GameByte's Reviews
Hitman 3 feels like a love letter to the ‘World of Assassination’ and I can’t think of a better way to conclude the series. With its delightfully witty dialogue and the fact that all existing Hitman content (as long as you’ve bought Hitman and Hitman 2) has progression carry over into Hitman 3, this game is a joy to play and the best Hitman has ever been. It takes all the best parts of the series we’ve come to love and leaves us with a bittersweet, Agent 47-sized gap in our hearts.
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.
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.
To put it simply, barring remakes, Resident Evil Village is the best entry in the series since Resident Evil 4.
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.
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.
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.
It’s a glimmering, supernatural journey that reminds you life really is… weird.
Guardians of the Galaxy is one of the most enjoyable games you’ll play all year.
Overall, I’m extremely happy with how Forza Horizon 5 has turned out. The variety in activities as well as care and attention put into its mechanics and world makes Mexico such a delight to explore. It’s most certainly the best game in the series, and could well be the best game on Xbox right now.
All-in-all, OlliOlli World’s visual style, fluid controls and accessible flow make it a fantastic entry to the platformer genre. Abundant in personality, it was obvious that taking some time out to create a worthy sequel has paid off for Roll7. Fans will adore it.
All-in-all, FAR Changing Tides does all the right things you want from a sequel. It makes visible improvements over the first game, while also not overshadowing what that game did brilliantly. On the other hand, those who couldn’t get on with the original’s micromanagement aspects won’t find it to be anymore lenient.
Kirby and the Forgotten Land is a joyous, colourful adventure that bursting with invention at the seams. It’s a magically daft time, perfect for those nights when the world just looks a little too bleak. With its gorgeous level design and inventive approach to gameplay, a waltz through the Forgotten Lands is a charming way to spend your evenings. The only issues I found were that some of the mini bosses felt slightly repetitive, and the co-op limitations. But, despite this, Kirby and the Forgotten Land is a triumph that Nintendo should not forget so easily.
Putting it under the scope, Rebellion Developments has delivered a coherent, open-ended stealth experience filled with plenty of freedom. This is peak Sniper Elite, with so much about the game inspiring tactical, sneaky gameplay that makes you feel like a real wartime marksman.
The Quarry reinvigorates storytelling in horror by giving you more agency as the player, branching off into so many outcomes thus making you want to play again immediately after the credits roll. Backed by clever humour-laced writing, stellar cast performances, interactive depth, this is the new horror game that everyone should be talking about.
You don’t need any previous knowledge of Digimon, and even with my own extensive history with the franchise there were still plenty of twists I didn’t see coming because the story was just that compelling.
To put it simply: Rollerdrome is fantastic. It’s easily one of the coolest games I’ve played all year. Although there are a few missed opportunities here and there, the gameplay is continuously creative, the story alluring, and there’s never a dull moment.
The Last of Us Part 1 is a game that doesn’t feel like it needs to exist, but I’m glad it does. Even though that outdated 2013 design still bleeds through, the visual upgrades, combat tweaks and accessibility improvements makes it feel like a brand new title. In time, this will become the de facto definitive edition of the game that will be enjoyed for generations to come.
With now two excellent games under its belt, it beckons the question of where the franchise goes next. Do we go for a simple Mario & Rabbids 3? Do we add Zelda or Pokemon characters into the mix? Do we change genres, turn it into a soulslike or roguelike? Whatever happens, I just need more.