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Unmechanical: Extended is a puzzling game, in every sense of the word. In that manner there are puzzles, each of which must be surmounted before you can progress, but equally its lack of any true storytelling, beyond that which you create yourself, or indeed any hand-holding to point you in the right direction almost cause too much confusion. However, there is a wonderful spirit to the game, created by the beautiful aesthetic and meaningful sound design, both of which really warrant experiencing.
Grim Fandango is considered a great game almost 17 years after its release due to various reasons, though the main one has to be the humour within. It's a game that makes you laugh out loud, and Manny is a great lead character. I do enjoy noire-esque stories, and Grim Fandango is something like that. If you like adventure games then it is definitely worth playing Grim Fandango Remastered, be it a replay or for the first time. However there are a few technical issues that need to be addressed including the voice and lip syncs being way out in some cases, as well as the frame rate drops within a couple of the game's locations. Having said that, whilst Grim Fandango Remastered isn't perfect it is certainly an enjoyable and memorable experience.
If you've played the original Resident Evil inside out, or the Gamecube remake, you know exactly what you're getting with Capcom's shiny re-release. It's a polished update that never strays far from the template, proving just as faithful as it is hardcore. For those looking for a gateway into the series, however, we advise extreme caution, especially if your notions of Resident Evil are based on more recent instalments. Although perfectly playable, it is likely to defy most, if not all, expectations you may have.
The thing about Gat Out Of Hell is that it feels like Saints Row IV but with things stripped away instead of expanded on. Sure you have the challenges to complete, though they aren't different to the other games in the series, and there are a lot of collectibles to hunt down to unlock everything. Outside of that though Hell as a location feels a bit bland, and without the other Saints to bounce off Kinzie and Gat aren't that interesting or funny. Combine that with the lack of in-game music and customisation options and this entry is a step backwards for the series. Don't get me wrong, this game can be fun when you're engaged in big battles against the demons, but outside of that it is lacking character.
Lara Croft and the Temple of Osiris is not a bad game, it's just not a great one. The singleplayer game brings nothing new to the franchise, and in some ways even feels like a step backwards from Guardian Of Light. As a multiplayer game it takes on a different and welcome dimension, though for every great moment, you can expect equal frustration.
When Tales from the Borderlands was announced, I honestly wasn't sure what to anticipate, but with one (quite long, but well-paced) episode, Telltale have sold me on another one of their ideas. It's shares a lot of DNA with both Borderlands and the usual Telltale adventure games, and yet it's nothing like them at all. It's one of their best offerings, and a refreshing new direction for both a game series that had begun to go stale and a gameplay formula which had started to feel repetitive.
Issues with the sound design aside, Lumino City is truly wonderful. The writing sparkles, puzzles are well put together and fun while requiring you to work for the solution just the right amount, and the visuals really do feel special. With a length that comes in somewhere in the eight to ten hour range, depending largely on how good you are at solving puzzles, it's of a length that will leave you wanting more, although I fear it may take State of Play quite a while to craft something like this again.
I really want to love The Crew. The in game world is absolutely huge and it's filled with a great deal of content – it looks brilliant at times too. Although the handling takes some time getting used to it does feel natural as the game begins to open up. Despite that, the driver AI can be infuriating at times, as with the traffic placement which I refuse to believe is a coincidence. The online doesn't feel well integrated either and the story is uninspiring. If you know that you have friends playing The Crew it could turn out to be a great arcade racer, but if you're playing solo for the majority of it, it will no doubt start to feel lifeless and lacking a bit of soul.
The premiere episode in Telltale's Game of Thrones series does a lot of things right. Certainly, it manages to capture the political overtones as well as the high fantasy setting of the series it is based on, and it does them justice, bringing in new characters and plots not adapted from the book series. That's an achievement in itself, and while it doesn't stray too much from Telltale's formula, it adapts an excellent property to something which we've seen hit the mark time and time again.
Geometry Wars 3: Dimensions is a fantastic return for the series that brought the twin-stick shooter to modern consoles. Damningly hard, visually and aurally distinctive, there are few games that can match it for both immersion and addictiveness.
The opportunity to re-explore Hoenn is a thrilling one, and there's more than enough new content and tweaks to the old to justify the return trip. Although there are some mechanical issues, Alpha Sapphire remains a smooth journey that doesn't just feel like retracing your steps in the sand.
For the price of £3.99 Tennis In The Face is a decent little game, and if you're into the genre then it is worth picking up. It provides enough entertainment and while it won't be considered a classic it scratches the itch when you want to play something for a couple of minutes. It does get repetitive if you play too many levels at once, and some levels do just need luck more than anything to complete. Overall though Tennis In The Face is a fun little game.
Unity is an impressive technical achievement despite its issues, and it is certainly a significant step forward for the series as a whole. The difficulty of combat encourages use of the overhauled stealth system, perhaps signalling a shift towards a real focus on stealthy gameplay in the series, which is certainly exciting. And on top of that, it's utterly gorgeous almost all the time.
The story isn't always fantastic, but when it hits the mark (read: when Pagan Min shows up), it can be absolutely wonderful. In this game, there's tons to do, and you'll really enjoy doing all of it, particularly if you're riding an elephant as you go.
Overall Never Alone is a really good mix of ideas, and could be the start of a kind of docu-game trend, with the inclusion of the Cultural Insights. While there are a few tweaks to the gameplay that should be made, Never Alone is certainly worth your time, and manages to tell so much within the four or so hours it takes to complete. Nuna & Fox's story is wonderfully told through the native tongue of the Iñupiat, accompanied by artwork inspired by the tribe's drawings and etchings, and brought to life by the beautiful designed of the environments and characters.
LittleBigPlanet 3 is a quite major step forward for the series. The story might not explore all of the potential, but briefly shines a light on what the new possibilities might be for those making their own levels. The wide array of new tools, the removal of limitations and addition of new characters and power-ups will all serve to empower the community to reach new heights.
I don't think I could ever find myself recommending Fluster Cluck to anyone; it's probably the worst game I've ever played. It's fails in so many departments, and like In Space We Brawl, pales in comparison to other local multiplayer games currently out on the PlayStation 4.
Chariot is one of the better platformers I've played of late. Played on your own, it is a good and challenging affair, but working in a pair pushes it up a few notches. The game itself is pretty large and it is likely you won't see everything on your first go, since exploration is key in Chariot and you are encouraged to roll off the beaten path to discover additional secrets. A few issues could be addressed but overall Chariot is worth your time if you like a good puzzle platformer.
Minutes does exactly what it says on the tin and it does it beautifully, which is quite a feat considering developer Red Phantom Games is actually just one person, Richard Ogden. An essential title for on-the-go gaming on PS Vita, and a damn fine puzzler on PS4.
At the heart of Advanced Warfare is the exoskeleton and all of the possibilities it opens up, transforming the way that you get around amidst the futuristic setting. Yet it delivers on many more levels too, from a compelling story and cast of characters to the graphics and the vast array of options for multiplayer character and loadout customisation. Sledgehammer have shown that there's life in the long-running series yet, and thrown down the gauntlet to Treyarch and Infinity Ward.