A disastrous start to the post-PES era. The only consolation? It surely can't get any worse from here.
Payback is good – assuming you're talking about the 1999 film.
The Six Nations Championship brings fresh hope that we might finally get a great rugby game, but this engaging effort fails to convert where it counts.
Atelier Sophie isn’t at its best when doing particularly anything. It may only appeal to an alcove of anime fans, being so jovial you can practically hear it wishing you a merry Christmas. The broad stroke of the content can be experienced with any other JRPG, and better so. But if the home-bound, alchemic twist appeals, you may have a game worth persisting for.
Ben received a digital copy of Little Nightmares from Bandai Namco for review.
Ben received a digital copy of Sniper Elite 4 from GDE for review.
Valley’s answer to one of its main mysteries doesn’t quite satiate the curiosity it taunts, though it wisely leaves others unsolved. The questions it does pose it can’t answer, because no one can. That’s the siren Valley will use to carry you by the song of its story – though it is somewhat betrayed by its lack of mechanical prowess. I'm not normally one to be bothered by technical issues – I'm more concerned with messages and ideas, hence I can forgive a few breakdowns on the way so long as we get somewhere. Whether it’s a trip worth taking will depend on your tolerance for bumpy rides and the many spell-breaking hiccups curtailing the credulity of your experience.
An error in historical judgement.
Like an old friend come back to life. Ace Combat 7 feels like a neat and tidy resurrection, bringing back everything you missed from flight simulator games, while consequently reminding you why the industry lost interest in them.
Ben received a physical copy of Halo Wars 2 from Xbox NZ for review.
Like a moving picture, that's actually a game.
Ben received a digital copy of Rime from the developer for review.
Ben received a physical copy of Dragon Ball Xenoverse 2 from Bandai Namco for review.
Whether you consider Quantum Break a game with episodes, or a mini-series with interactive segments ultimately doesn't matter - it's an experience. It may use an unproven formula, but that blueprint is also the main attraction that piques one's curiosity, even if my own started to waiver amidst a story too interested in its own keywords to talk about anything more depth-inducing. With a dire need to be amongst the blockbusters, it's an inoffensive, non-threatening tale with big-name actors who try so seriously to make it otherwise. And while not an one interesting story in itself, Quantum Break has an interesting way of being told.
Admittedly I am Bread is limited by its own choice of object. A slice of bread isn't exactly the prime candidate for platforming - it comes with certain mechanical consequences. As such the game can sometimes feel like a victim of its own creativity, but I am thankful it tried anyway.
An encouraging debut for the big new rival to WWE, with loads of welcome throwback nods to No Mercy and Fire Pro, and a career mode you won’t be able to resist playing through multiple times.
A stellar first WWE outing on PS5 and XBox Series X, but legacy flaws hold it back from true greatness.
A superb second next-gen season on the digital turf – but subtle Ultimate Team tweaks amplify the 'pay to win' criticisms that stalk this series annually.
By and large it is much of the same thing for ten hours, and that's the irony of Hacknet; doing repeatedly something you've probably never done before. Play it because it's different, play it because it's a far cry from anything you're likely to in the coming months.
This might not be the game we're looking for.