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Let’s Build A Zoo is exactly the kind of game that is required to sit amongst some others in the genre such as Two Point Hospital and Campus along with Planet Coaster. 2013’s Zoo Tycoon was lacklustre when it came to the gameplay element and became more of an interactive simulation rather than the deep and intricate running of a business. The development team have done fantastically here with ensuring the game echoes those nostalgic Theme Park vibes whilst creating a potentially never-ending addictive gameplay loop.
Raptor Boyfriend: A High School Romance honestly surprised me as romance isn’t really my jam if I am honest, my partner will confirm that most probably. But between the three people who worked on this, they honestly have done an exceptional job across the board in a genre that won’t be loved by everyone.
Divine Knockout has incredible potential if they get the marketing and audience right. With cross-platform and cross-gen multiplayer, they are already halfway there at the moment. Whilst there have been some subtle stabs at Super Smash Bros clones on Xbox with Brawlhalla and Multiversus recently, there has never been a successful 3D version that I know of.
Accident is a rather unique experience and unlike anything I’ve played before. It is enjoyable trying to piece together who to assist first and what actions to prioritise. Whilst the controls are slightly frustrating and the visuals are a little underwhelming, it isn’t all bad.
Admittedly I have an awful habit of reading a synopsis of a game and glancing at screenshots and writing a game off sometimes. With The Knight Witch, I saw Metroidvania and saw the card system and was a little bit hesitant to pick this one up for a review. After playing this for close to 20 hours, I have to say I am absolutely glad I did and I became besotted with everything about the game.
Sadly I was left a little disappointed with Hello Neighbor 2 and if you’re left wondering whether it’s moved on much from the first title, then the answer is not a great deal. Yes, it is bigger with a little bit more on the plate, but the lack of any direction or indication of where to go frustrated me.
I had my reservations before diving into Ship Of Fools, simply because part of me thought it was going to be a complex rogue-lite. I’m someone who likes a little complexity without being overbearing and this game has every element absolutely nailed. The balance between being able to play as a solo gamer or part of a co-op team is well executed. Often a lot of co-op-based titles fall short when it comes to playing alone, but here it is as deep and rich as playing amongst friends.
Animal Shelter Simulator is a game I really wanted to admire but it gets ever so stale very quickly. With the clunky and horribly ported control scheme and the lacking variation of animals and no other signs of human connections or life, it becomes a hard game to fully recommend.
I was initially excited to see if Tate Multimedia had done something drastically different with this DLC to extend its longevity. When it boils down to it though, it is five short levels tacked on to the game to extend it to twenty overall. Unfortunately, it is one of those one-and-done events though with little reason to go back through any of the levels unless you’re trading back through for extra collectables.
It is early days for Warzone 2.0 and I imagine this early phase will be all about listening to the community and engaging in their feedback. I do have some things I’d love to see changed or altered over time, but the gameplay loop is absolutely perfect for me. It feels less about players constantly rushing for loadouts and more about fighting with a mixture of what you can find on the ground.
Football Manager 2023 Console Edition is perhaps one of those games that many look at and say it’s the same every time. I can tell you that it has drastically improved year after year with controller functionality and its incredible performance on Xbox Series X.
Vampire Survivors is not only my game of 2022, but it is also my biggest surprise of the year. It has a moreish gameplay loop like I have never experienced before, and it really has the opportunity for endless replayability and longevity. The levelling process and the spontaneous nature of what abilities the game throws at you each time you can make a choice makes for a different experience each and every time.
Police Simulator: Patrol Officers is genuinely one of the better simulation games I’ve played in terms of the game’s mechanics, open world and the amount of content on offer. What I really enjoyed about the game was the fact it was me choosing how I dealt with the criminals out there, instead of being told how to. My day job consists of law enforcement, and I really felt the vibe of being given the freedom to explore and make my own decisions out on the streets.
For its price point, it provides a good 15-20 hours of gameplay at a steady pace through some vibrantly rich and beautifully illustrated dioramas. The best part was seeing my son’s face when we returned to the endgame of piecing the theme park together and hearing him shout “YES” at the end was what made it a wholesome and memorable experience. Whilst it is a casual adventure, it is one that absolutely will scratch an itch for all LEGO fans of any age.
I had a lot of fun with PGA Pro Bowling 2023, but it required a lot of patience and practice to master the techniques and craft of bowling to score consistent strikes. From the little research I did on PGA Pro Bowling 2021, it appears that there aren’t many significant changes to the game overall with the aesthetics of the menu system and everything else being largely the same. I spoke with a friend who played the 2021 version for hundreds of hours and he explained that the difficulty level especially for newcomers to the game, has increased.
The Last Oricru has a great storyline to back up the experience in an atmosphere that echoes the impact of the choices you make. For my playthrough, I decided to join the rats and the rat-volution. The most enjoyable aspect for me was pondering on some of the choices I made, and I was always left wondering what would have happened if I did the alternative option.
If you’re looking for a platformer that goes beyond just jumping from A to B and just collecting stuff, then Trifox will test your brainpower and allow you to fight waves of enemies with twin-stick shooter elements. With an addictive upgrade system and a beautifully illustrated nostalgic feel to the entire package, it is a game I genuinely really got sucked into and wanted to complete. With a dozen or so hours at a reasonable price point, it is well worth a punt.
As someone who plays online multiplayer games 99% of the time, unless a campaign sweeps me off my feet, I am always striving to find games that are cooperative and require actual teamwork. Ghostbusters Spirits Unleashed is absolutely outstanding, brings the blend of teamwork and ticks every single box for an older gamer who absolutely obsesses over Ghostbusters and wants a casual laugh with their mates.
It’s a sad shame that Winter Games 2023 doesn’t quite hit the mark. The concept of playing across the ten events is exciting and intriguing but its execution is disappointing. There are glimmers of fun to be had in some of the events, but the lack of online multiplayer makes for limited longevity and replayability once you’ve achieved gold medals across the game.
FIFA 23 is super polished across the board and has a huge transitional shift in how the game plays in comparison to the 2021-2022 versions. The gameplay has slowed down significantly, and matches have more spontaneous moments throughout.