triple_co

I really enjoyed this game and think it deserves a higher score. Are there flaws? Absolutely. There are some visual hiccups here and there, the enemy variety gets a bit stale toward the end, and it's a little bloated for a few missions around the midway mark. But, man, it was nice to jump into a straight-forward, old-school, dumb and fun shooter that doesn't feel weighed down by the typical tropes of modern big-budget titles. The tone is silly and the gameplay is simple, but it's enjoyable as all hell. I think if you're a fan of 360 and PS2/3 era titles and want something linear and clean cut, with enjoyable combat, you'l probably really enjoy this.

Amazingly detailed, gorgeous to look at, and fun for most of its run time, this is a good sequel. Unfortunately, though, it feels bogged down with far too many mechanics. You've traps, melee combat, a variety of ranged and weighted weapons, armor systems, crafting, collectables, scanning, element types, resource fouraging, all amongst other things. There are so, so many side quests, busy work, and detailed exposition dumps that after a certain point it feels too much. I loved a lot of what this game had to offer, but I was completely burnt out by the end.

I really loved this game. Sure, it's not very lengthy, nor does it present any crazy new ideas aside from literally being a cat. But it's so refreshing to play a polished, detailed, beautiful game that doesn't waste your time and knows what it wants to be. It tells a short, effective story, with lots of heart and imagination throughout. The sound design is gorgeous, there are a few collectibles and quirky achievements for completionists, and overall it's just a really solid, confident package. For me it was well worth the asking price and will be remain a memorable one, I'm sure. I wish there was a little more content, but that's the only real fault I can find. Absolutely worth a play - and we should support developers that create complete, fully-realised titles without any of the industry nonsense we're too often subjected to with this current gen.

Halo Infinite provides excellent old-school combat, with fun and balanced weapon options, as well as likeable characters, enemies, and villains. On the whole it's a great experience that has me hooked, particularly as far as the multiplayer is concerned. I think it's clear from a full playthrough that 343 intended to put a lot more into the game before things were cut and rushed, however. The lack of variety in biomes or new foes as you progress through the campaign suggests that things were severely dialled back during crunch time. The ending missions are particularly padded out and the amount of 'telling' rather than 'showing' in the narritive leaves it feeling a little empty. There are also a few issues with the monetisation and progression systems, and a lack of forge and modes. Overall, though, the gameplay itself is fantastic, and has achieved the cleansing reboot feeling we all needed. Well worth a play!

I played the original version of Skyward Sword on the Wii in 2011 and I can say with certainty that this new, updated port is the superior experience. With a button control scheme that offers more precise and fluid sword swinging and item switching, as well as a crisp, smooth 60 fps HD display, this pre-cursor to BOTW is now more enjoyable and balanced than ever. You can skip cutscenes, flick through speech quicker than before, and reduce the frequency with which Fi interrupts you. It's worth a note, however, that this title isn't for everyone, especially if you've not dived into Zelda's back catalogue beyond the last entry. The level design is particularly linear and on-rails, with emphasis mostly on brain-teaser puzzles and unique fighting encounters. You won't have a large, open world to explore every nook and cranny of, aside from some small rock formations that are dotted about Skyloft. The scattered level design with multiple short loading windows whenever you travel between environments will get tedious toward the end too, and the mechanics to craft and upgrade your gear are a little redundant when they're never truly needed to progress. Some of the ideas presented here were clearly translated into BOTW in more meaningful and objectively better ways, but it's interesting as a Nintendo fan to see them first implemented here. Where the game does succeed is in its character arcs and immersive setting. You'll feel compelled to finish the title just to see where it all ends up - and the final bosses are a stylish marvel for hardware that is fifteen years old. Combat is fun and unique, with the new button controls removing the frustration of unreliable motion gimmicks once you get the hang of it. And while you can't run about freely in a massive environment, Skyward Sword still encourages you to dive deeper into its NPC questlines, hidden secrets in the form of Goddess Cubes and Gratitude Crystals, and its bug catching mechanics. You can purchase items and medals to help improve your odds of success and there are many Skyloft residents who offer small quests to give you a nice break from the intense main story. Overall, this remains one of my favourite Zelda titles, despite its wearied design and controversy within the fanbase. It is well worth a play - though I do wish Nintendo had lowered the price to around £35.

TLOU2 is bold in its narrative decisions and I can see why it's caused such a huge divide between critics and players. I will say, though, that this game excels visually and design-wise, so much so that Jacksonville and the rotten heart of Seattle both look unbelievably gorgeous. The game is a dream to play when you're looting, running around, or taking in the scenery. Naughty Dog does stumble in places, however. The combat and stealth feel dated and rusty compared to the polished finesse in other departments, and the narrative suffers from inconsistent pacing. A few character decisions are out of place and there are more than several moments that are eye-rollingly heavy handed. Overall, TLOU2 isn't the masterpiece that I think many critics have portrayed it as. It's an ambitious title that pushes the capabilities of the medium, but as an experience it's overly long, self-important, and doesn't say as much as it thinks it does. It is still a great time, and if you were a fan of the shoot-em and loot-em mechanics from the first game you'll feel at home here. By no means groundbreaking, but still absolutely worth trying - regardless of what angry fanboys said at release.

On paper, Battle for Bikini Bottom isn't a terrific game. Its mechanics and physics are clunky, the loading screens get tedious, and the whole thing creeks with seventeen years of rust. Yet, despite all of its flaws, it remains a bubbly, charming ride, one that will scratch a nostalgic itch for any twenty something eager to relive Spongebob's glory days. Fans will be very happy.

Control is a superb game. The combat, which basically mixes together item throwing and minimalist gun play, never gets dull, and feels fantastic as you squash enemies with debris and chunks of wall. I love the aesthetic contrast between bureaucratic offices and supernatural beings, and the red, oily look stands out as a highlight. The story is a little weak in parts, the ending in particular, but it's still one that you can engage with and I was eager to see how it ended. Some of the bosses and areas - particularly the optional ones - were inspired and fresh, with the constant shifting between reality and the planes continually mixing things up. My main criticisms are that it can get a bit grindy, especially if you're trying to grab all the trophies. The mods are a bit redundant at times and the constant discarding of useless ones gets old quite quickly. I found myself sticking with the original gun loudout throughout the entire game - I never really had to use any other. But, in conclusion, this is a fantastic title, one that I wish had been marketed a little better to hit the masses. Worth at least a play through of the story, and an enjoyable one to 100%.

I really enjoyed most of Hellblade. I's a grim, intense tale, one that never lets up and can feel suffocating in just how dark it is. There's plenty of death, existentialism, darkness, corpses, and visual effects that keep things endlessly surprising throughout. As many have mentioned, the combat can feel a bit frustrating and under cooked, particularly in the last quarter. Often it felt like enemy waves were chucked in to increase the length of the game and the limiting camera meant that many times I was struck in what felt like unfair circumstances. You can easily wind up stuck in a corner and getting flustered. The puzzles are quite simple, and a little repetitive, but they were still very enjoyable. Overall it's a great game that anyone should play. I really commend Ninja Theory for keeping it short and sweet, and the production values are almost unprecedented. I was often a little confused at the ambiguity of the storytelling, but it kept me playing nonetheless. A fantastic effort with a few flaws that are easy to look past.

I usually agree with the general consensus when it comes to big, AAA franchise games, but I can't for the life of me understand why Jedi: Fallen Order has gotten so much praise. Yes, its a single player game and yes, there are no micro-transactions, but the PS4 version is riddled with bugs, glitches, and clunky performance issues that detract from the experience significantly. Maps for each planet are confusing and poorly laid out - so much of this game consists of backtracking, trying to understand where exactly you're located on a bewildering holomap system, and running through repetitive areas over and over. The majority of your time spent with Fallen Order will involve climbing walls, swinging from ropes, and sliding down long stretches of terrain with little control. Rendering is dodgy and I fell through the map several times. Combat can be satisfying but is very demanding and requires precision, which is tough to do when the game's always dropping its framerate or bugging out. The characters themselves are decent enough and the story is fine, but Jedi Fallen Order seems to take the best elements from superior titles and mixes them together in an under cooked final product. I can't help but feel that much of the positivity around this game has come from the sheer surprise that EA didn't give us something totally exploitative or awful. This isn't a terrible game, but it's by no means great. I was really excited to play through this one but have come out feeling underwhelmed and a bit gutted. Hopefully Respawn will patch up many of the stability issues in the future - the game sorely needs it.

Horizon Zero Dawn is a fantastically accomplished game. Aloy's story and journey throughout this large, luscious map is compelling, and as you come to further understand the nature of the machines that litter the game world, you'll find yourself increasingly invested in her character. Enemy types are varied and combat is dynamic. The fluid weapon wheel that can be popped open seamlessly in volatile situations allows the player to approach scenarios in a variety of organic, creative ways. With options such as traps, alternative bow types and tripping mechanics, you're free to tackle machines in a way that suits your play style. But while the game flies in its core gameplay, its approach to some areas can be frustrating. The combat suffers in smaller, tighter rooms and corridors (especially in cauldrons). There are no real animations in place to allow Aloy to traverse rocky or angular terrain without it feeling flimsy and clumsy. It can be difficult to know where the game wants you to climb, and where you can or cannot make a certain jump. Additionally, camps look amazing and are full of life, but they feel limited in their interactions. Events happen around you, like an interactive cinema screening, and at no point did I really feel like I was immersed within the cities or its characters. There's loot to pick up and NPCs to engage with but buildings are seldom accessible and when they are, they're mostly just for quest purposes with little depth to really get stuck into. I get that this is an action game above all else and there's no doubt Horizon succeeds in this area. Its story is strong and its presentation almost flawless. Occasional camera issues, repetitive mission design and moments of rough movement hold it back from being truly phenomenal, but this is still a must have title for PS4.

Easily the best Spider-Man game ever made. With gorgeous graphics, a surprising amount of customisation options and a great story, Insomniac's effort trumps every other attempt at recreating the thrills of Peter Parker's web-slinging antics. You'll have plenty to complete once the main quests are over including extra challenges, collectibles and side missions. It by no means reinvents the wheel, or redefines the open world genre, but it makes clear its intentions and succeeds in flying colours. Minor repetition and frustrations aside, this is a perfect game for any fan of Insomniac, Spider-Man or comic book heroes.

God Of War is a masterpiece in game design, its expansive and pretty world balanced neatly between narrative-driven pace and explorational freedom. Kratos as a character is wonderfully re-imagined and complicated. His son, Atreus, assists in battle and drives much of the plot, doing so without being irritating or falling into typical child-character cliches. There are a ton of customisation options on offer, alternate bonus realms to complete, and a heap of collectibles that you'll need to find if you want to grab that platinum trophy. It's tough as nails at points, endlessly rewarding and thoroughly fun. There are a few weaker moments and occasional filler, but for the most part, God Of War is the latest example of game development done to the highest degree. Essential!

Sonic Mania feels different from the start screen. There’s no guitar-driven pop punk music, heavily-accented voice overs or cringy one-liners. Instead, a buzz of electricity flashes on screen and the game’s logo bursts into view as Sonic turns to face the camera, waggling his finger and smiling. There’s colour, vibrancy and excitement. It’s a fitting introduction. This is a love letter to fans, crafted by indie developers who have a passion for early Sonic the Hedgehog games. Each stage, menu screen and soundtrack is filled with detail, polish and professionalism. Things feel tight and concise. Sonic moves just as he should and offers a new spin dash move that keeps the pace up. Special stages are enjoyable. Each zone is unique and vast. There’s collectables, time trial modes and additional content for Knuckles and Tails. The new locations are a welcome addition to those before them and enemy designs are well balanced. Just like the source material deaths can be sudden and lives have genuine consequences. While some situations can feel somewhat cheap and aggravating – a death from a sudden crushing between two platforms, for example - these are too few and far between to damage the game’s replay value, and are more often a consequence of bad play rather than design. These minor difficulty spikes and pitfalls aside, the game feels challenging in a genuine, rewarding way, encouraging exploration and repeated plays. Here’s the bottom line: Sonic Mania excels in every department. It does away with twenty years of guns, voice acting and missteps, providing old-school fans the experience they’ve been wanting for decades. The development team has managed to recapture the magic of those early games and build upon them, expanding their ideas without compromise or forcing needless gimmicks. This is pure, retro Sonic the Hedgehog; no filler, no clumsiness, just thrilling gameplay and quality content.