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Lego Bricktales Review: Building A Diorama

Helen Ashcroft — Tue, 11 Oct 2022 14:30:13 GMT

Lego Bricktales is a puzzle adventure that tested my physics knowledge in ways I’ve not encountered since I last tried - and failed - to help my kid with their science homework. Although the only person judging me this time was the simulation robot, it still shows how my carefully crafted solution instantly breaks apart under the slightest bit of scrutiny. While watching my own failure looks pretty cool this time around, it was no comfort when I was so busy cursing at some of the puzzles that are far more complex than most Lego games.

Gundam Evolution Review

Santi Leguiza — Tue, 04 Oct 2022 15:30:13 GMT

When I first learned about Gundam Evolution, I was immediately excited to pilot a Gundam against other Gundams while shooting at them and being able to live, laugh, and love my Gundam summer forever. I am immensely sad to confirm that believing that fantasy was a fool’s errand and the dream of an infant.

Moonscars Review - Soulslike Yet Soulless

Joshua Robertson — Tue, 27 Sep 2022 16:00:14 GMT

Moonscars understands that one of the biggest draws of Dark Souls is its sense of mystery. Most games in the soulslike genre use their environments to tell their stories, making the player piece together a coherent narrative themselves. It’s a method of storytelling that FromSoftware has mastered, using memorable characters and visual clues to flesh out their apocalyptic worlds and give them more depth. While a valiant attempt has been made in Moonscars to recreate that sense of intrigue, the execution is far from perfect.

FIFA 23 Review - Same Name, Same Game

Stacey Henley — Tue, 27 Sep 2022 15:00:13 GMT

Folks, it’s that time of year again - the FIFA 23 launch is here and I’m settling in to review a game that I’ve played year in, year out for the past 25 years, only to be told each time that it’s the exact same game every year. One glance at FIFA: Road to the World Cup ‘98 compared to now will show that the series has advanced significantly in those 25 years despite always being the same. Even looking at last year’s entry, FIFA 22, reveals some differences. However, they feel a little like sideways moves, and more worrying is the continuation of FIFA being funnelled entirely into one game mode: Ultimate Team.

Steelrising Review: A Royal Mess

Issy van der Velde — Tue, 27 Sep 2022 10:18:57 GMT

Aegis dances around King Louis XVI’s clockwork soldiers beautifully, striking devastating blows with such precision that their gears jam, rendering them immobile and open to a deadly finishing strike. I press the attack, quickly snapping to another tin soldier and starting an unrelenting flurry of slashes before Aegis overheats and I perfectly time her venting so that she barely misses a beat. I finish off the second opponent, and a third, until all that remains is scrap. When Steelrising works, it’s a gorgeous, rhythmic action-RPG that I could happily spend hours in. The problem is it barely works, and the combat is its only redeeming feature. It’s a broken clock, and it’s only time for combat twice a day.

Foretales Review – An Adventure Is On The Cards

Joe Parlock — Fri, 23 Sep 2022 15:30:13 GMT

The last few years have proven that cards can be used in far more ways than just the strategy of games like Yu-Gi-Oh! or Pokemon. Slay The Spire and Inscryption used them for compelling yet radically different takes on roguelikes, while I Was A Teenage Exocolonist and Voice of Cards weaved them into narrative-based RPGs. Even my more card-averse friends have been enjoying these without a single tap-for-mana or scry-one in sight.

Session Review - Virtual Skateboarding Doesn't Get Any Better

Andy Kelly — Thu, 22 Sep 2022 12:00:39 GMT

I'm gonna come right out and say it: Session is the best skateboarding game ever made. Yeah, Tony Hawk's Pro Skater is a classic, but it's really a point-scoring arcade game disguised as a skating sim. EA's Skate is great too, and a more accurate recreation of the sport, but still very much a video game with little concern for gravity or physics. Session, on the other hand, is skateboarding. It's a simulator in the truest sense, capturing not only the technical intricacies of skating in a way no other game has before, but its more abstract qualities too.

No Place For Bravery Review - A Gory 2D Sekiro-like

Ryan Thomas Bamsey — Wed, 21 Sep 2022 14:00:13 GMT

No Place for Bravery is a game about fatherhood, first and foremost. It places you in the shoes of Thorn, a man who sees his daughter kidnapped by a powerful warlock right before his eyes. Shortly after, he comes across an abandoned young boy whom he promptly adopts. What ensues is a tale of hardship as Thorn mounts multiple expeditions across many years to find his daughter, Leaf.

Serial Cleaners Review - Murder Without The Murdering

George Foster — Wed, 21 Sep 2022 09:32:28 GMT

There’s been a murder in one of New York City’s many dive bars. Four bodies, two very incriminating bits of evidence, and lots of blood. You sneak around behind pool tables, turning on jukeboxes and throwing limbs to distract the mob circling the area. As you manage to work your way through the bar, you whip out the most important tool in your kit, a vacuum, and start doing what you came here to do - clean.

Return To Monkey Island Review

Meg Pelliccio — Mon, 19 Sep 2022 16:00:12 GMT

The Secret of Monkey Island and Monkey Island 2: LeChuck’s Revenge both have a very special place in my heart. They were two of my favourite games growing up, kickstarting my love of the point-and-click genre, and they particularly stand out as being two of the few games I enjoyed with all three of my siblings before they eventually ‘grew out’ of gaming.

Sunday Gold Review - A Beautifully Macabre Yet Flawed Vision Of The Future

Ryan Thomas Bamsey — Mon, 19 Sep 2022 14:00:13 GMT

Imagine a future where football and cricket are no longer the national English sports. Instead? Dog races where the dogs are mechanically enhanced, undead, and filled with chemical rage, turning races into horrific bloodbaths for the enjoyment of the braying masses. This is the future envisioned by Sunday Gold in a gory, glorious wash of comic book animation and gorgeous, moody environments.

Potion Permit Review - A Chemist’s Life For Me

Ryan Thomas Bamsey — Fri, 16 Sep 2022 08:00:12 GMT

The residents of Moonbury have a bitter history with the Medical Association. Sometime in the past, some chemists from the capital dealt untold damage to the surrounding areas, rendering many plants extinct and even claiming lives. After a long period of separation from the Medical Association, it’s up to you, a young chemist, to solve Moonbury’s problems, starting with the mayor’s ill daughter and the local witch doctor’s inability to cure her. You also have a dog. Yes, you can pet the dog.

You Suck At Parking Review - Parking Lots Of Fun

James Troughton — Wed, 14 Sep 2022 13:00:13 GMT

There’s an episode of SpongeBob where he takes a driving test at Mrs Puff’s Boating School, completing a fatally dangerous obstacle course that combines loops, sharp turns, and brick walls - You Suck at Parking is that dialled up to 11. Imagine that course with homing missiles, icy tarmac, swinging pendulums, laser walls, and angry drivers. All while the music repeats that insult, “You suck at parking”, really driving it home.

Metal: Hellsinger Review: Shoot, Shriek, Increase The Streak, Repeat

Ben Sledge — Mon, 12 Sep 2022 14:00:13 GMT

You’re a demon who has lost her voice. You’ve found a talking skull who wants to help you reclaim it. Now you must descend the depths of Hell in order to challenge the Red Judge to fill your lungs and sing your hellish song. But none of that really matters, because Metal: Hellsinger is all about the journey. This particular road trip has thousands of demons standing in your way and a playlist of original songs by metal legends like Tatiana Shmayluk of Jinjer, Matt Heafy of Trivium, and Serj Tankien of System of a Down. Metal: Hellsinger may not have the strongest story, but that means little when everything else is big, brash, and brilliant fun.

Splatoon 3 Review - Splat Hard With A Vengeance

George Foster — Wed, 07 Sep 2022 14:00:09 GMT

Playing Splatoon 3 is like being splatted back to 2015. When I’m in the middle of a Turf War battle surrounded by squid kids and making the ground look like a Starburst, suddenly the world isn’t on fire, TikTok isn’t a thing yet, and I’m not staring down the barrel of being 25 years old and decrepit. [Editor’s Note: Yes, we hate him too]

Gerda: A Flame In Winter Review

Rhiannon Bevan — Thu, 01 Sep 2022 16:00:12 GMT

At the start of Gerda: A Flame In Winter, you’ll lose friendship points with your dad because you’re annoyed that he’s joined the Nazi Party. Gamifying war is bizarre at the best of times, but Gerda throws you into the deep end, and this makes for an uncomfortable start to a game that will get much darker than this.

Immortality Review: Cut To The Heart

Andrew King — Tue, 30 Aug 2022 12:00:13 GMT

In Immortality, the first clip you uncover finds long lost star Marissa Marcel on a fictionalized version of The Tonight Show. After chatting for a bit, Jimmy, the show's Johnny Carson equivalent, rolls a clip from Marcel's film, Ambrosio. The footage is grainy and low quality, the way it really would have looked if shown on a talk show in 1968. Keep playing and you will eventually find that shot in its original form. In both iterations, the take is framed in 4:3, the boxy aspect ratio that many films of that era were shot in. But, in the original shot the image is pristinely clear, only bearing the grain of celluloid, not the staticky fuzz of TV.

Pac-Man World: Re-Pac Review - A Solid Repac-Age

George Foster — Mon, 29 Aug 2022 14:30:13 GMT

I’ve always wanted to give Pac-Man World a try. I’m a big fan of platformers, and Pac-Man World looked to tick all of the right boxes for me, with everyone’s favourite yellow Smash Bros. character (sorry) front and centre. Pac-Man World: Re-Pac finally presented me with the chance to play this game I’d mythologised in my head, and as I booted it up, I realised something - it was Pac-Man World 2 I wanted to play all those years ago. Oops.

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: The Cowabunga Collection Review - A Worthy Shellebration

George Foster — Mon, 29 Aug 2022 08:00:13 GMT

I’m a huge fan of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. I’ve watched every iteration of the team on the big and small screen, read the original Eastman and Laird run, bought more plastic nunchucks than I care to admit, and even created my own Ninja Turtles OC. Wait, forget you read that last part. Actually, no shame, his name is George, he’d wield a spade, and everyone would fancy him.

I Was A Teenage Exocolonist Review: Prepare For Blue Hair And Pronouns

Jade King — Thu, 25 Aug 2022 17:00:13 GMT

I Was A Teenage Exocolonist is a narrative triumph. It’s engrossing, tragic, gorgeous, horny, unexpected, and poignantly reflective of our own reality despite the fact it takes place amidst an infantile colony on the other side of the universe. Northway Games and Finji have crafted a tale of personal consequence, one where the biggest decisions our character can possibly make are insignificant to the wider picture of global colonisation and picking up the pieces of a human race that has long grown responsible for its own premature demise.

Islets Review - The Sky Is The Limit

Ryan Thomas Bamsey — Wed, 24 Aug 2022 15:00:14 GMT

In Islets, you play as Iko, a mouse with a sword and the desire to become a heroic warrior. His goal is to reunite the scattered floating islands by activating ancient, powerful electromagnets hidden deep within them. To do this, Iko needs to platform and fight his way through various traps and monsters while collecting upgrades and new abilities. As is often the case, you’ll be tempted by blocked exits and tantalising ledges that are just out of reach, knowing that you’ll have to come back later with some new traversal ability.

Saints Row Review - A Tale Told By An Idiot, Signifying Nothing

Stacey Henley — Mon, 22 Aug 2022 14:00:13 GMT

There are people among us who think the golden age of video games was 2008-2013. This five year span was when the PS3 and Xbox 360 were in full swing, but before The Last of Us came along and changed everything. Gaming in the modern era is focussed on ballooning size, realistic graphics, and emotional, cinematic storytelling. Around a decade ago though, games were all about fun, silliness, and methodically clearing areas of an open world map so you could turn it the right colour. Saints Row (2022) is a throwback to those days of wine and roses, and all I can say is be careful what you wish for.

Soul Hackers 2 Review

Meg Pelliccio — Thu, 18 Aug 2022 14:00:13 GMT

I am that immature person who laughs at the phallic demons seen across the Shin Megami Tensei universe. It’s all fun and games until you turn a corner and bump into a towering penis-headed monstrosity prepared to take you on the ride of your life. That’s the downside of Soul Hackers 2’s Demon Recon feature, which has your demons appear randomly in dungeons instead of being personally curated. The upside is they can give you items, money, HP/MP boosts, or help you to recruit a new demon buddy into your ranks, but that’s not always worth coming face to face with Penis Head.

MultiVersus Review - Smash Hit

George Foster — Wed, 17 Aug 2022 19:46:12 GMT

MultiVersus shouldn’t be any good. It’s a Smash Bros. clone that’s shameless about being IP soup and it started life because of an outdated Ultra Instinct Shaggy meme - it sounds like a recipe for disaster, especially from an unproven developer.

We Are OFK Review - Finding Purpose In The City Of Dreams

Jade King — Wed, 17 Aug 2022 16:00:13 GMT

We Are OFK perfectly captures the frustration of so many young people. The desire to find yourself, fall in love, and leave a mark on the world that makes a real difference. Things are so dire nowadays that we often surrender ourselves to apathy, but the new generation often seeks to overthrow that perspective as it keeps moving forward with positivity. We’ve seen new music, films, art, and so much more created in the wake of a changing planet, and this charming narrative adventure is a shining example on how much more there is left to give.

Rollerdrome Review - Tony Hawk's Pro Shooter

George Foster — Tue, 16 Aug 2022 13:00:13 GMT

One of my favourite games of all time is Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater. There’s nothing quite like skating around trying to keep a combo counter as high as possible, pushing yourself to keep doing more advanced tricks and never stop moving, ticking off challenges and watching the clock tick down as you pray for more time to beat the top score. It’s a strange mix of zen-like concentration while also making your palms sweat and your teeth grind. It’s perfect.

Plate Up! Review: Grab A Plate

Helen Ashcroft — Fri, 12 Aug 2022 17:30:13 GMT

Did you know that failing to add olives to a salad can shut down an entire restaurant? In Plate Up it can. This co-op cafe management game has no time for those who can’t follow orders. If you make a mistake, however small, it can be enough to spark a restaurant closure. So if you want to run a successful establishment then you’d better be a quick thinker with a solid team around you. Two things I, unfortunately, do not possess.

Marvel's Spider-Man Remastered PC Review: A Must-Replay Thanks To Stellar Steam Deck And Ultra Wide Support

Eric Switzer — Wed, 10 Aug 2022 17:24:32 GMT

Every PlayStation Studios PC port has been rock solid so far, but Marvel’s Spider-Man is the first one that feels like it has finally reached its full potential now that it's unrestrained by PlayStation hardware. While the ray-tracing enabled PS5 remaster was no slouch, the visual and performance benefits on PC are beyond compare. New tech like DLAA and customizable ray-tracing make the city look better than ever before, while the framerate increase from DLSS and a better GPU make swinging through Manhattan feel smoother and and even more exhilarating.

Cult Of The Lamb Review - Worthy Is The Lamb

Ryan Thomas Bamsey — Wed, 10 Aug 2022 15:00:13 GMT

It’s hard to overstate how easily Cult of the Lamb sinks its claws into you. You might think you know what you’re in for - a cutesy roguelite dungeon crawler with cult management mechanics and a tongue-in-cheek, macabre sense of humour. Granted, the game is that, but it’s also much more. Cult of the Lamb is a masterclass in satisfying game design choices.

Two Point Campus Review: Wizards, And Knights, And Clowns, Oh My!

Helen Ashcroft — Thu, 04 Aug 2022 14:00:16 GMT

If you’ve ever wanted to manage a school for knights, wizards, spies, or record-breaking cheeseball players then Two Point Campus is the place for you. Just make sure to look out for some of the more interesting students. They include professional power nappers, bookworms, orb lovers - who are absolutely not in a cult at all - and gardening fans, who really love to get in touch with nature.

Hooked On You: A Dead By Daylight Dating Sim Review - Hooked, Line, And Sinker

James Troughton — Wed, 03 Aug 2022 18:16:14 GMT

Last night I gave a foot massage to a disembodied ghost girl. As the evening progressed I somehow got a shard of glass caught in me while we… adult wrestled. That disembodied ghost girl is Spirit, the terrifying zombie you fight in Dead by Daylight who has a permanent case of bed head, empty eyes, and contorted limbs. Some people are into that, I guess. I wasn’t, until this Dead by Daylight dating sim (Dead by Dating Sim?). And what’s worse, this is the second time this year I’ve fallen for a corpse. Damn you, Tim Burton, damn you, Psyop.

Hitman 3: Ambrose Island DLC Review - A Pirate's Life For Free

Andrew King — Fri, 29 Jul 2022 18:00:14 GMT

Hitman 3’s Ambrose Island DLC arrived this week and adds the game’s first new map since its January 2021 launch. The titular locale is a tropical island in the Andaman Sea, west of Thailand, where a militia is uneasily sharing a small chunk of land with a pirate syndicate. Agent 47 needs to take out the leaders of both groups while traversing jungle, ruins, and a village that straddles land and sea, via a stilted network of boardwalks.

Bear And Breakfast Review

Meg Pelliccio — Thu, 28 Jul 2022 14:00:14 GMT

Strutting around with no clothes on would make most people run away in fear. No, it’s not because you’re butt-naked, but because you’re a big grizzly bear named Hank. That’s part and parcel of Bear and Breakfast, it’s built right into the name. Don’t worry, though, as your guests will happily greet you if you’re wearing just a couple of pieces of clothing, as this is apparently enough for you to be mistaken for a human simply going about your usual business.

Xenoblade Chronicles 3 Review - A JRPG That Teaches Us How To Live, Love, And Learn

Jade King — Tue, 26 Jul 2022 12:59:07 GMT

Monolith Soft has reached the apex of its craft with Xenoblade Chronicles 3. It finds a middle ground that draws from the best parts of all past games while building upon a foundation of characters and narrative to craft something rather special.

Live A Live Review - A Classic JRPG That Belongs In The Modern Era

Jade King — Thu, 21 Jul 2022 14:42:18 GMT

Live A Live is simultaneously ahead of its time and rigidly stuck in the past. It abides by so many familiar JRPG conventions while subverting them at every turn, allowing us to indulge in the narratives of each individual character in so many distinct ways. Each one controls, attacks, and speaks differently, with unique mechanics available in each timeline to ensure the otherwise familiar experience never once grows derivative. What a weird game this is.

Stray Review - Bucket Hats, Puffer Jackets, And A Brilliant Cat

Harry Alston — Mon, 18 Jul 2022 16:00:14 GMT

My cat is a rescue cat, and he has no teeth. If my cat was the hero of Stray, everything would remain exactly as it was, because he likes to sleep upside down with his tongue hanging out for most of the day. Stray is at its best when you are being a cat, and except for the feline’s obvious intelligence (that’s you, darling player) this is the most cat-cat there has ever been in a video game. We should begin with our hero, the tabby cat.

Endling - Extinction Is Forever Review

Meg Pelliccio — Mon, 18 Jul 2022 13:00:13 GMT

Near the start of Endling - Extinction is Forever, the fox you control gives birth to four adorable kits, and you can customise each one by cycling through different skins. It wasn’t until later that I realised what this feature truly achieved — by taking the time to pick how each one looks, they feel more ‘yours’, making it sting a little more when one of them dies. That’s right. Your poor little fox kits can die if you’re not a capable mama fox and don’t ensure they get fed regularly, leaving you to continue the game with fewer mouths to feed.

Power Wash Simulator Review: I Don’t Know Why I Love This Game So Much

Jade King — Tue, 12 Jul 2022 13:01:44 GMT

Cleaning things is weirdly relaxing. Clean surroundings equal a clean mind and all that, giving us room to think without worrying about the lingering anxiety of having to tidy up after ourselves when life gets a bit too much. Games that depict this very real part of life aren’t uncommon, acting as an offshoot of traditional simulator games where we’re normally driving trucks, managing farms, and overseeing successful football teams.

Time On Frog Island Review

Meg Pelliccio — Tue, 12 Jul 2022 13:00:13 GMT

That’s a nice big canvas you’ve got there, artist frog. Too bad I need it to replace the broken sail on my boat. Fortunately, the frogs in My Time on Frog Island are all willing to trade with you for the right price. In exchange for the canvas, the artist wants — squints at the picture in the speech bubble — a weird blue bug with its tongue sticking out?

Klonoa Phantasy Reverie Series Review: Time Travel Is Real And This Game Proves It

Issy van der Velde — Mon, 11 Jul 2022 16:30:13 GMT

As soon as Klonoa’s main menu music filled my ears, I was no longer a 27-year-old games journalist reviewing a remaster of a cult classic. I was sitting in my childhood bedroom, way too close to my CRT TV, PS2 controller in hand, looking at the adorable cat rabbit thing and giggling stupidly at the silly sounds he made. Klonoa Phantasy Reverie Series perfectly captures the essence of the original Klonoa games. This double-remaster barely changes a thing, and that’s what makes it both so wonderful and just shy of perfect.

Matchpoint: Tennis Championships Review - Shiny Yet Unrefined

Lu-Hai Liang — Thu, 07 Jul 2022 09:42:20 GMT

Is it just me or did there used to be more sports games? Back in the ‘good ol’ days’ you had your FIFAs, Maddens, and NBAs – but there were also silly ones featuring dolphins and acrobatic soccer, snowboard sims, and the decidedly non-sim SSX. More niches seemed to be catered for. I miss the days of such depth and variety, when it seemed that every month there was a surfing, volleyball, or extreme sports title to wrinkle the brow. Rockstar even made a very good table tennis game at one point.

F1 22 Review - A Podium Finish

Justin Reeve — Mon, 04 Jul 2022 19:00:15 GMT

Formula 1 is surely the most glamorous of all sports. I know this is quite the boast, but hear me out. Formula 1 drivers travel to exotic locations all around the world from Monaco to Macau in order to race what are easily the most high performance cars on the planet. When they’re off the track, they participate in all sorts of different press meetings and promotional events. Drivers can frequently be found in their supercars outside the fanciest restaurants in the biggest cities. They’re given multimillion dollar contracts.

Sonic Origins Review - Great Fun, Despite Itself

Rhiannon Bevan — Fri, 01 Jul 2022 17:00:13 GMT

Sonic Origins is the best way to play classic Sonic games. But that’s hardly surprising, because every Sonic compilation title is the best way to play the old games, until a new one takes its place a few years later.

Monster Hunter Rise: Sunbreak Review

Santi Leguiza — Wed, 29 Jun 2022 12:18:30 GMT

I walk through the ruins of a fallen kingdom. As a ghoulish, red glow lights my path, I run past the corpses of many monsters, large and small, while my target awaits ahead. Long gone are the times when my only concern was saving my village from a stampede.

Deliver Us The Moon Review: Even If You Miss, You’ll Land Among The Stars

Issy van der Velde — Thu, 23 Jun 2022 13:00:13 GMT

Racing against a dust storm to launch a rocket while a timer loudly ticks down has a distinctly Interstellar vibe to it. I’m a lone astronaut, tasked with venturing to the Moon to discover why a crucial power transmitter and an entire colony have gone dark. The fate of the world rests in my hands and my hands alone. Like I said, Interstellar vibes. Deliver Us The Moon’s current-gen upgrade is here, ahead of the sequel’s September 27 launch date. Does it hit its mark, fall among the stars, or break up in orbit?

Neon White Review - Saucy Speedrunning

Ben Sledge — Thu, 16 Jun 2022 18:30:13 GMT

Neon White feels like an old game. The design isn’t archaic, it’s not old-fashioned (quite the contrary, actually), and there’s no outdated language that makes you wince. But playing it feels like you’re a kid again, and you’ve borrowed a bootleg 50-in-1 disc from a kid at school. You try out a few games, there’s a skateboarding one and a Pokemon knock-off, but Neon White is the one you obsess over. You pass the controller between your friends every time you die, each trying to find shortcuts and shave milliseconds off each others’ times. It’s a blissful experience. Neon White makes you happy.

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Shredder’s Revenge Review - Worth Shellebrating

George Foster — Wed, 15 Jun 2022 15:00:13 GMT

For as long as I can remember, I’ve always loved the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. Whether it was being introduced to the series with the 2003 show, watching the Bossanova 1990 film about a million times, or playing the probably-bad-in-retrospect Battle Nexus game, I’ve never quite left Turtlemania behind.

Mario Strikers: Battle League Review - Lacking Match Fitness

Stacey Henley — Wed, 08 Jun 2022 13:00:13 GMT

Mario Strikers has always felt like the cool kid of the plumber’s sporting spin-offs. Faster and less mainstream than Golf, edgier than Tennis or the Olympics, and far more confident in its swagger than Sluggers or Hoops. In Mario Strikers: Battle League, that pace, edge, and swagger is back, but it comes with very little else.

The Quarry Review: Hackett’s Quarry? You Barely Know Me!

Jade King — Wed, 08 Jun 2022 12:59:22 GMT

The Quarry is Until Dawn 2. That simple phrase will be enough to tempt the majority of horror fans, with Supermassive Games having created a spiritual successor to its breakout hit that builds upon all of its greatest strengths and most obvious flaws. It’s real spooky.

Xbox Krispy Kreme Review: Of Course Forza Is Good At Doughnuts

Josh Coulson — Tue, 07 Jun 2022 17:30:14 GMT

Video games and food actually have an extensive relationship that isn't often explored enough. One that goes beyond the stereotypical image of Mountain Dew and Doritos-fueled gaming marathons. There are entire games based on food like Cooking Mama, cookbooks spun from recipes you might find on virtual adventures such as The Witcher, and Pokemon even slapped some of its monsters on Oreos to celebrate turning 25. In fairness, you could find Pokemon on almost anything during its anniversary year, including Krispy Kreme doughnuts.

Balloon Flight Review - Less Than Buoyant

Gabrielle Huston — Fri, 03 Jun 2022 18:00:13 GMT

As I plummeted into the abyss below me, populated by clouds and an endless blue sky, the cheerful music that had serenaded my shaky flight seemed to mock me. The square platform I’d been piloting soared upwards without my weight and disappeared. When Balloon Flight finally admitted I was a goner, the end screen popped up to display my so-called “Best Stats.”

Kao The Kangaroo Review - A Kick In The Teeth

George Foster — Fri, 27 May 2022 13:00:14 GMT

I reckon that I was probably among the most excited gamers to find out that Kao the Kangaroo was getting a new game. I say that because there are probably only ten Kao fans in the world, but I was still interested to see how the series would look in the modern-day and how a game mostly known for not taking any risks would make itself stand out.

Hatsune Miku Project Diva Megamix+ Review

Meg Pelliccio — Thu, 26 May 2022 16:00:13 GMT

I like to think I’m not that bad when it comes to rhythm games, yet I find myself quickly overwhelmed whenever I play one. Was I always this bad? Am I just getting old? I’ve come to the conclusion that rhythm game skills are something you need to keep polished. When you play a rhythm game for hours or days on end, you hit that sweet spot where you feel unbeatable. However, if you don’t play them too often, your skills become somewhat tarnished. That’s where I found myself when I played Hatsune Miku Project Diva Megamix+, in definite need of a bit of polish.

Making Videogames Review: A Luxurious Treatise On Game Development

Ben Sledge — Wed, 25 May 2022 18:30:13 GMT

In its opening pages, Making Videogames states that it's not by chance that Super Mario 64 "characterized its virtual camera as a videographer flying on a cloud." Games are made up of shots and angles, each item and backdrop painstakingly chosen to make the player feel like they're really a part of the scene, or at least to make the gameplay as effective as possible. Duncan Harris and Alex Wiltshire, the creators of Making Videogames, become Lakitu, floating around 12 games and snapping the best shots - picking the prettiest, the most emotive, and the most demanding to produce. Ripped from the context of gameplay, with no sound cues or interactivity to accompany them, Making Videogames recontextualises these stills as art, before analysing them through different lenses to understand what went into creating them and what makes them tick.

Sniper Elite 5 Review: Hitman But With Nazis

Jade King — Wed, 25 May 2022 11:01:46 GMT

Sniper Elite 5 is the game I need right now. That’s become a cliche ever since the pandemic began, but I don’t need this game to help repair my mental health or temporarily fill bonds left empty by a continuous stream of lockdowns - I just want to kill Nazis.

Hardspace: Shipbreaker Review - Playing This Game Is Against Company Policy

Eric Switzer — Tue, 24 May 2022 16:11:05 GMT

Last summer Amazon founder Jeff Bezos climbed in a rocket and took the world’s first unpiloted suborbital flight with a civilian crew. When the $5.5 billion, 65 mile trip ended 11 minutes later, Bezos put on a ten-gallon hat and told reporters he wanted “to thank every Amazon employee and every Amazon customer, because you paid for all of this.” Bezos’ trip off-planet succeeded Richard Branson’s nearly identical trip to innerspace by just nine days.

Vampire: The Masquerade - Bloodhunt Season 1 Review -This Bloodsucker Doesn’t Suck

George Foster — Fri, 20 May 2022 18:00:13 GMT

When you think of Vampire: The Masquerade, you probably picture eerie vampires quietly making their way through high society without their powers, not wall-running gunfights in the streets of Prague. Bloodhunt is here to change that.

Vampire The Masquerade: Swansong Review - Playing Politics

Khee Hoon Chan — Wed, 18 May 2022 14:30:13 GMT

At first glance, I’m enchanted by the neoclassical designs, art-deco lighting, and glistening surfaces of the pristine apartments in Vampire the Masquerade: Swansong. Against the backdrop of the nightscapes, they always look astonishingly immaculate and lush; you’ll find barely any speck of grime or dust on them. But these abodes of the super rich are occassionally punctured by the sight of wrecked furniture, pools of blood, and disembodied cadavers—all the unkempt aftermath of a gruesome murder. Even these scenes seemed deliberately placed, as if part of a perverse decor that the ultra-rich use to outfit their ornate spaces. After all, every broken limb, collapsed shelf, and discarded document serves a purpose: they’re simply information used to manoeuvre around the torrid web of Swansong’s most elite circles.

Apex Legends Mobile Review - Powerful Pocket Play

Ben Sledge — Mon, 16 May 2022 16:00:13 GMT

Apex Legends is one of my favourite games, as you can probably tell from the amount I write about it. It’s the best battle royale I’ve played, and great seasonal updates – including new Legends, felled crustacean kaiju, and PvE minigames offering obscene amounts of loot – keep things fresh. I’m also a big fan of the esport, which adds another dimension, and the feel good stories that come out of the ALGS bring an extra level of excitement.

The Centennial Case: A Shijima Story Review

Meg Pelliccio — Thu, 12 May 2022 12:00:14 GMT

We all love the ‘reveal’ trope, right? The detective gathers all the suspects together and recounts what happened before declaring who the murderer is. The suspects sit there stewing in their anxiety, and while some will seem calm and collected, others exude the most hammed-up presentation of fear you’ve ever seen and, at that very moment, you know you’re onto a winner. Films and TV dramas pull these scenes off quite well, but it’s often far less climatic in games. You can’t help but think of L.A. Noire or Ace Attorney, where the suspects usually give themselves away with wide, fearful eyes roving all over the place and other over-the-top guilty tells.

We Were Here Forever Review: Escape From Castle Rock One Last Time

Eric Switzer — Tue, 10 May 2022 21:55:35 GMT

We begin in a dungeon, both partners separated from each other by a locked door. One player can see “...of our parts.” written on the wall behind them. Meaningless words, until they’re combined with the message on the other side, “We are the sum…”. This is the entire tutorial for We Were Here Forever, and it tells you everything you need to know about the dozens of puzzles that lie ahead of you.

Salt And Sacrifice Review - Perfectly Seasoned

Ryan Thomas Bamsey — Mon, 09 May 2022 14:00:14 GMT

Salt and Sacrifice is a game that will dig its claws into you and not let go. You’ll tell yourself, “I’ll just kill one more mage, then I’ll go to bed,” and three hours later, you find yourself atop a mountain of pyromancer corpses with a shiny new set of armour to show for it. And you’ll do it all over again. One more boss. One more level up. One more piece of armour to complete the set. One more secret to find before the region is complete.

Best Month Ever! Review - A Meandering Road Trip

Khee Hoon Chan — Thu, 05 May 2022 19:30:14 GMT

Best Month Ever! (I’ll leave the exclamation mark out in subsequent mentions) wants to be a poignant road trip. In particular, it wants to be a trip down the stretch of memory lane that goes back to the less-than-glamorous history of America: the decades after the Emancipation Proclamation in 1863. It replicates the nostalgia of warm, sepia-toned photographs—those taken with an old-school film camera—as it retells this tale, and I mean this both literally and figuratively. Everything you’ll see in the game is a recollection of old memories, tangled in a web of historical events and personal anecdotes. Events play out via sequences of flashbacks that are clearly spliced together, in which you’ll click on a few objects or meander around the vicinity. Chapters conclude with a snapshot that wouldn’t look out of place with a cheesy “Wish you were here!” greeting, emblazoned across its image. And all these are set in the most Americana of backdrops: highways that lead to truck stop diners, drive-throughs amidst the cliffs of the Grand Canyon, and riverside campfires in the thick of a forest.

Warhammer 40,000: Chaos Gate - Daemonhunters Review

Adam Carr — Wed, 04 May 2022 13:48:06 GMT

The Warhammer 40K Universe is a big place. So large that no matter how many titles Games Workshop produces there is always, somehow, space for more. More races, more stories, heck, even spiritual sequels to middling entries that were released almost 25 years ago. In the grim darkness of the 41st millennium, there is only War(hammer), apparently.

Rogue Legacy 2 Review - A Legendary Legacy

George Foster — Thu, 28 Apr 2022 16:20:23 GMT

Rogue Legacy 2 is one of the hardest reviews I’ve ever had to write. Not because there’s some big controversy surrounding it, or some game-breaking bug that makes it impossible to play. No, it’s because the simple act of writing this takes me away from actually playing Rogue Legacy 2.

The Isle Of Bigsnax Review - A Side Dish Of Vegetables

Stacey Henley — Thu, 28 Apr 2022 13:00:12 GMT

Heading back to the Island of Bugsnax was a strangely rewarding experience. Having reviewed and guided the game the first time around pre-launch, I hit 100 percent completion with no guides to help me out. In fact, I had to catch every creature and note my methodology to write guides of my own. I don't say this to brag - it's a fairly easy game for the most part - but to explain that my experience playing the game was very different to the vast majority of players. Returning for the Isle of Bigsnax DLC (which meant starting from scratch as I tested out the soon-to-launch Xbox Series version rather than continue my complete save) was a relatively tranquil affair. Aside from the Bigsnax themselves, I already knew how to catch each of the 'snax, and knew which were important for quests, which made the whole thing much more chill. It's still a great game, but I'm not sure the new elements tip the scale very much.

Switch Sports Review - Crashing Out In The Semi-Finals

Stacey Henley — Wed, 27 Apr 2022 13:00:13 GMT

Switch Sports has some big shoes to fill. Wii Sports doesn't always get the respect it deserves, but it's hard not to see it as the greatest sports game of all time. In a genre that is so loaded with annual releases that offer very little innovation, and arcade titles weighed down by their gimmicks, the smooth streamlined approach of Wii Sports made it the best of the best. Anyone, from the hardcore gamer looking for a challenge to your granny who wants to play some ten-pin bowling could pick up Wii Sports and try their hand at it. 'Be as good as the greatest game in the genre' is a tough legacy to live up to, and that's why it's all the more disappointing that Switch Sports falls so short, and it's all of its own making.

Godfall: Ultimate Edition Review

Santi Leguiza — Mon, 25 Apr 2022 14:50:13 GMT

It’s been two years since I last had the opportunity to review Counterplay Games’ Godfall. The game’s aesthetic looked enticing enough for me to be hyped about it and the combat seemed fun, but after several hours of playing it, I thought I’d rather kick my own teeth than ever touch it again. At launch, Godfall looked like a poor attempt to emulate the likes of Warframe, lacking everything that makes the latter any good. But as fate would have it, I found myself once again reviewing this game, under the promise of improved gameplay and several massive updates that should defy my expectations.

Chinatown Detective Agency Review - Singaporean Cyberpunk

Khee Hoon Chan — Wed, 13 Apr 2022 16:30:16 GMT

Asianess and cyberpunk are inextricable from one another, and with Chinatown Detective Agency, cyberpunk has finally made its way to Singapore. And it’s among the towering skyscrapers and the proliferation of futuristic tech that I noticed that this isn’t just another generic Night City, but one filled with very specific idiosyncrasies of the country itself: the accents of its city-dwellers, familiar landmarks imbued with a touch of neon, and passing mention of the country’s present-day Smart Nation initiatives (in short, it’s about making ample use of technology, networks and big data to transform Singapore into a digital city), reaching their logical conclusion decades after. It’s a game that can only be made by a team with intimate knowledge of the city.

MLB The Show 22 Review - Different Trailer, Same Ballpark

Stacey Henley — Fri, 08 Apr 2022 19:00:13 GMT

Reviewing sports games is both the easiest and hardest thing in games journalism. As far as how easy it is, these reviews can essentially be boiled down to two things - is it a successful simulation of the sport, and is it better than last year’s game. In short, when it comes to MLB The Show 22, the answers are ‘yes’ and ‘not really’. Now comes the hard part - explaining why.

Shredders Review - Needs More Tricky

George Foster — Wed, 06 Apr 2022 19:00:17 GMT

If there’s one sports genre I’m into, it’s snowboarding. That and skateboarding. I guess I just like anything with boards. Well, except for board games. Anyway, my love of the board has been a real shame over the past generation as, although skating games are having a Renaissance, snowboarding games have almost completely disappeared.

Norco Review - A Narrative Masterpiece

Khee Hoon Chan — Tue, 05 Apr 2022 20:00:14 GMT

It’s easy to miss a game like Norco, an indie point-and-click game delivered in the midst of several blockbuster games like Elden Ring, Horizon Forbidden West and Ghostwire: Tokyo. Despite dripping with pixel-art flair, Norco doesn’t quite arrest your attention immediately. Its melancholy, as enticing as it is unassuming, could have faded into the backdrop of game releases in recent months, almost lost into the bluster of more mainstream titles. But Norco is also quietly garnering a reputation for its tale: a honest portrayal on the complications the petrochemical industry can wreak on a small town, and its murky themes revolving around religion, change and grief—which saw the game become the very first to win the Tribeca Film Festival’s game award.

13 Sentinels: Aegis Rim Review

Meg Pelliccio — Tue, 05 Apr 2022 14:00:15 GMT

I am one of those irritating people who has to guess what is going to happen in a book, film, or game while the story is still unfolding. I annoy my friends and family to no-end by loudly declaring my predictions non-stop and I’m not even sorry. While I love being able to brag about correctly guessing a plot, nothing beats the feeling of being surprised by a good twist that you didn’t see coming.

Chrono Cross: The Radical Dreamers Edition Review - A Worthy Remaster

Jade King — Tue, 05 Apr 2022 13:02:39 GMT

Chrono Cross is a JRPG classic that passed me by as a kid. Little Jade was far too busy beaming Final Fantasy, Dark Cloud, and Legend of Dragoon directly into her retinas to notice all the other bangers emerging from Squaresoft at that time. Who can blame her?

Lego Star Wars: The Skywalker Saga Review

James Troughton — Mon, 04 Apr 2022 15:00:13 GMT

You reach that ultimate finale of the prequel era, the lava of Mustafar bubbling as two brothers strike blade against blade. It’s a heartfelt, momentous battle. “I have the high ground… don’t try it!” Only, instead of Ewan McGregor’s pain being felt, we get a little Lego Obi-Wan climbing a step-ladder he’s handily brought. Higher ground. Definitely don’t try it.

Moss: Book 2 Review

Meg Pelliccio — Sat, 02 Apr 2022 19:00:12 GMT

As a child, I visited a local museum that had a large interactive diorama on display. Standing at the table’s edge I could watch while trains, boats, cars, and figurines moved around the miniature town sprawled out before me. There was something particularly memorable about peering into this little town that stayed with me. Watching a world unfold before me that was not my own, but close enough that I could reach out and touch it. That’s what Moss: Book 2 reminds me of.

Crusader Kings 3: Console Edition Review - Beginner-Friendliness Pays Off

Ryan Thomas Bamsey — Wed, 30 Mar 2022 18:01:13 GMT

Boiled down to its basics, Crusader Kings 3 is a dynastic life simulation game set in the middle ages. You begin by choosing a noble whose life you wish to take control of and follow their family and realm as the world moves into the medieval period. You’ll have to manage titles, a noble council, wars, familial ties, marriages, religion, and culture shifts - there’s always something to do to make your realm richer, stronger, and more efficient. Invite rich priests from foreign realms just to imprison them to steal their gold, invade the county of your best friend to neaten up your borders, seduce the mysterious new visitor to your court - all possibilities in CK3.

Lost Judgment: The Kaito Files DLC Review

Meg Pelliccio — Mon, 28 Mar 2022 17:30:13 GMT

Fully suited and booted in his smartest get-up, Masaharu Kaito sits with his typical man-spreading pose in the Yagami Detective Agency as he speaks with a potential client. An apron-clad Toru Higashi carefully serves the two gentlemen some tea as they discuss business. You’d be forgiven for thinking this is the beginning of some KaitoxHigashi fanfic, but it’s actually a scene from Lost Judgment’s The Kaito Files DLC.

Tiny Tina’s Wonderlands Review - Borderlands In Cosplay

Stacey Henley — Wed, 23 Mar 2022 13:00:16 GMT

Tiny Tina’s Wonderlands is an excellent idea for a video game. It takes Borderlands 2’s Tiny Tina DLC (the best DLC Gearbox has ever made, and one of the greatest across all of gaming), and turns it into a fully-fledged idea: what if Borderlands, but Dungeons & Dragons? I think it’s the best idea gaming has had in years, so much so that it motivated me to speculate, most likely in vain, about whether Red Dead Redemption or Mass Effect could see a similar DLC spin-off realised. It’s a fresh way of doing things; this small piece of fan service was a lot of fun, so let’s bulk it out into an entirely new experience. Unfortunately, for a game constructed around such a great idea, what lets it down is that it doesn’t have many good ideas to go with the great one at its centre.

Kirby And The Forgotten Land Review - Kirby's Best Adventure Yet

George Foster — Wed, 23 Mar 2022 12:01:58 GMT

The prospect of Kirby in 3D is something that fans have been wanting for as long as the pink puffball has been around. That wish has finally been granted on his 30th anniversary with Kirby and the Forgotten Land, which gives the beloved character the ability to do more than just move from left to right and finally changes up the formula.

Tunic Review - Throwback to Classic Zelda

Khee Hoon Chan — Tue, 22 Mar 2022 19:00:13 GMT

Tunic says very little about itself. Even when it does, you can barely comprehend its words; after all, its script is made up of characters that resemble phonetic writing or even ciphers that, at least on your first few hours, would likely be indecipherable. Instead, it broadly gestures at its intentions and motivations through the layout and colourful flora of its environments, its seemingly gentle ambience, and the mysterious, glowing pages scattered across its map.

Zoom Game Night Is Fun Again In Who Pressed Mute On Uncle Marcus?

Andrew King — Tue, 22 Mar 2022 18:00:14 GMT

If you have ever thought "I would rather die than hop on one more Zoom call" then Who Pressed Mute On Uncle Marcus? is calling your bluff. In this FMV game, ‘pressed mute’ is a little more serious than just some technical issues. In fact, the titular Uncle Marcus has been poisoned and, with what little time he has left, he's asking you, his favorite niece Abby, to help him figure out who did it during a virtual family game night.

Rune Factory 5 Review

Ryan Thomas Bamsey — Tue, 22 Mar 2022 08:00:13 GMT

Does having the ability to build a barn and fill it with sheep, cows, and flying fish make a game great? Not necessarily, but it’s definitely a highlight. Ten years since the triumph that was Rune Factory 4, the prospect of a new game to sink hundreds of hours into is compelling.

Ghostwire Tokyo Review: I Ain’t Afraid Of No Yokai

Jade King — Mon, 21 Mar 2022 13:00:31 GMT

Walking the neon-drenched streets of Ghostwire: Tokyo is strangely hypnotic. Japan’s capital is known for being occupied by millions of people, all going about their business as if on autopilot, spurred forward by the desire to live their lives to the fullest. Each person you pass has a story to tell and trauma to explore, hidden away in a society that often deems such vulnerabilities a weakness to be ashamed of instead of embraced.

Aperture Desk Job

Andrew King — Wed, 16 Mar 2022 16:31:16 GMT

Aperture Desk Job, Valve's short, new Portal spin-off, lets players forget the problems the puzzle series has typically asked you to solve. Don't expect to break your brain thinking with portals this time. Instead, the game handles the movement for you, rooting your anonymous Aperture worker to their desk and presenting the world to you from that fixed vantage point. Though the game was designed as a companion for Valve's new line of Steam Deck portable PCs, you can also just play it on your regular non-portable PC. That's what I did, and despite some very minor hiccups, Valve's latest software is worth checking out even if you haven't sprung for its costly new hardware.

Halo Episode 1 & 2 Review Paramount Plus

Stacey Henley — Mon, 14 Mar 2022 22:45:13 GMT

Halo has always been a story of scope and intimacy. It stretches far across the galaxy, yet revolves around the soul and conscience of a single, unbreakable soldier. From the very first scene, Halo’s television show from Paramount nails this feeling. We begin in a rebel camp and see not soldiers, but people. Yes, they discuss fighting and preparation and the incoming storm, but they do it over laughs and drinks and card games. It's a masterclass in telling the story behind the story, and what makes it so frustrating is that a few scenes in, Halo completely abandons this close humanity for battles, bombast, and exposition.

Stranger of Paradise Final Fantasy Origin Review

Meg Pelliccio — Mon, 14 Mar 2022 11:00:02 GMT

There’s always been something particularly special about the opening cinematics of Final Fantasy games. The beautiful graphics accompanied by gorgeous soundtracks leave an unforgettable impression. I can vividly remember watching the starting FMV for each of my most beloved Final Fantasy favourites, and the feeling of excitement they provided.

Persona 4 Arena Ultimax Review - Not Quite Golden

Stacey Henley — Thu, 10 Mar 2022 15:00:13 GMT

There is no single place to start if you want to get into Persona , but it's safe to say Persona 4 Arena Ultimax is almost certainly not it. After Persona 5 took the series to a new stratosphere of popularity, it seems like a strange call to head back to Persona 4 once more. Yes, P4Golden has been re-released on PC since then, and it’s not like P5 has been neglected with the arrival of Royal and Strikers, but it’s difficult to know who exactly P4AU is for, other than people who liked it the first time.

Shadow Warrior 3 Review - Lowbrow Lo Wang

George Foster — Mon, 07 Mar 2022 15:30:14 GMT

I cut through three yokai with a lightning-infused sword strike before dashing away and equipping a grenade launcher that takes out another two with a satisfying boom. Aiming for the strongest of the bunch, a massive beast that slams his fist on the ground, I grapple hook towards him and unleash a finisher that takes him out in one move and temporarily gives me a hammer made out of bone to ruin the day of the remaining enemies. I feel like a god. No, even better - I feel like the Doom Slayer.

Babylon's Fall Review - Thank God This Wasn't Drakengard 4

Santi Leguiza — Thu, 03 Mar 2022 14:05:13 GMT

As I make my way running through the Thieves Cloister, I can’t help but notice that the rain overlaps with a horrible filter on my screen making everything look like I’m constantly moving in slow-motion. A few meters ahead, a boss shows up, and I can’t see where my character ends and the monster begins anymore.

Triangle Strategy Review: Ruling A Kingdom Just Ain’t Worth The Drama

Jade King — Thu, 03 Mar 2022 14:01:13 GMT

Triangle Strategy made me feel like a terrible person. JRPGs are normally defined by anime melodrama and silly haircuts, but this TRPG somehow brings out the human side of fantasy as we are forced to make decisions that have a tangible impact on the world around us. Ruling a kingdom is no easy task, especially when you find yourself embroiled in a war where everyone around you is a potential saboteur ready and willing to embrace betrayal.

Chocobo GP Review

Meg Pelliccio — Thu, 03 Mar 2022 09:00:13 GMT

Kart racers bring out the best and the worst in us. There’s a slippery slope from enjoyment to frenzied rage, and even if you are the best driver in the world, everything can be scuppered by a bout of bad luck. Trust me, that feeling of getting hit by a status effect inches from the finish line while some smug Chocobo sails past you to snipe first place is not one you will get over lightly.

Gran Turismo 7 Review - A Pristine Driving Experience

Andy Kelly — Wed, 02 Mar 2022 11:01:20 GMT

This year marks the 25th anniversary of Gran Turismo, and developer Polyphony Digital is celebrating the occasion by launching one of its best games to date. Gran Turismo 7 is an exceptional driving sim, developed by a studio operating at the peak of its ability. It looks gorgeous, it plays like a dream, and it's absolutely stuffed with modes, cars, and tracks—including some nostalgic callbacks to the series' long and storied history. It's also a game anyone can play, at any level, whether you're a gearhead who loves tweaking damping ratios, or a casual racer who just wants to scream around a pretty track in a shiny car.

Guild Wars 2: End Of Dragons Review - An Expansion With A Lot To Live Up To

Gabrielle Huston — Mon, 28 Feb 2022 17:00:14 GMT

While playing Guild Wars 2: End of Dragons, I came across a place known as Cat Mountain. Enough said, right? I originally came across it while testing out my rinky little starter boat for the first time, so I had no context for the name. It was just a towering, mountainous pillar that didn’t really look like it should be standing on its own. But, high above me, there was a rope bridge.

Destiny 2: The Witch Queen Review - A Campaign Befitting A Queen

Eric Switzer — Sun, 27 Feb 2022 21:19:14 GMT

During the climax of The Witch Queen campaign, I said something I’ve never said in all my years of playing Destiny. “I don’t think we can stop her.” The final siege on the evil Queen Savathun’s Throne World is a harrowing, high-stress mission. It’s humanity’s last chance to stop her wicked plan and prevent a catastrophe that would almost certainly spell the end of all human life. As I desperately swung my glaive back and forth tearing a path through Savathun’s army of demonic Hive soldiers, I looked across the battlefield at my fireteam, both of whom were barely holding back the horde, and I saw no way out. For a fleeting moment I forgot that I was playing a video game - a medium where good overcomes evil almost as a rule - and nearly gave up all hope in the fight against the Queen of Lies and her Lucent Brood. A moment later I popped my Super ability, unleashed the holy light on my enemies, and went on to save the day - at least, I think we did. I can still hear Savathun in my head, creating doubt and confusion like she always has.

Elden Ring Review - A Modern Masterpiece That Surpasses All Expectations

Jade King — Wed, 23 Feb 2022 14:59:37 GMT

Elden Ring is a triumphant exercise in fantastical misery. The Lands Between is a landscape defined by its own hopelessness, a splintered kingdom that has long fallen victim to death and decay, with only a few unfortunate souls still clinging onto life.

FAR: Changing Tides Review - Slow And Satisfying Adventure

Ben Sledge — Mon, 21 Feb 2022 18:30:14 GMT

The bellows let out a satisfying hiss as I launch my whole - although admittedly tiny - body onto them. I can almost feel the orange heat of the engine flames as I fan them. The ship lurches forward under my feet, humming with energy and rumbling with exertion. I can’t stop and take it all in, though: there are more jobs to do.

The King Of Fighters 15 Review - Shatter Your Thumbs

George Foster — Mon, 21 Feb 2022 18:30:12 GMT

As someone who's given every major fighting game a fair shake over the years, I was excited to jump into The King of Fighters 15 and get a look at the series that many call one of the most technical fighters out there.

Total War: Warhammer 3 Review - A Fitting Conclusion To An Epic Trilogy

Harry Alston — Mon, 14 Feb 2022 15:00:15 GMT

Chaos flows from the frozen wastes. My custom demon lord - Kevin - has chunky cloven hooves and a spiky tail with fangs. Its army is teeming with weird and wonderful chaos creatures: blobby little guys and crab-ladies riding on the backs of velociraptors. Total War: Warhammer 3 brings all the nonsense of the Warhammer universe together into one final campaign.

Horizon Forbidden West Review - Sony Has Done It Again, But Should It Do Something New?

Stacey Henley — Mon, 14 Feb 2022 08:00:24 GMT

Horizon Forbidden West is, for better or worse, just Horizon Zero Dawn but bigger. For some people, that will be enough. I expect when the embargo lifts, this review will find itself nestled amongst some perfect scores, and I can understand why. Forbidden West is fun and it’s pretty, but with so many open-world titles coming along since Zero Dawn, I hoped the series might get better, not just bigger.