Reviews: Gaming

Cyberpunk 2077 is one of the 20s most anticipated video games... but does it live up to its hype? We think it does, bugs notwithstanding.

The biggest challenge indie titles face is the outstanding number of shadows they need to get out from under in order to be noticed....

Cloudpunk is a cute little voxel-based game where players take on the role of a delivery driver called Rania, who might be in over her head.

In Chicken Police - Paint it Red! Sonny Featherland and Marty MacChicken zero down on a case of obsessions in this unashamedly Noire game.

Observer: System Redux is a decent game. The combined Bladerunner and Lovecraftian elements will have any fan of the giddy thanks to its incredible implementation. While a few elements personally irked, the overall experience is wonderful. Dialogue and world-building expertly craft a narrative experience that is perfect for murder mystery games like this. The game has heavy Myst and/or Egypt vibes in its execution and should be perfect for anyone who is a fan of classic point and click adventures. The attention to detail in this game is particularly incredible. While it is no masterpiece, the fact that it is one of Rutger Hauer’s final works only adds to his legacy. It is most certainly worth a play.

Temtem may look like a Pokemonn clone, but is it really? This Early Access title took the world by storm in 2018, and for good reason.

Devil May Cry 5: Special Edition follows tradition by adding Vergil as a playable character while adding a bevvy of new features.

Immortals Fenyx Rising is an incredible title. While the aesthetic might not be for everyone and its open-world nature will eventually become repetitive, the game is so chock-full of optional content and beautiful vistas that this eventuality will take a long time to reach. The story is wonderfully narrated and crafted to work incredibly well with the graphical design of the game too. Better still, the humorous approach to ancient Greek mythology alongside the bold and colourful aesthetic; all wonderfully complement each other in ways that only Legend of Zelda games have been capable of in the past. It is rare for any company, let alone Ubisoft, to bring out a brand-new Intellectual Property and for it to reign supreme right from the start. However, Immortal Fenyx Rising certainly manages this seemingly impossible feat with aplomb. Fenyx is a relatable character, and the incredible narration between Zeus and Prometheus are wonderfully nostalgic for any lover of Saturday Morning Cartoons. Playing on the new consoles certainly helps to make loading into the game as convenient as possible, while the gameplay itself constantly makes players want to come back for more. Immortals Fenyx Rising is very near perfect, and ticks all the right boxes for a game that is gorgeous, enjoyable, addictive and highly entertaining.

Mario Kart Live Home Circuit is a wonderful foray into the world of augmented reality and provides a unique, albeit imperfect, experience.

Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War bring back your boy, Alex Mason, in another race to save the woirld against a nuclear threat.

The Demon's Souls remake is a masterful experience showcasing how its genre-bending tropes led to the creation of the Soulslike experience.

Marvel's Spider-Man was a marvel to look at and play, and deserves to be experienced first-hand by pretty much anyone who calls themselves a gamer. From an outstanding roster of villains, to a beautiful set of supporting characters, and an engaging story; the game outshines almost all superhero games before it, and its remastered variant, equally as much.

While it feels way less polished than the 2018 base game, Marvel’s Spider-Man: Miles Morales is still a must-play for any Spider-Man fan. I do think the theme with Miles Morales is “short” or “quick”. There are motifs of shorter, more condensed experiences strewn throughout the entire game: from its skill trees, and Miles’ suits, gadgets, and modifications, through to the short but sweet six-hour campaign, and around four extra hours of side content and collectables. It does feel like Miles Morales was meant as a proper expansion meant to release alongside Marvel’s Spider-Man, but it got cut halfway into development, and Insomniac decided to fix it up as a Sony launch title instead. The experience is just so short that I cannot fathom why they would release this as a standalone game at all. Marvel’s Spider-Man Remastered further cements my chaos theories about the game. Regardless of the conspiracies in my head, however, I cannot fault the game for what it is: a solid single-player experience cutting the ribbon for all future PlayStation 5 titles. It is a great game.

Despite everything 2020 has thrown at us, the next generation of gaming is finally here. First with the Xbox Series X and now with...

Sackboy: A Big Adventure serves as a wonderful solo debut title for this iconic and unforgettable PlayStation mascot.

Astro's Playroom is a wonderful first romp into everything seemingly possible with the PlayStation 5. Serving as both a technological showcase of the system as well as a beautiful and nostalgic trip down memory lane for the PlayStation brand; it is clear the game was created with passion. Although it might completely skimp on narrative, it more than makes up for it in the sheer amount of unique gameplay to show-off the Dual Sense and the wondrous sense of luring players to discover and explore the vivid and delightful worlds on offer. In many ways, it feels like a product of a bygone era. A piece of software specifically built to showcase new hardware. However, this beautiful bundling of software and hardware to offer an experience unavailable on any other platform is ultimately what makes the game so incredible good, and why it will be remembered as a 'must play' title for years to come.

Assassin’s Creed Valhalla takes inspiration from every single one of the franchise greats. From Assassin’s Creed II’s exceptional writing and Assassin’s Creed IV: Black Flag’s unlikely hero, Valhalla is both expertly written and has an unusual hero destined for greatness - one who has no real interest in the Hidden Ones, at least to start. From Assassin’s Creed Origins’ superb and intimate narrative and Assassin’s Creed Odyssey’s full-fledged role-playing game (RPG) mechanics, Valhalla doubles down on all facets to deliver one of the best gameplay experiences featured in any Assassin’s Creed title to date. Evior truly is a loveable protagonist that players fall in love with quickly. Their struggle is the player’s struggle, and that is the best compliment a game can ask for. However, there are so many additional aspects that make the game an even better experience: the exceptional soundtrack and sound design; World Events that do not repeat; settlement building, and so much more! Assassin’s Creed Valhalla is immensely fun and satisfying to play, and offers constant surprises that do not seem to stop or disappoint. It is, undoubtedly, the best Ubisoft has to offer at this stage in time, and will forever be regarded as one of the greats in the Assassin's Creed franchise.

Microsoft's Xbox Series X is incredibly quiet, well built, wonderfully unassuming, incredibly fast and filled with untold potential. For a new console, the Xbox Series X currently offers one of the best places to invest in Microsoft's maturing ecosystem.

Dirt 5 is genuinely a pretty game. From its incredibly smooth 120fps mode, through to its detailed and intense 4K60 mode; complemented by bright beautiful colours and a simple approach to racing and vehicles; all makes Dirt 5 truly feels like a game coming to the latest and greatest hardware. The game looks way better in person than it does on YouTube too, and plays incredibly well. In time, the game can be upgraded with a whole bunch of new customisable options, and eventually, patched to enhance performance even more. It is honestly a great and fun game that encourages quick plug-and-play gaming more so than most single players titles, and is well worth it for any fan of arcade racing or the Dirt franchise.

Watch Dogs: Legion is proof of just how invested Ubisoft is in this incredibly interesting and evolving franchise. The title is ultimately incredibly unique and not overly complicated. It does not take itself too seriously, and allows for gamers to both enjoy and become engrossed in the world it builds. Although some weird issues do detract from the overall experience, such as the weird masks and unnecessary memes, these are all an integral part of the premise. So much so, that the game would feel empty and void without them and, weirdly, when thrown into the mix pot that is Watch Dogs: Legion, everything works together beautifully. Although the game may not be the sequel fans of Watch Dogs 2 have asked for, it certainly showcases what Ubisoft is capable of when allowed to have a bit of creative fun with an established franchise.