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While it never takes itself too seriously, Two Point Campus is an exceedingly complex game that gradually reveals itself through later scenarios – and, by the time the player gets there, is intuitive enough to never feel overwhelming in the amount of options available. The game does well to play the class clown, but its deceptive enough to hide plenty of A-grade material under its desk.
From its action to its slick presentation, everything about Rollerdrome screams “effortlessly cool” from the moment it ramps off. Its breakneck pacing and unabating stages make each victory feel well earned, and revisiting each feels like a mastery that verges on transcendental. It’s endlessly replayable and while its gradual difficulty demands a lot from players, none of it ever feels unfair, even in the face of overwhelming odds. Rollerdrome is another crack shot hit from Roll7 that will demand every ounce of your attention.
Despite all its flaws (and there are more than a few), Saints Row is undoubtedly fun and explosive in its over-the-top presentation. While its punctuated with memorable moments, they are often diminished by the repetitive nature of its side content, which makes up a significant portion of what Saints Row has to offer. If you’ve been a longtime fan of the series’s previous entries, you will find plenty to enjoy with this latest installment – just don’t expect much in the way of innovation.
Between the ecstasy of nicking a top-10 finish, and the agony of being ploughed into a barrier – F1 Manager 22 is a faithful recreation of the motorsport. For better or worse. The game won’t convert people to the sport in the way Drive to Survive has, or in the way FIFA and Football Manager work magic, but there’s a serious simulation here and die-hards, above all, will appreciate it the most.
The Last of Us is (and always was) a masterpiece and Part I is unquestionably the best version of it yet, but that may not be enough for anyone hoping for a complete reinvention of the formula from the ground up. Part I adds just enough to warrant its remake for the latest hardware, which elevates it to the same level of The Last of Us Part II in smart design choices, flexibility and technical prowess even if it’s still the third time we’ve made this journey before. If Naughty Dog’s original PS3 version was the critically acclaimed theatrical release, then Part I is the Criterion 4K remaster complete with commentary and behind-the-scenes footage.
Splatoon 3 is one of the most enjoyable and accessible multiplayer experiences currently available on the Switch. By sticking to its guns (or paint rollers), Nintendo has crafted a competitive shooter with near-universal appeal in both its presentation and simplistic take on team-based deathmatches. It’s strong competitive offering is only improved by the addition of its capable single-player and cooperative game modes, which means there is a well-served rotation of different options to try out. Fans of previous Splatoon games will enjoy the continuity this third instalment serves and newcomers looking for an online game with a twist will find plenty to wrap their tentacles around.
Return to Monkey Island is a thoughtful retread of a genre that was once the pinnacle of adventure games, yet now feels rarely revisited, despite its influence. A lot has changed since The Secret of Monkey Island debuted more than three decades ago, but now Return feels like a fitting conclusion to everything that spawned from the original. Ron Gilbert and Dave Grossman’s own reflection on the series after the game’s conclusion is poignant in its perspective that only years away from the helm could bring.
Both in scale and execution, A Plague Tale Requiem is an ambitious follow-up to Innocence that retools its core puzzle-and-stealth gameplay for a broader and more satisfying historical narrative adventure with fantasy elements. While puzzles are immediately intuitive and its action elements are much more rewarding, they rarely stretch the player’s brain enough to give much pause, making for a breezy, yet memorable adventure.
Bayonetta 3 is an outrageous and fitting return to form for the umbra witch and her posse of occultish heavy hitters. Substantial improvements and additions to combat mean there are seemingly endless options for different styles of play, as well as making the prospect of revisiting each stage, verse and hidden objective more compelling than it ever has been, with the crowning jewel being Viola’s introduction into the franchise.
After the dust has settled and the credits have rolled, God of War Ragnarok is as strong a continuation as anyone could have hoped for, and a fitting end to Kratos’s latest chapter. Few game loops have been as engaging to experiment with and ultimately master than Kratos’s own brutality, but by adding new dimensions to an already intoxicating equation, the game successfully manages to deliver on the high expectations its predecessor laid bare at the altar. On its own merits, it’s difficult to fault but on the foundations of 2018’s God of War, it’s nothing short of a masterpiece.