Between the story quests and the easy to acquire side objectives there is plenty of hours available for gamers to get their teeth into. Something that is surely only going to rocket upwards once the Online element arrives. Even without that, and the slight issues, Red Dead Redemption 2 is a game worth playing. For the sense of being that outlaw character, riding around the stunning map and having choice of what to do, this is a worthy sequel. You will spend a lot of time going from A to B, even doing little tasks, but these are easy compromises to make for the full Western experience.
Two Point Hospital nails so many aspects that it makes it easy to call it a worthy spiritual successor of Theme Hospital. There's no doubt that gamers will be sinking hours into the title, with there always being one more challenge to complete and another issue that needs solving. Patients and staff aren't just wandering sprites, each come with traits that make them react differently, and not always in a helpful way! This is all rounded off by the comedic elements; which are perfect for turning what could be a depressing serious tycoon game into a light hearted entertaining experience, which is impossible not to love.
For all the strengths of the story, multiplayer is where new and veteran players will sink hours and hours into. For both sets of players, Modern Warfare offers new content and hours of entertainment.
Overall, Vermintide 2 is a worthy sequel to the 2015 original. It takes the combat systems and class system and expands upon them. This leads to a slightly deeper RPG experience where players can customise the gameplay to suit their style even more than before. The setting of Warhammer's End Times is unexpectedly incredible, with the new locations and Chaos enemies living up to the billing. Several features, such as grinding for loot, have been fixed or developed, making the whole game feel like a huge step up. It all comes together to craft an experience that is fun, fast and will undoubtedly become a glorious time sink for many… just don't go into the game expecting an easy ride.
Treyarch has once again taken the Call of Duty to the next level, by adding something completely different – much like they did with Zombies. Call of Duty Black Ops 4 has taken bits from a lot of other popular games. Be it the instant hit Blackout, from the rise in popularity of battle royal, or Heist mode where you gain income each round but must purchase weaponry, akin to Counter Strike Global Offensive. Treyarch seems to have been happy to do this and experiment with features like a tweaked health system. It has paid off, despite there not being the storyline to play, there is more than ever to keep gamers hooked and playing Call of Duty for the next year!
Instead of changing the recipe of success that the developers found with the original, Overcooked 2 is more of an extension of awesomeness.
The levels are once again only available when past the Femington hospital, though unlike the Bigfoot DLC the challenge posed makes this more sensical – with this being the first time I had struggled to keep a hospital profitable. Simply put, if you are looking to extend the base game's awesomeness and have a new challenge then Pebberley Island is the location you should travel to!
Often in strategy titles there is the want for more. More building types, more resource types, more of everything. Anno 1800 has all of that depth from the very beginning with so many types of buildings there is an amazing balancing act to make. With chains of production to make, such as potato farms which supply schnapps brewers, there is plenty of thinking to be done. This is a game many would refer to as a time sink, yet it is one I'd happily pour hours into. The futuristic titles had lost their way somewhat, but Anno 1800 firmly steers the series back on track!
Overall, Far Cry 5 does what the rest of the series was successful at.
Battlefield V hits the right notes of war being a bloody affair, with gritty hard fought battles. The maps present real contrast from one another, with each favoring different styles of play. Playing as part of a decent squad can see you noticeably affect the outcome of a battle, and one that is full of period weaponry that still pack a punch. Grand Operations is considered by DICE and EA as this installments crowning multiplayer achievement and as the game is currently missing the new standard of a Battle Royale mode this is the case. At the moment in time, the game has a few niggles bug wise but still presents a strong experience – one that will hopefully improve with a couple of minor patches and the promised future content.
For those looking for a fun assassin game Hitman 2 is for you. The game not only does little to stop you attempting the level your way but is happy enough to guide you through one of the many available paths if you so wish. Whether you want to slowly and stealthily learn the routes of the targets and take them out with “accidents” or straight up silverballer them to the face, the choice is left to you. The individual missions are crying out for multiple players, though even from one playthrough you'll get one solid experience, and one that is different from everyone else.
With such an amazingly thought up location of the Helios, Close to the Sun is an adventure full of atmosphere, tension and a surprisingly lack of people. The puzzle elements never felt out of reach but had an element of thinking to them.
More and more each year it feels like EA could just charge for an upgrade pack rather than a full game.
Full of wonderful dream like miniature island locations and some slightly head scratching puzzles, The Gardens Between is exactly what I wanted from the title. It offers a laid back approach to puzzle games, which doesn't artificially slap on time based goals. Given the time manipulation theme it is almost awkward to say that time can slip away from you when playing, trying to complete just that one more island. Overall, this is a stunning little puzzle title that deserves some love!
Overall, the game does enough to slingshot the SoulCalibur series back to the top of the genre, to fight it out with the other franchises.
Many of the positives of the orignal have been captured and bundled with a host of improvements, yet The Division 2 still feels like more of the same. Taken on face value this might sound negative but as the original helped the hours pass by, and the sequel matches this, and you start to realise this is another great game from Ubisoft. Built on the core shooter gameplay, the cover based combat is fast paced and explosive – without being too over the top.
Overall, Blood and Truth is amazing. I enjoyed it greatly and something I'll be playing for the foreseeable future. There were multiple times I forgot it was just a game, and where I actually cared for Ryan's family as though they were my own. The soundtrack was one of the better ones as of late, and gives me a reason to push grime on my friends and family by making them play the game. If you have a PSVR, this game is a must play.
Returning the franchise to the original style seems to have paid off. With brilliant, fast paced, tower defence gameplay on offer it will keep two cooping players thoroughly entertained and wanting to play just that one more level. There's a huge range of levels to play through, different modes to unlock, traps both big and small to upgrade, and so much more. The inclusion of the war scenario mode adds that wow factor of scale, without losing what makes Orcs Must Die 3 fun. There is always another wave of orcs, trolls, elementals and more ready to fight, and you'll want to defend against them time and time again!
With each DLC released Cities Skylines gets a bigger and more impressive game, from an already epic starting point. Now there are many available it could be daunting to new players, though for fans having a new area to dive into is a great reason to get back into crafting cities. Having the new public transport options and the two terminal types gives plenty to get invested in, just make sure you have a large flat area planned out for your airport to properly take flight!
If you're looking for something quick and fun to play with family or friends over the holiday season look no further.