A collection of 3 divisive action games. I personally enjoy Ninja Gaiden but am more than wary of their faults. I understand how die-hard fans are underwhelmed with the Sigma versions of 1 +2 as they do feel stripped-back to their originals. Even so, 2 remains my personal favourite. All 3 games play well enough, but could have done with some more fine-tuning. The inclusion of Hero Mode make the games more accessible to newcomers as these games are very fast-paced and challenging, so that’s a welcome addition. In terms of performance, things get a little ugly (especially for Switch owners). Sigma 1 maintains a rock-solid 60fps throughout, but Sigma 2 and Razor’s Edge have woefully inconsistent frame rates and resolution hiccups. The dynamic resolution scaling of Chapter 2 in Sigma 2 for example is nothing short of a travesty. Frame rate hiccups have a detrimental impact on combat a lot of the time, resulting in an overload of frustration. This was clearly a rushed project at the end of the day. Hopefully Team Ninja would be decent enough to treat its investors in some little TLC DLC further on down the line. I am currently on the fence whether to recommend Master Collection as it is right now. The games themselves hold up relatively well but performance issues really sour an otherwise meaty experience.
A mostly excellent collection for Nintendo Switch. Metro 2033 Redux Pros: Atmosphere, setting, stealth gameplay, weapon design, resource management. Cons: Some clunky animation and voice acting, combat against non-human NPC’s can be frustrating and messy, some harsh difficulty spikes, too dark in portable mode. Metro: Last Light Redux Pros: A wealth of content, maintains the positives of its predecessor and irons out most of the flaws, more weapons, more varied environments, some unpredictable story beats, stealth is superb. Cons: Some harsh difficulty spikes, the “good” ending is far too difficult and unfair to achieve, some voice acting is still a little jarring. Rating: 8/10 2 iconic FPS games find a new home on Nintendo’s portable hybrid with mostly stellar results. A reduction to 30fps from 60fps on PS4 & X-One isn’t a great a sacrifice as many would think, given the rather slow paced nature of the games.
I bought this game in hopes of expanding my realistic racing game selection on Switch following a great experience with Grid: Autosport. This is a completely different beast from Grid however. It is accessible enough to novice gamers, or those with little to no interest in rallying, but high difficulty could put some off. In terms of content, to my personal knowledge, the is the same full-fat game as is on the competing consoles. The only major draw-back, to be expected, is the visuals. The game is still capped at 30fps, the same as PS4 and X-One, but as you can imagine, graphics have been paired back....A LOT. The game looks serviceable enough, though I do get the impression they could have pushed the visual aesthetic just a little bit more without sacrificing frame-rate. But hey, its early days, and we live in the days of post launch patches, so we will just have to wait and see. Saying that, car models look great, the lighting is better than expected, and weather, terrain, and environmental damage effects do look the part to be fair. As a rallying experience, this is surely in the top of its class. There are plenty of modes, with plenty of customisation options, and a hefty amount of tracks across various locales with equally various weather conditions. On the controls side of things, I haven't noticed any form of motion control input, but then again, I can't see how it would work well here unless you had a dedicated steering wheel accessory. Pro controller at least works a dream and the cars feel nice and weighty in response. Overall, if you were able to stomach the visual downgrade in the switch ports of games like Doom, Wolfenstein II, and the Witcher 3: Wild Hunt, then you likely won't be that affected much by this port. Behind the screen of flat, low-poly environmental textures and almost non-existent anti-aliasing lies a superb rallying experience that offers hours-upon-hours of enjoyment. Graphics: 5/10 Gameplay: 9/10 Controls: 8.5/10 Audio: 8/10 Lasting Appeal: 8.5/10.
Good game, but unacceptable port! RE:R2 is NOT a technically demanding game, yet the frame-rate, which was more or less a rock solid 60fps on PS4 & XBOne, dwindles often below the 30fps mark, yet there is no clear evidence as to why the Switch couldn’t hit 60fps as well, this is hardly Metal Gear Solid 5 they are porting after all. Things in the original releases, such as aiming, were a breeze, and very fluid. Here however, aiming has become more imprecise as a result of the wobbly frame rate, which is as you can imagine, more than a little frustrating. Load times have also taken a turn for the worse too, waiting times for the campaign can last upto nearly 3 minutes. Nevertheless, the game is still enjoyable minus the jarring setbacks introduced on this port. The game features all the DLC content from the off-set, the campaign is exciting, and the Raid Mode is still an absolute blast to play. The portability factor is what you will predominately decide your purchase on obviously. Even though the port underdelivers on expectations, you are not going to be able to play this game to this level of quality anywhere else for the time being, as despite the critical words I have towards this port, it is still vastly superior to the PS Vita version. Overall, a great budget game, ported poorly to an (arguably) overpowered handheld. Hopefully Capcom will continue to support this version with patches for improvement to performance in the future. 5/10.
Easily the worst entry in the Hitman franchise, the game suffers a horrendous identity crisis and a lot of it's unique genetics are almost entirely absent. When some of the levels favour the old-school style Hitman, the game is at it's best, but sadly, the game favours more generic action sequences that feel straight out of low budget direct-to-DVD action flicks; there is no substance or grace to them. The new characters are irritating and forgettable while the voice acting is of a decent calibre. The game is pretty, the locations/missions are varied and the soundtrack is solid (though also the weakest of the lot). Contracts mode should have been a neat addition but the whole concept and execution comes off as cheap filler. Maybe some customised control of target's movements and enemy placements would have made for a far richer and tactical experience? Graphics: 9.0 Gameplay: 6.0 Features: 5.5 Agent 47 somehow knifes himself in the back multiple times in this truly disappointing outing. Nothing really clicks, nothing really engages you (why would you care about a girl that we don't really know anything about?), nothing actually makes you like the game full stop.
While there is no denying the excellent value for money for the DLC packs here, it's interesting that the quality of the tracks almost match the rather 'cheap' price tag. The new characters and vehicles are great; no complaints here, but the tracks themselves are a different matter. Some tracks, lack a distinct feel to them, you feel like you are just driving down a colourful corridor rather than sliding your way across a vast racetrack full of jumps, twists and turns. I will divide the tracks into two categories, 'hit' and 'miss', then I will give a reason to why I think the track deserves the specified category and give an overall score on each particular track. Hit: Yoshi's Circuit (GCN) - Challenging but technically diverse track. 7/10. Mute City - Accurately depicts F-Zero universe minus the speed. 6/10 Mario's Gold Mine (Wii) - Another remade toughie, It's a MK classic. 8/10. Hyrule Circuit - Diverse track with many distinguishing features and great fan service. 9/10. Miss: Excitebite Arena - The track randomises each time you play it, you jump a lot, nothing much else. 3/10. Rainbow Road (SNES) - A little too much glare maybe? Also, deja vu, yet again? 5/10. Dragon Driftway - The scenery looks like it would be more interesting to drive around, too much twirling. 4/10. Ice Ice Outpost - Two paths, but they are always right next to each other, could have done much more here. 4/10. Overall, the first Mario Kart 8 DLC is a mixed bag, some tracks feel half-baked and vacuous, especially Ice Ice Outpost. Whereas Hyrule Circuit is a hit. They could have even done more here but as it is, it's the strongest new addition to the MK8 track family. I was personally disappointed by the first DLC pack, I only hope the second DLC pack has more TLC put into it.
As 'mixed bag' as a game can get. Virtually every triumph in the game is paired with a failing. Some of the levels in the game are an absolute joy to play, e.g. Desert Ruins Zone 2, Tropical Coast Zone 2 and Frozen Factory Zone 2 and some levels are just an array of mediocrity and frustration, e.g. Windy Hills Zone 3 and Frozen Factory Zone 1. Sonic: Lost World's biggest strengths lie in the sumptuous visuals and mostly excellent level design, but things take a hit when the controls come into play. Sonic is far too complicated to control, the lock-on system is unreliable and the controls are a touch too sensitive, making the game much more difficult than it was probably intended to be (kids - the target audience, will have a hard time beating this game). The game's voice acting, while overly exaggerated and clichéd fits the tone of the game well but sadly, the character's dialogue is insufferable but will likely make the younger players laugh (in the right way) at least. The new characters, the 'Deadly Six' are appallingly designed but some of them will appeal more than others. The music is also a mixed bag, some tunes are upbeat and catchy while some will probably make your ears bleed. Sonic: Lost World has been heavily influenced by Super Mario Galaxy and even though the inspiration is clearly evident, the execution is somewhat lacking in Sonic's outing, but it is still a decent attempt at replicating the style into Sonic's universe. Where Sonic: Lost World does do right is in the variety of the levels, every level offers something different to see and do, making the thought of advancing to each level rather exciting despite some control frustrations. Graphics: 9.0 Gameplay: 5.5 Features: 7.0 Sonic: Lost World will annoy more unforgiving gamers as the template of the game is superb, but SEGA did a half-hearted job of the controls, which ultimately almost destroys an otherwise breathtaking experience. What is also baffling, surely Sonic's controls could be redesigned with a patch or **** why haven't SEGA done it? There is plenty of room for improvement here and it would be a shame to see such a visually spectacular and otherwise well designed game be shrouded by a cloud of mediocrity that is the controls. Do something about it SEGA. 4/10.
I feel sorry for Watch Dogs and all the criticism it's getting, mainly because of Ubisoft's current reputation and the immature gamers who don't give the actual games themselves a chance. After feel discouraged by some pretty ropey graphics and wobbly frame-rate, I managed to adjust my focus to how solid the gameplay itself is. Gameplay is deep and surprisingly varied for a Ubisoft game. Hacking puzzles in and out of missions are almost always enjoyable and strangely exciting; especially the Grandma's Bulldog mission in Act 2/3? Driving, at first felt sub-par GTA quality but once you get used to the distinctly different control style, the driving is just as enjoyable as GTA, if not more-so when the hacking abilities are utilised. There is A LOT to do in Watch Dogs, though most of the activities are mission based and none are really based on having a good time (unlike GTA). Some of the missions have the dreaded insta-fail style to them, much to everyone's despair, though practice makes perfect right? Despite a fairly linear mission design, you can approach them in any way you wish, be it full on-assault, a fiesta of hacking distractions and takeouts, or simply evading enemies altogether, it's mostly up to you how you carry out missions. The story, I thought was pretty solid and engaging, while the voice acting is superb, save for a few poorly developed characters. In terms of the protagonist, he's a marmite kinda guy, some may think he's a self-indulgent idiot, others will think he's the perfect image for modern day masculinity and male protagonists; tough, but not ashamed to show emotion. The only thing I really detested about Watch Dogs is the music/soundtrack; IT. IS. AWFUL! From the licensed soundtrack selection, to the in-game music, it is completely discardable and unmemorable. Graphics: 7.5. Gameplay: 9.0. Features: 9.0. Overall: A minor masterpiece with a delicious buffet of missions, exploration, plot elements, and hacking mini-games with only a few technical shortcomings and a poorly selected soundtrack to hold it back. 8/10.
It would be fascinating to know why other reviewers rate this title so highly, as the Single-Player is one of the worst in existence, the characters are uninteresting and easily forgettable and the load-time durations are simply a war crime. Halo 3's soundtrack, multiplayer and distinctive visual style prevent this title from simply being a polished turd. Multiplayer (including Forge Mode) is the only plausible reason to purchase this game for entertainment value because it earns its own merit and then some. The maps are varied and offer plenty of strategy and the use of vehicles are immensely entertaining. Graphics 6/10 Although distinct in visual style, some of the level design does little to highlight it. Gameplay 6/10 Single player is atrocious, boring and forgettable but multiplayer is in a league of its own. Features 6/10 Removing the vacuous single player from the equation, Multiplayer has a gargantuan lasting appeal. Overall: 4/10 Multiplayer retains the same high standards of previous entries but the single player is simply an offence in gaming.
Absolutely wonderful little title that really captures the nostalgia and emotion of childhood to the point of making you smile and tear up slightly. The game's setting is small but a joy to venture around. Collecting glibs is fun and addictive (in a healthy, non-extreme way). The visuals and soundtrack really compliment each other and both components are superb on their own. The story itself pans out very differently to what I was expecting and it was for the better. Ignore the steep price tag, you owe it to yourself to have this title in your collection. Though gamers seeking a more hardcore, action-packed and challenging experience should look elsewhere.
Far Cry 2 was so close to being a good game but then went and implemented something that ruined it, much like modern day Sonic console games. Far Cry 2's visuals )at the time) are some of the generation's best, the unnamed African setting is gorgeous and a joy to explore, the map editor for Multiplayer is superb, if not flawless. It looks like this game is destined to be a **** not so fast. While the multiplayer aspect is safe, the single player sadly isn't. Weapons jam consistently and during gunfights; this is incredibly aggravating and unnecessary. Cars damage far too easily and constantly require repair, enemies somehow see you wherever you are and seemingly always do more damage to you than you do to them. Repetition is another thing, the storyline is too scared to vary things, even just a little. Every time you start a mission objective, you get a call from an ally to complete a separate objective and get rewarded, rinse and repeat. The game feels rushed as a result and lacks tuning. Sure it does have the basis **** quality game but that's as far as it goes unfortunately. Graphics: 9/10 Gameplay: 5/10 Features: 8/10 Far Cry 2 tries too hard to be realistic and it suffers as a result (so will the player). Foundations of a truly fantastic game remain only foundations thanks to poorly implemented gameplay mechanics.
Soulcalibur Legends is a generic, repetitive and unspectacular hack-n-slash spin off to the popular Namco 1 on 1 seventeenth century fighting series. Graphics are comparable to mid PS2 era but the frame rate does maintain a refreshing 60FPS making the game very smooth to play. Soulcalibur Legends can be compared to various other Japanese fighting games which require you to kill hordes of enemies and not much else such as Dynasty Warriors and Ninja Gaiden. Combat is actually quite satisfying actually but are you prepared to maintain that satisfaction throughout 40 levels? It's an interesting departure from the usual shenanigans seen in the series but it really is not worth your time. Graphics: 6/10 Gameplay: 5/10 Features: 4/10 I secretly DO like this game but I'm writing this review for a general gamer and I can honestly say that the game's repetition will not bode well with them.
NSMB.2 surely has to be one of the worst Mario titles to date. Never has it been so apparent of the unspectacular level designs and relatively charmless gameplay. The 3D in the game is completely ineffectual, it just blurs the background that's it! NSMB.2's main gameplay feature is the large supply of gold coins scattered within the levels, with the aim of collecting as many as you can while also rescuing the independent as ever (ha!) Princess Peach. The gold coin collecting idea feels cheap and shallow, just a glorified collect-em-up essentially. The game features characters from the original Super Mario Bros. Trilogy but as with the Wii version of NSMB, this implementation is purely for nostalgic purposes but has no overall effect on the actual game. Co-op mode is wishy washy and to be honest, just as clunky as NSMB Wii's multiplayer was, with the character only focusing on the leading player making the game feel more competitive than cooperative. The Gold Rush mode is a fancy word for collect-em-up time trials. The premise is simple, collect as many gold coins throughout a set a three levels and reach the exits, then repeat these to improve your score. Sounds fair enough but improving your high score is not entirely accurate as the levels are randomised each time!? I know...there is DLC Coin Rush levels but it is a rather lame attempt at longevity to be honest. Graphics: 6/10 Gameplay: 6/10 Features: 5/10 I would stick with your copy of Super Mario 3D Land (if you have it, if not buy that instead) because this Mario title is sadly not worth your time.
Conduit 2 should not have been put on to the Wii, it should have been made the Wii U. As a result of using a standard definition console, Conduit 2 seems to really suffer. Bugs, glitches and frame-rate dips galore. The motion controls for some reason which were great in the original Conduit here seem too loose and difficult to control. Visuals are a mixed bag, nice and varied environments mostly hide the average character models though the animation is decent to be fair. Gameplay wise the game is one step up, two steps down from it's predecessor. There is more action this time round and some really impressive set pieces, although these get fewer and fewer as the game progresses. The control scheme makes what would have been a average at best shooter into a often frustrating one. Yes there is the option for classic controller play but that doesn't really add to the experience nor take away. Multiplayer is surprisingly deep and entertaining but lag issues are what makes the online multiplayer uncomfortable to play. Fair to say it's no Call of Duty beater when it comes to online multiplayer, but High Voltage Software should be praised for making an attempt at a HD console quality online multiplayer experience on Nintendo's online shy platform. The story lasts about 3-4 hours (each level gets shorter and shorter literally!) Multiplayer lasts the same amount of time as your patience which means it varies for each person. Graphics: 7.5/10 Gameplay: 5/10 Features: 6/10 A disappointing sequel to The Conduit but it puts up a fight for itself, something that should be commendable. I would support High Voltage if they propose to port the game (in HD) to the Wii U, I believe it would find it's home there. I would also go so far to say, don't blame HVS for this disappointment...blame Nintendo and their fear of progression into territories that other companies ventured into years before. Of course, I am talking about HD.
Some looked beyond the newfound wetness of Samus Aran's bounty hunting femme fatale, others (like myself) believed Team Ninja had just gone and destroyed the most iconic female protagonist in video game history. What doesn't help is the actual game she's in is a visually flat, uninspiring and very bland corridor themed third person shooter adventure. The game's cutscenes are a visual highlight, if too overlong. Gameplay mechanics are unnecessarily cumbersome and limiting just for the sake of being innovative. The execution of the protagonist's character is very controversial and confusing. Samus behaviour and personality in cut-scenes don't reflect how she behaves in-game. From weeping over a cold, un-charasimatic and intensely dislikable Adam Malkovich to wringing an alien lizard's neck then shoving her arm cannon ruthlessly into it's mouth before blasting it's internals out, it is clear the character development was only half-baked. Boss fights bar one or two are dull. The game is very difficult, as expected from Team Ninja of Ninja Gaiden fame but the game only lasts roughly 10-12 hours on normal difficulty, hard mode a few more. Graphics: 6/10 Gameplay: 5/10 Features: 6/10 Hard to recommend with the offensive portrayal of Samus Aran's character and dated attitude towards **** yeah did I mention she speaks now? I mean really talks? I mean never actually shuts up now?
I just can't work this game out. There is massive critical acclaim for this game but I honestly can't see why. Critics and audiences praised the control system, why? The pointer controls are too unresponsive and keep requiring you to recenter them, the motion controls are not tight enough and quite frustrating. Gameplay feels lighter than previous Zelda's due to the motion control implementation it's like Wii Sports with a story. Plot is hardly a black sheep in the Zelda universe, it isn't clever in it's execution, Nintendo just made up a story about the origins of the Master Sword and made players think that the story had existed throughout the franchises history, quite cheap really. Locations are **** NO ICE WORLD!!!! WHAT??? It's like Super Mario Sunshine all over again, saying that, the Lanayru Desert segments are some of the series finest. Returning to the comment about being 'cheap', some elements in the game feel as though they were taken straight from other game series' such as Resident Evil and Ninja Gaiden. In several segments you have to defeat hordes/waves of identical enemies just to proceed to the next area with only your sword motion movements as the only form of variety. The watercolour art style is luscious but it's personally not my favourite look for Zelda. There are a lot of smart puzzles in the game but experienced Zelda gamers will find them disappointingly easy, perhaps offensively so. The boss fights rarely impress but when they do, they really do. The game is long but this is mainly due to repetitive and uninspiring fetch/collecting quests, the average player could clock around 20-30 hours. Graphics: 8.5/10 Gameplay: 6/10 Features: 5/10 The WORST Zelda game ever made to date! Lazy controls, basic design and cheap tactics can't be disguised behind Skyward Sword's appealing art style. A thorough disappointment in my opinion. I'm sticking with Twilight Princess and waiting for Wind Waker HD.
What was considered an impressive launch title is now a complete embarrassment to the 360's game library. It is literally the walking description of a polished turd shiny but still quite Gameplay mechanics are clunky and frustrating when it comes to combat. Character animation is hilariously bad, voice acting is atrocious and the execution of the story is so poor, you will have literally no idea what you are doing in the campaign or why you are doing it. Multiplayer is probably the only redeeming feature of this game. It feels old-school (in a positive sense) and can be entertaining but the general gameplay problems from the campaign are sadly carried into this mode. Graphics: 7/10 Gameplay: 4/10 Features: 6/10 Perfect Dark Zero is a soulless, confusing and frustrating experience from start to finish. There is no problem in other people liking this game, I just personally thought it was a huge letdown, given the brilliance of it's predecessor.
Personally, this was my favourite game of 2008. It wasn't perfect and to be honest the game feels much like a tech demo/prototype for another game. The game is rather niche, hence the lack of mainstream success but if you're into visually stunning games with inspiring settings and unique gameplay mechanics then Mirror's Edge might just be for you. Graphics: 9/10 Gameplay: 7/10 Features: 6/10 Mirror's Edge may be too basic for some and can feel quite empty in terms of content and story but if you enjoy replaying levels (time trials) to improve your time, then Mirror's Edge should keep you satisfied for a while.
Not much to say really...Medal of Honor: Warfighter is a pretty but buggy, frustrating and tedious experience. Graphics: 8.5/10 Gameplay: 4/10 Features: 4/10 Ignore this **** it's predecessor if you haven't played it already, I guarantee you won't be missing much. It probably doesn't need recommendation but FPS fans should look towards the much greener pastures of Call of Duty.
Quite **** of the most blandest, frustrating, un-Bond-like experiences ever to grace an optical disc, 007 Legends disappoints on virtually every level, with an occasional high point comes a multitude of low points. However Legends' only saving grace is the intriguing and appealing multiplayer. 007 Legends is more or less a 'breakdown' of six movies from the Bond franchise (In order of the game's narrative, not the film's): Goldfinger, On Her Majesty's Secret Service, License to Kill, Die Another Day, Moonraker and Skyfall. Graphics: 6/10 Functional - does the job, never impresses. Gameplay: 4/10 Dated and uninspiring. Stealth is half-baked, repetitive and dull structure. Controls are overly sluggish and the snap-aim feature is unreliable. Features: 7/10 Fairly lengthy Single Player (if you feel like playing through it several times, which is fairly unlikely). Challenge mode is merely filler. Multiplayer is Legends stand-out feature. You will spend most of your time spent on this portion of the game. Throughout 007 Legends you will be asking yourself: did Bond really fight the laser tank in Goldfinger? Why couldn't I drive a Kentworth truck and tilt it on it's side in License to Kill? Why feature the ludicrous Moonraker instead of The Spy Who Loved Me or Live and Let Die? Why (in Die Another Day) is Jinx a white woman with an inexplicable accent instead of Halle Berry? These are just a few of the many questions you'll be asking yourself throughout the **** for some reason you purchase it. Best advised to steer well clear of this genuine insult to Bond's 50 year history. Overall: 4 / 10
Generally hopeless third-person action adventure. Occasional moments of brilliance marred by frequent tedium and clunkiness. Graphics: 6/10 - Awful character model textures, visuals in the driving segments of the game impress. Gameplay: 6/10 - Both 'on foot' and 'driving' missions often frustrate thanks to loose controls, gameplay is far too basic. Features: 5/10 - 'Online multiplayer' is rather hideous: suffers from lag issues, is repetitive and poorly executed. 'Story Mode' lasts roughly 5-6 hours - quite short. Overall: 5 / 10 - Credit to Activision for taking chances with a new gameplay style and original storyline but the 'finished' (using that word loosely) product feels under-developed, budgeted and sadly un-Bond-like. Those who want a richer Bond experience should stay with 007: Quantum of Solace & Goldeneye: Reloaded (arguably).
