In summary, Beyond Blue captures the sense of adventure via exploring the depths of the ocean better than any marine themed game that I’ve played. The sense of scale, detail and realism is such an incredible feat. Other than the exploration, I also enjoyed the aspects of the game spent with Mirai within her submarine, but I wished that this part of the game had been expanded further to help pad the game out a little more. E-Line Media has accomplished their goal of creating a beautifully engaging game, whilst also acting as an educational tool with the compelling Ocean Insight documentaries. If you have any interest in nature, in particular marine wildlife, then there is no better game than Beyond Blue.
I had high expectations for the Final Fantasy VII Remake due to the hype around the game when it was first revealed. I’m happy to say that my expectations were met and then some. I loved every second I had with this game (niggles aside) and was engrossed in its world and its story. The characters are a joy to spend time with and I was with them every step of the way. There were twists I didn’t expect and moments that just had me smiling more than I had in a game for years. As someone who hasn’t played the original, I’m not sure how the Final Fantasy VII fans will feel about its changed story, or how different it plays, but to anyone who is looking for a great JRPG to play then look no further than this.
There’s very little to complain about with The Legend of Heroes: Trails of Cold Steel III on the Switch, it’s an incredible port of a fantastic game. If you don’t mind the odd fuzzy visuals due to a lower-than-native resolution of the display it’s being played on, the Switch port is the perfect place to play this fascinating JRPG, a game which will easily occupy you for over 100 hours if you’re going for a full 100% completion and around 50 if you just care for the story. Despite having no switch-specific features or extras, you do get a bunch of cosmetic DLCs to dress up all the protagonists – making the cutscenes much more entertaining and surreal.
Brigandine: The Legend of Runersia breathes life into a genre that still struggles to be noticed. The revitalisation of this genre is by bringing the tried and true perfected tactical RPG magic from the ’90s into a new and shapely 2020 title. With its replayability, huge depths of strategy, and vast mechanics, Brigandine is not a Switch title you want to pass up.
The Last of Us Part II combines a brilliant overall narrative with the best visuals and physics we’ve seen this entire generation. Despite what you may think about the actual story and the events which occur, the entire experience is GOTY material thanks to the emotional and distressing storytelling. I personally enjoyed it more the second time around, due to picking up on all the references and seeing how the two portions of the game intertwine with one another. Each location you explore has been created with tonnes of care and attention and the combat is very realistic, both mechanically and visually, so certain scenes are quite graphic and disturbing. If you enjoyed the first game, or like survival games in general, you should pick up this game today.
Night Call is an original take on the narrative-driven investigation genre, playing almost like a visual novel with lots of choices. Also, no two playthroughs will be the same thanks to the abundance of passengers which you can interact with and the evidence you’ll collect to help you come to your final conclusion. Despite my issues with the case board (mainly revolving around how confusing, unintuitive, and not very user-friendly it is), I still thoroughly enjoyed talking to the passengers, learning more about the case, investigating the suspects, and coming to my own conclusions around who I think is the serial killer. This is a game which makes you think without giving you the answer on a plate – certainly a recommendation from me for the passenger interactions alone!
SpongeBob SquarePants: Battle for Bikini Bottom – Rehydrated is a very faithful remake of a beloved classic 3D platformer. Fans of the original game will love how they can replay this brilliant adventure with updated visuals that match their nostalgic memories, new gamers will love the playfulness and entertaining gameplay which still holds up today. Despite not adding anything new to the actual main story, the additional co-op Horde Mode allows you and one other to prolong the gameplay and fight against Robo Squidward, the boss which was cut from the original game. Sure, the game does get frustrating and annoying at times, with it’s early 2000’s design and mechanics, but it makes up for this with all of its charm and the addictive gameplay.
If you want to see how to correctly remaster a 2d point-and-click game, check out Edna & Harvey: The Breakout – Anniversary Edition. Not only are we given more polished and colourful visuals in a 16:9 aspect ratio, but the gameplay mechanics have been overhauled to make the experience much more fun and less frustrating. The level of interaction within the game goes far beyond anything I’ve seen from other titles in the genre, and the humorous dialogue and events continue throughout, even if the story does get a little dark at times. The lack of actual ‘anniversary’ bonus extras is a bit disappointing, but the overall package is brilliant and should be part of any point-and-click fan’s collection.
Desperados III is by far one of the best stealth-based games I’ve ever played, offering multiple ways to not only complete your objectives but also kill your targets. The brilliant Showdown mode further enhances the immersion and strategic gameplay by letting you simultaneously control all five protagonists in a synchronised string of events, single-handedly set up by the sole gamer. The very challenging badges, difficult goal criteria, and multiple routes will all have you replaying each mission numerous times until you know it like the back of your hand. Plus, once you’re done with the exciting and thrilling story, the Baron’s Challenges allows you to take on new mysterious and even more challenging missions – if you’re brave enough!
The new PlayStation 4 version of Ys: Memories of Celceta is a great upgrade over both the original and the PC versions. Despite having a single technical issue in Comodo Village and a resolution which doesn’t seem to be above 1080p, the game itself looks beautiful with it’s living and breathing world, unique characters, interesting enemies, and grand vistas. The combat is incredibly satisfying, the bosses are fun to face, and completing the numerous side-missions felt exciting and rewarding rather than repetitive and dull. If you’ve never played the game, or only partially completed it on the Vita, you have no excuse to not pick up Ys: Memories of Celceta today (or on June 19th in EU and Australia).