JumpCut PLAY
HomepageJumpCut PLAY's Reviews
This game is definitely more suited for mobile play due to its Tinder-like mechanics. Swiping with your mouse definitely feels like more effort than the game requires and because it’s card-based it’s perfect for a mobile phone screen. Using a mouse definitely doesn’t hinder my enjoyment of the game – the writing makes sure of that! But if you were looking to buy this game then I would absolutely recommend buying it for your phone.
Kingdom Hearts III is an incredible game, and a worthy successor to its last numbered installment, the series’ best Kingdom Hearts II. Newcomers will be lost in its story but in love with its realized, exciting worlds and riveting combat. Veterans will find strategies to master new gameplay elements and hang on every word and plot beat as almost two decades of storytelling draws to a close while also laying an exciting groundwork for the future of the series. Kingdom Hearts III is in many ways a triumph, and the sheer number of things it does so right outnumber what it does wrong.
Buying Death Stranding was a risk. I’m not one for massive open-world games, I didn’t know what the hell the game was about, and the early divisive reviews made me even more unsure. And yet, the further I got into the game, I realised I was playing something in a way that I’m not sure I’ll ever experience again. The online system is fantastic, the world is photo-realistic and absolutely beautiful (the game reaches its peak visually when you’re up in the snowy mountains), the BT encounters are consistently tense, and as weird as it sounds, the walking is the best part about it. There are cutscenes aplenty to wade through with varying degrees of success (the late game cutscenes, while interesting, are a chore to finish), but you should come to Death Stranding for a wholly satisfying gaming experience that needs to be played to be believed, filled to the brim with a colourful cast of characters (and cameos aplenty from the film world to look out for!) and scenery to die for. As shocking as it may be, Death Stranding is my first ever Hideo Kojima game. I think I know what I’ve been missing out on.
The overall package is saved by the base 3D World game still being fun to play, especially with friends. I don’t recommend buying this game just to play Bowser’s Fury since you can 100% the game in under five hours, and it isn’t as solid of an experience as I expected from a Mario game. If you’ve never played Super Mario 3D World, then this is a great game to fill a weekend or even play online with strangers— but there are plenty of better Mario experiences on the Switch, though.
The Walking Dead: Saints and Sinners may well be the very best single-player game available on the Quest right now, as well as already being one of the best VR games on the market period. While the dull narrative presentation does make the story elements a real slog, once you get past them (or skip them), you will find a game that understands everything that makes a VR gaming so special—and I doubt zombie killing is ever going to get more fun than it is here.
Zombie Army 4: Dead War is a zombie fun house, bringing back good old fashioned co-op fun.
Lonely Mountains Downhill is a game of two identities. One part sets you at ease as your cycle your way through beautifully designed bike routes, accompanied by the soothing sounds of churning tyres, chirping birds, and flowing streams. The other will leave your blood boiling as your crashes tick over into the hundreds. Yet it is that second part to Lonely Mountains‘ identity that meant I kept coming back, eager to trim down my run times and find every one of its hidden-in-plain-sight shortcuts. It is a deceptively full experience that will easily allow you rack up hours of playtime and leave you gripping onto your Switch as tightly as a pair of handlebars.
While newcomers to the series will frequently find themselves lost if they choose to pick up Persona 5 Strikers, those familiar with Persona 5 will find this game to be an unexpectedly near-perfect sequel, making a strong case for more Persona games as action RPGs. Though its story may retread some familiar territory and combat can get a little predictable, this another stylish, emotional, exciting, and fun outing with the Phantom Thieves. With layered combat, outstanding characters (both new and old), and multiple systems to help customize your playstyle, Strikers is a triumphant return for the Trickster and his team. By the time the credits rolled, I was sad to say goodbye to these characters again—but I was so, so grateful to get one more ride with them.
Animal Crossing: New Horizons is a beautiful game that is a charming distraction from the real world (despite me still owing over 100,000 bells to an entrepreneurial Tanuki). I don’t even think I have begun to scrape the surface but I am so excited for my island to flourish.
Pooplers is far from alone, as anyone who has had the misfortune of scrolling through the Switch eShop can attest. It’s just the game unfortunate enough to land in my crosshairs. Much like Steam, the Nintendo Switch eShop has been inundated with cheap asset flips, knock offs, and shovelware While Nintendo’s apparent refusal to exercise any measure of quality control is beyond the scope of this review, putting Pooplers into a wider context feels necessary. It’s a tiny part of a much bigger problem.
New Pokémon Snap is one of the most relaxing games I have ever played… until it isn’t. But once I let my frustrations with Professor Mirror’s strict and often nonsensical rating system go, I had an absolute blast. At its core, the notion of being able to become immersed in the world of Pokémon in such a unique way, interacting with them and getting to know them at such close quarters, is such a valuable and wholesome experience and I can’t wait to keep snapping these Pokémon for years to come.
The game is at its best when it embraces the ridiculousness. You’re sure to find plenty of that in Steelport.
The game absolutely shines when it comes to its core feature of crafting… It’s a welcome challenge with solid and addictive gameplay
The Last of Us Part II is not for everyone. Sometimes, it wasn’t even a game for me, a huge fan of the original. It’s often an emotionally punishing experience, and even borders on sadism at times. But no matter how much hatred these characters feel, no matter what form of revenge they take, the game never loses sight of the importance of compassion and love. It’s a message that the world could use right now.
Ghost of Tsushima is a sprawling, epic adventure with some flaws, but these take nothing away from the overall power of the game. It has an emotional, powerful story with a complex central hero and fabulously written side characters, a brilliant combat system that is as fun to get to grips with as it is once you’ve mastered it, and a stunning open world to explore on horseback with something to do around every corner. There is so much to do on the island of Tsushima that it can seem like completing it for completion’s sake, and the mission types are repetitive but, mercifully, the game is so endlessly fun that I didn’t care. The highs of this game are astronomical, with the story ramping up steadily throughout each act resulting in wildly exciting sequences and shocking character moments both in the main story and in the side quests. If not for the existence of The Last of Us Part II, Ghost of Tsushima would be my Game of the Year. As it is, it’s a worthy addition to the packed PS4 exclusives library and Lord Jin Sakai fits right in among Sony’s vast lineup of memorable main characters. Ghost of Tsushima waves goodbye to the PS4 generation in sumptuous style.
Fall Guys is a bright, fast-paced, and relatively simple game that is a delight to play. Whilst I can’t see myself playing this game for hours on end, it will be a go-to when I require a pick me up while also being great for when people are allowed to get together for parties again!
Tank Mechanic Simulator was conceived, designed, and released specifically to find me and trigger something of a crisis.
In a time where young people find themselves trapped in the familial home for much longer than their forebears through no fault of their own, Zagreus’ hellish plight is unexpectedly resonant. The very real struggle to simply strike out on one’s own and escape the shadow you were born under is eerily reflected in the roguelike structure of Hades. Repeated failure is crushing… until you figure out how to learn from it. Until you move forward, inch by inch. Until you win.
Ultimately, Ride 4 is a rare beast: a motorcycle racing game with the potential for mass appeal and difficulty that is open to all. Personally, while I am a fan of racing games in general, I have always struggled with vehicles of the two-wheeled variety. They have been so unforgiving and can be quite isolating, requiring far too much effort for the casual gamer. Not with Ride 4 though. This is a genuinely fun and well-crafted racer with the potential for immense longevity, both in single player and multiplayer. As motorcycle racing games go, this very well might be the best I have ever played.
So, if the gameplay isn’t ultimately worth playing the game to completion, the story isn’t worth experiencing, bugs cheapen the gameplay, and the art style is the only thing trying to redeem the experience, is it worth the buy? Well, at a nerve-wracking £15 on Steam and an eye-watering £25 on PlayStation 4 and Nintendo Switch, I cannot recommend it at the asking price due to the gameplay annoyances, lacking story, and remaining bugs. Many of the annoyances may feel cheap, but this beat ‘em up certainly isn’t retailed as such.