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Indiana Jones and the Great Circle is one of the best adventure games of the year. It captures the atmosphere of the movies, using Indy tricks is a blast. Whilst the game isn’t perfect, it does have a few quirks like borderline bulletproof enemies, Troy Baker, and some unnecessary brief sequences of gameplay, it doesn’t deter the whole experience. I’m not going to lie, but I believe featuring third person perspective would’ve added to the fun. Either way, don’t miss it, Indiana Jones and the Great Circle is great banger to end the year on.
Lunacy: Saint Rhodes is a game with a lot of potential that unfortunately doesn’t fully deliver. It’s a tough recommendation due to its various issues, but hardcore horror fans might still find some enjoyment in its story and atmosphere. (Play in a darkened room for best results).
Glitch Hero is a great concept and has an interesting enough storyline to keep you engaged. The execution could be better in terms of how the combat feels and plays out. The puzzles are fun and it can actually serve to teach younger players about coding which is amazing if this interests them. Nothing is ever too much of a challenge and the game is suitable for all ages and abilities of player. If you’re looking for a child friendly game because there isn’t huge amounts of them on console, then this one may be worth a punt.
Whilst I did find the visuals of Farming Simulator 25 not much further ahead from what I played ten years ago, I did appreciate that the scope of the game has changed massively. Other games in the genre try and simulate farming environments but with the work of Giant’s Software, you won’t get any better than this one. The maps are vast in size and there is an unlimited amount of hours within this game with three huge areas to choose from, longevity is there. Bring with this the massive array of authentic farming equipment you can invest in, it is a paradise for farming enthusiasts.
Fans of the Metroidvania genre should definitely look into Yars Rising. It’s a fun and challenging addition to the genre. And yes, while far from perfect mostly because Emi is incredibly fragile and the hacking mini-game gets tedious the more you do it, it does offer solid gameplay, challenging bosses and a unique environment to explore. I highly recommend Yars Rising to everyone; fans of the Metroidvania genre or not.
Spellagis is 100% worth less than the price of a pint for the return in hours you get from this. All achievements on this one are obtainable simply by putting the hours in and the scope for replayability is there as no two runs ever feel the same. I’d liken this one to the excellent Brotato and whilst it doesn’t quite have the same shine and polish, it really does come close and gets its hooks into you immediately. If you like the genre of twin-stick shooters and fighting off waves of enemies then I would highly recommend this one, it is a hidden gem.
Let’s face it Undisputed doesn’t have any direct competition right now so it’s hard not to call it the best boxing game on the market. But hopefully what this ambitious project will do is spark some rival studios to create and make boxing games great again. As for Undisputed though, what we have is a fantastic stab at an engaging in-ring experience with plenty of content to dive into. Sure it isn’t perfect, but from a brand-spanking new studio and its first outing into the gaming world, this is a sterling effort into a genre no one has risked for a long time. If you’re after that fix of scrappy fights on the sofa in front of a screen with your mates or you want to dodge and weave your way to success on the online leaderboards, then Undisputed does it all. It does it well enough to bring replayability and longevity to your personal gameplay experience and if you love boxing then I assure you that you’ll find enjoyment here.
I had a great time with Shadows Of Doubt and it is a truly unique game that has never been done before. If you’re into games where you’re attempting to solve crime, murder mystery or piecing evidence together to bring a result, then you’ll love this one. As I’ve said it does have some bugs and glitches sporadically from time to time which can result in some frustration but this doesn’t hamper the adventures you’ll have all that much. At a reasonable price point of £19.99, it is well worth that for the amount of hours you can get in return which can ultimately be an unlimited timesink if you enjoy it enough.
Volgarr the Viking II is one of the worst, most infuriating gaming experience I’ve had the displeasure of reviewing. The game had some solid potential, but its overall gameplay mechanics and “heavy” controls makes this a huge missed opportunity. I get this game is clearly aimed at the “git gud” audience, but gamers looking for a pleasant experience need to avoid this like the plague. Even Easy mode doesn’t save this game.
Monarchy is a fun game for quick casual sessions or seeing everything possible in a couple of longer waves of gameplay. It is a relaxing time that never becomes difficult to understand or overbearing which makes it perfect for all abilities of gamers. My six-year-old son enjoyed watching me play and kept coming up with suggestions on what to do next and he had his little planning brain on. It may be a little too simplistic for the hardcore strategy fans out there like myself and I did feel myself pining for more during several segments of the game. But the experience stands on its own two feet with a lovely cute vibe to its art style and great foundations if the developers want to add more in future.
Amanda The Adventurer presents a unique challenge offering some dark, creepy yet chuckle-worthy moments throughout its playthrough. It isn’t a massive game by any means and the gameplay loop is pretty short, but there are multiple endings if you want to try and find them out for yourself. It is a very well-designed puzzler ultimately with cleverly plotted and subtle hints through the brilliantly animated and petrifying cartoon. The price-point weighs in at a reasonable £7.49 which doesn’t break the bank for a couple of casual hours of fun. Will you brave it in the dark though like I did? If you’re impressed with this title then you’ll be pleased to hear the sequel has dropped onto Steam recently, so I’d imagine a console release is imminent for AtA2.
Unless you have a fond spot in your heart for Aero The Acro-Bat: Rascal Rival Revenge, it’s hard to recommend the game. Even as a remake of a 1990s game released in the 2000s, it feels a bit sluggish and archaic. It’s a decent trip down memory lane for older gamers, but it’s a hard selling to the younger gamers out there who were spoiled with all the nifty quality of life improvement gameplay mechanics.
Tetris Forever is an interesting piece of history as it lets players deep dive in more obscure, older Tetris games; but as you’d expect, a lot of them haven’t aged well. The new entry, Tetris Time Warp, is a fun new addition to the long running series. But given the age of the games included, it’s hard to recommend Tetris Forever to anyone other than diehard Tetris fans.
The game looks fine for what it is; dark and drab environments are detailed and the city feels lively. Its dark theme offers a darker color palette to properly represent the menacing threat. However, it unfortunately doesn’t benefit from the full processing power of the Xbox Series S and X consoles. It looks like early 8th generation console game, which is unfortunate. Human characters are pretty generic, but they did do a great job creating the monstrosities you’ll face. Audio wise, there’s little to no voiceover work, aside from incomprehensible muffles. The soundtrack is incredibly eclectic; some tunes are properly spooky where others sounds like the composer slid his ass across a keyboard. Given this brand new concept, there’s sure to be a few hiccups. Outdated graphics aside, combat does feel a bit loose and requires some practice to feel comfortable. It’s also rough at times facing a bigger Slitterhead and trying quickly swap powers with the d-pad and not get it. Bokeh Game Studio’s first project had somewhat high hopes given the reputation of Keiichiro Toyama, the studio head, created Silent Hill and Siren. But Slitterhead manages to be a surprising and entertaining experience. While having no scares, despite Toyama’s history, the game makes up for it with deep combat system, fun possession system and intriguing story. Sure, it’s not perfect, but if you’re looking for a unique, challenging 3rd person action game, Slitterhead is a must play.
Killing Time: Resurrected is mindless shooter where players just around killing everything. While the gameplay/shooting in and of itself is a blast and holds up generally well, the archaic DOOM formula find key, find door, rinse, repeat gets old and irritating as you’d expect. The exteriors are fun and enjoyable to explore, but insides are confusing and visuals makes it easy to miss doors. If you’re craving an old school 1990s experience, Killing Time: Resurrected is definitely the best option out there. However, if you enjoy a more linear, straight to the point experience, Killing Time: Resurrected will be an irrtating experience.
In this review I’ve critiqued the game from a general standpoint. Ultimately, A Patrick Star game is a simplistic sandbox adventure which will fall short for most – however for its intended audience this will prove a hit. It’ll provide a challenge, as well as give them the chance to explore somewhere they know and love. Everything is straightforward and its free-roam design means that children of all ages will be able to find something they enjoy, without having their progress halted by a level they can’t get past. Outright Games have done a fantastic job in creating an experience for younger players.
I played a lot of this game with a smile on my face, it was exactly what I’d hoped for going in, and plenty more else on top. Sonic Generations is one of the best releases in the series post-Mega Drive, but the addition of a genuinely fun adventure which gives Shadow the moment he deserves makes this not only one of my favourite Sonic releases, but one of my favourite releases this year. My only remaining hope now that the foundations for future adventures have been laid, is that Sega and Team Sonic continue to build on them, so that both their iconic mascot and his fans, get the games that they both deserve.
I won't lie, I become invested for countless hours in creative games like Planet Coaster 2 and it retains the qualities from 2016 and then some. As someone who pretended to be ill in my school days so I could stay at home and plough extra hours into adventures like Theme Park and Rollercoaster Tycoon in the 90s, this sends me back to that headspace. What we have here is a joyful, addictive and rich park builder which will no doubt become more fruitful with updates over time. The real draw though is how reasonably priced the game is. At just £39.99 for the base edition and £49.99 for the deluxe version, it is well worth the money and your time investment if you adore this genre like I do.
On the surface Tiebreak: Official Game of the ATP & WTA is a well constructed and playable Tennis title, but often its mechanics had me feeling a bit frustrated. It felt more simplistic to get to grips with than Top Spin 2K25, but the mechanics and AI become infuriating to deal with at times. If you’re looking for a Tennis title though that has the largest roster available with accurate atmosphere and feel of the real sport though, this one might be for you. But in my opinion it does fall short in terms of gameplay and modes despite its excellent presentation. I do hope Big Ant Studios return next year though with some refreshed mechanics to compliment its sterling work everywhere else.
Squirrel With A Gun never takes itself seriously and it doesn’t need to. Me and my little lad loved playing this one together and at various points, he did have to hand me the controller for a helping hand with some of the trickier platforming moments throughout. The game doesn’t focus on just mindlessly gunning everything down in sight, it has some puzzle elements and areas for you to explore and discover along the way. But if you ever fancied taking a tree rat into moments akin to The Matrix and Max Payne, then this is a real treat. For the price point, it offers several hours of enjoyment and whilst it is a little clunky and frustrating in particular moments, it never stops being fun. For those with youngsters who are out for a laugh, or just want some casual fun its worth a punt.