Nexus Hub's Reviews
Olympic Games Tokyo 2020 is an accessible game with an impressive array of sporting events for all ages to enjoy. While it might not be the deep-dive some are looking for, it serves as an enjoyable title to pick up and play with friends or younger members of the household.
Bandai Namco have yet to really miss the mark when it comes to their trademark anime games, but Scarlet Nexus isn't exactly a massive step forward. Instead, it's a serviceable - if at times great - sidestep that brings little else to the table beyond gloriously flashy gameplay and smoking style.
Ultimately Mario Golf: Super Rush is a solid game but one that suffers from some missteps. The game’s ridiculous dashing between shots in speed golf levels isn’t as enjoyable as it should be. While battle golf is an absolute blast, the fairly straightforward and simple adventure mode might bore some gamers who lack the patience to get through challenges to progress.
Gorgeous visuals, a banger soundtrack, unique characters, solid fighting mechanics, and a solid online component all form a neat package ready to be devoured.
Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart not only exemplifies what the PS5 is capable of, but it's also everything that a video game should be: fun. The story has been masterfully crafted to engage with new audiences, as well as long-standing fans that have been with Ratchet and Clank through the past 19 years without having to beat the nostalgia-machine to death.
Mass Effect Legendary Edition is a classic trilogy completely revitalized and improved for new and old fans to experience. The vast number of technical improvements really gives it a fresh coat of paint, all the while tweaking and enhancing the gameplay fronts to make them superior to their originals in almost every way.
Resident Evil Village is the best game in the franchise since Resident Evil 4, and one of the best horror games I've ever played - a praise that I genuinely thought long and hard about. Very few games have given me the exhilarating rush, the well-choreographed scares, or the masterful immersion of this game. It's a powerhouse of the genre brimming with creativity thanks to spot-on art direction and a vast list of monsters from almost every corner of horror.
Overall, Nier Replicant is an excellent game that brings the fantastic world of Nier to the masses. The original game was a cult classic hidden gem and hopefully now that it’s far more accessible to far more gamers, it’ll achieve the success status it rightfully deserves.
As much as I can break down all the great things about Returnal, I think a simpler statement would be that this is the strongest candidate for Game of the Year so far for me. More importantly, is the addictiveness that is repetitive insistence in trying to conquer a challenge that has done nothing but beat you down. The joy and elation when you finally beat a section you have struggled with, or a boss that has given you your backside, is a feeling that is indescribable, and that is what Returnal is: indescribable.
Little Nightmares 2 is an absolutely brilliant puzzle platformer, with just enough creepy to keep you on the edge of your seat. An excellent step-up from their first outing, Tarsier Studios has created a phenomenal world, tackling incredibly adult concepts from the perspective of a child.
The Nioh Collection is a great bundle that offers truckloads of great content across both critically acclaimed Nioh titles, complete with all the bells and whistles you'd come to expect from remasters.
Werewolf: The Apocalypse – Earthblood might be fun during minute-to-minute gameplay, but it is seriously lacking in complexity when it comes to actual “role-playing”. If you’re after an experience akin to Vampire: The Masquerade – Bloodlines, you’ll have to hold out for its sequel.
As a linear, narrative-driven horror game, The Medium is easy to recommend – and a no-brainer if you have an Xbox Game Pass subscription – thanks to the balance of unsettling exploration, involved puzzles, a handful of terrifying encounters, and frequent narrative beats.
Hitman 3 is an excellent conclusion to the World of Assassination with insane amounts of replay value, especially if you have access to all the locations in the trilogy.
Cyberpunk 2077 is a grand-scaled, unique and unforgettable RPG, but sometimes for all the wrong reasons. It never quite scales the narrative heights of The Witcher 3, nor does it wholeheartedly lean into its role-playing elements all the time. Yet, it offers something truly special in the gaming world that few developers could pull off to this ambitious length.
Ubisoft Quebec has lovingly crafted a game I can finally be excited about as much as the Assassin's Creed folk. If Immortals Fenyx Rising is to become a franchise for Ubisoft, they can take it in any direction with a vast amount of mythologies to explore.
When you step away from the controller and really think about the cracks in its foundations, though, Godfall simply becomes another looter with a poor launch that can't seem to do much of anything right beyond being just fine. A terribly uninteresting story and a severe lack of content turns it into a game that will only provide you the bare minimum fun factor, and there's a lot better you can do with your time and money right now.
Devil May Cry 5 Special Edition just made my 2019 Game of the Year pick even better. Vergil is arguably now the best character to play in the game, with a playstyle that's fast, aggressive and super-stylish - and best of all, it contrasts beautifully with the core group of characters.
Sackboy: A Big Adventure is easily one of the most charming and delightful games of the year, and another knockout launch title for the PlayStation 5 - and that's saying something considering it has to compete with Astro's Playroom. The levels are all creatively designed and endearing, the customizable choices for Sackboy is reminiscent of LittleBigPlanet, and the music is top-notch.
Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War takes some getting used to. There are various bugs that will need to be patched, weapons, and equipment that need to be balanced, skill-based matchmaking tweaks to be done, spectator mode has some improvements to be made and there are occasional glitches on the Theatre Mode for older generation consoles, but all in all, Treyarch have delivered a smooth, enjoyable base game that should get better and better with updates.