Daniel Hollis

Pure Xbox

Daniel Hollis·Sep 6, 2021

Critic80/100

Agreement—

Sonic Colors: Ultimate is a fantastic remaster of a much-loved title in the series. There are a few hiccups in the road, with awful cutscenes and lacklustre unlocks. It's classic Sonic in a 3D setting and your enjoyment will stem from your love of the series. If you're looking for a reinvention of the formula, this probably isn't for you, but if you want to experience the iconic series with refined gameplay, beautiful visuals and tons of replayability, this is the best 3D Sonic game to grace Xbox since Sonic Generations.

Pure Xbox

Daniel Hollis·Aug 31, 2021

Critic70/100

Agreement—

The Big Con presents a fun, addictive gameplay loop to embrace - despite never truly sitting right with us narratively. Its world is a delight to explore, the characters are fun and the 90s vibes wrap around you like a warm winter's blanket. It's a shame its morals are never presented in a truly challenging way, but if you can look past its messy narrative, you'll find a fun, charming indie adventure that's hard to put down.

Pure Xbox

Daniel Hollis·Aug 16, 2021

Critic50/100

Agreement—

There's a lovely story bundling all the lesser parts together, but it ultimately feels as though it's been put together with tape and glue. Your enjoyment will stem from how much you gain from its narrative, but in all honesty, other games take a similar concept and run with it so much better. Arcade Spirits comes to mind, and while it doesn't directly allow you to play any titles, is a beautiful visual novel that perfectly encapsulates that 80s arcade energy. We're sorry to say, but Button City is an arcade cabinet that doesn't do too much to justify its existence.

Pure Xbox

Daniel Hollis·Aug 10, 2021

Critic90/100

Agreement—

As expected, Hades knocks it out of the park, offering a stellar experience to Xbox players for the first time. It's every bit as incredible as it was a year ago, with punchy combat, an addictive gameplay loop and a cast of characters that prove to be charming and terrifying in the same breath. It's a shame a few frame rate issues sour the experience occasionally, but make no mistake, Hades is absolutely worth your time whether you're a fan of the genre or not.

Pure Xbox

Daniel Hollis·Jul 31, 2021

Critic80/100

Agreement—

All in all, The Forgotten City has surprised us with how engaging it is. The time loop mechanic is used to great effect and works much more than a simple gimmick, and the standout is the writing, which keeps you invested line after line. It's not a home run, with some overall clunkiness to the game and certain segments that could easily have been stripped out, but it's definitely a 10-12 hour adventure worth taking, with many paths and possibilities to uncover.

Pure Xbox

Daniel Hollis·Jul 20, 2021

Critic100/100

Agreement—

While Death's Door borrows a lot of elements from many other games, it mashes them all together and refines them into its own thing. Not one single element feels undercooked and the result is a mysterious world you'll instantly be lost within. Outside of the odd frame dip in certain situations, we absolutely loved Death's Door. It's a game filled with surprises, nods, humour, and moves at such a pace we could barely put the controller down. Games this well-crafted don't come along very often, but when they do, they're something to celebrate. Death's Door deserves all the attention it will most likely get, and is a contender for one of 2021's best games.

Pure Xbox

Daniel Hollis·Jul 5, 2021

Critic70/100

Agreement—

While its story falls short, Scarlet Nexus is expertly elevated with stunning combat. The consistent evolution, polished control scheme, and powerful feedback make each fight more satisfying than the last. If only the game had managed to incorporate a stronger story, more depth to its character bonds, and more things to do outside of combat, Scarlet Nexus could have been something special. As it stands, it feels like a solid first step for a new IP, and one where a sequel could really steal the show.

Pure Xbox

Daniel Hollis·May 24, 2021

Critic50/100

Agreement—

Much like the character you create, Biomutant feels like a Frankenstein creation of various ideas. Some are good, some are bad, but the end result is a misshapen product which feels messy and buried in its own ideas. Areas of the game that should have received more attention - like it's quest design - feel relatively barebones, while others feel overly complex. The repetitive nature of looting, levelling up, and looting some more never truly evolve and make the beautiful world often feel lifeless. We really wish we loved Biomutant, but unfortunately, it's a game with many ambitious ideas, but lacks the conviction to fully utilise them.

Pure Xbox

Daniel Hollis·Apr 26, 2021

Critic90/100

Agreement—

If you've never played Judgment before, what are you waiting for? The remaster is one of the best next-gen exclusives to play right now and has never looked better. If you've already played it, it may be hard to justify the price tag at this point, but the substantial upgrades ensure it's the best the game has ever been. There's nothing in the way of new content outside of all previously released DLC, but Yagami's adventure is just as compelling and original as it once was.

Pure Xbox

Daniel Hollis·Mar 31, 2021

Critic30/100

Agreement—

With a price point of $60, it's hard to recommend Balan Wonderworld, especially when other platformers (and even collections such as Crash Bandicoot N. Sane Trilogy, which contain multiple games) are a lot cheaper and are much better. The ingredients are all there for a great game, but everything has gone off and rotten. What's been cooked up is a bland, uninspired trip into a world that should have been anything but. Balan Wonderworld feels like bargain bin material that should be avoided at all costs... at any discount.

Pure Xbox

Daniel Hollis·Feb 9, 2021

Critic80/100

Agreement—

Little Nightmares II is bigger and bolder, which builds upon the foundations from the first game. The game is host to a disgusting, decaying world that opens up as you progress through each chapter. Its inhabitants will haunt your dreams for days and the emotional connection it draws between Mono and Six with absolutely no dialogue is powerful. It is worth noting that certain combat encounters and high stakes moments can become troublesome and do provide occasional road blocks which prevent the game from reaching its full potential. As it stands though, Little Nightmares II is a thrill ride filled with visually striking moments of pure nightmare fuel, which may invite you to leave your lamp on for the foreseeable future.

Pure Xbox

Daniel Hollis·Jan 27, 2021

Critic60/100

Agreement—

As a narrative focused experience, The Medium generally impresses. In terms of gameplay, it often just feels too easy and lacking in depth. But even with criticisms towards the latter, if you're looking to embrace a horror game for one dark night or two, The Medium is a worthy choice. It's clearly the vision of a team who loved the concept and wanted to take players on a narrative driven adventure, filled with dark themes and systems such as the dual-reality mechanic that feel integral to the story. If you can accept The Medium for the experience that it is, you're in for a good time, but dial back your expectations for the actual gameplay.

Pure Xbox

Daniel Hollis·Dec 17, 2020

Critic—

Agreement—

At three hours long, it passes by at a breeze, and is packed with some truly spectacular set-pieces. One particularly notable scene takes place halfway through, and fans of the recent Hobbit trilogy will see a striking resemblance between the two. It all feels as though its building to a dramatic, explosive conclusion, but ends with one of the most anticlimactic boss fights in the series' history. It pales in comparison to intense encounters with General Raam and Queen Myrrah, and blends in with the majority of the expansions' combat encounters.