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There’s a lot to like about Mouse P.I., from it’s excellent visuals and animation to the simply act of exploring and shooting. Cuphead is a clear inspiration in certain aspects, and though this is a different genre, it will likely still appeal if you enjoyed that game. It is a great game for console and handheld should you have one as well.
Celebrating the 90’s, excellent music and how it impacts and marks our lives, and the joy of growing up with a few close friends, Mixtape is a stellar experience from start to finish.
Wax Heads was a unique experience that definitely lived up to the cozy promise. It may not be difficult, and it may not be my style, but I enjoyed the actual gameplay elements. I believe this one is a see it and you'll know type of game.
Replaced has been a long time coming, and for the most part we’re happy with how it has turned out. The combat and presentation are the highlights here, with incredible animation making every encounter look and feel awesome. A slow opening and generally heavy platforming and exploration can drag things down at times though. As it is, Replaced winds up being worth a play for sure, even if it isn’t quite the next best thing we were hoping for.
Despite the AI controversy around the launch of Crimson Desert, I’ve found a lot to enjoy during my time with the game. There is a lot of content to explore, and freedom to do so at your own pace and style. So much so, that even with some annoying interface and controller decisions and an initially confusing storyline, I found myself compelled to keep coming back and enjoying the moment to moment experiences.
Presenting a serious message in what is a fairly light-hearted game, Tides of Tomorrow is absolutely an entertaining time. The Story Link feature is a very cool concept, and the way it affects not just our world but those that come after gives us pause for thought every time we’re asked to make a choice.
Simple, solid fun from Double Fine’s multiplayer brawler, with a charming and easy to use creation suite to boot. Matchmaking can take some time, and playing with random players is far less enjoyable than with a group of buddies, but this is still an easy recommendation for those looking to add a new game to the game night rotation.
Basketball Classics is a solidly made blast of fun in short bursts, but is missing the depth I’d hoped for a modern re-imagining of retro sports game.
Of course, this won’t be an issue for everyone, and if you’ve the time to commit to the mystery we think there is something compelling about Cthulhu: Cosmic Abyss. A game that isn’t afraid to let players muddle through it on their own is an idea to be lauded, and here there is a core mystery that will provide a compelling enough reason to continue if you can get into the rhythm of the puzzling.
Every now and then I get the bug to play some retro games while playing something new and that’s where Saint Slayer: Spear of Sacrilege fills the gap! Given the options of difficulty, found modifiers, codes, and currency that carries over, Saint Slayer does a good job of trying to cater to any gamer. At the asking price, I don’t see how you could have buyer’s remorse with this one.
Greedfall II had a big ask to follow on from the original which I enjoyed a lot even if it had its annoyances and limitations such as repetitive dialogue choices. Greedfall II feels much more refined in terms of graphics, story and dialogue. The new combat system was a bold choice but it’s a risk, allowing players to try their hand at both real time and tactical styles. Returning players will find a lot to enjoy here, but newer players will be able to pick things up easily enough as well.
Fantastic level design and brutally hard challenges remind us of what made the base Art of Vengeance title so good. Add in plenty of love for iconic Sega series and we have an absolute winner on our hands.
An interesting premise and story that is worth playing makes Hacked: The Streamer a title that FMV players should definitely consider. However, not being easily able to track our choices makes it more of a chore to play through repeatedly, especially when hoping to see different outcomes.
Crimson Capes is an interesting experiment, where every fight could be a chance for meaty combat, instead it feels like too close to Prince of Persia combat – flailing and anachronistic.
Surprising no one, Hades II is a stellar example of the roguelike genre, with excellent combat, rewarding loops and progression, and for those that are willing to spend the time a dense and expansive story and lore to dig into.. Packed with more game than meets the eye, Hades II is something we’ll be playing for a long time to come.
I was pleasantly surprised by many aspects of Pragmata. First, the constantly evolving and engaging hacking mechanic, then, the creative level design and puzzles, and finally the emotional bond forming between Hugh and Diana. Hopefully we’ll see more from this new, innovative IP in years to come (hopefully with a much-improved map).
While the addition of the extra dimension brings a few niggles to the precision platforming that simply weren’t there in the original, overall Super Meat Boy 3D retains a lot of what made the original game great – with snappy restarts, generally tight controls, tricky challenges and a lot of reason to go back and beat personal records or find hidden secrets.
A massive improvement over Double Exposure, and an excellent send off for the two characters that the Life is Strange fanbase are obviously hugely fond of. The core mystery kept me guessing throughout, the performances are excellent, and the investigative nature of the story encourages us to dig deep rather than just follow a checklist. It’s just all-round brilliant stuff.
Despite this, I’ve enjoyed my time with Project Songbird all the same. While it didn’t grip me fully, I did enjoy aspects of the tale, and I really dug the horror sections thanks to great use of audio and visuals to make a genuinely unsettling experience.
In my opinion, it’s a real shame that Messy Up falls short, as there are the makings of a good game here. It just needs a little more care to optimize the menus for consoles and to fix some gameplay mechanics. I just can’t recommend this game when there are other games that do it much better.