GameSpew's Reviews
If you’re an RWBY fan, there’s a good chance you’ll enjoy RWBY: Arrowfell on the whole, despite some frustrations. We’d say it’s even accessible to newcomers, too, though they might be a little less enamoured with it due to not being familiar with the characters and the world they inhabit. It’s not a bad game by any means, but it soon gets repetitive – and oversights, like no minimap being available, introduce unnecessary frustration.
Somerville isn’t always the most enjoyable game to play, then. Its puzzles aren’t anything special, and they’re hampered by clunky controls. But what is special is Somerville‘s narrative and art design. The score, too, is excellent: we just wish there was more of it – too many scenes are simply too quiet. Even if we weren’t enamoured with the ending, Somerville‘s story is worth experiencing. It’s just a shame the gameplay is a little disappointing in comparison.
The goalpost may not have been particularly high, but Police Simulator: Patrol Officers is the best police sim game we’ve played. It’s far from perfect, but if you like the idea of dealing with petty crimes and road traffic accidents, there’s a good chance you’ll enjoy this. The detail-oriented approach will appeal to those who like to do things by the book, though others may find it laborious. But that’s the case with just about any simulation game, is it not?
Inertial Drift: Twilight Rivals Edition has all the same issues we had with the original release, such as poor options for those who want to race online, but thanks to the addition of another campaign and a selection of cars and tracks, those who loved it before are likely to love it even more. It’s those who have not yet played Inertial Drift that will perhaps get the most out of this new PS5 edition, however. A host of improvements mean it has never looked or played better on console.
Still, while Pentiment doesn’t make the best first impression, and the lack of music robs it of atmosphere and character, it’s well worth digging into if you’re a fan of well-written narrative adventures or games that require you to conduct investigations. You’ll soon come to love – or loathe – its cast of characters, and with plenty of fun puzzles to solve, minigames to engage in and meaningful choices to make, it’s rewarding in ways that other games in the same genre space rarely ever manage.
Horse Tales: Emerald Valley Ranch is a lovely-looking game. Its art style and open world freedom engaged us right from the off, like a horse-centric, combat-free Breath of the Wild. Except it doesn’t take long for its design flaws to rear their ugly head. It’s such a shame that the act of playing isn’t anywhere near as fun as it should be, thanks to poor controls and bad design choices. Still, if you really love horses, some of its flaws may be easier to overlook. The fact is that it’s still better than many other horse games out there.
Like any retro game collection, how much you get out of Atari 50: The Anniversary Celebration is largely limited by your appreciation of its games. There are a lot here, and it’s safe to say that the majority of them didn’t really hold our interest. There are some classics that remain very playable though, and some were worth returning to just for a hit of nostalgia. The real reason to pick this up, though, is its wealth of museum-like content, as well as its new, reimagined takes on some popular titles. They make this a retro collection like no other.
Bloody Ties isn’t likely to wow you in any way. As DLC goes, it’s very much inessential. But for just £7.99/$9.99, those wanting an excuse to return to Dying Light 2 might at least find it entertaining. The challenges will test your skills, while the cosmetics will allow you to further make Aiden your own. It’s just a shame that it very much feels like an extended side-quest, and that your hard-earned equipment is mostly rendered useless.
If you’ve played West of Loathing, you’ll know what to expect here: a delightfully silly narrative, excellent writing, and gameplay that’s far more engrossing than it has any right to be. But even if you’ve not, you can jump straight in and have a whale of a time. Video games should be about having fun, and Shadows Over Loathing captures that spirit perfectly. Joyful, captivating and surprisingly deep, you’ll love every moment you spend with it.
Yes, it’s very basic, but it does exactly what we expected it to do, in exactly the right fashion. And so in that sense, Save Room is a roaring success. It’s also dirt cheap. You might not have the patience to complete all 40 levels in one go, but if sorting and rotating objects is your jam, this is the game for you.
You’ll likely be done with Beasts of Maravilla Island in a couple of hours: it’s short and sweet. And while it might not be as good as the games we’ve compared it to, it’s still a pleasant and relaxing experience that we’ve enjoyed our time with. Some additional features – like photography grading – could have taken it to the next level, but as a budget release, we can’t complain too much.
Ultimately, we’re left a little conflicted with Bayonetta 3. This is the worst looking and performing Bayonetta yet, with a grander scale that both detracts and adds to the gameplay. We love the fact that we can finally take control of fearsome demons, for example, but we don’t like the fact that the camera struggles when fighting other gargantuan enemies. Add in some other frustrations, and you have a game that sometimes feel like the best the Bayonetta series has to offer, but other times the worst.
Should you buy Mount & Blade II: Bannerlord? If you’ve got the slightest taste for big battles or an interest in medieval conquest, absolutely. Don’t expect the depth of, say, Crusader Kings III, but for fans of medieval warfare this is a real winner.
If you enjoyed Escape Academy, Escape from Anti-Escape Island is an absolute no-brainer. This is a sizeable addition, adding in five new rooms filled with brand new, extra-challenging puzzles. Yes, some of them may frustrate you as you hunt for the solution – but that’s the whole point. Fighting your way off this tropical island from hell is incredibly satisfying, and we only hope Coin Crew Games has more expansions – or even a sequel – up its sleeve for the future.
Even as frustrating as some of A Little to the Left‘s more obscure puzzles can be, we still find ourselves going back to it, picking up a Daily Tidy or trying to figure out those last few solutions. Yes, there’s a big difference between the best and the worst puzzles here, but really, it doesn’t matter: you’ll revel in the good, and you’ll feel challenged by the ones whose solutions elude you. Coming from a two-person design studio, A Little to the Left is a breath of fresh air and exactly the sort of wholesome game we need more of.
Still, for Sonic fans, this is an entertaining adventure, with plenty of variety packed into its 20-hour running time. Chances are you’ll encounter plenty of frustrations while making your way through it, but when things are going right you’ll see that there’s great potential in this formula going forward. ‘Inconsistent’ is perhaps the best word to describe Sonic Frontiers: it’s a grab-bag full of ideas, all pulled off with varying degrees of quality. But there’s one thing for certain: it’s got a cracking soundtrack.
All we have is love for this God of War.
If you already own Football Manager 2022, then it likely isn’t worth upgrading to Football Manager 2023. The changes it boasts do make for a better experience, but it feels more like a slight quality-of-life update than a whole new game to replace what came before it. That said, this is undoubtedly still the best sports simulation game on the market. And if you’re looking to step into the world of Football Manager for the first time, or you’ve been away for several years, you won’t be disappointed.
Is Switch the best place to play It Takes Two? Probably not: it’s a beautiful game which truly deserves the power of a high-end PC or next-gen console to really shine. But that doesn’t mean that this isn’t a worthy port. If Switch is your only gaming format, or even if you simply want to enjoy it again, this time handheld, you’re going to be in for a treat.
The Chant is destined to become a cult hit, we think. Marrying traditional survival horror gameplay with a unique setting and spiritual themes, it feels fresh but familiar; how many other survival horror games find you fighting plant-like enemies and other monstrosities with incense sticks, oils and salt, after all? In addition to an intriguing story and solid mechanics, once you’ve set foot on Glory Island, you’ll be on the edge of your seat until you’ve reached a conclusion.