Like it's world, Dark Souls III is a ferocious beast, and what every action-RPG should strive to be. A rewarding experience for veteran players, the kingdom of Lothric is littered with remnants of the past. Simultaneously, it is also the most accessible for new players, with its more prevalent plot and kinder introductory stages. Dark Souls III is everything I could have wished for as a fan, and a marvellous conclusion to one of the greatest modern trilogies.
Superb writing and a unique combat system combine to make The Banner Saga 2 something quite special, in the same way it did back in 2014. The larger variety and frequent introduction of enemy types stops The Banner Saga 2 from becoming dull and repetitive. The Banner Saga is fast becoming one of the best series in modern games, with some of the strongest characterisation and world-building in years.
An industry supergroup brings together their experience to tell an engaging narrative in a beautiful world. Firewatch explores love and commitment through two of the most authentic videogame characters I've seen. A simply wonderful game.
Tying up the final chapters of the Shippuden story in a fun and flashy fashion, Naruto Shippuden: Ultimate Ninja Storm 4 really is the ultimate Naruto game. Every character, and every battle, is present in some form. The peak of the Ultimate Ninja Storm series.
An interesting and superbly told story, with far more emphasis on character and mature themes. Redesigned gunplay makes the combat rewarding in ways it never was before, and large arenas encourage constant movement. Uncharted 4: A Thief's End is visually stunning, and the best we've seen on console. Naughty Dog have produced a fine farewell to one of PlayStation's most beloved characters.
Three of the PlayStation 3's strongest titles remastered by BluePoint Games for the PlayStation 4. Old problems with the gunplay are smoothed over with the boost to 60fps. The best way to play Uncharted for the first time or to catch up before the release of Uncharted 4.
A unique take on the turn based shooter, and a fun character-driven space adventure.
Street Fighter V is the best fighting game available on the PlayStation 4 and the PC, and easily surpasses what the Xbox One has to offer. Street Fighter is back on top.
The Division doesn't have enough of a story to carry it as a shooter, let alone an RPG, but what is here is good. Each firefight is different due to the importance of weapon classes, and mix-and-matching skills when in a group adds a small depth. The Dark Zone is the freshest idea in The Division, but I don't see it carrying the game for months to come. A standard Ubisoft AAA game that may not live as long as intended.
Bombshell doesn't seem to have gone down well with other critics, but I had a blast. Solid shooting backs up what I found to be an engaging gameplay loop. By no means the best twin stick shooter around, I had fun during the 8 hours I spent with it, and that's enough for me.
A fun romp if you recognise enough of the characters, with enough surprises to keep you guessing who will show up next. Fighting mechanic is simple and stays that way throughout, and hasn't changed since its predecessors on the PlayStation 2. Writing is focused on gags and references rather than staying true to original sources, but will entertain so long as you can endure a boob joke once in a while.
As a fighting game fan, having new systems to learn has been great fun and the design of the characters and the world is instantly enjoyable if you like Japanese fighting games and/or anime. With the detailed tutorial and introduction of the Stylish control mode, it's far more approachable for new players, but the complexity of the story and how little it does to help people jump on quickly may rub people the wrong way.
Hitman GO: Definitive Edition is a neat little puzzling package that thoroughly entertains. Despite taking a different approach to gameplay, it very much remains a Hitman game.
Definitely one of the strongest remasters available on the current gen consoles, with enough improvements to more than compete with most new games. In a surprise turn, it also manages to better its original release - it’s been a long time since the title “Definitive Edition” was this well earnt.
Some poor design holds The Collider 2 back from being great, and a surprisingly good looking game. While the number of individual missions is high, the differences between the objectives are negligible - play this game is short bursts. Worth a shot over a weekend.
The Way has a lot going for it: the world is interesting, the puzzles are testing, and it has a wonderful charm. The movement is precise enough to make the platforming work, and controlling the powers is never an effort. Worth a punt if you’re looking for something a little retro this summer.
This is a sexy game designed for weirdos, and I’m fully aware of that. It’s also an entertaining brawler, mechanically. Comboing large groups of enemies into the sky is always satisfying, but I do wish I was controlling a model that wasn’t quite so ridiculously sexualised. I think all I can really say is that I had fun with it, and a lot of other people will have fun with it too. I just hope they’re having fun for the right reasons.
While it can be a little frustrating on occasion, as any puzzle game can, Kick and Fennick is a charming little platformer with a unique mechanical twist - well worth a shot, and I’m sure you’ll have a blast.
The big thing to take away from WWE 2K16 is that not much has changed, yet again. The roster is a lot bigger, and features that were missing last time do return, but this game being back in line with your 2014 release isn't something we should be thankful for. The fighting, which was slated last year anyway, only seems to have been limited yet again, but not to a devastating degree - it just still isn't good enough.
Same as the last one: an average, if somewhat enjoyable shooter.