Checkpoint Gaming
HomepageCheckpoint Gaming's Reviews
Whilst Diablo IV could have done more to advance the genre or perfect its writing and tone across the entire experience, there’s no denying just how impactful this release is, especially for those of us who grew up alongside the series.
If you are a fan of horde-like games then Warhammer 40,000: Darktide will no doubt scratch that itch. Whilst the gameplay can become repetitive and the grind seems to offer little value at this stage, I cannot deny that I had a blast playing it with a group of friends. Some incredible “oh crap” moments occurred during combat when we were overrun by a horde of enemies and had to work together to stay alive. It’s moments like these that keep you coming back for more. As this is a games-as-a-service title, we expect many more improvements and features to be added with time to enhance the experience and features.
At the time of writing, I can happily say that Amazon’s new foray into the world of massively multiplayer role-playing is a tentative success.
Ape Out by Greg Cuzzillo is a fun fresh game that's too addictive for its own good. You'd be bananas not to give it a shot.
The devs updated almost every aspect of the game, most of which for the better, but I just can’t get over how the game handles scenarios. It feels like such a fantastic product structurally speaking but I’d be lying if I didn’t say my enjoyment wasn’t heavily impacted by long and frustrating decks
All in all, Inmates was not a bad game. It was incredibly well made, with a lot of work put into it. Despite my personal annoyances with the jump-scares and story elements, the scares were actually quite effective, and the story was consistent within its own lore. Everything made sense, everything wrapped up neatly, if a little clumsily, through dialogue. While this isn’t the kind of horror I appreciate, for the jump-scare lovers out there it might be a lot more engaging.
Fire Emblem Warriors is in no way a bad game, in fact it is a fair amount of fun, but as someone who has enjoyed both franchises previously I cannot understand who this game was aimed at or even why it came into existence. Preceding Warriors games have performed better and I can’t imagine anyone who is a fan of the Fire Emblem series will find much of what they love about the previous instalments. Fire Emblem Warriors is inoffensive at best and forgettable at worst and will have drifted from the combined consciousness of gamers in the near future
Hob creates a magical and wondrous world that adapts and changes thanks to your input. Watching the world shift around you and sometimes underneath you is awe-inspiring and magnificent. Seeing the fruits of your labour literally coming to life is one of Hob’s biggest selling points and makes the game worth playing by itself. The game’s art, world design and wordless narrative all come together to make a genuinely special experience. Some aspects of Hob’s gameplay and systems can hold it back from being truly unique and captivating, but it more than makes up for it through personality and liveliness alone.
For those who like to create and just want to wrestle without all of the extra noise, WWE 2K18 is still a decent romp – just don’t expect it to change the universe
Songbringer is a lot of fun, gameplay is quick and the world is fun to explore for the most part. It feels like it is created for multiple playthrough’s but once I made it through my second world I didn’t feel the need to go again. Had my first world not left me stuck, I may not have ever seen a second world. Fans of retro style indie games will find a space for this in their library, but again I can’t imagine even those fans going through the slog on a second world… and if they do it will be to just have a look at what else they could have ended up with.
I love the beast of a game that Creative Assembly has brought forth, but that doesn't mean that I can forgive its technical faults. I feel bad for loving it because it punishes me so hard for not being good. I don't like the idea of failing a campaign for a move I made 100 turns ago, but it compels me to try again until I master this strategy business
The Evil Within 2 left me exhausted by the time the credits rolled; like I’d survived an ordeal – and I have. It cleverly provides you with just enough motivation to keep pushing forward, even when the odds seem to be stacked against you. Some of the narrative beats fall a little flat but the mind-bending style is mesmerizing and its open world sections with memorable short stories make it one of the more distinctive survival horror games you can get your hands on
Assassin’s Creed Origins is the breath of fresh air that the franchise so desperately needed. It genuinely feels like Ubisoft took the time to really think about where the franchise was going and address the concerns that we’ve had over the last couple of versions. The combat is wonderful, the effort put into making Egypt feel authentic and interesting is everywhere you look and Bayek is a strong, emotional and sometimes flawed character that you truly root for.
Taking something so familiar and comforting and enhancing it in such a creative and fun way makes this not only the best Mario game I’ve ever experienced, but one of the best games I’ve ever had the pleasure of playing, period.
2K may have made a major mistake tuning the game towards microtransactions and the responses from fans is clear – they're not happy. 2K has made a grave mistake and taken a pricing model which was previously acceptable and turned it into gaming taboo. The difficulty this causes gameplay and advancement makes NBA 2K18 too grindy, and even the hardcore grinders who've banked hundreds of hours already are saying the struggle is real.
Combining cathartic Nazi-slaying violence with genuine poignancy, beautiful writing and moments of great humour. Wolfenstein II: The New Colossus is a game you should experience
Turn 10 have not failed in delivering us an absolutely stunning game. Forza Motorsport 7 is not only visually dynamic but offers up a fresh dose of simcade racing that’s accessible to all levels of gamers. I’ve greatly enjoyed my time racing and have often found myself lost in some odd moment of childhood glee as I drive a particular vehicle. I’ve also eagerly been going from race to race to continue unlocking more cars and suits for my driver, she’s got to look her best after all.
There is a chasm the size of middle-earth itself that separates the ingenuity of the game’s Nemesis system and the snorefest that is the game’s ‘point of interest’ system
Divinity Original Sin 2 is that perfect sequel, it knew what made the original great, understood its weaknesses and then went balls to the wall to attempt to make the best product possible. Without a doubt, Divinity Original Sin 2 is up there with some of the best games released this year, and up their with some of the best CRPGs ever released.
Dragon Quest Builders is as much RPG as it is a creation simulator, you’ll encounter many an enemy and creature from Dragon Quest lore in your quest to rebuild your town into Fort Knox.