GameSpew's Reviews
But as annoying as the decision to completely separate single player and multiplayer is, there’s no denying the actual gameplay of Torchlight III is a joy. It’s very polished; we’ve encountered a few hiccups, but nothing too frustrating – when passing through a portal, we’ve occasionally been taken back to the entrance of an area rather than where the portal opened, for example. But that’s about it. Very few – if any – Diablo-likes have been able to grab our attention like Torchlight III has. It’s the type of game that begs you to explore just one more area before turning it off; and when you succumb to the ‘quit game’ option, you’re already looking forward to being able to jump back in again.
It may be old-fashioned in its design, but The Uncertain: Light at the End has enough charm to see you through its five-or-so hour adventure.
Ben 10: Power Trip is a game squarely aimed at a younger audience, so don’t expect to find a challenging and deep experience. In our opinion, though, it absolutely nails it as a kids game. It offers an engaging story mode packed with fun and varied missions, as well as a big open world that’s ripe for exploring. Throw into the mix the well-voiced familiar characters, the range of skills offered up by Ben’s aliens and the wealth of side content, and you’ve got an excellent entry point into the genre of open-world adventures.
If you fondly remember the original titles and fancy reacquainting yourself, you’ll probably have a good time with Neighbours Back From Hell while it lasts. Newcomers might somewhat enjoy it too. But it’s quite forgettable once it’s over.
But overall, Inertial Drift is a satisfying arcade racer. Its scant multiplayer features mean that it’s best suited for those who like to play by themselves, but at least they’ll find a lot to get stuck into. And even better, its budget price means it won’t break the bank. If you like getting cars sideways and aren’t afraid of trying a new way of doing so, Inertial Drift is well worth investing in.
As far as karting games go, Nickelodeon Kart Racers 2: Grand Prix is one of the better entries in the genre. If you’ve played the first, you’ll appreciate the extra work that’s gone into making this a bigger and better sequel. Extra characters, improved visuals and a whole host of extra content are all very welcome. It’s just a shame that there’s still no real personality coming through from any of its included franchises. Still, if you want to play a fun racing game, solo or with friends, you can do a lot worse.
Let’s Sing Queen is what it is. It takes the tried and tested Let’s Sing formula and swamps it with a bevvy of popular Queen tracks. So, if you love Queen, and you enjoy a good sing-song, you’ll love Let’s Sing Queen. It’s as simple as that.
Like most tactical RPGs, there’s a lot to keep track of in Warsaw. If you’re new to the genre, it can be overwhelming; the game does have adjustable difficulty levels, but lowering the difficulty doesn’t change all that players have to pay attention to as they play. The story is well-written, but combat gets quickly repetitive as it contains no bosses, special events or anything to differentiate one battle from another. If you’re looking for a challenging tactics-based game, Warsaw is well worth a go. It’s just a shame that the excellent world-building takes something of a back seat.
I applaud Bithell Games’ efforts to make a classic card game something more. There’s no denying its presentation is compelling, even if the story may feel rather unnecessary. But regardless of how you feel about the over-the-top dramatics, there’s an excellent game at the core of The Solitaire Conspiracy. Its Countdown and Skirmish modes are something that players will find themselves going back to time and again – if only for a welcome change from Freecell or Spider Solitaire.
RIDE 4 is the best-looking bike-based racing game yet, and the visuals are backed-up by handling and physics that have been noticeably fine-tuned. This is about as good as it gets for those who like donning virtual leather and tearing up a track on just two wheels, providing they’re not too fussed about human competition.
So, Star Wars: Squadrons is yet another sign that EA can do good – actually, scratch that – great things with the Star Wars licence. It’s not the biggest game in the world but its price reflects that. And besides, with a core so strong, it doesn’t really matter. Once you’re done with Star Wars: Squadrons‘ truly enjoyable single-player campaign, there’s tens of hours of fun to be had in multiplayer if you’ve ever wanted to jump into the cockpit of a Y-Wing, A-Wing, TIE Interceptor and more.
But it is a beautiful-looking game, and fans of the series will undoubtedly get a serious kick out of being back in control of Crash – even if they will need god-like patience for some of the game’s more trying sections. Its extra content is a let-down though, and the full RRP for a game that most players will be done with in around eight hours leaves a big question mark over whether Crash Bandicoot 4 is a worthwhile purchase. Ultimately, it comes down to how strongly you feel about the franchise.
Clever puzzles, a decent story and beautiful pixel graphics make up Alwa’s Legacy‘s strengths. But there’s little here that makes it stand out from a sea of more superior games in the genre. If you enjoy classic Metroidvania-style platforming, Alwa’s Legacy is worth a play – but don’t expect an experience that will blow you away.
Perhaps Nexomon: Extinction will always live in the shadows of the Pokémon series, but it has enough of its own personality to stand on its own two feet. Its world is beautiful, its story is humorous and captivating, and its budget price makes it an absolute steal. When you’re done with the Kanto and Galar regions and everything in between, you might find the world of Nexomon surprisingly charming.
Ultimately, The Walking Dead: Onslaught feels like a VR version of The Walking Dead: Survival Instinct, 2013’s mediocre first person shooter, also a Daryl-centric experience. There’s fun to be had if you experience it in small bites, but it’s so grind-heavy, repetitive and limited in scope that even if you’re a die-hard fan of the show, it’s barely worth sinking your teeth into.
Even with its faults, Mafia: Definitive Edition is a fantastic remake of the original game. Its story is as engrossing as ever, tempting you to play just one more chapter before hitting that quit button. And while the gameplay isn’t perfect, it’s solid enough to keep you entertained.
There’s a lot of layers to Port Royale 4. Its gameplay is impressively deep, and to truly succeed at it, you need to excel at multitasking and strategising. Like any sim game, it’s not something that just anybody is going to enjoy. But if you are a fan of deep simulation games, there’s a lot to love here.
But Trollhunters lacks the polish and finesse of Shantae. Like the majority of TV or movie tie-in games, it ultimately feels a bit soulless and hollow.
On the whole, Super Mario 3D All-Stars is a decent collection. It doesn’t try to impress with extra features or fancy padding; it simply puts three games from the past in a simple collection for old fans to enjoy.
Is Serious Sam 4 the best game in the series yet? Quite possibly. I still prefer the Egyptian setting of Serious Sam: The First Encounter, but the action found in Serious Sam 4 is unrivalled. Trudging through city streets in the early hours of the game can be uninspiring at times, but it’s never dull.