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Hot Wheels Unleashed 2: Turbocharged is a fun, nostalgic hit of fast-paced racing goodness that offers players a number of ways to have a good time. However, if you look a little closer, you can see that some of the game's paint is peeling due to the janky nature of its gameplay elements and its over-reliance on player speed rather than quality tracks. Hot Wheels Unleashed 2: Turbocharged is full of charm but fans of racing games may feel that this isn't enough for them to stick around and get turbocharged with Hot Wheels cars.
Hellboy Web of Wyrd isn't the worst video game adapted from comics I've played, but it certainly could've been better. Lance Reddick delivers a wonderful performance in what is one of his final roles. Similarly, the Hellboy universe is as tantalising in its grim dark fantasy as ever before. It too has some fun brawler combat with upgrades that will make or break your run. This should be a roguelike foray made in harmony with one of the punchiest and most unique adaptation spins we've ever seen. Instead, Web of Wyrd is never in pursuit of anything all that meaningful. Narrative threads aren't all that engaging. The Mike Mignola art-style charm only lingers, ruined by the repetitive level design and jaunts through the same narrow hallways and combat scenarios. Never invigorating itself, Web of Wyrd is another in a long line of IPs adapted into video games that is, at most, a damn shame.
Ghostrunner II slices through a neon-soaked cyberpunk world, offering blistering parkour and ninja combat. It may stumble mid-combo with changes to gameplay causing disruption to movement flow, as well as performance issues and ambitious yet awkward motorbike sequences. Yet, it remains a fun, if imperfect, action-packed journey, great for speedrunning.
Cities: Skylines II is a city-building experience of epic proportions, filled with complexity and creativity. Its immense ambition in city design is complemented by an intricate web of services and an intelligent population. It may stumble under the weight of technical performance and a few bugs but the series still continues to redefine urban strategy in games. Colossal Order have truly delivered a living, breathing, dynamic city management game.
Super Mario Bros. Wonder is yet another magnificent showing from Nintendo. To take a concept that's so well understood but still find new ways to impress is no easy feat. Yet Mario Wonder excels in this field thanks to incredibly dynamic gameplay, headlined by the imaginative amazement of the Wonder Flower. It's hard not to fall in love with this new release, a game that's packed to the brim with charm and zest.
All in all, Wizard with a Gun offers players a thrilling foray into a magical version of the Wild Wild West. While there's a lot to wrap your head around initially and the game does come with a steep learning curve, once you understand all the different crafting system, it's a sheer joy to play, no matter whether you're playing solo or with a friend. The fact that the game features procedurally generated maps adds greatly to the replay value of the stylish and satisfying experience that is Wizard with a Gun.
Endless Dungeon adds a few layers of strategy to the roguelike genre and it works well. Going in with a team and having turrets for support forces you to pool your advantages together to win. With different team combinations and turret placements, you can spend hours finding the perfect playstyle. There is a steep learning curve compared to other roguelikes and some glitches are present. Fortunately, none of that drags the experience down and you still have a solid roguelike that keeps you on your toes.
Marvel's Spider-Man 2 is an incredibly strong follow-up that really sets the standard when it comes to superhero games. Its story is heartfelt and delivered by a genuinely likable cast of characters, and when it comes to traversal and combat, you won't find a slicker experience out there. There's still simply no better feeling than web-swinging through New York City. With an open world full of fun distractions and a level of polish by Insomniac Games that is unrivalled, Marvel's Spider-Man 2 really will make your senses tingle in the best way possible.
Make no mistake, Forza Motorsport is a couch racer designed for a gamepad so people looking for a simulation experience need not apply. Overall, Turn 10 has got the job done, delivering a title that looks fantastic and is an enjoyable play. Unfortunately, Forza Motorsport lets itself down in a few areas, mainly the career mode which is very basic as well as (arguably) a focus on road cars which makes it feel more like a track day rather than a serious racer. Forza Motorsport is pretty good, it's just not yet at the level of its competitors, nor is it as fun as Forza Horizon which puts it in a very difficult position. It's just not different enough; even the menus are the same and so are the majority of the cars on offer. The online experience was a highlight, and will probably be the key part of the game that will keep me coming back for more.
Lords of the Fallen may be better than its predecessor in many regards, but it isn't quite worthy of standing among the genre giants yet. However, this isn't from a lack of trying. Excellent and varied biomes are on offer that are truly striking and immersive to be beheld to. There are quality improvements to make the experience smoother. Still, balancing for builds, boss fights… the whole gambit is a little all over the place so far. Consider this with some of the bugs currently experienced in-game and it's not quite smooth sailing yet. Hopefully, before long Lords can be patched into a state where it stands solidly amongst the genre giants.
Detective Pikachu Returns offers an interesting look into the world of Pokémon. While the actual crime-solving lacks depth, and dialogue cutscenes feature a bit of repetition, fans of the original 3DS game will surely find something to love in Detective Pikachu Returns. There are some witty scenes, and at times the game isn't afraid to poke fun at real-world aspects, like the Detective Pikachu movie. In addition to this, the simple deducting feature makes the game a good fit for younger players, or for parents wanting to play together with their kids.
Assassin's Creed Mirage might be a smaller experience than the mammoths that have preceded it, but that doesn't make it lesser. Clocking in at a decent 20-30 hours of streamlined gameplay and story, it's a great return to form to the stealth-focused days of Altair and Ezio. While the main missions could have used more variety, it's encouraging to see that Ubisoft hasn't forgotten the franchise's roots.
Just like any night market, one is never quite sure what will be on offer. Nimeko's Night Market is a spin on the cosy genre with a sure footing and loads of potential. With such an interesting cast of characters inhabiting the island and a nifty protagonist, the game is definitely a successful narrative life sim. Where Mineko's Night Market fails to sell itself is in the menial grind. The idea of constantly crafting until you're onto the next objective falls a little flat even when you are invested in helping Nikko find their way home. If cosy games make your heart swoon, then the time needed on this one will be worth the investment. If you aren't a fan of the grind, order in and save yourself a trip to Mineko's Night Market.
While it's sporting a new look and name, EA Sports FC 24 is a familiar and altogether solid entry in the juggernaut that is EA's annual soccer video game series. Picking up the controller for a quick session with mates feels as comfortable and natural as it ever has, with plenty of mechanical depth for hardcore football fanatics to obsess over. It's a shame that the glitches present at release can be match-ending, and placing microtransactions front-and-centre in a full-priced retail game always feels icky, but the sheer variety and quality of game modes on offer make up for these shortcomings for the most part. EA Sports FC 24 is a true celebration of the world's game, with plenty of content for longtime fans and newcomers alike.
Even though Nintendo has now come out with a modern Advance Wars game of its own, Wargroove 2 stands as more than a mere homage. With a grander scale and more units, Commanders, and other gameplay features than ever, Wargroove 2 is an excellent strategy experience. The new Conquest roguelike mode feels like a complete experience packed within an already feature-rich game. Even after the campaigns are over, the Conquest mode, missed optional objectives, and future custom content will ensure plenty of reasons to stick around. If you enjoyed Wargroove or Advance Wars and want another fantastic strategy offering, Wargroove 2 is not to be missed.
A surprisingly well-rounded package, Fate/Samurai Remnant has lots of ideas, and somehow makes them all work together well. It manages to satisfy both musuo-style combat aficionados and tactical strategy folk alike, with fast-paced slasher combat mixed with numerous abilities and an overarching territory control component that is deeper than it looks at first glance. The Fate history and lore can be a lot to take on board, and long stretches of dialogue feel like a burden to the pace of things, but an intriguing cast make this a solid entry point for newcomers with enough content to make long-time fans incredibly satisfied as well.
As a bachelor project, [I] Doesn't Exist certainly demonstrates the technical competency of its developers, but as a game in its own right, it doesn't particularly offer anything unique or worthwhile. Using parser controls to tell an unconventional narrative is an interesting concept, but the actual conversations to be had are vague, unhelpful, and don't tell a decipherable narrative. Check it out if you're jonesing for a hit of retro parser gameplay, but there's otherwise not much here that makes it stand out.
The Crackpet Show: Happy Tree Friends Edition succeeds in being a more immersive rogue-lite than others in the genre. You are encouraged to be strategic, taking risks for greater rewards or playing it safe to survive. It's also easy to find weapons that work when you match them with the right perk, meaning there are no terrible options. However, longer episodes can make the randomisation aspect more punishing, and a lack of healing makes the game very difficult. It's a big time investment but there's a lot of fun to be had if you are willing to spend the hours.
No two basketball games play out the same, and the same can be said for NBA 2K24's variety of modes and features. ProPlay was a welcome addition to the overall feel of the gameplay, adding an extra level of realism. Some modes work extremely well, like The W, and others like the career mode fizzle out, but overall the gameplay itself is great. Unfortunately, having microtransactions at what feels like every corner is a real letdown for something that otherwise has real potential.
The Expanse: A Telltale Series feels like a fairly decent return to form for Telltale Games after its temporary closure. As a fan of The Expanse, I can attest that this Telltale series represents the show, and the character of Camina Drummer in particular, very authentically, and it was a joy to return to that setting and explore it from a different perspective. Despite those positives as a fan, the series also suffers from feeling especially short, linear and low-stakes. While The Expanse: A Telltale Series certainly has its high points, diehard fans of The Expanse or Telltale Games' previous output are likely the only ones who would get much out of the experience.