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Splatoon 3 is an absolute joy to play. It manages to refine and fix many of the problems found in the previous two games, leading to a highly polished third entry. With continued support and new content, the series looks set to reach new heights, so long as Nintendo are able to fix the connection issues holding it back a little. This is a wonderful game that should keep you coming back for more. At least til Splatoon 4.
I really enjoyed The Gallery. For a while now I have found the FMV genre a great palate cleanser between bigger, more gameplay-heavy titles. The story here is good, and it plays out with mostly good acting from a recognisable cast. Certain areas of the story can be picked at, and depending on your decisions you may not get the ending that you want, but I think you’ll enjoy the ride.
Jack Move is brilliant. It is a bite-sized JRPG that will appeal to both newcomers like myself and seasoned veterans of the genre. A beautiful art style, captivating story, interesting characters, funny dialogue, compelling battle system and off-the-charts charm all blend together to make this one of my favourite gaming experiences of 2022.
Star Trek Prodigy: Supernova sets out to achieve a certain thing – we could, perhaps uncharitably, call this a Lego clone. It largely achieves this whilst not matching the levels of refinement – both visually and gameplay – in that series of games. Fans of the Prodigy TV show will absolutely enjoy this more but even for those who aren’t familiar with it there is a decent, if uninspiring, game here to be played.
A Plague Tale: Requiem is an excellent follow-up to one of the surprise hits of 2019. It builds on the foundations of the first game and uses the investment you have in the characters to craft another gripping narrative. The beautifully gruesome world is a technical marvel, but one that at times can be let down by an inconsistent frame rate. Aside from that though, this is one of the best single-player experiences of 2022.
I thoroughly enjoyed Modern Warfare 2, the game plays out like an 80’s action movie as I mentioned, it’s never going to be the most sophisticated game, but do you want that, really? Mission variety is refreshing, visuals are outstanding and characters are realistic and a key reason why this is a brilliant offering.
I’ve had a spiffing time. I’ve loved perching on gargoyles, sneaking up on enemies, shooting them in the face with Red Hood’s guns, meeting the Court of Owls and prowling around their hidden abodes. I’ve loved all the different suits and filling out the skill trees. I’ve loved Alfred and his fatherly advice and the family’s grief for Bruce. I’ve loved adjusting to evading instead of countering. I’ve loved the villains and the humour. I’ve loved trying to work out which hero is best and which to take with me on particular missions. Gotham Knights is a GOOD game and while it does deserve a decent helping of criticism it also deserves a lot of praise.
The Chant is a decent horror action adventure. It’s got a good story and some interesting characters. While it isn’t scary as such I did fall victim to a couple of jump scares which caused me to launch the dog off my lap and lose ten minutes off my life. So Bravo, Brass Token, for that. As mentioned earlier, this is their first original IP and I think the team has a bright future. I would very much like to see more narrative-focused games from them. The game isn’t perfect but there’s a glimmer of something there that makes me want to see more from them in the future.
Return to Monkey Island is a love letter to fans of the LucasArts classics of the 90’s. The characters and story was a joy from the first moment to the last and the puzzles were crafted in a way that make you feel clever for solving them. When you add this together with the beautiful art style and top quality voice work you end up with one of the best point-and-click games we have seen yet. Period.
I could go on and on about God of War Ragnarok, I really could. My closing thoughts continue to be about what an incredible journey this game is. It’s near flawless, in every way, and any criticisms are nit-picks, rather than genuine weak points. The Game Of The Year, right here, and to be honest, in my humble opinion, by a country mile.
I enjoyed my time with Police Simulator: Patrol Officer. The potential issue with the game is that it sounds more exciting than it is. People may jump into this game expecting to play GTA: V Cop Edition. This isn’t that. It is much more in line with other simulator games where the procedure is more important than the action. If you like the slow-paced, more methodical gameplay of other simulator titles, this is worth a look.
If you enjoy combat for its own sake and are not too bothered about anything else you will have a lot of fun with this game. Personally I want a bit more – a strong compelling story or some complementary gameplay to go with all the fighting. Evil West doesn’t really do this. Tam on the Pure Dead Gaming Discord described it as a perfect candidate for a PS+ Extra or Game Pass game and it’s difficult to argue with that assessment.
Godlike Burger has a lot of ideas. At first many of these ideas are getting in each other’s way, forcing you to persevere through the first couple of hours to get a full handle on what the game expects. Once you do though you’ll be able to team up the skills you have learned with some quality-of-life upgrades that make things more manageable. If you have the patience, this is a venture worth investing in.
Gungrave G.O.R.E feels like a blast from the past. If you have nostalgia for the old PS2 games and want to experience a newer, flashier version then this will absolutely provide that. Just don’t go in expecting the series to have moved with the times.
The Devil in Me is a success. If you’re a Supermassive fan you’re not going to be disappointed. It’s more of the same format but this time with a premise and story that’s double the fun and deliciously gory.
I can’t help but think, if I liked this genre, if I liked Dead Space, I might be a bit kinder, and resonate with Callisto more, but in truth, the failings aren’t a complete result of the genre, in actual fact a lot of what I do respect is because of it. But rinse and repeat drab and clunky combat isn’t enough, it’s too big a deal not to leave a lasting negative impression on me.
I really enjoyed my time with Ship of Fools. It plays well solo but really comes into its own in co-op. For maximum effectiveness, I definitely suggest teaming up with someone you have a good rapport with. Quick thinking and fluid teamwork will be key to your success at sea.
When the soccer (I’ll begrudgingly use the word for this analogy) is the worst part of a game called Soccer Story you’d be forgiven for thinking it would be a miss. Not so. A interesting cast of characters, plenty of fun tasks, a beautiful art style and more come together to make this a blast to play.
Ostensibly Pentiment is a murder mystery narrative driven point and click video game. But, it’s so much more. It’s a commentary on the nature of perception, how time is an utterly critical factor in our lives, about how relationships evolve over that time: growing and withering equally. It was a truly magical fifteen hours and I was genuinely emotional when I finished the game. It’s not often I use the word but it’s a masterpiece, a lovingly crafted piece of gaming art.
As a lightweight few hours available as part of your subscription service I would say give it a go. I would be less willing to recommend the game as an outright purchase on other platforms. It’s not terrible by any means but its flaws do detract from what is potentially a fun experience. The franchise appears to be a popular one on YouTube so there will quite possibly be a Hello Neighbor 3. Maybe that will hone the experience to be a bit more engaging and enjoyable.