Robert Ramsey

Push Square

Robert Ramsey·Oct 26, 2020

Critic80/100

Agreement—

On its own, Trails of Cold Steel IV is far from being the best game in the series, but as a conclusion to an epic story with characters that have long since won us over, it's a fitting finale. Class VII remains one of the most endearing groups in gaming, and although they demand so much of your time across four whole games, both the journey and the eventual payoff has been worth it. When packaged together with Cold Steel I, II, and III, this is easily one of the most engrossing RPG sagas of our time.

Push Square

Robert Ramsey·Oct 13, 2020

Critic70/100

Agreement—

Stop us if you've heard this one before: FIFA 21 isn't a huge upgrade on FIFA 20, but a boatload of small improvements do help it rise above its predecessor. The on-pitch action arguably feels more arcadey than it has done in years, but there's no denying the excitement that comes with playing through a 5-4 thriller. FIFA is still king in delivering a robust and accessible footballing package, but the series needs to step up its game on PS5 - particularly when it comes to presentation.

Push Square

Robert Ramsey·Sep 25, 2020

Critic60/100

Agreement—

Re-Reckoning isn't a great remaster, but there's no denying that Kingdoms of Amalur is still a lot of fun to play. Its action-based combat has stood the test of time, and exploring its often whimsical world is enjoyable. If you can look past the clunky presentation and fairly frequent bugs, you'll find an ample high fantasy adventure.

Push Square

Robert Ramsey·Sep 15, 2020

Critic70/100

Agreement—

Perhaps our favourite thing about the expansion is that it gives your crew a little more room to breathe. A lot of new dialogue has been recorded for Peril on Gorgon, and your allies chime in throughout the DLC's main quest, which lasts a reasonable six to eight hours or so.

Push Square

Robert Ramsey·Sep 15, 2020

Critic20/100

Agreement—

Sadly, Bounty Battle plays about as well as it looks. The goal is to empty the health bar of your enemies, but character animations are so basic and stunted that it's near impossible to tell what's going on — especially during three or four player fights. The controls are responsive enough, but the release is riddled with stuttering issues on PS4 — combat just never feels smooth, and that's a nail in the coffin of any fighting game.

Push Square

Robert Ramsey·Sep 15, 2020

Critic90/100

Agreement—

13 Sentinels: Aegis Rim is a phenomenal visual novel - and a surprisingly great strategy game. In trying something different, Vanillaware has crafted one of its best games yet. It's got an engrossing story that's absolutely packed with mind-blowing twists and endearing characters, all wrapped up in a gorgeous visual style. Don't sleep on 13 Sentinels - it's one of 2020's finest.

Push Square

Robert Ramsey·Sep 4, 2020

Critic80/100

Agreement—

Wasteland 3 is a fantastic post-apocalyptic RPG. Great writing, satisfying, tactical combat, and a world full of memorable characters and meaningful player choice make this a no-brainer for fans of the genre. If you can look past the bugs, there's so much to love about this deliciously dark humoured excursion.

Push Square

Robert Ramsey·Sep 1, 2020

Critic50/100

Agreement—

With a sensible update or two, Nexomon: Extinction could evolve into a much more enticing experience. It's never going to have the charm of Pokémon, but it could yet be a decent alternative.

Push Square

Robert Ramsey·Aug 26, 2020

Critic60/100

Agreement—

As a mostly solo experience, Crystal Chronicles is a decent, if somewhat repetitive dungeon crawler -- but this remaster should have been so much more.

Push Square

Robert Ramsey·Aug 13, 2020

Critic50/100

Agreement—

In particular, quests with strict time limits can often feel unfair, and grinding out tasks purely to improve your relationship with different characters is a slog.

Push Square

Robert Ramsey·Jul 14, 2020

Critic90/100

Agreement—

Ghost of Tsushima is a joy to play and a joy to behold. Sucker Punch has crafted one of the most memorable open world games of this generation, buoyed by an immensely satisfying combat system and an engaging, dramatic story.

Push Square

Robert Ramsey·Jun 15, 2020

Critic60/100

Agreement—

The Elder Scrolls Online: Greymoor is another solid expansion, but it's nothing that you haven't seen before. Western Skyrim is fun to explore, and the DLC tells a decent tale, but quests continue to lack any real innovation, highlighting the title's ageing gameplay loop.

Push Square

Robert Ramsey·May 21, 2020

Critic60/100

Agreement—

The controls are wonky and the mission design is straight outta last-gen, but there's still dumb fun to be had with Saints Row The Third Remastered. Even all these years later, it's a refreshingly stupid sandbox title that offers up some memorable moments -- it's just a shame that they're buried beneath tedious activities and gameplay that feels incredibly basic by today's standards.

Push Square

Robert Ramsey·May 5, 2020

Critic70/100

Agreement—

The game's at its best when you're being forced to adapt, but it has a bad habit of introducing scenarios that feel like they require trial and error

Push Square

Robert Ramsey·Apr 27, 2020

Critic60/100

Agreement—

Sakura Wars is an entertaining fusion of dating sim elements and button mashing action, but it's held back by tired anime tropes and some disappointingly underdeveloped characters. The overarching story may be painfully predictable, but there's still waifu-chasing fun to be had here, and the combat is enough to keep the otherwise relaxed pacing in check.