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Unlike the invention of the wheel or the utilisation of fire, Caveman Warriors is hardly likely to revolutionise our world, but then it wasn't intended too. Instead you get a solid and fun side scrolling platformer that harks back to the console classics of yesteryear. It's gorgeous to look at, and whilst frustration can be caused with several technical issues, I nonetheless enjoyed my time with Caveman Warriors.
As a VR experience designed from the ground up for the technology, Doom VFR is probably the best example of this to date. There are some improvements to be made with the movement, but it is otherwise a fantastic bit of the ol' ultra violence that shouldn't be missed. Bethesda have definitely shown they understand the potential of VR, so hopefully we'll see more dedicated VR experiences in the future.
If you've been dying to play The Sims 4 but don't have a PC that's up to the task, this is the perfect solution. It definitely feels different on consoles, losing some of its fluidity through the gamepad, but there's nothing else like it on Xbox One and PlayStation 4.
Xenoblade Chronicles 2 is a phenomenal RPG. It's a truly incredible piece of work that builds and expands on the series' staples, while turning into a unique and heartfelt adventure all of its own.
The recurring theme here is substance. On paper, creating a wave-based shooter doesn't sound all that inventive or ambitious, yet Raw Data is just that. In a bid to capitalise on the VR gold rush, we've seen plenty of smaller, lacklustre shooting galleries, but Survios effortlessly puts them all to shame.
Oriental Empires is a very well made strategy game that allows you to get through a campaign in a few hours instead of having saves that span days, though that is an option as well if you wish. Despite its smaller scope focusing on Ancient China instead of the globe, the stakes actually feel higher due to the limited resources and high number of factions fighting for them. While some of the systems require a lot of getting used to Oriental Empires is well worth persevering with.
I'm really surprised just how much I enjoyed Sky Force Reloaded, the first time I loaded it up I was playing it for five hours non-stop and at no point was I bored. Adding grind to a shoot 'em up sounds terrible but it's a genius idea to counter the shoot 'em up's traditionally short playtime. By adding the challenges, the act of replaying a level twenty or more times never gets boring. I am now going to bestow on Sky Force the highest honour I can give it: It reminds me of SWIV.
League of War: VR Arena isn't a badly made game – it's well presented and looks pleasing enough in VR – but it's very, very, limited. Play the game for twenty minutes and you will have seen almost everything. There is almost no strategy and half the time you can win by picking units up as fast as they are produced and throwing them onto the battlefield. Porting the simple mechanics of a mobile game to consoles rarely works, even if you add a nice shiny VR element. A missed opportunity.
I'm still very much enjoying Batman: The Enemy Within, and the way Telltale are forcing Bruce Wayne out of his punchy vigilante comfort zone
Outcast: Second Contact is an eighteen year old game that's been given a makeover. This is absolutely fine if you're a fan of the original and want to play it again on modern hardware, but if you don't have the nostalgia quality there's absolutely nothing that you won't find here that's done far better elsewhere. For a steep price tag of £39.99 on PS4, that's just not good enough.
Deep into yet another playthrough, I'm eager to explore Skyrim now than I have ever been before. Bethesda has proven yet again that there's still more life in its fantasy flagship. More importantly, it's proven that traditional games, no matter how big, can work in VR.
Knowledge is Power makes good use of PlayLink to open the door to those more familiar with tapping on phones and browsing the internet than knowing where that Square button is meant to be, and that's its real strength. Outside of that, it has a few other ideas, but ends up as a fairly middle of the road quiz game that's easy enough to put on the telly and your phones for a quick test of knowledge.
There's some good ideas in how PlayLink can be used to let a group of players (and non-gamers in particular) join together and shape a filmic story, but the actual interface feels clumsy, and the story and scripting leaves plenty to be desired. It's safe to say that Hidden Agenda is an obvious disappointment.
If you like charming platformers then Wuppo may just be for you. The game offers a fun, though at times frustrating experience with a number of challenges to overcome. The world of Wuppo is quite unlike any other and filled with a lot of neat little touches, and though the story may be predictable it is well-told, likeable and easy to pick up.
The easily outrun and overly simplistic combat is a major blow that Road Rage never manages to recover from. The basic open world design, ugly visuals, and various bugs become harder to tolerate knowing just how deeply unfulfilling the core gameplay is, even when you factor in the budget price tag.
If the combat were just a touch more dynamic, Hand of Fate 2 would be essential. As it stands, it's still a great sequel and perfect for anyone wanting the thrills of an RPG without feeling loss. Defiant constantly prod players into the unknown and the results are always fun and rewarding.
A Hat in Time has certainly been well worth the wait, and is easily recommended to platformer fans across all formats. It sits nicely alongside Yooka-Laylee and offers a different take on the N64 nostalgia that both titles share. It's unlikely to knock Mario off his perch as king of the 3D platformers, but it is a more than acceptable pretender to the crown. It also has a central antagonist called Moustache Girl who is a girl with a bushy moustache. A Hat in Time opens up to be a real standout in the recent renaissance of the 3D platform game.
Being able to take this huge adventure with you everywhere you go is fantastic, and, if you thought that Skyrim took over your life before, now it actually can.
The most important thing about Rocket League on Nintendo Switch is that it feels like Rocket League.
While a fun distraction, there's little to recommend wholeheartedly when it comes to Kirby: Battle Royale. Its mini-games are well designed, but with a short Story Mode and limited replay value for its other modes, it becomes clear that this is not a stellar addition to an already bulging line-up. Kirby fans are probably better off saving for a Switch as the pink puffball is heading there next year.