TheSixthAxis
HomepageMutazione is a great example of how games can immerse you in a world in a manner that no other medium can achieve. Whilst it doesn't push any envelopes, it is easy to recommend to anybody who is interested in games that can get an emotional response. Don't let the description soap opera put you off; this is a movingly, melancholic and meditative experience.
Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order is exactly the kind of single player game we had originally hoped to see when EA and Disney joined forces. Even if you strip away the license, you're left with a super satisfying mix or combat, story, and exploration, deftly crafted by a studio best known for spearheading an entirely different genre.
For Switch-owning sports fans there's nothing that comes close to NBA 2K20. Boasting great visuals, stellar gameplay and a feature-rich range of play types, there's something for everyone, and while VC is still a 'feature' that we'd rather didn't have a place in modern sports titles, it's been balanced back in the favour of actual gameplay.
Need for Speed Heat is the best the series has been in a while. It's not perfect by any stretch, but it has a charm that reminds me of the Underground days of old. Now that's a NfS game I can get down with.
Between sluggish movement and dull puzzles, I think it's enough to say that even Jodie Whittaker can't save this game.
Ice Age: Scrat's Nutty Adventures isn't a terrible game, but it is so old fashioned and average that it is difficult to recommend. If you have kids of the right age range and find it on sale, then it's fun enough. The lack of a movie to tie into leads to a particularly weak story that feels like it's tacking on a license instead of a genuine entry in the Ice Age series. Scrat may find his nut, but I was left unsatisfied by a functional but mediocre tie in.
New Super Lucky's Tale isn't so much a port as the true definitive edition of the game. A number of improvements to the controls, frame rate, level design, and overall structure of the game has resulted in a title that completely surpasses its origins. It isn't challenging, or very long; but what is there is joyous, frivolous fun until the credits roll.
With unenjoyable and clunky combat that is made much worse during the 3D segments, a laughably archetypal fantasy story, and dated character models, it's hard to actually believe that AeternoBlade II released this year for modern consoles. AeternoBlade II simply falls short of all of its ambitions, whatever they might have been.
Valfaris is an excellent and challenging action platformer with a wonderfully designed combat system. The balancing of close combat, laser action, and the shared resource for shield and subweapons mean that most encounters require a careful and skilful approach. The result in a standout title that shows how far Steel Mantis have come from the flawed Slain: Back From Hell.
Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Games Tokyo 2020 brings a raft of new and returning events with it, but manages to both reduce and overcomplicate everything to the point where it simply isn't that fun to pick up and play with others. Younger fans may get a kick out of a few of the events, but overall this is a tiresome and drab tie-in that you'll have forgotten about long before the real world opening ceremony next July.