EdwardG

This is a very enjoyable action horror which I found to be more fun than its predecessor. It strikes a campy gothic tone and features some memorable villains, locales and action set pieces. It's a linear ~10 hour adventure that clips along at a good pace, playing like a survival horror in its earlier stages before graduating into a more action focused affair. Its biggest strength is surely the atmosphere and overall feeling of the game, which plays as a distinct and characterful experience. It can be a bit clunky and leaden at times, but I liked the game and can certainly see the appeal of the series.

A decent step up from its predecessor, It Takes Two, Split Fiction is a really enjoyable co-op adventure. It's very creative for the most part, and on the rare occasion that I wasn't overly impressed by a particular section of gameplay, it was never long before it reinvented itself again. It's very varied, and this variety is only helped by the 12 side stories that are found throughout the game. The only thing I missed from Hazelight’s past two games were the assorted mini games that saw you and your friend go head to head. The side stories seem to have replaced those, but having both would've been ideal. I wasn't moved by the story at all, and the villain was unbelievably shallow. Across the board I feel it was poorly written, but the gameplay more than makes up for it. Ultimately though, this is my favourite of their releases so far, and I wish there were more games like this.

A real noticeable drop in quality compared to the other games in the modern Wolfenstein series, Youngblood introduces dual protagonists in B.J. Blazkowicz’ twin daughters, who are equally insufferable, and whose banter is never anything but utterly cringe-inducing. The bullet sponge enemies and recycled encounters seem lazy, and the story is largely incomprehensible. Still, it’s fun to play through with a friend - the final boss had me in tears. You make your own fun, especially with something as shoddy as this.

After seeing Clair Obscur sweep The Game Awards and receive near universal acclaim, I was excited to see for myself what all the hype was about. The game gripped me from the word go - its initial premise is distinctly heartbreaking, romantic and tragic. You’re thrown into a world in which days are quite literally numbered, where the central struggle to defeat the Paintress is a cause that can’t be argued with. It’s a really beautiful game, and I thoroughly enjoyed my time with it, but I can’t help but feel that it didn’t quite live up to the promise of its opening act. Without spoiling anything, I just wasn’t overly wowed by where they chose to go with the story. Its twists and reveals might be appreciated by many, but I felt they wasted the narrative potential of what was a deeply intriguing and melancholic setting. Overall, I still think this is a great game - it’s visually spectacular, the soundtrack is gorgeous, gameplay is solid - just a tad overrated.

Great roguelite. Loved the combat in this one - survival is impossible without constant movement, and balancing the art of dancing around bullet hell projectiles whilst dealing out damage of your own is a real pleasure. Death means a return to the start of a new cycle and while it's challenging, I never felt it was too difficult. Plus, unsuccessful runs often still award meaningful **** story is largely metaphorical and symbolic of a descent into madness and grief, told through a nightmarish sci-fi setting. The free DLC "Ascension" adds the endless Tower of Sisyphus, which is worth playing for more of the base game's great gameplay streamlined into a more basic, but still enjoyable, traditional roguelike. It adds a bit more to the story, but ultimately I came away from Returnal feeling slightly unfulfilled by its overall plot - I feel there was potential for a stronger narrative, and more of an emotional payoff. Still, I highly recommend this one. The gameplay is so satisfying, the difficulty is spot on, and it's something a bit different.

I loved this one - a really solid Metroidvania, with clever platforming, slick combat, and enjoyable exploration. My first Prince of Persia, I wasn’t overly impressed with the story, which I felt like a real missed opportunity given there’s some interesting lore in here, and time mechanics woven into the gameplay which could’ve surely served a better narrative. But other than that, I very much enjoyed my time with The Lost Crown, and recommend it as a true exemplar of its genre.

I never really have much to say about these more artsy type games; I was never as taken with Journey as a lot of people seemed to be. Sword of the Sea was certainly a looker, with gorgeous visuals and a good atmosphere. As a game, it’s very simple and straightforward, but that’s fine. It’d serve nicely as a slick 3 hour long palate cleanser between more bloated, bigger releases.

Jedi: Survivor is a strong sequel, at least on par with Fallen Order, and probably a bit stronger on the whole gameplay and story wise. It's slightly let down by technical issues and some general clunkiness in presentation, polish and bugs. While I enjoyed the main story, most of the side content seemed completely superfluous and uninspired.

Subnautica is a decent exploration-heavy survival game. It's definitely more of a chill affair than the deep sea horror it's often made out to be. It can be tense at times, but more often it's just **** in its simple gameplay loop of gathering resources for food, drinking water and base building. Progress is tangible throughout. At the start of the game upgrades are most felt in how you can stay underwater for longer and longer periods without coming up for air. But soon you can build your own base, create renewable food and water sources and explore deeper and deeper, gradually uncovering the game's story as you go. I liked it enough to see it through to the end, though it did get a little tedious on the road to its finale. It was kinda janky at times, and ran surprisingly poorly even on PS5. You can forgive the performance a bit though since it was made by a small team. On the whole, Subnautica has a strong setting and sets the player a compelling overarching goal that is worth pursuing. Even through some tedium and difficulty navigating the map (there aren't many landmarks), there's a decent game here.

I put this down about halfway through 2 years ago and I'm not sure why I didn't come back to it sooner. I recently picked it back up and found it to be a slick, enjoyable shooter. It's of a higher calibre than the 2016 reboot, with this sequel offering a little more across the board. It was an early attempt at showcasing the capabilities of the PS5, with the graphics and seamless rifts continuing to impress. Rift Apart is a short but sweet linear shooter with plenty of fun weapons to play around with and level up, fast and fluid movement in and out of combat, varied environments, and an extremely polished presentation all round. I really enjoyed it.

Pure fun from start to finish. Astro Bot is a classic collectathon done right. It's super creative, intuitive and appealing. It's a wonderful cutesy celebration of PlayStation IPs, and while an encyclopedic knowledge of gaming history is rewarded, it's certainly not required. Make no mistake, anyone can pick up and play this delightful 3D platformer. That said, there are plenty of nice surprises and friendly faces from the PlayStation catalogue. A highlight for me was the LocoRoco level which I absolutely adored. In essence, Astro Bot evokes nostalgia without being reliant upon it. Astro Bot exemplifies creativity and wonder within its homages and outside of them, possessing more than its fair share of its own new ideas. I really loved this game, and want to see more like it. But whether or not Sony's answer to Mario becomes a mainstay of their PlayStation lineup, this is a game you shouldn't miss out on.

An enlivening entry into the 2D Mario series, Wonder has much of the creative spirit that made Odyssey so fun to play. It's really good fun, and it's well-suited for handheld play: short and very sweet. Wonder's level design only really falters in the Search Party levels, which stick out as its most tedious and most uninspired stages. Still, this is a standout 2D Mario which is head and shoulders above the "New Super Mario Bros" games.

Having never played Dead Space before, I went into the remake blind and loved it. It does Sci-Fi horror really really well; it's genuinely spooky and tense throughout. I enjoyed the dismemberment heavy combat and the buckets of gore which accompanied it. Blasting limbs off the necromorphs in a frantic struggle for survival is core to the gameplay. Almost entirely set on the iconic USG Ishimura spacecraft, the game's setting is foundational to the overall experience. The ship is dark and claustrophobic, with its crew driven to madness or transformed into hideous monsters. The story ain't bad, and the lore is decent. Overall, I thoroughly enjoyed playing through Dead Space. If you like the sound of a "Resident Evil in space" kinda game then you should give it a try.

Guardians is a decent linear action/adventure, but it lacks substance in its gameplay. The story and strong presentation are let down by shallow combat. While it's already limiting to be restricted to playing exclusively as Star-Lord, this would be far more forgivable if playing as Star-Lord was especially entertaining. As things are, there's little more to combat than slowly getting through swathes of enemies with blasters that barely pack a punch, and calling on the other Guardians to use their abilities when they come off cooldown. While combat can look a spectacle, it doesn't feel involving or engaging enough. The time-out team talks are unique, but are only another disappointment. They're never tailored quite appropriately to the circumstances of your fight and the dialogue in them is repeated after you've done a handful of them. Still, this isn't a bad game! It looks great at times, the story has its moments, and the characters are well realised. It's fun enough to play through too. Even while the combat doesn't live up to what it could've been, it's serviceable. Exploration is rewarded with different outfits which is nice. Overall, as a package, this is a decent linear single player adventure. While it feels like a bit of a missed opportunity, it's certainly better Square Enix's other Marvel misfire, Marvel's Avengers.

The prequel to The New Order is a game of two halves. The first half is basically more of The New Order, and that's a good thing. While the stealth section at the start drags on a bit (and I like stealth), things do pick up. Soon, you're gunning through Castle Wolfenstein, and this was my favourite part of the game. In the second half of The Old Blood, an old underground gas is unearthed that reanimates the dead, and it even starts raining zombies. Blazkowicz doesn't seem too troubled by this, though, as zombies are never mentioned outside of The Old Blood. Overall, The Old Blood is a solid prequel to The New Order, if not quite up to the same standard. The gameplay is much the same, but the addition of zombies in the second half isn't particularly interesting or important. There's less of a narrative focus here, and while that means more focus on the action itself, as a package The New Order is the better game. That said, this is still a worthwhile prequel and I had a lot of fun with it.

[SPOILER ALERT: This review contains spoilers.]

Hades is a really attractive roguelike packed full of fun and interesting characters. I enjoyed the combat - it's quite fast, slightly chaotic - and it's fun trying out the different weapons and abilities. The journey through the underworld to the surface is a beautiful one; the art direction and soundtrack are top quality. The story, revealed bit by bit through failed and successful escape attempts alike is pretty good, and is certainly elevated by the voice acting and dialogue. Overall, I really enjoyed Hades. However, like any roguelike, it eventually gets a bit repetitive; consecutive runs of the same area progression and boss order don't feel totally fresh forever. Still, it's a great game, and I'm looking forward to the sequel.

Set in the stunning, decaying Lands Between, Elden Ring is an iconic, memorable action RPG. The plot is cryptic - you have to put in quite some effort or more likely consult the internet to fully appreciate the lore, and even then... But what really sticks with you is the atmosphere and tone that the game strikes. The environment tells a story of morbid, haunting beauty that's well conveyed and utterly captivating. The combat and difficulty of enemy encounters is what the Souls games are known for, and this is no walk through the park. It's only occasionally frustratingly difficult, though, and the challenge is a rewarding one. With time, you can make your character decently overpowered, and the amount of unique weapons and spells and summons you're rewarded with is impressive. Of course, it goes without saying that the boss fights are epic and a real highlight of Elden Ring. It's a proper game. There's no **** busywork, with the huge Lands Between filled with stuff for you to explore organically. Elden Ring offers a coherent package with a first-rate style and identity. Ultimately, it should go down as a classic of its genre and a paradigm of open world level design.

Katana Zero is a quality instant death 2D action game with an engrossing narrative and great music. Combat is a good challenge without getting too frustrating. It's quite simple but it feels good to pull off as you slow down time to deflect bullets with your sword and dispatch your enemies with a single attack. I really enjoyed the story - it's mysterious and tragic, but it ends too soon... Thankfully some free DLC is in the works which I hope maintains the excellent standard of writing. The soundtrack is top notch. It compliments the mood and tone of the game brilliantly. I had fun with Katana Zero and found its story its most compelling feature. It's only a short game and as of yet it hasn't got a totally satisfying conclusion but it's definitely worth your time.

[SPOILER ALERT: This review contains spoilers.]

Astro's Playroom functions as a number of things - an introduction to the DualSense controller's features, a surprisingly strong platformer in its own right, and a digital museum to Sony's gaming history. It's a wonderfully inventive and playful game that uses the DualSense well. The adaptive triggers, haptic rumble, motion, and the touchpad are all put to good use. The game feels really fresh and exciting as a result. There are 4 main worlds to play through, each based on the PS5's internal components. They're each visually interesting and diverse, with excellent attention to detail. The worlds are filled with other bots, many of which act out references to other PlayStation games which is really nice and fun to see. The platforming gameplay is simple and easy to pick up, but there's a lot of variety packed in. Each world has its own vehicle of sorts, each of which is piloted in its own gimmicky but fun and unique way. The collectibles are each a piece of PlayStation history that fill the PlayStation Labo room. Getting everything feels worthwhile and the Labo room is a cool celebration and display of every PlayStation generation. Astro's Playroom is a neat little pack in game to get you started on PS5. It's somewhat basic but it's got charm and the hunt for all the collectibles is quite rewarding. It's a freebie that clearly had a lot of care put into it, and as such I really enjoyed it. Astro's Playroom functions as a number of things - an introduction to the DualSense controller's features, a surprisingly strong platformer in its own right, and a digital museum to Sony's gaming history. It's a wonderfully inventive and playful game that uses the DualSense well. The adaptive triggers, haptic rumble, motion, and the touchpad are all put to good use. The game feels really fresh and exciting as a result. There are 4 main worlds to play through, each based on the PS5's internal components. They're each visually interesting and diverse, with excellent attention to detail. The worlds are filled with other bots, many of which act out references to other PlayStation games which is really nice and fun to see. The platforming gameplay is simple and easy to pick up, but there's a lot of variety packed in. Each world has its own vehicle of sorts, each of which is piloted in its own gimmicky but fun and unique way. The collectibles are each a piece of PlayStation history that fill the PlayStation Labo room. Getting everything feels worthwhile and the Labo room is a cool celebration and display of every PlayStation generation. Astro's Playroom is a neat little pack in game to get you started on PS5. It's somewhat basic but it's got charm and the hunt for all the collectibles is quite rewarding. It's a freebie that clearly had a lot of care put into it, and as such I really enjoyed it.

Control is a great game with two particularly great qualities in its worldbuilding and combat. The world of Control is one of mystery and intrigue. The game takes place in the Oldest House, a featureless **** in New York City that is imperceptible to the public. You also travel to the Astral Plane, a bleak monochromatic emptiness inhabited by a cryptic entity known as the Board. It's a really cool setting for an action game with a brilliantly cold and peculiar atmosphere. As you work to repel The Hiss, a hostile invading force, you'll have a lot of questions on your mind. The combat is great and super fluid, with a satisfying synergy between the abilities and the gunplay. You can levitate, dash to avoid attacks, use telekinesis to fling enemies into one another, and blast them with a shape shifting gun that can take a number of unique forms. It's really fun. There are also a decent number of Hiss enemy types which make for varied enough combat encounters. Control is visually impressive in its realisations of odd and unsettling concepts. Environments and characters look great, but the PS4's performance often falls short. During intense action, it struggles to maintain a steady frame rate, and some of the less important textures can arrive a little late to the party. Loading times are quite poor, and I had a problem with the audio getting out of sync with the in game videos too. An aspect in which Control disappoints slightly is in its narrative. Although Control certainly has an interesting setting and premise, I wasn't left fully satisfied by its story and conclusion. The plot couldn't match the quality of the worldbuilding in my opinion. I was drawn in by the lore and unorthodox supernatural elements, but the plot isn't as groundbreaking. The Ultimate Edition comes with two major expansions in The Foundation and AWE respectively. I preferred the former, which is a nice tailpiece to the base game which gives a taste of where the game could go next. The Board have a fairly prominent role in it which I liked. AWE is fine too, but having not played Alan Wake I felt a little out of the loop. Overall, Control is definitely worth playing. It's got a madcap world and some eccentric characters, and the combat is very enjoyable.

Far Cry 5 pits the player against an armed religious cult in yet another Ubisoft sandbox, this time set in rural America. The mesmerising Joseph Seed leads the Project at Eden's Gate cult and makes for a fun to watch antagonist. Playing as a Sheriff's deputy, your task is to oust Joseph from power and free your allies after your attempt to arrest him went south. It's an enjoyable FPS game that's not afraid to get silly at times - some of the side quests are quite amusing and the ample selection of weapons, vehicles and companions let you wreak havoc however you see fit. You can tackle the game's three main regions in any order, and you progress the overall story by doing pretty much any activity you run into. The charisma of Far Cry 5's big bad is the story's greatest asset, and although some plot points are rather nonsensical, it's a compelling enough ride. The ending is suitably disturbing and caps the game off nicely. The gameplay is par for the course for this kind of title. You've got enough options in combat and traversal that you'll find something that clicks, but nothing is exceptional or truly innovative. It's good enough but it doesn't break the mould. Unfortunately, I ran into a number of bugs during my playthrough, a couple of which were quite disruptive. Far Cry 5 is a safe bet if you're looking for a solid open world FPS with a good balance of exploration, combat, and story. It didn't blow me away but it ticked the right boxes and I had fun with it.

Marvel's Avengers is a bland, passable game which fails to do anything special with its source material. It's a mediocre game but the main campaign has some decent moments - I enjoyed the storyline and the characters enough to see it through to the end. There are some cool bits as you run into each of the Avengers, reassemble the team and get to explore each playable character's arsenal, but the missions are just so boring that I didn't feel like getting through the rest of the content. Its disappointing how uninspired everything is, from the tired, repetitious level design to the drab environments, nameless enemies and the unnecessary loot structure. Although each character has a fairly unique moveset, the combat doesn't have a good feel to it and the fights lack impact. The game also runs very poorly on the PS4. Overall this is a very middling package and one that falls way short of the mark given the source material. Marvel's Avengers is a live service but I don't believe it offers enough compelling gameplay to warrant sticking with it.

Ghost of Tsushima manages to feel distinct, charming and artful despite following a familiar open world structure and existing in a market full of games of its ilk. Its recreation of Tsushima island is gorgeous and cohesive in its 13th century Japanese identity - scattered throughout the island are tons of fox dens, torii gates and hot springs. The character of the game just leads to a really immersive experience. The game's story sees its protagonist, Jin Sakai, become the titular Ghost as he employs ever more dishonourable tactics to defeat the enemy and repel the Mongol invasion. It's a fun story to watch unfold, and it culminates in a genuinely emotional final duel that tops things off brilliantly. Ghost of Tsushima certainly delivers on the gameplay front too - the combat is fluid and stylish, and the different sword stances afford it some depth. The bows feel good to use and there are enough other projectiles and abilities to keep combat fresh. It must be said that the graphics and art direction in this game are excellent. The use of colour in particular leads to some lush, tranquil scenery, the vibrancy of which makes this recreation of Tsushima island a treat for the eyes. If you're anything like me, you'll be spending a lot of time in photo mode. Another thing I'd like to praise is the guiding wind feature - swiping up on the touchpad causes the wind to blow around you in the direction of your current objective. This removes the need for a mini-map which helps to maintain the minimalist HUD, and I just think it's a smart little feature. Ghost of Tsushima has a healthy amount of content, but it's not without some bloat. Some of the side quests are unexciting, and even though the open world busywork has a charm to it, it is still repetitious by nature. Overall, this is a great title. It sticks to a tried-and-tested formula, but it does it so well that it doesn't matter; it's not a complete breath of fresh air, but it's a fitting swan song for the PS4.

This is easily my favourite iteration of Superhot - the core concept that time only moves when you do just suits the medium so well. If you wanna feel like a badass in VR then pick this game up. Dodging bullets and watching them whir past your head as you fight off the polygonal, glass-like enemies just feels brilliant here. The art style is simplistic yet super clean and unblemished; the universally clinical aesthetic makes this is a very immersive title, and one that looks great on the Quest 2. It's easy to get engrossed in the game and caught up in the terrific gameplay that lets you feel almost effortlessly cool. The only thing that feels off is throwing things, as it isn't very intuitive. My throws were more accurate when pushing items forward rather than throwing them overhand. Superhot VR is extremely short but quite replayable and there's a bunch of different modes to have a go at, including a great endless mode with a variety of maps. The game is such good fun that it's easily worth the price of admission. Played on Oculus Quest 2.

Super Mario 3D World + Bowser's Fury is an excellent package that offers up a ton of classic Mario fun in two distinct adventures. Super Mario 3D World is a brilliant, excitingly creative platformer that's just full of fun ideas. Each level experiments with a different concept and so the game feels refreshingly diverse as a result. It's an exceptionally polished title that's fun from start to finish, and is even more enjoyable in co-op; up to three other players can join in at any time, and although this leads to a more chaotic experience, it was my preferred method of playing. The scoring system and the fact that you can pick up your comrades and throw them off the stage adds a slight competitive side to an otherwise co-operative adventure. My playthrough with my brother involved a lot of laughs and energy - this game is just perfect for co-op play. There's a lot of content on this side of the package too, as it includes a great postgame that ramps up the difficulty somewhat, culminating in a final world that contains the most challenging levels in the game. I really enjoyed the challenge presented by the last couple of levels, as beating them was such a tense, rewarding time. Bowser's Fury, the brand new appendage to 3D World, showcases more Nintendo creativity but in a very different format. The levels in this entry inhabit the same space which gradually unfolds as you progress. Really, it's an open-world, and although it's fairly small, it does have some nice verticality to it. Mario feels right at home here, and it's great to see the IP's signature brand of creativity extended to the structure of the game in addition to the level design. Bowser's Fury is a pretty short game, but it leaves a lasting impression. During its runtime it establishes a concrete identity defined by its imagination, charm and its titular villain whose arrival is accompanied by awesome rock music, an outpouring of rain and the darkening of the sky. The fights against Bowser use the open-world to establish a grand sense of scale, and they're a highlight of the game for me. You can see the credits after just a few hours, but it's worth finding all of the 100 Cat Shines and seeing all the game has to offer. One little nitpick I could levy against the game is that the Switch seems to struggle a bit with Bowser's Fury, running at 720p/60fps docked and 720p/30fps handheld. Neither are ideal, but it's not too bad. I played in docked and the game still looks good, albeit noticeably less crisp than 3D World. Another thing to note is that the 2 player mode is quite weak in this side of the game - the 2nd player controls Bowser Jr. and doesn't get much to do. The co-op play is closer to that found in Super Mario Odyssey than in 3D World. All in all, I loved Super Mario 3D World + Bowser's Fury. It's a fantastic package full of great content, and not a bit of it fails to deliver the fun.

The Walking Dead: Saints & Sinners attempts to bring a more traditionally AAA experience to the Quest 2 - it's a 'proper' game with a respectably long story and strong game mechanics. On the gameplay side, it mostly delivers. The melee combat is visceral and satisfying, and although the gunplay took me some practice to get used to, it too is great fun. Looting dark buildings with the threat of walkers around every corner is tense, and fighting larger groups of them out in the open can give you quite a rush. Escaping from an unbeatable horde by the skin of your teeth can be a truly intense experience. Fighting human enemies isn't always as satisfying, as their AI is pretty laughable at times. I've been crouched right below someone, pointing a gun to their face and they were completely unaware of my presence. At other times though, they can shoot you with pinpoint accuracy. Frustratingly, the game can be quite buggy and otherwise just janky in places. I've had to follow a character into battle only for him to get stuck on an obstacle and leave me to fight alone. Later in that same mission, I suddenly left my body and floated in the air, unable to move, see my arms or do anything but reload a save. My tracking was working fine so I can only assume this was the game at fault rather than the hardware. Annoyances like these crop up quite frequently, and there were plenty of minor graphical glitches too. Speaking of, the graphics are okay for a game of this size running on the Quest 2. It looks about as good as you could expect from a portable headset, but the art style is so grey and plain that the environments can get a little tiring. The story is decent; being able to make my own decisions kept me invested in it, and I appreciate the freedom you have in deciding the fates of everyone. You can kill every NPC you come across, including those with more prominent roles in the story. You're given a few choices at the end of the game but it wraps up so quickly that you don't get to feel the ramifications of anything - a more fleshed out conclusion would've been great. Even so, the final mission is full of action and it's really fun. It ups the stakes and moves at an exciting pace. Overall, I liked Saints & Sinners. It has its issues - bugs and boring, samey environments chief among them - but it's mechanics are really strong. The catharsis of braining a walker or blasting someone away with a pump shotgun is amplified by physics which inject physicality and a bit of realism into the game's combat. It's a pretty fun title. Played on Oculus Quest 2.

Age of Calamity is a good hack and slash game that provides a welcome opportunity to jump back into the world of Breath of the Wild, albeit with a completely different style of gameplay. For the most part, I enjoyed the over the top, large scale battles that are characteristic of the Warriors franchise. Getting into the flow of it and mowing down hundreds of enemies with satisfying combos is great fun. There's usually plenty of cannon fodder on screen for you to toy with, but there's plenty of larger enemies too which require a bit more of your attention. Age of Calamity features a healthy roster of playable characters that you unlock as you progress through the game, and they all have fairly different movesets and unique traits. I found myself sticking to the few characters I could do the most damage with - Link, Impa and Teba - but I'm sure different people will gravitate more to others. Playable Divine Beast sections break up the core gameplay loop and although they're mostly a decent diversion, the Vah Rudania (the Gorons' Divine Beast) quests are a bit frustrating because of its poor blocking capabilities. Unfortunately, Age of Calamity starts to wear a bit thin after a while. It's not a short game, and I found its gameplay too mindless and repetitive to hold my interest for long periods of time. The oftentimes sparse checkpoint system only serves to exacerbate this issue. The side content is particularly egregious as much of it doesn't even have any story to support it - it has some context but is mostly devoid of any proper narrative. It's good that it's there for when you want a quick bit of action, but it could've been better. In terms of story, Age of Calamity isn't the prequel I was expecting, and it instead introduces a separate timeline. It's tone is also perhaps a bit lighter than I thought it'd be. Taken on its own merits, the story is okay. It's nice to see the characters we grew to love from Breath of the Wild again, and fighting against the Great Calamity with them was a treat. That said, I think a proper prequel could've told a much more mature, tragic story. Seeing the downfall of the Champions could've made for some excellent storytelling, and it could've been a bold, refreshing move to let us lose for once. Overall, this is a fairly good, enjoyable title, which perhaps unfairly has to live in the shadow of Breath of the Wild. Its connection to one of my favourite ever games is simultaneously why I expected more from it but also a big reason I liked it. If, like me, you're a big Zelda fan, just know to temper your expectations a bit regarding the story - as said, it's more of a 'what if' than a prequel. For me though, I still enjoyed Age of Calamity despite the gameplay sometimes feeling too grindy for my tastes. It's a cool, exaggerated hack and slash with a strong range of playable characters and, of course, a great soundtrack.

Death Stranding is captivating and intriguing from the offset. You're thrown into a bizarre apocalyptic United States that is never too obtuse in its weirdness, but rather strange and beautiful enough to make the basic act of traversing from point A to point B an interesting and challenging task. It's core gameplay loop of delivering items in an attempt to reconnect the country is deeper than it may initially appear, and as you progress through the game more avenues of traversal are opened up, so you'll soon be doing much more than just walking. That said, even when you are just walking it's more engaging than it sounds, and the combination of gorgeous Iceland-inspired geology and sporadic Low Roar needle drops punctuate the experience. The story, worldbuilding and characters are top notch in Death Stranding. Despite some iffy dialogue, the narrative is enjoyable and bolstered by some great performances, in particular from Troy Baker and Mads Mikkelsen, who shine as Higgs and Cliff respectively. The cinematography in some cutscenes is frankly amazing too. I do have some gripes with the game. Sometimes the mechanics feel a little janky, especially when climbing or colliding with terrain. The combat and boss fights weren't as strong as they could've been, and the gunplay is just so-so. Death Stranding is quite a long title and it's core gameplay loop can get repetitive after a while - getting all facilities up to a 5 star connection is quite a grind, and one that I've not seen through. After the story concludes and the credits roll, continuing to rebuild America becomes less compelling. One little thing I wish was included in the game is a portable music player - the music featured in Death Stranding is excellent and I wish you could play it wherever you wanted, not just while resting in a private room. The sound design is spot on but having a music player may have benefited the lonelier stretches of gameplay. Still, I think this is a great game and one that is a refreshing deviation from the norm. It exists in its own space, and it's uniqueness makes it a game well worth trying. The social features are fantastic; knowing that your contributions to the game world make an impact on other player's journeys is rewarding in a way I've not experienced before. The game's message of unity permeates through the story and all facets of the gameplay. It's a very original, memorable title, unlike other AAA games on the market, and I'm glad I took the plunge and gave it a go. At the end of my playthrough, I can safely say that this is a game that I really enjoyed.

Superliminal is a smart, inventive puzzle game all about perspective. The puzzles are good fun and are fairly original thanks to the game's unique mechanics. They're a little difficult to explain, but it's very intuitive when playing the game - for the most part, what it boils down to is that you can manipulate the size of some objects, and duplicate some others. It's a short game, clocking in at a little over 2 hours, but Superliminal makes pretty good use of it's mechanics in that short runtime; the game manages to pack in a good number of satisfying puzzles plus a neat little story with a nice message that ties in to the game's themes perfectly. It could've pushed these mechanics further though, and the puzzles in the latter half of the game could've been more complex. Overall, I quite enjoyed Superliminal. It's a briskly paced puzzler with cool original mechanics that doesn't overstay it's welcome. It's not as refined as it could've been, and although the story is certainly thematically consistent, it's perhaps a little on the nose. However, this is a memorable experience through a strange dream world that's good fun for a couple of hours.

Beautiful pixel art with excellent use of colour and a captivating, calming ambient soundtrack give Hyper Light Drifter it's identity. Without a clear narrative, they're what I'll remember most from my playthrough. The game plays pretty nicely - the combat is solid and you progress through the world naturally. Exploration is rewarded and although none of the mechanics are spelt out to you, nothing is too hard to pick up. This freedom matched the mood of the game really well. If anything though, the gameplay on the whole is a bit basic. It's fun, but not exceptional. My main gripe with Hyper Light Drifter is that I wish the narrative was more clear. The story, told without words, just felt a bit lacking to me. The world is so atmospheric that the absence of a strong plot is a bit disappointing. That said, I can see the appeal this story might have to some people. It's a personal tale inspired by the developer's struggles with heart disease, and I can see it affecting a lot of people more deeply than it did me. I didn't connect with it as much as I'd hoped because of how cryptic it all was. I only pieced the story together after the fact after reading up on it. By the end of the game I was left feeling underwhelmed. My initial wonder at the game's beautiful visuals and music wasn't enough to grip me, and as none of its other elements entirely clicked with me, I have to reflect that in my score. Don't let my review dissuade you from trying the game though. I can see it's appeal, and it has a very distinct tone that might be just what you're looking for. Hyper Light Drifter offers a dark, moody, melancholic world, solid gameplay, and a show, don't tell story that's bound to resonate with some players.

Until Dawn is an interactive story that does a good job at maintaining tension and a creepy atmosphere throughout. The fact that your choices in the game determine who, if any, of the cast of 8 friends dies helps to keep you on the edge of your seat even when the gameplay consists largely of walking and quick time events. Just knowing that one wrong choice or a slip up during a QTE could lead to a character's death gives some weight to the proceedings. The plot is very messy and all over the place, but it's still quite gripping. The characters are alright and although some of the early dialogue is a bit cringe worthy, apparently that may have been a deliberate effort to establish a campy 80s slasher vibe. There's some famous faces in Until Dawn and the actors' performances are well translated through the use of motion capture. Even with a messy plot, some underdeveloped characters and janky walking controls, Until Dawn is an enjoyable experience. The horror is perhaps a little too reliant on jumpscares, but I'd be lying if I said they didn't spook me a number of times. The game does a lot right and if you're in the mood for a good scare, you can't go wrong with this.

Titanfall 2 is a fun FPS with a solid campaign and an enjoyable multiplayer component. Titanfall 2 as a whole offers many great gameplay opportunities thanks to the fluid, fast paced movement when playing as a pilot and the destructive power of the titular titans. It's campaign, though definitely on the short side, showcases some excellent level design. I was happy with the balance of pilot combat sections, platforming, and titan fights. It's a really fun campaign with a number of cool, memorable moments. The time travel level in particular was brilliant, and although part of me wishes the mechanics introduced in that level were kept for the duration of the campaign, reserving them to just the one mission made it a very special one indeed - that level brought the fun factor to a new high. The mechanics are very similar to those from the séance level from Dishonored 2 and they made both gunfights and platforming even more enjoyable. The campaign is brief but action packed and it doesn't have a dull moment. The actual story is wafer thin though and the writing is quite bland. The plot and characters are uninspired and uninteresting. Your titan companion, BT, is likeable but that's about it. I was expecting a bit more in the narrative department, especially after the introduction of time travel, but unfortunately it ends up having no bearing on the plot at all. As for the multiplayer side of things, I have to say that it's pace and fluidity is unmatched by most other online FPS games. It's not revolutionary, and really it's mostly standard fare for games of its ilk, but it's undeniably good fun. The ability to call down and control your titan is perhaps the series most unique aspect and it does add more variety to gunfights. There's a decent number of maps and game modes, and you can still easily find a match without an excessive wait. There's some good verticality in the maps which is easily utilised thanks to the pilot's jump kit. Overall, Titanfall 2 is a good game with a fair amount of content when considering both the campaign and the multiplayer. It's also not too difficult or time consuming to get the platinum trophy for those that are interested in that. I enjoyed my time with the game and I'd still easily recommend the campaign despite the weak story, and the multiplayer is worth a go too.

Uncharted 4 is a fitting conclusion to Nathan Drake's story that surpasses the other games in the series narratively, graphically and in the fluidity of the gameplay. It has a different kind of pacing to its predecessors. It's longer and has more slow moments, but the story benefits from those moments. Seeing Nate and Elena living a normal life and the start of the game was really quite wholesome and I loved the references to the other games in the attic. The story beats focused on Nate's relationship with his long lost brother work especially well, but all around the writing and performances are top notch. Graphically, I've got to say this is one of the most technically impressive games I've played. The detail on display is incredible, and the character models in particular are notably exceptional. There's some stunning scenes too. The improvements in graphical fidelity mean the game can only run at 30fps, unlike the other 3 games on PS4 which ran at 60, but it didn't really bother me. I found Uncharted 4's gameplay mechanics to be more fun than it's predecessors too. The combat is more slick and fluid, and the climbing looks and feels better than ever. Nate reaches his hand out when he can make a jump leading to far fewer stupid deaths from misjudging things. The addition of the grappling hook is great. It's use leads to some very cinematic moments and again, it just feels good to use. Not everything is perfect though. I mentioned the pacing towards the start of the review, and while it's great for the first two acts of the game, the third act kinda drags. Unlike the rest of the game which takes you through loads of different locations and blends action setpieces, flashbacks and other story moments well, the final act is all set on the same island. It feels a little bloated and overlong as a result, and with the exception of the game's, it's just not as exciting as the earlier moments of the game. A lot of the Uncharted 4's highlights come earlier on, like the Saint Dismas cross heist and the Madagascar car chase. Some of the better story moments come early on too. Even though this is a much longer game than it's predecessors, there aren't as many memorable setpieces in this one. Yeah, this is a different style of Uncharted, and as I said the story does benefit from the different approach, but there are a couple of standout, amazing setpieces here and there was room for more. The Madagascar car chase is exhilarating, and I just wish there were more of these moments, especially in the repetitive third act. Even though I like the gameplay mechanics, they aren't put to as good a use as they could have been, as the game instead settles for the same cover based shooting sections we've played time and time again across the Uncharted series. That said, I really enjoyed the ending of the game. After a cinematic and explosive finale, Uncharted 4 slows down and gives us one final look at the life of our protagonist and his wife Elena. It's a deservedly sweet ending and I'm happy with how they capped off Nate's story. Just as a quick aside, I'd like to mention that there's also a multiplayer mode that's decent fun, and a co-op survival mode that's okay but nothing special. Overall, I think this is my favourite Uncharted, but not by a huge margin, hence why I've scored both this and Uncharted: The Nathan Drake Collection an 8 out of 10. I have a couple of issues with Uncharted 4 but the strength of its story and characters, plus it's solid gameplay make this another great game.

Uncharted: The Nathan Drake Collection is a great package containing remasters of the PS3's Uncharted trilogy. For me, this collection allowed me to experience each game for the first time, and I enjoyed each one. The first game still holds up 13 years after it's initial release. Some aspects feel dated and primitive, particularly after playing it's sequel, but this is still an enjoyable introduction to Nathan Drake and his companions. The jet ski levels are a bit annoying but they're not too much of a blemish on an otherwise solid title. Among Thieves is a marked improvement on the first Uncharted in a number of ways. It's a better looking, more exciting, and more interesting game that further establishes the IP - the Uncharted series really grows into its own in this one. It feels like a more confident and original game, with a stronger story that takes you through some good setpieces and ends on a very sweet note. Drake's Deception is another great game. Rather than being another big improvement though, it's more of the same this time around, but that's not a bad thing. It has some amazing setpieces like the pirate section and the plane crash, and overall I'd say this might be the most cinematic of the three games. I liked briefly seeing young Nate and Sully in Drake's Deception. However, it's overall story may be a little too similar to that of its predecessor. The actual gameplay across the three titles is quite uniform, although some elements feel much more basic in the first Uncharted. Each game blends combat, platforming and light puzzle solving to great effect. The combat is fun for the most part, and each game offers a different arsenal of weapons to use which keeps things different. Some enemies are annoyingly bullet spongey but on the whole the gunplay is enjoyable. The climbing sees some improvements in the second and third game where it looks much more stylish and dynamic than in the first. On the whole, these are three great games that are well worth playing. Nathan Drake is a very likeable and charismatic character, and I love his companions too. Going on adventures to seek out treasure and lost cities was a blast, as you get to fight through some impressive locales. These are three well made action/adventure games that have heart and thrills aplenty.

Journey is a beautiful game with great visuals and audio, and I can recognise it's artistic merit. Personally though, I didn't connect with the game in the way that others seem to have done, and I can't help but feel it's quite overrated. Don't get me wrong, it is a visual treat, and the music is good. It's also a neat idea to have a random companion join you on your, well, journey. It's interesting having that companionship there despite the limited interactivity. The final moments of the game are also really strong and act as a touching climax. However, beyond that, there's not much to Journey. It's a very simple and short game, which isn't a problem, but in the roughly 2 hours it took me to finish it, I never really felt affected by the game. There's not much in the way of gameplay and there's no challenge, so your enjoyment **** like this hinges on whether or not it can engage and entertain you by other means. Unfortunately, I didn't find the wordless story or Journey's other elements to be super compelling. It has its moments, but I don't get the hype. It's a decent, very pretty experience, and I like some of its ideas. Artistically, it does have some value, but as a game, it's one I was a little disappointed by.

Shadow of the Colossus is a beautiful, melancholic but flawed game. You play as Wonder, a young man tasked with killing 16 colossi to resurrect a girl. These colossi populate the forbidden lands, a grand, lonely expanse you traverse alongside Agro, who is both your horse and sole companion. Despite some pop-in, the game looks consistently excellent from the environment to the designs of the colossi. The colossi are huge, haunting figures, and killing each one plays out almost as a series of puzzles. You have to figure out a way to exploit the individual weaknesses of a colossus, and this is usually quite fun but the specific method of killing one can be too obscure at times. Although you're given a hint or two to keep you on the right track, figuring out what exactly the game wants you to do can be a bit frustrating, especially as you often have to goad the unreliable enemy AI into certain actions before you can take them down. This was my first playthrough of the game and I often found myself unsure as to what I was supposed to do. When you do manage to take down a colossus though, and everything works as intended, the game feels epic in scale and you're treated to some fantastic music. The music in Shadow of the Colossus is great and helps to maintain the sombre tone of the game. On the whole though, the core gameplay loop is solid - you're told your next target, you find them, kill them, and move on to the next one. How you find the colossi is quite smart as well. In a well-lit area, you raise your sword and point it around. When you point it in the right direction, a beam focuses on your destination. I liked this, as it felt more interactive than just following a waypoint or a minimap. No minimap means the game can do away with the HUD when you're not in combat too, so you can better take in the visuals. Getting to your destination is no trouble either, as your horse is speedy enough and exploring the world is decent fun. It's just a shame that playing the game can be annoying in places. In addition to some of the fights as mentioned above, the controls, and the way the camera fights against you in particular, are frustrating. It's not terrible, and you've kinda gotta just accept that the camera has a mind of its own and let it do it's thing. It gives you some nice angles at times, but at others it makes you stare at the floor. Using the left trigger to focus on a colossus in a fight helps alleviate this issue a bit. The controls while climbing are also a bit iffy. It can feel temperamental, glitchy and like you're not in control. Overall though, this is a great game with a solid, somewhat emotional ending. The ending didn't take me completely by surprise but I enjoyed it nonetheless. Although I think Shadow of the Colossus is great, I also think it's plagued by some issues that perhaps stem from it being a remake of an older game with antiquated design sensibilities. Regardless, what is mostly a beautiful experience is marred by some frustrating elements.

What Remains of Edith Finch is an interesting collection of stories about the deaths of the members of Edith's family. It's a short 2 hour game and it manages to pack a lot of variety into that runtime. The stories are all presented in different ways and all play differently. There's a couple of standout moments that are really worth experiencing for yourself, including the fish cannery scene and the bathtub scene. The cannery scene in particular is brilliant in its depiction of the monotony of a dull life and it's effects on a young man. It's a fascinating, powerful part of the game that benefits from the interactivity of the medium. Although some stories are better than others, they're all worthwhile. On the gameplay side of things, this is more involved than you might expect from a walking simulator. As the player, you have enough to do beyond watching and listening to keep you invested in the game which also helps further connect you with the characters. The game flirts with different styles and tones, and graphically this game does look pretty good. The performance isn't totally stable but it's not much of an issue in a game like this. I don't really have a lot to critique or discuss for What Remains of Edith Finch because it's one of those games that's worth just experiencing for yourself, and I don't want to spoil all of the specifics. It's a strong title, and one that triumphs on the narrative front. It's a compelling journey exploring the huge Finch house and discovering the tragic fates of its inhabitants. It's not a totally consistent journey, but it's highs are excellent. Overall, I enjoyed the game but it didn't blow me away.

Doom Eternal is a fun, challenging FPS that improves on its predecessor in a number of ways. Doom is all about the action, and it feels great here. It's fast paced, frantic, but always manageable thanks to the many tools at your disposal. There's some strategy required too, as exploiting the different demons weaknesses gives you an edge in combat. You've also got to manage your health, armour and ammo, and you've got ways to replenish all three. For example, if you're low on health, you glory kill a demon, which provides health drops. If you're low on ammo, you use the chainsaw, which provides ammo drops. This all helps to keep the combat engaging throughout the campaign. Although it plays quite similarly to Doom 2016, I think I enjoyed this sequel a bit more thanks to a couple of factors. I like the added mobility found in Doom Eternal through the new dash ability and the grapple hook on the super shotgun, both of which serve to make the movement both in combat and in general even more fun. I also felt there was more visual variety in the missions compared to Doom 2016, as you travel to a greater variety of destinations in this campaign which made for more memorable levels. Another way Doom Eternal differs is in its platforming sections which I personally enjoyed. They're a nice breather in between combat sections. Eternal also tries to develop the lore of the Doom Slayer but this is one aspect of the game I wasn't amazed by. It feels almost out of place in a game all about the action, and a lot of it is explained through codex entries. This is a Doom game, so stopping every time you find a page just to read some overwritten lore doesn't fit, at least in my opinion. More dedicated fans of the franchise might appreciate this but I wasn't all that interested. Although I enjoyed most of the game, some enemy encounters were quite frustrating. Marauders, despite having a very cool design, can be annoying to fight as they require you to slow down and divert all your attention to them, waiting for a cue that tells you you can damage them. You have to fight them a few too many times. It can also be a bit too easy to get stuck sandwiched between enemies and/or terrain in some fights which can lead to some frustrating deaths if you fail to escape. That said, I really enjoyed the final boss fight. It was tense, epic and provided just the right amount of challenge. Doom Eternal also has an asymmetrical multiplayer mode where one person plays as the Slayer fighting two player controlled demons. It's decent fun and its something different. There's not a whole lot of depth to it but it's worth playing a few matches. Overall, I really liked this game. It's got excellent combat, a great metal soundtrack, and some cool collectibles. It's not perfect though - some fights can be frustrating, the storyline/lore feels unnecessary, and during my playthrough I encountered a few bugs including a crash. The multiplayer mode isn't as compelling as the single player campaign either. Given all that though, this is still a damn cool shooter that consistently delivers high-octane thrills.

Return of the Obra Dinn is a unique and compelling puzzle game with strong visual appeal thanks to its two-tone art style, as well as a great soundtrack. You play as an insurance inspector sent to figure out the fates and identities of the 60 souls that travelled aboard the Obra Dinn, a ship that suddenly reappears after several years missing without a single member of its crew. It's basically a detective game where you gradually piece together the story in a non-linear fashion, figuring out what exactly happened to each crew member by using a pocket watch that lets you see the last moment of someone's life. The game is reasonably difficult without being exceedingly so, as you're told each time you get three fates correct which keeps you on the right track. There are specific ways to work everything out, but personally I had to guess and assume quite a few things which maybe wasn't as satisfying as doing things the 'proper' way, but it got the job done. Again though, there are ways to deduce everyone's identity and cause of death if you look and listen hard enough, which is of course a good thing. Return of the Obra Dinn is a game which looks and sounds great. In motion especially, the art style really pops. The visuals suit the mystery and tone presented in the game, as does the music. The music is damn good and just fits every moment perfectly, and the sound design in general is top notch. One thing I do wish was more fleshed out is the overarching narrative. The individual moments you witness are interesting but I was expecting more from the ending. This is a really clever game so I was sort of hoping for some grand revelation or a twist that just didn't come. Instead, the conclusion is a little abrupt and feels lacking in my opinion. Still, this is a genuinely impressive game that stands out in numerous ways. It's impressive because of how it manages to do something new and because it was all developed by just one guy, Lucas Pope. I enjoyed the game, and although I wasn't that happy with how it was tied up, I was engaged throughout my 8 hour playtime. This is a game that demands your attention, and it's one that deserves it. This is a great indie title and one that's easy to recommend. It's something refreshing and different, and something well worth experiencing for yourself.

Astral Chain is a cool linear action game with a unique combat system and strong presentation. The game is made up of 11 story files and it took getting through a few of these before I really started to enjoy myself. The first chapter is a stylish opening but your combat options are quite limited at first and it initially feels like the gameplay lacks depth. After you progress though it's clear that there's more to the combat, and after a couple files of getting used to it, and getting better at it, I enjoyed it a fair bit. The bulk of the gameplay is solid. The combat has enough depth to be engaging, and although some encounters were a little frustrating, the action always looks really cool and feels different from other games in the genre. You control a Legion attached to you by a chain, and this presents some interesting and unique opportunities in combat. Where the combat falters slightly is in the ranking system which incentivises treating enemy encounters as checklists of things you've got to do. If you want to get an S+ rank you don't necessarily have to play brilliantly, but you do have to tick off a number of boxes. This means you can get a good rank without needing brilliant reflexes or needing to completely avoid taking damage, but it also means you've gotta treat all encounters quite similarly. So, my opinion on it is quite mixed. On the other hand, visuals and music are definitely a positive in Astral Chain. Environments are well designed, and there's some really nice fine details in the futuristic cities and in the Astral Plane, the alien realm that you frequent during the game. There are some colourful and impressive effects too. The UI is also really pleasing, and it, like your character and Legions, can even be customised. Characters faces aren't great however and in comparison to other great visual aspects certainly seemed to be of lower quality. There are some really catchy and enjoyable tracks in the OST, including the one in the main base of operations, Neuron HQ. The worldbuilding is pretty good but the story is nothing special. There aren't any fleshed out characters or anyone to get really attached to, and the villains aren't that compelling either. Another thing that may have needed some work is the mission structure. A lot of files suffer from bad pacing - there's sometimes too many side objectives that just aren't compelling at all. Many are thinly written and others are just mindless combat encounters. I much preferred the main objectives which felt more focused. File 08 in particular felt like a drag as there was no sense of urgency for most of it. There might be a bit too much padding in Astral Chain, and some of it is annoying to play through. Overall though, I liked Astral Chain. It's a good game with a cool world and flashy combat, but it suffers from bad pacing and a lack of a compelling story. There's some really interesting worldbuilding going on in Astral Chain, but the story just never does enough with it. It's quite silly and is stuffed with flat characters. It's a shame too, because this could have been a really great game if it had a gripping narrative, and it seems like one wasn't too far out of reach. As it is, this is still a solid game with tons of style that's worth checking out. This is just about a 7/10 for me.

God of War succeeds in being simultaneously an epic adventure and a very personal tale. Or at least, it does most of the time. The main story is great, and it helps me see why the game was praised so much. In God of War, the combat is solid, the lore is rich and deep, but most importantly, the story is excellent. It feels very intimate and human in a game where you've got gods running amok, dragons to see and a whole host of enemies that need killing. It really is a special journey, and one I loved experiencing. Kratos is an excellent character in God of War, And one who just wants to see his son be better than himself, and to avoid repeating the same mistakes he made. Watching Kratos' relationship with his son, Atreus, develop through the game was really engaging. There's just one part of Atreus' character arc that I thought was rushed over a bit too quickly, that being his more aggressive and defiant streak around the middle of the game, but it's possible that there's more to it that might be explored in the sequel. Where God of War lost me a bit was in some of its side content, which felt to me like unnecessary padding. In a game with such a strong linear narrative, I don't see the need for some of the additional content, especially when some of it is quite grindy. Although the combat is cathartic and satisfying, it alone isn't what made me want to play God of War, so after I finished the main story I was done with the game. Others who were hooked by the gameplay may enjoy fighting all of the Valkyries and grinding through the realms of Muspelheim and Niflheim for armour and upgrades, but personally I had no motivation to do so. For me, these parts of the game clashed with its identity as a cinematic story-driven experience. I wasn't totally sold on the RPG elements either, as they're another thing that just distracts you from what makes the game so good. They're not overly intrusive, but the loot system feels somewhat unnecessary. That said, you can get through the game easily without worrying about your stats and build too much, so it's no big deal. Still, this is a great game. It certainly looks amazing and utilises a one shot camera technique which blends cutscenes with gameplay to great effect. The character models are superb, and the voice actors do an excellent job too. The side characters are also well done - Brok and Sindri are loveable, funny brothers, and Mimir is an insightful and witty companion. Overall I enjoyed my time with God of War. Kratos' journey with his son was one I thoroughly enjoyed playing through, and as a newcomer to the series I never felt lost. The combat is fun thanks to the weight of the Leviathan Axe and the brutality of it all, and the game surprises you time and time again with more epic moments. The excellent mythos, gorgeous realms, and visceral combat all sell the grand scale of this adventure, and the writing, dialogue and performances make the journey truly special. God of War ends in an emotional and beautiful way, setting up a sequel that I'm looking forward to.

Ratchet & Clank is a short, action packed title that's good fun while it lasts. The combat is really enjoyable because of all the different unlockable and upgradeable weapons, from the Groovitron that makes enemies dance to the extremely overpowered RYNO that shreds any enemy in no time at all. There's even a weapon that transforms an enemies into sheep, aptly called the Sheepinator. I enjoyed my time with the game because most of it was spent shooting, and the shooting in Ratchet & Clank is good fun. There's also some very light puzzle solving through the game, including a few sections where you play as Clank, and some optional collectibles to find if you're into that. The rewards for getting the gold bolts are kinda lacklustre though. There's a couple of hoverboard races and ship sections thrown in too, which help serve up some variety. In a game this short there's no time to get bored of the combat anyway but these different gameplay sections are nice asides. Ratchet & Clank is a colourful and polished looking title, and it includes cutscenes ripped straight from the movie which do look great. You can tell which came from the movie and which were made just for the game but I suppose that was inevitable. The many planets and environments are distinct, vibrant and well detailed, and they're all densely packed with enemies. There is some pretty strong motion blur in the game which can't be turned off, but I didn't mind it. One aspect where Ratchet & Clank definitely falls flat is in its story and characters. There's just no character progression at all for anyone really. There's no depth to any of the characters, and some, such as the members of the Galactic Rangers, are just barely present after being introduced. I liked Captain Qwark's voice actor and some of his lines are humourous. Overall though, the story just feels so disconnected to what you're playing - it takes a backseat and really fades into the background. You can see where developing the game and movie in conjunction with one another may have hurt things. Even despite having to be a movie tie in though, the writing still isn't very good and the story is very basic. The final boss was also way too easy. I had just picked up the RYNO before fighting him which made the fight trivial. At the very least it was a good demonstration of the RYNO's power and of why you couldn't have got it any earlier in the game. I finished Ratchet & Clank in just a couple days, and although there is a Challenge Mode, it's just a new game plus mode really. It does allow you to further upgrade your weapons though which is good, as they can get ridiculously powerful here. I could go back and finish Challenge Mode and maybe go for the platinum trophy, but for now I'm done with Ratchet & Clank. The collectibles don't seem worth trying to find and other than stronger weapons and a bolt (currency) multiplier, Challenge Mode doesn't have much to add. It is a short game but that's not really an issue. The problem is that as the story is so minimal, the game flies by without giving you anything to absorb or think about. The conclusion is quite rushed too which only adds to the sense that the game doesn't succeed in telling a complete story. A final factor adding to this lack of resolution is that the characters don't undergo any development, so again it's just like the game doesn't go through a natural progression and it ends before it feels like it should. Overall though, I really enjoyed Ratchet & Clank. I like it's simple mission structure and satisfying core gameplay loop of killing enemies and destroying boxes for bolts to spend on new weapons. Unlocking new weapons and upgrading existing ones is at the forefront of the gameplay and keeps things fun. It's a gameplay loop I liked as a kid playing on the PSP and it's one that I still find compelling. I wish Ratchet & Clank made more of an impact on me and had more cohesive storytelling, but this is still a good game. So, despite its shortcomings, I give Ratchet & Clank a 7/10.

Horizon: Zero Dawn presents a refreshing and very different take on the apocalypse and it's aftermath, and it's one I thoroughly enjoyed experiencing. The world of Horizon: Zero Dawn is so fascinating, as it has a captivating central mystery regarding how society has regressed into tribes and how metal beasts now roam the earth. The revelations of how civilization as we know it rose and fell, and how this new one came to be are brilliantly told and I loved this aspect of the game. These parts of the story were extremely enjoyable, morbid, interesting and emotional. The tribes and the stories based on their conflicts and ideologies aren't as compelling, but they are still fleshed out and enjoyable, and the game balances the past and present well. The gameplay of Horizon is great, and hunting robot dinosaurs is as fun as it sounds. The machines are quite visually distinct and are all well designed, both in terms of looking cool and in terms of how they serve the gameplay, as they all have different strengths and weaknesses which rewards some degree of strategy. There's enough variety in the enemy types and weapons to make combat fun from the start of the game to the very end. Shooting a machine's own weapon off it with arrows, and then using that same weapon to take the machine down is satisfying. The Frozen Wilds DLC introduces its own new machines which are also fun to take down. I do wish there were more mounts though, as there are only three different types in the whole game and they're all quite similar. Perhaps it also would've been cool if you had more direct control over machines you override. Another thing Horizon: Zero Dawn nails are the graphics - they are consistently amazing, and I found myself taken aback by just how good the game looked on a regular basis. The photo mode got a lot of use from me. Facial animations are usually decent but some side characters look a bit off. Horizon has a big open world to explore and a lot of content to play through, but not all of it is to the same high standard as the main quest. Some of the side quests and errands are much less inspired, and the rewards you get for them are frequently underwhelming, although there are some exceptions. I was also not a huge fan of the climbing system, as it often felt clumsy and way too linear. The paths you can climb are too obviously laid out, which weakens the sense of natural exploration. It feels too restrictive, especially when compared to the climbing in Breath of the Wild. Another thing I wasn't overly fond of is the inventory space, which is just too small, even when fully upgraded. I found it annoying to keep having to open up my inventory to dismantle some resources or mods to make room for new ones. Overall though, this is a game that I had a lot of fun with, and I loved the worldbuilding in particular, including the character work. The Frozen Wilds is also a really strong addition to the base game. The new environment is gorgeous and the side quest rewards are an improvement on those in the main game, as you get to upgrade your spear and are given some really powerful new weapons. The Banuk are an interesting tribe and the main quest of The Frozen Wilds is pretty good. All told, I'm leaning towards a 9/10 for this title as it succeeds in both artistic merit and in the cathartic fun of destroying huge machines with a bow and arrow.

Infamous Second Son is a decent open world action game that gives you a bunch of superpowers to use as you see fit - you can choose to be good or evil. There isn't exactly much nuance to the decisions you're given in the game - they're all black and white, and there isn't really any mortal ambiguity. Still, this means there's two different paths to go down in the game, providing a fair amount of replayability if you want to see how those different choices affect the narrative and what different powers you get to use, as some upgrades in the skill tree are locked depending on your karma. Personally, I chose to be good in my playthrough, and although this was quite a short game, I won't be going back to play the other side for the time being. I did enjoy my playthrough, but this isn't the best game out there. Infamous can be quite fun thanks to the four sets of powers you unlock, but unfortunately the protagonist Delsin feels quite clunky to control, at least at first, and even throughout the game I thought the combat felt too loose. It can be exciting and chaotic, but it can also feel unsatisfying because it's hard to tell how close you are to dying, and because there isn't much depth to the melee or ranged combat. The sets of powers could've done with being more functionally distinct - besides having their own visual identities, there are a lot of similarities in how they actually play. Overall, the combat never fully clicked with me, but I liked it enough. Traversal can be fun, if a little clumsy, but the climbing, which you admittedly don't have to do much of, is too fiddly. Second Son is still a decent looking game in 2020, and the powers all have a unique visual style to them, but the world just looks way too dark sometimes and it's hard to tell what's going on. When you unleash your powers it all looks flashy as the screen fills with impressive particle effects, but the frame rate can be very unstable when there's a lot of action happening. The open world shows its age a bit in its basic design, as there's barely anything to do except for what is essentially liberating districts. The side content is all very simple and easy to get through quickly. None of it is too much of a chore, but none of it is particularly interesting. The spray painting activities are quite unique and cool but very gimmicky. The story is passable, and as others have pointed out the lore seems quite inspired by X Men. Most of the characters aren't very likeable, and Delsin can be quite annoying which made me struggle to get invested in Infamous Second Son. As it is, this is still a fun, short title with some good replayability. It doesn't do anything exceptionally well, but it's still a decent game.

The Last of Us starts with one of its best sequences. Seeing the beginning of the outbreak through the eyes of a scared little girl was extremely compelling - the panic and confusion in this tense opening was truly great. Things slow down a little after the time jump, and it feels less gripping for a while. After spending some time with Ellie and Joel, however, it becomes clear why this game is held in such high regard. Seeing the relationship between the two main characters develop is what made me want to keep playing. They're well written, and the game does a good job making you care for them. Although the story and setting aren't very original, the narrative is still quite strong thanks to it's tone and, again, the characters. The gameplay is fun for the most part, but there are some annoyances like the clickers that can kill you in one hit until you've unlocked a certain upgrade. There's a lot of just walking around slowly too, but it's not much of a problem because this is still a very pretty game despite being a remaster of a last gen release, and the sights of The Last of Us are often worth slowing down to see. It's not all slow paced though, and there are some great action setpieces including one where you flank a sniper, and then use his weapon to defend your allies. The ending is great too, as it's action packed and you're given some strong motivation to fight in those final moments of the game. I loved Left Behind, the DLC that comes bundled with the PS4 remaster. It was another tense experience filled with emotion and more excellent character work. It does some different things with the mechanics of the game, using it's systems in charming new ways to help convey Ellie and Riley's relationship. Overall, I liked The Last of Us Remastered a lot, but I do think the moment to moment gameplay could've been better. There's a lot of moving about slowly, and although the combat can feel nice and visceral, the stealth and action gameplay isn't on the same level as the game's characters, narrative and performances, which are fantastic. These elements make this a great cinematic experience that fans of narrative driven games will surely enjoy.

Spider-Man is a great game because it's got great fundamentals - a great story, great combat, traversal, pacing, graphics and music. It's foundations are so strong that, although there are some more generic elements to its open world, they're easily forgiven and are still reasonably fun to play. Spidey is just so fun to control that it doesn't matter that there's a lot of busywork in this game. The web swinging and combat are brilliant and make even the less interesting tasks fun. Better still is that the actual story, and the more scripted elements of gameplay are, for the most part, fantastic. The narrative moves along at a brisk clip, constantly throwing you into new exciting set pieces involving a whole host of Spider-Man villains that are a joy to see and fight. Even the missions where you aren't playing as Spidey are still quite fun and move the story along in interesting ways. I also loved all the unlockable upgrades and suits which were really appealing and gave me things to aim for. The characterisation of Spider-Man in this game is brilliant, and Otto's decline is so well handled. The ending of the story was great, setting up a sequel and delivering a strong emotional final note. I really enjoyed Spider-Man, and although it's not a perfect game it is a very fun one. It falls a bit short in its open world but excels in most other aspects, making this a must play PS4 title. The DLC is not as compelling as the main game and has even more busywork, including some annoying 'Screwball Challenges' but it still delivers more of the same great Spider-Man gameplay and tells an interesting enough story that makes it worthwhile. Although I've levelled a few criticisms against this game and its DLC, I've got to score it 9/10 because the fun factor is just so high in Spider-Man - seriously, none of its issues managed to detract from my overall enjoyment of the game. This is a fantastic title and one I highly recommend.

Super Paper Mario is a flawed game. It's certainly a well-written one, with funny dialogue and a genuinely good story, but it's just not as fun as a lot of other Mario games. The 2D gameplay with the 3D flipping gimmick is decent for the most part, but the platforming isn't as fun as it is in more traditional Mario titles. The combat is nothing special but it's serviceable and fun enough. Being able to switch between different characters on the fly is nice though, and getting to play as Bowser is pretty cool. Really, I was having fun most of the time but there's just some stretches of gameplay that are a chore to get through. The quality of the different chapters varies quite substantially. One particularly funny one sees Princess Peach stuck in a dating sim with a chameleon, but another is a tedious combat marathon of running to a platform in the middle of a room, beating an opponent, and running to the next room over and over. I wish this was a more consistent game, but as it is some bits just aren't fun enough. Moving away from gameplay, I've got to say that the story is good in Super Paper Mario. I wouldn't say it's amazing, as some of its power of love elements feel a little simple. There's a lot of well written dialogue though that bring the characters to life. Mario's silent throughout but his companions have some funny things to say. The music is also solid, as you'd probably expect from a Mario game. Visually, it's got a decent style but it's nothing spectacular. After finishing the game, I'd say getting through its weaker parts was worth it in the end as it has a strong ending with good boss fights and a sweet ending to the story that mostly gets away with its simple love trumps all message.

Steamworld Heist takes a totally different approach to it's gameplay than the Steamworld Dig titles, this time providing a turn based strategy shooter game with quite a few characters to use, all with different abilities. This is a pretty good strategy game, and it gives you enough options for you to play around with - that said, using snipers is probably the most fun because you can pull off some cool rebound shots. The core gameplay is solid, but it's all you'll be doing so it does get a bit samey. If you keep switching up the characters you use, it could stop the game from getting stale but I personally found what worked for me and kept using it. The story in Heist is pretty weak, so as the game is around 15 hours long I was losing interest towards the end. Going for 3 stars on every level, especially on a harder difficulty, makes the game a bit repetitive but most levels are procedurally generated so the levels change every time you play them. Levels being procedurally generated might make the enemy placements you're given vary in difficulty a bit so maybe they should've gone with a set level design here instead. On a more positive note, there's some fairly good music in this game and there's enough visual variety to be found as backdrops change as you get further into deep space. The DLC is included in the Switch version and brings a new character, Fen, and new levels to the table. Fen helps connect this game to Steamworld Dig 2, and there are nods to the first game too which are nice to see. Overall, Steamworld Heist: Ultimate Edition is a decent offering, especially for the sale price of just a few quid. There's quite a bit of content here, it's just a shame that I found myself getting a little bored of it towards the end.