AltChar's Reviews
I got hooked on Sanatorium's paperwork during the preview build and needed to see where this undercover journalist-turned-fraudulent-psychiatrist thing was headed. Twenty hours and a couple of Campaign restarts later, the bugs had other plans entirely.
Painkiller franchise returns as a live service co-op shooter, abandoning everything that made the original game special. With no proper campaign, repetitive gameplay, and a worrying lack of content at launch, this reboot is more painful than an eternity in hell itself.
Sports Interactive's latest entry strips away beloved features, introduces a confusing UI clearly designed for consoles, and launches in an unfinished state that would make even the most patient manager consider resignation.
Fast & Furious: Arcade Edition is a sublime arcade racing title with untapped potential that is severely held back by its limited content.
Jurassic World Evolution 3 feels like Frontier finally looked at its two crowds - the Jurassic kids and the meticulous park builders - and said: "Fine. You both win." The game feels like a huge improvement visually and mechanically, delivering a genuinely satisfying hybrid of Planet Zoo and Jurassic World Evolution gameplay.
The Outer Worlds 2 is a deeply engaging RPG shooter that excels in storytelling, character development, and immersive world-building. Its narrative depth, branching choices, and amazing companion system make it a game that can fully captivate anyone willing to invest the time. It improves on the original with better gunplay, larger scope, prettier visuals and meaningful player decisions, offering a rewarding experience that stands on its own merits. It has some flaws, like the dull open-world environments, an abundance of text that can hamper the pacing and punishing permanent perk choices, but these are minor drawbacks that do little to overshadow the game’s many strengths. I think this one is worth your money, and it's a no-brainer if you're a Game Pass subscriber.
Plants vs. Zombies: Replanted will fulfil your dosage of tower defence itch. For long-time fans of the series, the new HD graphics overhaul might be a game-changer, but for new players, you can opt for the classic title for a lower cost and not miss out on any action the game has to offer.
Ninja Gaiden 4 is a thrilling ninja adventure, packed with fast-paced combat, cinematic action, and stunning visuals, offering an intense and rewarding experience for the series veterans and the newcomers alike.
Battlefield 6 marks a welcome return to modern combat with excellent gunplay and squad-focused multiplayer that recaptures the magic of Battlefield 3 and 4. But a forgettable campaign, sluggish progression, and some frustrating balance issues prevent it from reaching its full potential.
Keeper is a visually stunning and emotionally charged game that tells its story without saying a single word. While its art and sound design are truly captivating, gameplay flaws prevent it from reaching its full potential.
Ghost of Yōtei is a worthy successor to its older brother; it brings fresh and new ideas and a more refined and mature experience, building on the things Ghost of Tsushima did so well five years ago. If you enjoyed Tsushima, Atsu’s story is something you shouldn’t miss, and while it does have some flaws, it truly is a masterpiece.
Yooka-Replaylee is a charming and colourful 3D platformer remaster that delivers polished visuals, smooth performance, and a nostalgic experience, but, unfortunately, with very basic and rather generic platforming and gameplay in general.
Bye Sweet Carole is a charming 2D adventure with a deeply beautiful story, creative puzzles, and stunning art style that make it an experience that you'll remember long after the credits roll.
Glowmade’s King of Meat may look like a goofy platformer full of skeletons, trolls, and traps (which it is), but it also hides a surprising streak of anti-corporate satire beneath the surface. What could have been just another dungeon runner actually delivers a witty story, excellent voice acting, and a heap of customisation that makes it stand out in a crowded genre.
The variety of mini-games, the easy pick-up-and-play controls, and the all-ages appeal make this one a winner. If you’ve got friends or family to play with, LEGO Party is a brick-built blast.
Although I expected EA to put in a lot more love into FC 26, and they did make some notable changes, the game still felt similar to the past two titles. The feeling of similarity is not a good thing for me in the long run, as my playtimes with both FC titles in the past two years were significantly less than usual.
Dying Light: The Beast marks a successful return to the franchise's horror roots, but it all feels a bit too familiar for my liking.
When all is said and done, Metal Eden is a game that thrives on pure adrenaline, serving up nonstop, heart-pounding action that rarely lets you catch a breath. It may not reinvent the genre, nor does it even try, but it absolutely nails what it sets out to do: deliver a flashy, straightforward shooter where chaos is king and hesitation means death.
If you're craving a carefree game where the sole aim is to have tonnes of fun while obliterating tonnes of pixelated baddies, then Shinobi: Art of Vengeance is a game for you. With a beautiful art style, a classic story, and a solid sound presentation, you won't be disappointed. This game entertained me very well, and I hope it will have the same effect on you, whether or not you decide to give it a chance.
Sword of the Sea is a therapeutic gaming experience that shows us how game development can be so close to a real art using a gorgeous presentation, stunning music, and an amazing story told without a single word spoken.