GameSpew's Reviews
Like a scratched record, then, we end our review of Madden NFL 23 like we have the last few releases. That’s by saying that with its numerous incremental improvements, it’s the best Madden yet. But as ever, unless you’re an ardent fan who knows the series like the back of their hand, it’s an inessential purchase if you have last year’s offering. Or perhaps even the one before that. In terms of what’s actually new here, there’s very little. And even less of monumental value.
Like with any collection of retro games, if you have fond memories of playing what’s included here, you’re likely to enjoy Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles – The Cowabunga Collection more than those who don’t. And while there are some games here that are still enjoyable, there are others that we can’t imagine anyone genuinely having a fun time with. Still, as retro collections go, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles – The Cowabunga Collection is comprehensive, and you can’t fault that. Add in all the fan-pleasing extras and you have a collection that is sure to find an audience despite its shortcomings.
If you’re a fan of twin stick shooters, there’s a lot of fun to be had in Slaycation Paradise. It’s filled with humour, it looks great, but most importantly, it’s seriously satisfying to play. Laying waste to a horde of weird and wonderful enemies either with a weapon or an array of tower defences never gets old, and with the lure of a better weapon or a new upgrade always being dangled in front of you, there’s always a reason to keep on playing. It might not be the most relaxing vacation, but you won’t want to come home.
If you enjoyed 2020’s Destroy All Humans! remake and want more outrageous exploits with Crypto, you’ll be very happy with Destroy All Humans! 2 – Reprobed. It’s a continuation of the tried and tested gameplay – for better or worse – but with more weapons and bigger, more varied environments. We can’t help but wish that Crypto was treated to a new outing though, one with revised controls and mechanics. These remakes are entertaining enough, but with one foot in the past, Crypto just can’t fulfil his potential.
If you thrive when immersed in a rich narrative and like the idea of shaping the life of a youngster growing up on an unknown planet, then I Was a Teenage Exocolonist is for you. This narrative RPG may be slow-paced, and its narrative can get rather dark at times, but it’s excellently written and filled with heart. Add to that some truly stunning artwork, and you’ll be compelled to see exactly how this teenage exocolonist’s life turns out – time and time again.
Being a visual novel, Digimon Survive isn’t for everyone. For those with the patience for it though, we can’t help but recommend it. Whether you’re a fan of the Digimon franchise or not, there’s a thoroughly intriguing story here, backed up with attractive visuals, an enjoyable soundtrack, and some tense battles. This may be a departure for the series, but it’s paid off.
If you can overlook the network issues, Kirby’s Dream Buffet is a sweet little party game that will keep you coming back for more. It looks fantastic, and while its gameplay doesn’t offer much variety, it’s the sort of tried-and-tested multiplayer competition that never gets old. For its budget asking price of £13.49/$14.99, you can’t really ask for much more. Well, other than a more reliable online mode.
For a game all about building a crime syndicate, the fact that engaging in such activities feels so optional on the main path is a crime itself. It also won’t come as much surprise to Saints Row fans that this is just as scrappy as ever before. Still, it’s ridiculously enjoyable nonetheless.
Overall, Are You Smarter Than a 5th Grader is a charming quiz game based on a popular TV franchise. Its presentation is top-notch, though you may get bogged down in its unnecessary exposition if you’re the type of person who just wants to get straight on with the quizzing. Still, there’s a pleasant experience to be had here – and since it boasts almost 7,000 unique questions there’s dozens of hours of gameplay before you should even get a whiff of repetition.
No matter who you are, we challenge you to play Tinykin without a stupid grin on your face from start to finish. This is an utterly wholesome adventure game, packed with charm, clever ideas, puzzles and exploration. Heck, it even has a narrative twist to keep you on your toes. There’s so much to love here – we’re just sad it had to come to an end. Splashteam has absolutely blown it out of the teeny, tiny park, and we’d love more adventures with Milo in the future.
Overall though, there’s a hell of a lot to like about Midnight Fight Express. While it has a few issues that are likely to bring you out of the experience, the fluidity and brutality of the combat will win you over. This is a game that’s simply a joy to play for the most part, with some neat ideas and a beat-heavy soundtrack thrown in for good measure. If you want to beat up large numbers of goons while feeling like a badass, look no further.
Soul Hackers 2 is yet another stellar JRPG from Atlus. It may take many of its themes and gameplay elements from other JRPGs within the company’s umbrella, but it somehow still manages to feel unique thanks to its fresh setting and characters.
It’s safe to say that We Are OFK won’t be for everyone. As far as interactive narrative adventures go, it’s one of the most passive we’ve encountered, feeling more like an animated TV series than a video game. Add in characters that are difficult to get to know and dialogue that’s likely to grate, and you’ve got an experience that’s tough to recommend. Thankfully, the excellent music videos do offer some redemption, and if you stick with it, you’ll eventually warm to its colourful cast. However you feel about them though, you probably won’t have played anything else quite like this.
Thymesia may look like a Bloodborne rip-off, but give it a chance and you’ll find that it has some nifty ideas of its own.
If you’ve ever wondered what the combination of an extreme sports title and a third-person shooter would be like, Rollerdrome is the game for you. Its story might be a let-down, and some gameplay elements might not hit the mark as well as they should do, but on the whole this is a thoroughly original and entertaining affair. We hope we get to spend more time with Kara in the future, too, as there’s a lot of scope here for further violent high-octane antics.
Like the real thing, Way of the Hunter is a game that rewards patience and persistence. Yet since it doesn’t bog itself down with trying to provide the most realistic experience that’s possible, it’s quite possibly the most accessible hunting game on the market. It’s enjoyable, too, if you’re into this sort of thing, but a lack of polish will pull you out of it from time to time and possibly frustrate. Still, if you’re after a game that lets you wander through the outdoors and occasionally test your shooting skills, this is worth considering.
Arcade Paradise is something rather special. Its mixture of playful management sim and arcade gaming works incredibly well, and it’s all so nicely presented that you’ll easily forgive its few flaws. Whether you get swept up in keeping your laundrette and arcade running as well as possible, or whether you find yourself addicted to a particular arcade cabinet, you’re going to love your time here. And considering its bargain price, it really doesn’t get much better tan this.
For PC gamers who are fans of everything Marvel, or at least the friendly neighbourhood Spider-Man, this PC port of Marvel’s Spider-Man Remastered is pretty much essential. It’s as fun becoming Spider-Man today as it was back in 2018, with his web-slinging antics wonderfully brought to life. Factor in the enhanced performance and visuals, as well as the wealth of content, and you have one of the best superhero games ever made.
Cute but morbid, Cult of the Lamb quickly won us over with its varied gameplay and, many hours later, still has its hooks in us. It’s not very often that a game has you sacrificing new friends to a demon, but then Cult of the Lamb isn’t like anything else we’ve ever played. Its town building gameplay works seamlessly alongside its roguelite combat, both keeping you absorbed in their own ways. This is innovative indie gaming at its finest, and we can’t get enough.
As a game, Hindsight doesn’t fully deliver. Its interactions are clunky, inconsistent and occasionally annoying, detracting from what really matters here: the narrative. But that narrative alone is so poignant and beautifully told that it’s worth pushing through for. This isn’t a story that’s going to blow you away, excite you or even uplift you. Real, complex grief is a difficult subject to broach, but Hindsight deals with it masterfully. The raw human emotion captured here makes it worth the journey – and, just maybe, if you’re grieving yourself, it might validate some of your own emotions.