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Baja is about as middle of the road as remasters get. While it's great to see Nordic paying attention to its stable of dormant THQ properties, exhuming an average racing game from 2008 seems a tad misguided. Baja hasn't aged particularly well, but it's far from bad and there's still some fun to be had taking to the track. You just have to question why this remaster even exists.
Metroid: Samus Returns shows why 2D Metroid is still top-tier. It's far from the perfection that Super Metroid had, but this takes my least liked 2D Metroid game and reimagines it so completely that it almost beats the remake of the original Metroid in my estimations. If someone at Nintendo can add the ability to switch control schemes, it would make a huge difference. This is the return we've been waiting for, though I want Nintendo to develop the “Next Mission” in 2D for the Switch themselves.
In some ways Everybody's Golf has been well worth the wait. This is still the same gentle and appealing brand of arcade golf that fans have come to know and love, and it's easy to get caught up in the sheer fun of it all. However, once you venture online you'll discover that the game is currently deeply unbalanced, with micro-transactions and mobile-esque grinding sapping any sense of competition from proceedings, while asking players to reach for their wallets in order to gain an advantage. In a game that's supposed to be all about the golfing fun, Sony have categorically found a way to put you firmly in the rough.
Sparc is the first in what will hopefully become a burgeoning genre for virtual reality. It's a frenetically charged competitive sport that doesn't bog itself down with too many rules. At the same time, it's a risky investment. I hate being a pessimist, but as soon as the number of active players begins to dry up, you'll be left with an empty husk of a game.
X-Morph: Defense successfully mashes up the shoot 'em up and tower defence genres which is no mean feat. and the co-op mode is a really great addition and helps alleviate the repetitive nature of the tasks. There is at least fifteen hours of gameplay on the easiest difficulty level and as you are ranked at the end of each battle there's a good reason to go back and try again. If you like tower defence and big explosions it's well worth a look, especially if you have a friend to join the battle.
While it's certainly more approachable than your typical Monster Hunter game, Stories fails to capture what has made the series such a hit over the years.
Whether you have played Tyranny and want to delve back in, or have yet to experience the game, The Bastard's Wound is a very successful addition.
While I liked a couple of the ideas behind Dead Alliance, they're not capitalised on to create something truly interesting. What we're left with is a painfully generic, often broken online shooter that's begging to be put in the ground, preferably under ten feet of quick-set cement.
Knack 2 is a bright and breezy action romp that keeps up its breathless pace throughout its runtime. Its well-trodden gameplay beats are far from revolutionary, but it is undoubtedly accomplished, and redeems much of what the first game managed to somehow get so wrong. A surprise and a somewhat guilty delight.
Absolver is superb yet flawed. Sloclap have some really fun and innovative ideas though, for some reason, they've built a gorge between players and their game. Like digging for gold, if you want to get anything of value from Absolver then you'll need to work hard and put in the time. Needless to say, those with a casual curiosity will likely find themselves completely turned off.
Sneaky Bears is simply great fun while it lasts, so it's a shame it can be completed so quickly, as I would have loved to spend more time with Buddy and Frank. It's also a bit expensive (£15.99) given the content, but that's the case with most PSVR games. All in all, it's one of the best wave-based shooters on PSVR and definitely worth a look, especially if you have younger players in the family.
Despite many expectations, revisiting a younger Chloe Price and Arcadia Bay is very rewarding for fans of Life Is Strange. Deck Nine have found a story of discovery, growth and friendship that's well worth telling, and doing so in a delightfully unexpected manner. Especially if you're already a fan of the series, Life Is Strange: Before The Storm is easily recommended and I'm eager to see what's next.
The true test for any game of this kind is whether it can keep player hungry enough to see it through to the end. Although I wasn't completely enthralled (the repetitive puzzles and a couple of bugs broke my immersion) it still managed to lodge its hooks in me and I'd be lying if I said those final moments didn't make me feel anything. Last Day of June is a emotive, sometimes enchanting story of love and loss that, while it doesn't break new ground, will resonate with plenty of gamers out there.
Madden 18 is yet another triumph for the series, and this year's big success story is the game's Longshot narrative. It seems incongruous to be talking about heartfelt, well-acted storytelling in a Madden game, yet it's a perfect fit, hanging some drama off EA's rock-solid mechanics and fantastic visuals.
Ys VIII is, without a doubt, a huge step for the franchise. In stripping away a lot of the usual narrative tropes the series is usually known for, Nihon Falcom have put a fresh spin on the franchise that puts characters and small moments over grand adventures and vast mysteries. Tied together by a fast-paced combat system and great music, the negatives of Lacrimosa of Dana are far outweighed by the positives, and this is a game that any JRPG fan would be a fool to sleep on.
I honestly feel like an idiot for taking this long to play an Ys game, because so much of it appeals to me directly. The minor combat encounters are engaging but brisk, while the boss battles are urgent, hellishly difficult, and very memorable. Best of all, with such a short runtime for a JRPG, I was done with the game quickly, but never felt rushed or unsatisfied. Ys Seven is like a crackhead on a dirt-bike. It's fast, and loud, and something you'll probably never forget.
Warriors All Stars is a grand celebration of the history and popularity of Koei Tecmo. Unfortunately, the celebration fails to deliver a satisfying video game experience. Every time I had to re-unlock a character, or study three different menus to try and guess which missions I had to avoid so I could get the next proper story chapter, Warriors All Stars felt less like a celebration, and more like homework.
Ultimately, Pillars of Eternity is a stellar entry into its genre, but one that won't win over people who are not already fans. It is huge and richly detailed, with more history than some actual periods of real life, and a rare amount of care and attention. It's probably a better experience on a PC, but it's still definitely worth playing on console if it's your only option.
As strange as Mario + Rabbids Kingdom Battle sounds on paper, there are some really good ideas in the mix. Having XCOM's battle gameplay presented in a more light lighthearted fashion and greatly enhancing character movement are both excellent touches. It's not perfect, but there's a lot to like from this unlikely combination.
The storytelling sags a little in the middle, but just when you think you know where everything is heading, a little change of direction – and plenty of space brawling – brings things back around. Bring on episode four.