Ashley Bates Avatar Image

Ashley Bates

Skelmersdale
Donovan Ryder

Favorite Games:
  • Halo 3
  • Bully
  • Mortal Kombat

137 games reviewed
73.5 average score
75 median score
53.7% of games recommended

Ashley Bates's Reviews

Full time bearded man of Xbox One UK, and also a Senior Editor. Self-appointed Fighting Game Hype Man, because no one else on site appreciates the art of fisticuffs.
8.5 / 10.0 - Dragon's Dogma 2
Mar 20, 2024

Dragon's Dogma 2 is a kitchen sink sequel to the original sleeper hit from 2012, building on what worked about the first game to create an RPG experience that's still unlike any other.

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9 / 10.0 - Tekken 8
Jan 23, 2024

Tekken 8 appeals to both the casual and hardcore playerbase, with a great selection of modes, training tools and additional gameplay depth. 2024's fighting games are off to an excellent start.

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Jan 23, 2024

Like A Dragon: Infinite Wealth sun-baked adventure expertly improves on the last game's formula, while giving enough space for both of its leading Dragons to truly shine.

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Mario Kart 8 Deluxe was already a brilliant title, but now that the Booster Course Pass is over, it should go down as one of the Switch's all-time greats.

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Like A Dragon Gaiden should tide fans over until Infinite Wealth drops as a shorter yet still enjoyable romp, but this is hardly a series highlight.

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9 / 10.0 - Alan Wake 2
Nov 3, 2023

A brave, ridiculous survival horror game that oftentimes needs to be seen to be believed, Alan Wake 2 showcases a developer at the peak of their powers.

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Oct 25, 2023

A brilliant superhero game, Marvel's Spider-Man 2 largely improves on the core formula while telling the most intimate, dramatic story yet.

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8.5 / 10.0 - Ghostrunner 2
Oct 23, 2023

A sophomore cyberpunk slasher, Ghostrunner 2 successfully builds on the foundation of the original game with new abilities and gimmicks.

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7 / 10.0 - Sonic Superstars
Oct 17, 2023

Sonic Superstars is full of ideas, and while not all of them land (especially the co-op), the inventiveness on show and core gameplay makes it worth checking out.

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Sep 26, 2023

El Paso, Elsewhere might suffer from some filler levels, but the excellent gameplay and writing make it worth checking out.

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9 / 10.0 - Mortal Kombat 1
Sep 20, 2023

Mortal Kombat 1's New Era might be a bit too familiar, but the core gameplay and range of modes on offer here is undeniable.

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7.5 / 10.0 - Starfield
Sep 12, 2023

A fun space-faring RPG held back by a few glaring decisions, Starfield is a good launching point for a game that'll become something great in the future.

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6 / 10.0 - WrestleQuest
Aug 22, 2023

There's charm and appeal to be found in WrestleQuest, but this old school RPG doesn't have enough to stay in the main event.

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8 / 10.0 - Quake II
Aug 16, 2023

A brilliant standard setter for remasters and re-releases going forward, Quake 2 feels like a love letter to one of the grandfathers of boomer shooters.

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Double Dragon Gaiden: Rise of the Dragons is a smart, fun and well-executed roguelike take on the beat 'em genre.

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6 / 10.0 - Exoprimal
Jul 21, 2023

Exoprimal has good ideas, and feels like a genuinely novel and fun concept, but the asking price is simply way too steep, leaving the player to feel like extinction might be inevitable.

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Jun 28, 2023

AEW: Fight Forever's good ideas can't save it from a paltry amount of content and somewhat inferior gameplay compared to its competition.

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10 / 10.0 - Street Fighter 6
May 30, 2023

A sublime fighting game masterpiece from a company at the peak of their powers, Street Fighter 6 is utterly incredible.

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7 / 10.0 - LEGO 2K Drive
May 17, 2023

A solid first lap for a racer that might need a bit more time to hit top speed, LEGO 2K Drive is still worth playing whether you're young, old or somewhere in between.

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Apr 27, 2023

Competing with Fire Emblem for the title of premier strategy game on the Nintendo Switch, Advance Wars 1+2: Re-Boot Camp is a definitive combination of two cult classics.

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