GameSpew's Reviews
Charon’s Staircase doesn’t exactly redefine the horror genre. It looks a bit rough, and its tried-and-tested gameplay doesn’t break any moulds. But the majority of its puzzles will keep you hooked, its story is interesting, and it absolutely nails creating a tense, horrifying atmosphere. That alone makes this a spooky adventure worth stepping into.
WRC Generations is a good rally game. A great one, even. But a lack of innovation and genuinely new content makes it the least essential entry in the series for some time. If you’re an ardent rally fan, by all means pick it up; you won’t be disappointed. At least not too much, anyway. But those with only a casual interest in the sport might want to stick with WRC 10 until this last official WRC effort from KT Racing goes on sale.
There’s very little joy to be found in playing Miraculous: Rise of the Sphinx, and that’s such a shame. For youngsters who love the series, the idea of getting to take control of their favourite cartoon superheroes should be an exciting one. And yet, all that they’re left with is a disappointing mess of a game, albeit one with some familiar characters. Young fans will probably still lap it up, because they don’t know any better. But lacklustre visuals, lazy design and perhaps the worst combat we’ve ever encountered in a video game really should not be considered good enough for the generation that holds our future.
For anyone that enjoys side-scrolling shooters, Warhammer 40,000: Shootas, Blood & Teef is well worth picking up. Even more so if you also like the world of Warhammer 40,000 or simply having a good laugh. While its campaign is short, it’s fun from beginning to end – and there’s a good chance you might go back for another playthrough or engage in some multiplayer action. Just maybe pick it up on a format other than Switch if you’re sensitive to performance issues.
Taiko no Tatsujin: Rhythm Festival is another solid entry into this bizarre but lovable drumming rhythm game. The 70 songs included within the game offer plenty of variety, but it’s a shame some of the best tracks are locked behind the Taiko Music Pass subscription. The multiplayer modes on offer are a welcome touch, but if you’re expecting more minigames like Drum ‘n’ Fun, you may be disappointed. This is more about the music, and we can’t really fault that.
That niggle aside though, we’re pleasantly surprised with Arkanoid: Eternal Battle. There have been many versions of Arkanoid (and other Breakout clones) over the years, but this might be one of our favourites. The Battle Royale format really does work, and the end-game boss mode is an unexpected but welcome twist. We’ll certainly be jumping back in again and again to chase those high scores.
It isn’t a bad game by any means, but Batora: Lost Haven doesn’t excel in any particular area, either. It’s a hodgepodge of tried-and-tested mechanics and ideas put together without any real flair, resulting in a game that can be enjoyable at times, but is often repetitive and dull.
Gas Station Simulator is a tough game to score. It’s deeply flawed, but it’s oh-so fun. The jankiness is part-and-parcel with the experience, but some progress-halting bugs will really sour you. Still, the act of manning your own gas station, getting stuck into the nitty-gritty and seeing your business flourish over time is incredibly satisfying. And those issues just aren’t enough to drag us away from the joy of serving our customers.
You can have some fun with Winter Games 2023, especially with its inclusion of curling, but on the whole it’s very disappointing. It’s a pity, because there really is a winter games-shaped hole in the market. Most players seeking wintery fun are perhaps better off jumping into Steep along with its Road to the Olympics expansion. But if you really love curling, Winter Games 2023 might be worth picking up at a steep discount.
For those who enjoyed Resident Evil Village and want to spend more time with it, perhaps also getting a hint as to where the series the heading next, the Winters’ Expansion should be considered a must-have. Shadows of Rose offers an enjoyable shot of true horror, Additional Orders invigorates Mercenaries mode with new life, and third-person mode gives players another way to experience two campaigns. For the modest asking price, why wouldn’t you want to make your copy of Resident Evil Village feel definitive?
All in all, Victoria 3 does a brilliant job of bringing this era of global politics alive. Its brilliant law systems create a truly enigmatic power struggle that will keep us playing for many hours to come. While there is a lack of flavour for some of the smaller nations and a handful of other problems that stop Victoria 3 being as good as it could be, there’s a vast myriad of strategies available to players, and many ways to plot out a successful campaign. And ultimately, that’s all that we want from a strategy game: the freedom to make credible choices.
Perhaps you could argue that the streets of Gotham feel a little empty at times, or that when facing off against a large number of enemies, the combat gets a little messy, but it’s hard to truly find fault with Gotham Knights.
Overall then, The Jackbox Party Pack 9 is a strong mix of titles, with a nice variety of all sorts of party games. Prefer something that will actually test your general knowledge? There’s Quixort. Want something completely random and silly? Go for Junktopia. Like the idea of pretending to be someone else? Opt for Roomerang. Add to the mix a wonderful presentation, plenty of humour and, of course, Cookie Masterson, and you’ve got one of the best Jackbox collections we’ve played in some time.
If you’re a PC gamer with a thirst for adventure, or you’re simply keen to finally check out the Uncharted series if you haven’t owned a PlayStation console, it’s definitely worth investing in Uncharted: Legacy of Thieves Collection. Uncharted 4: A Thief’s End may seem like a strange place to jump into the series but it works, while Uncharted: The Lost Legacy is pretty much worth the asking price alone as it’s such a well-rounded adventure. Sony continues its streak of putting out top-quality ports, and we’re here for them.
Ultimately, Nickelodeon Kart Racers 3: Slime Speedway is a competent karting game. It looks nice, there’s plenty of single player content, and it boasts a strong roster of characters and tracks. But did we need another game in the series? Could the new content and characters not simply be an expansion to the previous release? Questions we’ll never know the answer to. If you already own Nickelodeon Kart Racers 2, you’re not exactly getting a completely new experience. But if you’re new to the franchise and enjoy easy-going karting games, you likely won’t be disappointed with what is undoubtedly the best entry yet.
It’s safe to say that Them’s Fightin’ Herds subverted our expectations. It’s easy to look at it and think that it’s going to be a jokey affair, and while there is an air of playfulness about it, at its core is a solid, taut fighting system. Add in the genuinely unique story mode, and you have a fighting game that’s well worth your time and money, despite having a limited roster of fighters and uninspiring stages.
If you already own Persona 5 Royal on PS4, then, there might not be enough here to convince you to buy it again. It’s a more pleasant, nicer-looking experience, sure, but beyond that it’s exactly the same game. For newcomers though, it should be a no-brainer. One of the best RPGs of the last decade, perhaps of all-time, now looks and plays better then ever before. And while it hardly transforms the experience, the inclusion of a substantial amount of DLC sweetens the deal.
The marrying of Mario and Rabbids may still feel like a strange choice, even five years on from the first game, but Ubisoft and Nintendo have once again proved just how well this mash-up can work. Mario + Rabbids: Sparks of Hope does the impossible by making the oft-impenetrable tactical combat genre approachable – and a heck of a lot of fun. Combine that with gorgeous, colourful visuals and fun platforming and exploration, and you’ve got one of the Switch’s best games.
A Plague Tale: Requiem outdoes its predecessor in many ways. Its story, for example, manages to be even more engaging and touching, while numerous gameplay enhancements make it a deeper, more varied affair. It’s just a shame that its first quarter isn’t better paced, relying too much on you manipulating rats with light, and that its combat sections just aren’t fun at all. Add in a myriad of performance issues and bugs, and you have a game that somewhat squanders its phenomenal potential, but is still very much worth playing.
And so, while Airoheart takes some small steps to be its own thing, there’s nothing here that truly separates it from its inspirations. Is that such a bad thing? After all, A Link to the Past is over 30 years old now, but it’s still a beloved classic. Playing something so similar that it invokes that warm feeling of nostalgia is rather nice, in all honesty. Airoheart might not reinvent the wheel, but it doesn’t have to.