GameByte's Reviews
It’s a glimmering, supernatural journey that reminds you life really is… weird.
This is one of the most stylish and heartfelt games I’ve had the pleasure of playing in years. It gave me everything I was looking for, and so much more I didn’t even know I wanted.
Playing Psychonauts 2 is like taking a step back in time in the best way possible. The fact that the game’s core concept still holds up 16 years later is a testament to how far ahead of its time the first game was. Psychonauts 2 feels like it’s the game Double Fine always wanted to make. It incites a childlike, playful nature that I’ve not experienced in games for ages. At the same time, it deals with some heavy subject topics in ways that feel nuanced. Even if you haven’t touched the original, Psychonauts 2 is absolutely worth playing through.
It’s a tough genre piece, but it’s one where dying feels like progress. The more escapes you attempt, the more story you unravel as your relationships with these characters develop. Reaching the end of a run after levelling up your upgrades and finding that right combination of boons is the perfect sense of accomplishment.
Overall, I think the Dream Home Decorator pack successfully adds a new dimension to The Sims 4. As we hope all expansions do, it positively reflects the portion of the community who love all things build mode.
F1 2021 does nothing egregious to the tried and tested formula of an F1 game. There’s enough here to keep the die-hard fans happy and more than enough to enable newcomers to further explore their love for the sport. Simply lovely.
Bandai Namco and the team behind Scarlet Nexus should be proud of what they’ve made. It’s never easy to launch a new IP and Scarlet Nexus is a debut full of confidence and swagger. It is some of the most fun I’ve had with a game this year and has all the makings of a cult classic.
Ratchet and Clank: Rift Apart is a great addition to any PS5 games library. The worlds, the characters, the cutscenes all look great and it’s one of those games that is just fun to play. Stepping through rifts into a completely separate world works seamlessly and it’s a technical marvel in that part.
However, with that incredibly addictive gameplay alone, along with the plethora of side-content, I can see traditional Final Fantasy fans having a lot of fun here, even if it’s a bit of a shallow adventure. Now that this engine has proven it’s worth in terms of gameplay, I am very excited for their next project if they have more time to spare in the writing room.
To put it simply, barring remakes, Resident Evil Village is the best entry in the series since Resident Evil 4.
If you’re looking for a new Oddworld experience, then Soulstorm will likely scratch that itch. However, Soulstorm is far from being the 1997 sequel you might know and love. While a lot of what makes Oddworld wonderfully “odd” is still intact, Soulstorm’s experimental nature is almost a detriment. Nevertheless, being able to step into a new Oddworld experience in 2021 is something to behold. Soulstorm might be a little rough around the edges, but hopefully, the game serves as an experiment to determine the best direction for a brand new Oddworld quintology.
Evil Genius 2 has no delusions about what it’s trying to do. It’s simply trying to be a good sequel to a classic, well-loved game and at that it more than succeeds. Its simplicity or lack of innovations aren’t shortcomings. Instead, it allows the game to do what it does best without trying to be something it isn’t. It’s just plain and simple good fun.
There’s so much on offer in It Takes Two and it does it all so well. If you’re looking for a new game to play with your friend or partner then It Takes Two should be at the top of your list. It’s a delight.
Whilst the graphics are packed with charm, the story feels as empty as my farm on the day I arrived. Farming sims owe a lot to this series, but other games perfected it. But for newcomers to the genre, or for those who are looking for a simple life on a plot of land, Story of Seasons: Pioneers of Olive Town certainly isn’t one to miss.
Mundaun is one of the most unique and beautiful horror games I’ve ever had the pleasure of playing. If you’re a fan of slow-paced and tension-filled horror games like Amnesia, you absolutely shouldn’t sleep on this one. A true labour of love, Mundaun is one which will stick with you for years to come.
If you already have Apex Legends on Xbox or PS4, stick to it. The Nintendo Switch version is going to vastly annoy the veteran players who are used to super-smooth gameplay and very easing aiming abilities. The field of view is tragic from the eyes of a veteran player.
Super Mario 3D World + Bowser’s Fury certainly feels like a worthy celebration of the world’s most loved plumber’s 35th birthday. For Nintendo to take the next step into the next generation of game design is a huge thing for the industry. I’m excited by the prospect of what open-world Nintendo games have to offer us. Breath of the Wild is one of my favourite games of all time, and I’m beyond excited for a game like Pokemon Legends: Arceus. But exactly how viable repeating this idea would be for the King of linear platforming has me worried.
Eternal Hope is a fascinating game that favours style over substance. Whilst the narrative is lofty and ambitious, the short playtime and repetitive puzzles dock it marks for me. However, that’s not to say that I didn’t enjoy my time with Ti’Bi. The heartwarming story and the bold design are more than enough to make me swoon. If you love puzzle platformers and striking aesthetics, this wonderful indie title will stay in your mind for days.
If you loved Persona 5 and wanted to spend more time with Joker and the Phantom Thieves, Persona 5 Strikers is almost everything you could wish for. It’s a fun, zany and heartfelt waltz through the Persona Universe.
If you enjoy dark stories, difficult gameplay and the original game, Little Nightmares 2 is absolutely a must-play dark fairytale that you shouldn’t miss out on (if you can help it)! LN2 is a triumph for Tarsier Studios, but definitely needs to rethink accessibility.