TheSixthAxis
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Deus Ex: Mankind Divided is captivating from start to finish, giving players more freedom to make their own choices. Controls are sublime, whether you're massacring the enemy or avoiding them; with enough tools to make both viable options. The take on a futuristic Prague is unsettling, yet hugely immersive, together with some interesting social commentary. It's been a long time coming, but Mankind Divided was worth the five year wait.
F1 2016 offers the most comprehensive representation of the sport we’ve ever seen. Codemasters have implemented an array of features that are pure wish-fulfilment for fans, and cover the whole gamut of the F1 experience from paddock to track. There are still some key presentational improvements that need to be made, and perhaps next year’s entry will be a visual powerhouse, but for this season, beyond becoming an actual driver, there is no way to get closer to the world of F1 than Codemasters’ latest.
It’s a good first effort from the tiny three-person team based in Southampton, and you can clearly see a lot of love and effort has gone into the game. If you have some spare cash and some young children to entertain then you could do a lot worse. It’s a game with bears in it, it shows a poo when you are in last place, and I’m in a good mood, so Strangely Named Studio’s first game gets an encouraging…
No Man’s Sky manages to be a hugely impressive accomplishment for the team at Hello Games, but the hubris and hype meant it could never live up to the expectations heaped upon it. Despite the various caveats and areas that Hello will look to improve upon over the coming months, you can so easily lose hours at a time landing on a new and interesting planet for the first time, giving the local flora and fauna idiotic names, before falling down a hole and getting lost in a sprawling cave system, only to do the exact same thing on the next planet over. There’s nothing quite like it.
‘Notgame’ isn’t the right tag for Bound, as there is a game here with platforming, puzzle solving, and defending against dangers, though admittedly much of it is about the journey undertaken. Plastic stated that narrative was the focus and it is part of everything, from the way the environments are shaped to the obstacles placed in front of the ballerina. Bound is easily one of the most stunning games to release on PS4, and if you’re searching for something a little different I heartily recommend it.
Kelvin and The Infamous Machine is easily beaten in an afternoon, taking me a total of four hours, and that is plenty of time for the story to run its course in a concise way. The characters are well written and generate a lot of humour, while the design is also drawn really well. It’s a shame then that a movement bug in the Newton chapter does break immersion, but it is limited to that section. The puzzles are well constructed and are welcoming to all player levels, making Kelvin and The Infamous Machine a great addition to the adventure genre.
Hearth&Slash has a lot of great ideas. On paper, a Devil May Cry roguelike is probably one of the most amazing ideas ever. Unfortunately, the reality of that idea never lives up to that promise. The roguelike features were relatively basic compared to games like Rogue Legacy. The action gameplay was nowhere near as satisfying as Metal Gear Rising. In the end, Heart & Slash just made me wish I was playing one of those games instead of this one.
If you’re approaching Tricky Towers with only single player in mind, there are probably far better ways to spend your time. However, take it online – or ideally get some mates round – and you’ve suddenly got a fun, competitive little title that’ll easily keep you amused for a few hours.
If Giant Squid had removed every trace of its name from Abzû, you could easily have mistaken it for a thatgamecompany production. For a developer to nail that same sense of artistry and wonder with its debut is nothing short of amazing.
Truthfully, I went into Gal*Gun Double Peace with below zero expectations. I figured it would be a cheap, dated game that only had its obvious “fan service” going for it. It’s clearly aimed at that niche audience, but Gal Gun is fun, funny, and easy to pick up and play for countless quick sessions. The poor visuals and complicated story requirements are a shame, but they never truly soured my time with the title and as soon as I finish this review, I plan to play more.
If you’re a fan of the kind of ultra-difficult, ultra precise platformers that gained popularity a few years ago, then 10 Second Ninja X is right up your alley. It doesn’t reach the same heights of controller breaking frustration, which is probably a good thing, but with minimalist controls, short and to the point levels, and a whimsically silly story, there’s quite a lot to like here.
Fairy Fencer F: Advent Dark Force improves on the previous game, but that still doesn’t make it a perfect experience.
As you come to grips with the tactical combat and progression systems, Sword Coast Legends may start to grow on you. For those who can see past its long loading times and other shortcomings, there's an RPG here well worth the price of entry. However, for casual fans of the genre looking for something upbeat, this n-Space swansong is likely to disappoint.
This game is as much about the man behind the mask and the problems that Bruce Wayne faces, as it is taking on crime bosses, meeting familiar faces in new and interesting ways, and unravelling mysteries. Telltale’s Batman series is off to a great start, giving us a fresh view into the character that goes well beyond beating up criminals in alleyways.
This Is The Police leans on cliched scenarios and characters, but it represents some of the real struggles a police force has to deal with, like budgets being cut and a city with a lot of social problems. While Weappy states that the events of the game aren’t inspired by recent events, some of things that happen are rather poignant when viewed in that light. At the same time, This Is The Police is a tough game to get to grips with and there are certain annoying limitations. like not being able to reroute police to another call feel like annoying limitations rather than part of the challenge. A sandbox mode will help to keep things fresh when it is released, but even now This Is The Police is a decent simulation title.
Brut@l is certainly a punishing experience for those not used to Rogue-like tropes. Yet it’s a visually attractive game that pays tribute to Rogue in its ASCII style that’s genuinely appealing, as well as having a clean interface and enough flair in the combat to not be devalued as a button masher. A few issues rise when it comes to cooperative play, which make this a harder sell, but Brut@l is otherwise a fitting tribute to Rogue and the genre that came from it that dominates the indie scene.
For a certain nostalgic generation of gamer, it’s hard not to fall in love with Headlander’s retro futuristic stylings and the kind of “what if…” set up that wouldn’t feel out of place in a Terry Nation TV show or a film like Logan’s Run. The combat and and boss fights let it down, but this is an eminently enjoyable twist on the Metroidvania genre.
Crafting a game that feels like a true co-operative experience is something studios continue to struggle with even today. For a dev duo like Ghost Town Games to come along and nail it at their first attempt is a remarkable feat to say the least. As a result, Overcooked is easily the best co-op game of 2016 so far and will hopefully set living rooms afire with its accessible, often hilarious culinary hijinks. It’s certainly a game I’ll continue to revisit, roping in anyone willing to sit down and pick up a controller.
Human Fall Flat is a game that’s aware of how unusual it is and builds to its own strengths. Bob’s ungainly controls work particularly well in the invitingly designed worlds that let you play around, cheat and conspire with a co-op buddy.
Riptide GP: Renegade is a decent racer where the vehicles handle really well. The majority of the tracks look good and are fun to race in. However some of the elements put in to make the game harder for players stick out really obviously, like being the sole target of police vehicles. The campaign becomes a grindfest and the online is quiet at launch. There is only one event option which may get stale quickly due to the limited amount of tracks. If you’re looking for an arcade racer then Riptide GP: Renegade is a decent enough choice.