Jim Hargreaves's Reviews
Despite being drenched in familiar IP, Disney Speedstorm isn't the kind of idle kart racing shovelware older gamers grew up with. There's a clear reverence for the characters it features and their fantastical worlds, evidenced by the passion in Speedstorm's art direction and soundscape. When coupled with Gameloft's previous racing hits, the result is something that caters for casual gamers and genre die-hards alike. Just beware that whilethis virtual Disneyland-on-wheels is free, some of its main attractions come at a cost, whether spending time grinding away in queues to meet your favourite Disney mascots, or paying cash for that VIP fast-track.
At the end of the day that's the chief purpose of these remasters: to offer fans a way to play these older Star Wars Battlefront titles on current consoles, with slightly spruced up visuals, and the option to play online. They're still inherently rough around the edges and play a little clunky, but the Classics Collection does what it says on the tin, giving these beloved games a quick dip in the Bacta tank instead of attempting to forge them anew.
While it's great to witness the return of survival horror royalty, Alone in the Dark haphazardly follows modern genre trends where it once invented them. While it mostly succeeds at drawing players into a Lovecraftian mystery, it's hard to ignore the underbaked action elements used to patch these story beats together.
Brothers: A Tale of Two Sons was hardly in need of a remake. However, replaying the game more than a decade after its debut, where every inch has been beautifully crafted anew, has been a delightful experience, and one we can finally share with a second player. We just wish there was more of it.
Lara's original trilogy has been lovingly restored with the launch of these remasters, offering a definitive collection that bundles the core games and their expansions. However, dusting off these old relics in the name of nostalgia may come with a nasty surprise. Don't worry, there are no mummy curses, snake pits, or swinging pendulum axes, though the clunky controls will definitely take some getting used to (again).
Foamstars is a vibrantly inventive take on the hero shooter and Splatoon, though the bubble will quickly burst for those who can't gel with its floaty, fluid-based gunplay.
My return to Calradia wasn't entirely jubilant, though Mount & Blade 2 Bannerlord is a game I'll likely stick with, simply due to my love of the original. A wealth of new systems and activities help this sandbox strategy sim feel more alive than ever, though the busywork required to get anywhere can feel like a grind. Overall, existing fans will rejoice while newcomers may look on unimpressed, unsure what all the fuss is about.
Kratos has come a long way since first flinging himself into the Aegean all those years ago. God of War, as a series, has come a long way too, pushing the boundaries of hack and slash action to their goar-soaked limits, then breaking free of a years-long slumber to become one of the biggest names in modern gaming. As our own winter approaches, God of War Ragnarok makes for the perfect adventure to lose yourself in.
The best thing about Marvel Snap is that it requires so little effort to play yet has brilliant strategic depth. Matches are so quick that you'll rarely feel the sting of disappointment upon defeat, while each win pushes you towards the next card reveal. Like any live service game, it's constantly evolving with balance patches a roadmap teasing new content and features. Let's just hope we'll see the developers lessen the grind and give players more ways to unlock their favourite Marvel heroes and villains in future.
The Tomorrow Children is a weird, unwieldy game that had me sighing at just how obtuse it is while still somehow simultaneously entranced. The social action concept is a strong one though moment-to-moment gameplay will quickly become too much of a grind for most players. Hopefully it can find a new audience but, at the very least, it will help rehouse those fans who adored the original release and mourned its server shutdown.
An impressively gorgeous remake of a bonafide masterpiece. Just don't expect that hefty price tag to bring much more than cosmetic feeling changes to this emotional narrative.
After so many facelifts, there were fears Saints Row would fail to recapture the unconventional beauty of the earlier games, but this reboot proves how adept Volition is when it comes to reinventing their flagship franchise. This latest outing is my favourite game in the series to date, so while basic combat and dips in visual quality are disappointing, they did little to keep me away from Santo Ileso. You'll struggle to find anything ground-breaking though this sandbox is bursting with entertaining things to do, ideal for sharing with a partner in crime.
Once the sun rises and the bloodbath ends, you'll be itching to play The Quarry again to see what other outcomes there are. this is Supermassive's most refined horror game to date, but it just falls short of snatching Until Dawn's gore-crusted crown.
Evil Dead fans will love the amount of fan service on offer here, from the painstaking recreation of movie locations to Bruce Campbell's goofy one-liners. However, when it comes to raw entertainment value, there's an imbalance between the forces of good and evil. Playing as the survivors can be fun with friends but lacks the fun or variety of being an evildoer.
Stranger of Paradise is one of "those" games - a scuffed diamond that's a joy to play, yet has unmissable imperfections. However, while annoying, a poor story and bland visuals don't diminish its punchy RPG action, nor its rewarding web of character customisation options. Needless to say, we're pretty eager to see how Stranger is received by the Final Fantasy fandom.
After countless epic sieges, splintered shields, and gnarly executions, For Honor has firmly cemented itself as one of the best multiplayer games we've ever played. It's unlike anything else out there, weaving together a unique combat system while cherry picking the best parts of being a live service game.
Dynasty Warriors Empires has always been for the die-hard fans. Those who enjoy the hack n' slash combat and love adding their own tactical twist. Those wanting to direct custom campaigns and create their own musou legend. Even if DW9 left a sour taste, there's some solace to be found here within its repurposed carcass, though redemption may still be lost.
Dying Light 2 expands and refines a formula Techland has been peddling since its breakout success with Dead Island. This sequel learns a lot from modern open world video games, its massive, zombie-infested sandbox rarely feeling empty, especially as you breeze through city blocks with a Mirror's Edge-like finesse. However, Dying Light 2 inherits the same problems - a dull story, tiresome combat, and character progression that's a tad too sluggish.
It's perhaps not what Tom Clancy fans had envisioned for the series, but there's something to Rainbow Six Extraction that's definitely worth checking out. It stands apart from similar co-op shooters thanks to that tactical edge and gunplay it's inherited from Siege. That said, the repetitive nature of running missions, difficulty spikes, and overall presentation hold the game back. This is Ubisoft we're talking about, however, so Extraction will likely sprout a long tail that will continue to grow over the coming months and years.
Long after Nathan Drake hung up his holster for the last time a half decade ago, Uncharted’s legacy still remains. This collection crams two genre-defining prestige hits together – the kind of linear AAA action games we rarely see today.