Player2.net.au's Reviews
I’ve had a blast with Strange Brigade in single player. There’s just enough hook to keep you replaying levels for the secrets and puzzles you missed, and while the campaign tends to repeat notes across different scales, the act of killing nasty monsters never gets old. If you’ve pined for more Mercenaries modes these past few years, this will well and truly scratch that itch.
As a Mega Man game, this version stands tall. However, there is no escaping the fact the formula is starting to show its age. Tough, challenging platforming we have all seen before.
Barring a massive rethink from 2K in regards to their microtransaction focus, I think NBA 2K19 is the last NBA 2K game I will be excited for. It is clear the developers only see its consumers as a walking pile of cash so why would I willingly subscribe to that philosophy.
Red Faction: Guerrilla is a game that knows its place in life and owns it. A game so confident in its gimmick that nothing else in the game world matters. It was refreshing when it was released and it is still refreshing now. No heavy stories, no deep combat systems, just a man, his hammer and a giant playground waiting to be torn apart. Bliss.
Unravel Two will help you feel that fragile but precious thread once again. In its initial seven levels and numerous additional challenge stages, you will appreciate that delicate little piece of yarn. There will be moments when your instincts help you progress forward, and other times where you just need to feel the weight of that truss as it plummets onto the ground while you think of how to tackle that seemingly impossible challenge.
With ONRUSH, Codemasters has given arcade racing a shot in the arm. It has taken a tired genre and freshened it up by changing what the goal should be in a racing game. With the omission of standard races and the focus on teamwork this is a type of game that has never been seen before and should be a must but for anyone who gains even the slightest enjoyment from ultra speeds and vehicular mayhem.
If you want a quick pick up and put down 2D shooter and are happy to ignore the story then there’s definitely satisfaction to be found in Milanoir and although I played it on PC I feel like it would be most at home in its portable form on the Switch. You’ll get frustrated more than a few times with the controls and lack of direction but there are moments where you hit your stride in combat which can feel almost as cool as a 70’s action movie.
A beautifully told gothic tale with interesting skill systems and some fun combat is only let down by window dressing and a location that feels like a stage and not an actual city. Vampyr might not be the game of the year, but it is certainly going to be one of the most interesting titles we see in 2018 and, sales permitting, a title that will only get better in future sequels.
I can’t recommend a game that plays like this despite enjoying it for the most part – when it actually works.
Yoku’s Island Express is a one-off, and it needs to be – its ingenuity is perfectly contained on its own hole, and well worth the broadening of your gaming experience.
I warn you, no implore you, do not buy this game. Publishers don’t deserve to make a cent on a game that has clearly been rushed out to exploit a hole in the market, with no thought to actually making a good, working game. Sorry Tennis fans, the wait for a good game continues.
Overall, MachiaVillain starts off a slow burn, but once you find your nasty niche then things get really fun. With a wide variety of options to play with and explore, MachiaVillain promises more than a few hours of devilish fun.
By the standards that I was forced to endure in my youth, Chamber of Time is several leagues ahead of the rest and has some delightfully enjoyable moments and some well-thought-out RPG elements to personalise your experience. By the standards of either the exploration or brawler genres today, it just passes through to warrant a look and a dabble before you get back to more immersive titles in your gaming library.
What Spearhead has created is a piece of Storytelling art. The way the story weaves in and out through the main characters needs to be seen to be believed and this tale is backed up by rock-solid gameplay for the entirety of the game.
By all means, buy Warmind, you will probably have a good time. But know that all you are getting is more of the same and searching for something new will only leave you unsatisfied.
Dragon’s Crown Pro is a modern adaptation of old school gameplay that is graphically gorgeous and incredibly entertaining
If some side scrolling beat-em-up action is what you are craving, then Raging Justice will provide you with what you need. It is a good looking and fun way to pass the time and take out some aggression, and if you are finding the difficulty a bit too much for yourself, you can always bring in a friend to help you pound some thugs.
It is by no means a bad game but due to its lineage, its problems seem much greater than they should. I, without a doubt, enjoyed my time within the game, but at the same time, I felt it could have been just that bit better, that bit more refined. As a result, I was never hooked in the way that I was with Rise of the Tomb Raider and it left me feeling a little down. Shadow of the Tomb Raider is well worth playing and it is an entertaining game, it just isn't as good as it could have been and that is a giant shame.
Sonic Mania Plus makes me feel like I’ve played Sonic games all my life. I feel as though I’m being welcomed home with open arms despite me never having a strong connection to the series. Representing the very best that old-school platformers have to offer, Sonic Mania Plus is a wonderful experience for both newcomers and longtime fans.
So with The Crew 2, I am left a little split on my feelings. There is nothing in the game I can point at and say “that’s bad” but there is undeniably something missing, something lacking. It is a game I will probably play on and off in the future, dipping in for a quick blast of boating or off-road fun, but I don’t think I will sink any more serious time into. This is a polished game that looks great and basically does what it says on the box but still is somehow less than the sum of its parts.