.
Sakuna: Of Rice and Ruin is more complex than one might expect, which is a pleasant surprise. The delicate and relaxing art of rice farming juxtaposed against the smooth and fast-paced combat makes this a unique but wholly engaging adventure. While combat can be a bit of slog until Sakuna has more abilities up her sleeve, it’s worth persevering with, because the result is a side-scrolling action title unlike no other.
Having been in possession of the game for just over 24 hours at the time of writing, we’ve still got a lot to see and do in Sackboy: A Big Adventure – we’ve only reached the second of its worlds so far. At this point though, we can safely say that we’ve thoroughly enjoyed every single minute of it – it’s gone above and beyond our expectations. It appears to be an immaculately made 3D platformer with huge amounts of charm. We’ll follow up with a full review once we’ve put considerably more time into it, but we think it’s safe to say that if you’re picking it up alongside your PS5, you’re going to be in for a very good time.
Perhaps I’ve been dismissive of Spider-Man: Miles Morales in calling it a standalone expansion, because while it may indeed be shorter than Insomniac’s first Spider-Man outing, it’s not just a simple continuation of the story designed to wring out a bit more moolah from your wallet. Think of it as a more focused sequel instead, as that’s what it actually feels like. It’s free of story bloat, and the gameplay has most definitely been expanded upon and improved. Plus, since when has an expansion looked so much nicer than the game it’s building upon? This is a timely release that demonstrates the power of the PS5 with style, and if you aren’t picking it up alongside your console, you’re simply doing things wrong.
If you’re a roller coaster aficionado, theme park sims don’t come much better than this. An incredible amount of work has gone into making Planet Coaster feel at home on console, and Frontier has done a commendable job of doing so without making sacrifices. It looks fantastic, performs admirably, and designing the park of your dreams has never been more enjoyable.
It’s a lovely looking game, but The Falconeer just doesn’t entertain like it should. From its repetitive missions to its story that you’ll quickly stop caring about, it fails to capture your attention in the long term, while occasional frustration in combat puts a bit of a downer on the gameplay.