GameSpew's Reviews
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.
Bugsnax is a joyful, lovely experience from start to finish.
Devil May Cry 5 Special Edition is the ultimate version of Devil May Cry 5. Including all of the additional content released for the original version and more, it makes a great game even better, it’s as simple as that. It’s a shame that ray tracing comes at such a cost when playing at 4K, but it still looks glorious without it, and if you want to make use of Turbo or Legendary Dark Knight Modes they can’t be used in conjunction with it anyway. The real draw for most, though, will be the chance to once again take control of Vergil, and he doesn’t disappoint. If you’ve been itching for more of the high-octane action that only the Devil May Cry series provides, you’d be mad to let Devil May Cry 5 Special Edition pass you by.
If you fondly remember Need for Speed: Hot Pursuit from back in the day and fancy another crack at it, this remaster won’t disappoint one bit.
If you’re a music lover, there’s a lot to love here. FUSER looks great, its track list has something for everyone, and its gameplay is a hell of a lot of fun. I guarantee you will not be able to keep your feet still as you drop your mixes together.
So, if you’re looking for an engaging but relaxing puzzle game that you can unwind with, you can’t go far wrong with TENS!. It packs in plenty of single-player content, and its multiplayer offering is a lot of fun if you have someone to play it with. It looks great too, brought to life with bright colours and cute characters. A game that we can while away the hours with, without ever getting frustrated, is something we all need in our lives right now.
There’s a lot to love about Chicken Police. Clawville is such a unique city and I wish I could spend more time there getting to know its history and its residents. Sonny is a dark but quirky protagonist and he’s a pleasure to step into the shoes of. It’s a mature title with violence and cursing, however, so don’t let the cute animals fool you. If you’re looking for a engaging detective story with a very distinctive flavour, Chicken Police should be the top of your list.
Ultimately, despite all the changes that have been made, Yakuza: Like a Dragon feels very much like a Yakuza game. The combat may now be turn-based, and the scenery might be different, but this is still a game full of drama, thrilling battles, and a huge amount of side content, all smothered with an ample amount of humour. And I never thought I’d say this, but I didn’t miss Kazuma Kiryu one jot while playing it; Ichiban Kasuga is simply a more likeable fellow with more depth. So, if you like the Yakuza series, consider Yakuza: Like a Dragon a must-have.
I’ve loved all three Watch Dogs games, but Watch Dogs Legion may be my favourite. Perhaps it’s the familiarity of London, or perhaps it’s the unique joy of being able to take control of pretty much any character you want. There’s so much to see and do; the amount of character and life breathed into the city is unrivalled by pretty much any other open world game.
Kosmokrats is only ever a few steps away from infuriating, and if you’re to get the best out of this puzzler, you’ll need a lot of patience.
Pikmin 3 Deluxe is a wonderful adventure, and even if you’ve fond memories of the game on Wii U, the new content makes it well worth returning to. While some issues that have shown up in previous titles are still present here, there’s nothing that ruins the fun of commanding your little army of Pikmin. Whether you’re a fan of the series or picking it up for the first time, there’s a lot to love here. With its extra content, co-op play and some truly excellent boss encounters, Pikmin 3 Deluxe might just be the best in the series.
If you’re a fan of Bakugan, there’s no doubt you’ll get a kick out of Bakugan: Champions of Vestroia. It’s a great-looking game, and seeing those huge beasties in battle for the first time is quite a thrill. But the game’s dull and repetitive combat quickly loses its excitement, and the fact you’ll be looking forward to completing a mindless side quest simply to get a reprieve surely tells you all you need to know.
DIRT 5 is one of the most joy-inducing racing games of this generation. Nothing quite compares to hurtling around a muddy track in an exotic locale, using the handbrake to get the back end out around sharp corners and trading paint with opponents as you fight for positions, all while navigating bumps and breath-taking jumps. The dirt being thrown up by tyres realistically accumulating on your vehicle until it’s a mess only adds to spectacle of it all. This is a showy game, but one that also has perfectly-honed physics, making it challenging but accessible to all. And while some of that magic is lost when you make your way into Playgrounds, the sheer creativity it offers is more than enough compensation.
Still, if you’re a massive Cobra Kai fan, you’ll find enough good here for it to provide you with some hours of entertainment. It’s just not quite the game that it could have been. Thanks to Streets of Rage 4, the side-scrolling beat ’em up bar has been raised this year, and while Cobra Kai: The Karate Kid Saga Continues is a fuller, more feature-packed entry in the genre, its core gameplay isn’t quite up to scratch. Maybe it’ll get patched and fulfil its potential? Until then, it’s an experience that most will find annoyingly mediocre.
So, Pacer is an accomplished anti-gravity racer, no doubt. But it falls short of being great due to its ho-hum campaign mode and the restrictive nature of some of its tracks. If you’re looking for a worthy Wipeout replacement on PC you’d be wise to give it a go; and while it pales in comparison to Wipeout Omega Collection on PS4, if you’ve played that title to death this will entertain you for decent amount of time. A Wipeout beater it is not, but it’s a fair contender.
The second entry into The Dark Pictures Anthology is an improvement over the first. As much as we enjoyed Man of Medan, Little Hope ups the ante in just about every way.
Monster Prom 2: Monster Camp feels like a huge continuation of the first game. If you enjoyed the first, then it goes without saying that you’ll get a kick out of this sequel, too. It’s wacky, fun, violent, hilarious and a whole host of other awesome things. The dialogue is as brilliant as ever and includes topical references to today’s pop culture. The characters are charming, weird, sexy and adorable – and you can’t help but love them. Finding a date to the meteor shower is a challenge, but when you do eventually watch those flying space rocks hurtling through the sky, you’ll be happy you’ve got your chosen monster by your side.
But as long as you know what you’re getting yourself into with Ghostrunner, it might just prove to be your favourite game of the year. It’s certainly the most action-packed and exciting. It absorbs you in a world that’s dripping with atmosphere thanks to its stellar visuals, and its pumping soundtrack makes you uncontrollably tap your feet. The gameplay, though, is what will ultimately make you love it. It might take a few attempts, but when you finally clear a room of enemies in one continuous motion as if it was choreographed for a blockbuster movie, you can’t help but feel a great sense of accomplishment and awe. And Ghostrunner has so many of these moments that you can’t help but love it.
As a turn-based strategy game primarily aimed at kids, its hard not to view Transformers: Battlegrounds as anything other than a success. It’s streamlined, but not so much so that older Transformers fans won’t be able get a kick out of the action, especially if they crank up the difficulty. And while its presentation isn’t the best, it’s bold and colourful enough to excite its target market.
Supraland pushes boundaries to try to create something unique, and for the most part, it succeeds with gusto. It’s a game where you really feel like you’re exploring someone’s imagination; a hodgepodge of wonderful ideas that combine together well to create a delightful experience. Its combat may feel superfluous, but its excellent puzzle design and beautiful world more than makes up for it.