Shannon Grixti's Reviews
At the end of Uncharted 4, I was able to sit back and feel satisfied. Uncharted 4 is the perfect conclusion of Nathan Drake’s journey and swan song to one of PlayStation’s most successful franchises.
The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild will go down as one of the best launch titles of all time. Yes, technically it's a Wii U game that was ported over to the Nintendo Switch, but Nintendo made the right decision in holding this game back. It perfectly compliments the Nintendo Switch and highlights why it has the potential to be such a great and versatile console. Many have doubted Nintendo's ability to bring this series into the modern age of gaming, but they've done that and taken it one step further in creating one of the best open-world action-adventure games ever made.
I don't know how Nintendo continues to do it, but they've managed to reinvent another classic franchise and push it further than imaginable. Super Mario Odyssey is the game that we've been waiting to play for more than 20 years. It feels like it borrows key elements from almost every Mario game that has come before it to create what is possibly not only the greatest Mario game, but one of the best 3D platformers of all time.
Whilst I think that it's a little bit overpriced (and should include Bayonetta 1 on a physical cartridge), it's almost impossible to deny the brilliance of both Bayonetta games. Bayonetta herself is one of the sassiest characters in gaming and the combat is simply better than any hack and slash action game that I've ever played (and still is to this day). The game is only made better by the enhanced performance and portability provided by the Nintendo Switch and it's one that every Switch owner should have in their collection.
Super Smash Bros. Ultimate is ultimate in every sense of the word. World of Light is fantastic, Challenge Mode is satisfying and there's so much love and detail in absolutely everything in the game.
Microsoft Flight Simulator is a game that you have to play to understand just how incredible of an experience it is. It's an incomparable adventure that consistently surprises and delights. The game provides you with all the tools necessary to conquer the unthinkable task of flying the plane. Asobo has laid an incredible platform that will provide hours upon hours of joy for both casual gamers and flight experts alike, and it's only upwards from here.
Marvel's Spider-Man Remastered on PC is still the fantastic experience that it was on PS4, but now with a little bit of extra polish and shine from a graphical standpoint. If you haven't played this game, jump in, and if you played it on the PS4/PS5 it might just be time to get swinging once more.
Whilst the price is a little steep, I can't deny the fact that the Uncharted: Legacy of Thieves Collection provides the best way to play two of PlayStation's best games. Naughty Dog's finest shine on the PS5 hardware and if you haven't played these games, you're in for an absolute treat, and if you're returning to these games, you can expect to be blown away all over again, if not for the enhanced visuals alone.
I was sucked into this world from start to finish, falling absolutely in love with these characters that had very little dialogue or backstory, and this world that I knew almost nothing about. It really showed me that in this day and age, a game can have almost no combat, have clunky controls but still be a genuine piece of art that speaks to the heart.
The 2016 iteration Ratchet and Clank is the absolute pinnacle of the franchise. It takes the best elements from the original Ratchet and Clank game, tightens the narrative and adds in some newer mechanics from more recent games in the series
Watch Dogs 2 is the jump forward in the series that the game needed to succeed. Comparatively, it's what Assassin's Creed 2 was to the first Assassin's Creed if not even better. Watch Dogs 2 is definitely one of the sleeper hits of the year. I was expecting to have fun with it, but I wasn't expecting to become absolutely transfixed with the incredible style, characters and storyline. It's a must-play game and for those that own a PlayStation 4 Pro, you should definitely pick it up just for the visual feast alone.
Horizon Zero Dawn is an incredible game. Guerrilla has managed to find a perfect balance between creating an extremely challenging and deep Action RPG whilst still managing to make it accessible to almost any gamer. It’s without doubt the most beautiful game on PlayStation 4, set in a world that’s full of life and intrigue. There’s definitely some minor issues with the game, but at the end of the day, Horizon Zero Dawn reminds me why I love games. I was able to get lost in the world for hours on end, fighting bad-ass machines without a care in the world.
Mario Kart 8 Deluxe is the perfect follow up to The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild. It's fun regardless of whether you're playing alone, with friends on the couch or taking the race online. It lends itself perfectly to the portability of the Nintendo Switch and there's just enough new content to warrant a purchase for those that owned the original game on the Nintendo Wii U.
The Crash Bandicoot N. Sane Trilogy has exceeded my expectations as an overall package. Vicarious Visions have done a really good job at improving the overall presentation of all three games as well as fine-tuning things such as the save system and added time trials. Above all, they've accomplished this whilst maintaining the core platforming aspects that made Crash so memorable to begin with.
Uncharted: The Lost Legacy is a great standalone adventure featuring two extremely charismatic personalities. There's a story here that's brilliantly told with intertwined gameplay/narrative design that I've not seen in a game in some time. The intriguing relationship of Chloe/Nadine made playing through the game more than worth it, and some questionable new gameplay mechanics couldn't detract from an otherwise brilliant experience.
The action that takes place in the arenas of Pyre is explosively fast-paced and laced with magical allure. While the action that occurs off the field is a satisfyingly slow unravelling of dense lore and affecting individual tales. These contrasting styles interchange flawlessly throughout the game's duration - creating a rhythm for the journey that consistently feels unpredictable and exciting. Even with all its blemishes, Pyre is a rousing expression of exceptional high fantasy. The PC version of this game was played for the purpose of this review.
FIFA 18 is the most solid entry in the series in several years. The presentation has never been better and the game has never been more realistic. EA have made subtle improvements to the Frostbite based gameplay that was introduced in FIFA 17, but If you weren't a huge fan of the gameplay last year, then chances are you're going to still be quite unhappy with what is on offer here. There's major changes to The Journey for those that enjoy the single player portion of the game. FIFA Ultimate Team and Career Mode have also seen several changes that will be sure to impress the most hardcore of FIFA fans too.
There's more reason to play Shadow of the Colossus than ever before. The presentation improves the incredible spectacle that the game is. The core gameplay can still be a little bit clunky at times, but the satisfaction from taking down the Colossus is greater than ever. At the cheaper price of admission ($54.99) that you'll be playing for this game, it's near impossible not to recommend it even if you've played it before.
God Of War is a cinematic masterpiece that manages to reinvent and push an already fantastic series to new heights. Barring some pacing issues in its narrative, Sony Santa Monica have breathed new life into Kratos and the God of War series, and I can't wait to see what's next.
Pokemon Let's GO ushers in a brand new era for the Pokemon brand and I couldn't think of a better way for the core franchise to makes its debut on the Nintendo Switch. The game's mechanics perfectly rides the wave of success of the Pokemon GO phenomenon. Some core fans will be disappointed and that's completely fine, but the direction of Let's GO Pokemon is clear and it succeeds in its mission to provide a simple, yet addictive Pokemon game that can be enjoyable for all gamers. It's Pokemon at its addictive best and the only option is to set out and Catch 'Em All.