GameSpew's Reviews
Habroxia 2 is very much worth any shoot ’em up fans’ time and money. The gameplay is on point, and that is largely all that matters. Throw in some nifty unlockable modes and a bucketload of upgrades to unlock, and you have a game that offers serious old-school thrills along with some modern-day flair.
If you’re expecting a full-on tactical adventure, then you won’t find it here. But if you’re keen to sink into an engaging visual novel, Re:ZERO -Starting Life in Another World- The Prophecy of the Throne has plenty to offer. Its story is wholly original and engaging, if a little long-winded at times, but it’s brought to life with gorgeous animation and wonderful characterisation. It’s a shame there aren’t more gameplay sections, but what’s here is enjoyable enough.
With a running time of five hours or less, Silver Chains provides an evening’s worth of entertainment for those seeking ample scares and little more. That is to say that it’s enjoyable, but not exactly rememberable. It stands out as one of the best indie-developed post-P.T. horrors, but as the credits roll you’ll still be lamenting the loss of Kojima’s potential horror masterpiece. At least Silver Chains is a complete game, however, available at a price that won’t send shivers down your spine.
Disjunction doesn’t lean into cyberpunk quite as heavily as games like Cyberpunk 2077 or The Red Strings Club, but there’s enough sneaking and slaughter to keep you engrossed until the bitter end. It also warrants another playthrough where you force yourself to use stealth, meaning you’ll easily be getting your money’s worth out of this futuristic outing. Throw in a superb soundtrack that’s pure Blade Runner, and you won’t regret plugging into Disjunction.
One of the first games of 2021 I’ve sank my teeth into, Olija certainly has set the bar high.
I think my co-op partner said it best: “I hate it, but I want to play more of it”. Bonkies can be infuriating and difficult, but it’s also hysterical and a lot of fun, especially if you’re playing with friends. If you’re looking for a new couch co-op title to play that’ll encourage you to work together and exercise your brain matter, Bonkies is well worth a try.
For the most part I’ve found Gods Will Fall to be an enjoyable experience despite some frustrations. Many of its gods are ugly but it has a charming art style otherwise, while a sinister soundtrack perfectly sets the tone. And while the combat could do with some tweaking to make your bigger warriors feel more useful, it’s generally fair and fun. So, if you’re into rogue-likes and want a game that tries something new with the formula, you could do far worse than attempt to lead your band of warriors to success in Gods Will Fall.
The Medium isn’t a bad game by any stretch of the imagination – it’s just nothing special.
TOHU is set in a beautiful world begging to be explored, with an adorable protagonist that we should be dying to learn more about. But its frustratingly difficult puzzles and the fact most players are going to have to rely on the built-in hint system quickly sucks any joy out of playing. Unless you’re a hardcore adventure game fan with the patience of a saint, you’re unlikely to enjoy your time with TOHU. The rest of us are better off basking in the beauty of its screenshots like they’re works of art.
If you fondly remember any of the Turrican games and long to play them once again, you’d be wise to consider Turrican Flashback a must-have. All of the games in this collection retain their original charm, but are made more playable thanks to revamped control schemes and additional features. It’s not the most generous of offerings when it comes to extras, sure, but when buying just one of these games second-hand costs more than this entire collection, who cares?
If you have a PS5 or Xbox Series X, there’s never been a better time to play RIDE 4. It’s a challenging racer that may drive you up the wall at times, but it’s so rewarding when you finally tame the bikes in your garage and start being able to truly compete. It’s just a shame that, since its last-gen launch last October, nothing has been done to bolster its online offerings or make it a little bit easier for new players to get onboard. Still, the best bike-based racing game has assuredly just got better. If you love bikes, you need RIDE 4; it’s as simple as that.
Chances are we aren’t going to be placed in control of Agent 47 again; at least for a fair while, anyway. But with Hitman 3, IO Interactive has at least made sure he’s had a worthy send-off.
Eldrador Creatures is good fun for any age, whether you enjoy a simple strategy game or are just starting out in the genre. The watered-down tactics aren’t going to appeal to veterans of the genre, but for younger players, it strikes a good balance between being fun to play and simple to learn. It helps that it’s nice to look at too, and if you’re familiar with the range of toys, you’ll get a kick out of seeing your favourite figures come to life.
With no real new modes or features, however, casual players may want to think twice before splashing the cash, especially if they own last year’s MXGP 2019. It’s about time Milestone at least injected more depth into the career mode, as the series is becoming a little stale.
Ultimately, Scott Pilgrim vs. The World: The Game – Complete Edition requires a bit of legwork to get the best out of it. It’s worth it though, especially when you also take into consideration the game’s wonderful animation and kick-ass soundtrack. The additional characters and modes brought into the fold make it excellent value for money, too. So, whether you’re a devout Scott Pilgrim fan, or seeking out yet another side-scrolling beat ’em up to add to your collection, you’d be wise to give it a go.
Onee Chanbara Origin is what it is: a remake of a couple of simple and repetitive action games that largely rely on titillation and buckets of gore to keep players’ eyes glued to the screen. Dig beneath its shallow exterior, however, and you’ll find a combat system that’s surprisingly rewarding when the camera isn’t working against you. It’s just a shame that there’s not much content to it. It’s hard to recommend Onee Chanbara Origin at its full price unless you’re really keen to hack and slash zombies as a bikini-clad badass. When that price drops a little, though, it’s worth jumping on if action games are your thing.
Jurassic World Aftermath dearly wants to be Alien: Isolation with dinosaurs. It does benefit from being in-your-face, and there are a few scary scripted moments. But for all the velociraptors it throws at you, it’s a disappointingly toothless experience. You’re best off sticking to the movies and giving this one a miss.
Available on pretty much all formats including next-gen consoles at a budget price, there’s lots to like about Override 2: Super Mech League. The core of it is basic but solid. Ultimately, though, it’s let down by League mode which becomes a repetitive slog way too quickly. It’s also disappointing that you can’t easily party up with friends in any mode other than Versus, where you’re stuck fighting against each other or the CPU. If you find solace in repetition, or have a group of friends that regularly get together and would enjoy some mech-based mayhem, definitely consider picking it up. Otherwise, you might want to give it a miss and see if it’s improved further down the line.
If you’re expecting a great evolution to the series, you might be a little disappointed with what Borderlands 3 brings to the table. But if you’re happy to jump into more of the same, albeit on a greater scale, you’ll find a lot to love here. And on the new generation of consoles, Borderlands 3 shines better than ever. Playing at 60fps with up to 4K resolution really makes a world of difference; Borderlands 3 has never been more of a pleasure to shoot your way through. So, if you’ve not yet picked it up or it’s been sitting in your pile of shame and you’ve been lucky enough to grab a next-gen console, seriously consider paying it some attention.
Ultimately, Airborne Kingdom will keep you engrossed for a few hours, but it runs out of steam before it can reach the lofty heights it aspires to.