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Cyber Shadow is one of those rare retro-inspired titles that does not pale in comparison to its references or feel like a cheap knock off. Pretty much everything about Cyber Shadow is on point and executed flawlessly. From the visuals, to the sound, to the precise and responsive gameplay. The game gets the difficulty balance right the majority of the time. It’s tough enough to be challenging but rarely hard enough to be considered unfair. The addition of well-placed checkpoints and infinite lives definitely make the challenge more palatable than its ancestors. It is a really solid action platformer and a really good game that deserves some play.
Atelier Ryza 2: Lost Legends and The Secret Fairy will not be for the average gamer but will undoubtedly be a great 20-30 hour adventure for series veterans.
Alba: A Wildlife Adventure was a joy to play. When I first picked it up I was planning to only play about half an hour, but I was so hooked that I ended up finishing it in one sitting. During times of stress, a game like this is perfect with its friendly world and characters, alongside a very zen gameplay loop that will keep you snapping photos of the elusive Great Tit for hours. I didn’t expect to enjoy it as much as I did, but it happened to be exactly what I needed. I hope it can be that game for someone else too.
Hitman 3 is a beautiful, wonderful and exceptionally well-made game that I’m so glad exists. IO Interactive have created something simply amazing that should be lauded for being right up there with the smartest design in the industry. Now, more than ever, their future is looking bright and exciting.
If you played the original release to bits and have sorely been missing its absence, this rerelease will be everything you wanted. For those of you like me who perhaps have let your nostalgia for it run away with you, it’s still a good game – but it’s no masterpiece, especially for those who are not fans of old-school beat-em-ups. It’s a little dated now since games like Streets of Rage 4 have raised the bar for the genre, but Scott Pilgrim vs. The World: The Game – Complete Edition is still a fun, nostalgic title that’s great to play with friends.
There’s plenty to love and adore out of the game’s design and it is a very good game. However, with its dare to experiment, it could leave fiercely loyal fans a bit disappointed.
Cyberpunk 2077 is an exciting game. It’s very easy to put a huge and ambitious title like this under a microscope and point out all the ways it could be better. But at the end of the day, I enjoyed my time with the game and found some parts that I really did love. I can’t help but feel that if Cyberpunk 2077 was a more focussed game that didn’t try to do so much it could have been a better experience that was more achievable for the developers. Although in its current state there’s no denying that some elements work better than others. Ultimately though there’s no regrets in checking out Night City. If you have a powerful PC that can run the game comfortably then I have no problems recommending this daunting yet engaging experience.
Chronos: Before the Ashes is not a bad game. It just feels like, by transitioning out of VR, it may have lost some of its original polish. It’s got plenty of smart ideas in its gameplay and world design. But apart from its aging mechanic, it felt like Chronos wasn’t doing anything that other games haven’t already done – and done better.
At the very least, Orwell’s Animal Farm made me want to read the original book after a decade of resenting its inclusion in my high school curriculum. I can see what the game was trying to do, and I had a passing amount of fun with it, but it’s just not engaging enough to play for more than a few hours. I can recommend Orwell’s Animal Farm only as a curiosity for fans of the novel.
Unto The End is a beautiful and brutal journey that has clearly been crafted with a lot of heart. It presents an unapologetically skill-based combat experience with wordless narrative in a savage, hostile world. While its gameplay outside combat can be a little clunky and its high difficulty restricts its appeal to players with lots of patience and coordination, those looking for a unique and challenging 2D adventure will be well satisfied with Unto The End.
Sam & Max Save The World Remastered looks damn good whilst being charming and super fun to play. For those who love a smart point and click narrative that is super chill and doesn’t take itself one bit seriously, this one has your name all over it!
Call of the Sea is a charming adventure that immediately hooks you through its period-appropriate mystery, that slowly builds intrigue and excitement. The various puzzles you encounter along the way are thoroughly engaging, while at the same time offering enough of a challenge to not be too easy or annoying.
The unique mix of party-based RPG gameplay and Metroidvania style levels introduces a strangely enchanting combination. The hundred-strong roster of monsters is distinct with diverse skills and fantastic pixel art that compliment the outstanding environments they roam around. There are still a few changes needed to the combat systems, and some of the level design is sadly disappointing, yet the fascinating world of creatures gets its hooks deep with almost 30 hours of potential gameplay.
Whilst not a true tragedy, Twin Mirror didn’t live up to expectations in my book. The visual and auditory style of DONTNOD is fantastic, and the way it ties into the gameplay is nice. However, it doesn’t stack up to its peers both inside and outside the developer’s library. The magical realism is a bit confusing and lacking in context and the eleventh hour save doesn’t pull it above criticism. A mystery existed but there just wasn’t enough meat on that bone. I can see this game aging well for me, as I remember only the nice parts and filter out the bad stuff. But as it stands, as I write this review, there is just too much of a gap between me and unqualified praise to be able to give it a proper stamp of approval.
Puyo Puyo Tetris 2 will go down in my personal history as one of the surprise obsessions I found in gaming. I’m not too much of one for anime and their tropes in storytelling. I don’t like when games try to make a campaign out of a mechanic or system that doesn’t justify it. Hell, I don’t even like my puzzle games being all that hard. Still, this game has stayed with me even after rolling credits and trying out all its current modes on offer.
It is kind of a tough sell to hardcore Worms fans, but it ultimately works quite well. Worms Rumble is a more fast-paced variety of Battle Royale, with a Deathmatch mode thrown in for those who want a more conventional multiplayer experience. The experience is quite a lot of fun, at least for a few hours until the repetition sets in.
It won’t really make any game of the year lists, but that doesn’t mean that Haven should be forgotten. If anything, it’s the game I’ve played in 2020 that without a doubt has the most heart in its writing and characters. That’s saying a lot, considering some of the heavy hitters to come out this year.
Fitness Boxing 2... presents a finely tuned and engaging workout regimen with clear goals and excellent feedback on progress. With its cast of annoyingly optimistic virtual instructors to spur you on through intense, demanding, and varied exercises, as well as a wealth of unlockables to inspire the budding achievement hunter, Fitness Boxing 2 provides a high quality niche experience that’ll have you jabbing, weaving, and blocking like a sweaty Rocky Balboa.
The way Empire of Sin combines diplomacy, turn-based combat, and narrative gameplay mechanics is incredibly ambitious. While there’s plenty to keep you engaged, the format doesn’t always work, and sometimes it’s easy to be overwhelmed by the sheer volume of stats and missions. Even though the game has its shortcomings, its atmosphere, characters, and environment are fantastic. And if you decide to persevere, there’s plenty to love in Empire of Sin.
It’s genuinely thrilling to see a game like Immortals Fenyx Rising, which has taken the often discussed and sometimes criticised Ubisoft open world, and taken full advantage of it, with a light-hearted tone and so much charisma from its cast and script that it’s impossible not to crack a smile when playing.