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Sam Brooke

Writes for
Push Square logo
Push Square
Reviews66
Outlets1
Avg score64
Agreement

Reviews

66 reviews
TT Isle of Man: Ride on the Edge2018
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Push Square
Sam Brooke·Mar 11, 2018
Critic50/100
Agreement

Containing an impressive adaptation of the Isle of Man's Snaefell Mountain Course, TT Isle of Man Racing: Ride on the Edge will be attractive to motorcycle nuts looking for a new experience. But its high asking price, repetitive career mode, and lack of any online community means that everyone else can simply pass this by.

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No vote recorded.
Frantics2018
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Critic70/100
Agreement

It might not be too innovative, but Frantics provides an enjoyable party experience that Sony's PlayLink service has been lacking. It certainly isn't a killer app, but the fun variety of minigames and its (mostly) responsive controls show how much of a good time PlayLink can provide when it's properly used.

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No vote recorded.
Gravel2018
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Push Square
Sam Brooke·Feb 27, 2018
Critic70/100
Agreement

Milestone's latest is a fun romp through a variety of off-road locations, offering both quantity and variety in terms of tracks, cards, and modes. It's not the most ambitious racer ever, but the non-serious style of the flagship Off-Road Masters mode will be very appealing to those wanting an enjoyable arcade experience.

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No vote recorded.
Kerbal Space Program: Enhanced Edition2018
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Push Square
Sam Brooke·Jan 20, 2018
Critic40/100
Agreement

It's such a shame that Kerbal Space Program is so shoddily ported, because underneath its buggy, messy experience lies a fantastically detailed game with plenty for science nerds. The career mode offers replayability and near-endless depth, while the tutorials are hugely helpful in bringing new people into the complex clutches of physics, but its plethora of bugs and some huge design oversights make it very hard to recommend. The gameplay itself shoots for the stars, but its technical problems bring it crashing back down.

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No vote recorded.
Ultimate Chicken Horse2016
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Push Square
Sam Brooke·Dec 11, 2017
Critic80/100
Agreement

A party title with great visuals, sound, and gameplay, Ultimate Chicken Horse is a great combination of conniving strategy and frantic platforming. With plenty of modes to play, maps to customise, and unlocks to go for, Clever Endeavour Games' PS4 debut is as good for your wallet as it is for your sofa. An essential for any get together, the game's well-tuned mechanics lead to pure animania.

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No vote recorded.
Dead Rising 4: Frank's Big Package2017
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Critic80/100
Agreement

Though Dead Rising 4: Frank's Big Package has noticeably distanced itself from its predecessors - a move likely to alienate series fans - Capcom's latest is still a damn fun game that doesn't take itself too seriously. Its Christmas setting benefits the game's character as a whole, and the wacky weapons and great gunplay, coupled with the new exo suit, ensure that combat is as punchy and enjoyable as ever, and while there is a feeling that it lacks identity, it certainly doesn't lack comedy. Frank West has risen again, and while he isn't as recognisable as his former self, he's been revamped in style.

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No vote recorded.
SingStar: Celebration2017
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Push Square
Sam Brooke·Nov 20, 2017
Critic40/100
Agreement

London Studio's latest karaoke effort may have a decent Party mode and PlayLink functionality, but its one-note tracklist and lack of four-player functionality make it a poor choice for a party game. SingStar: Celebration certainly doesn't live up to its name, then – it's only marginally more fun than a Jehovah's Witness' birthday bash.

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No vote recorded.
Knowledge is Power2017
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Push Square
Sam Brooke·Nov 19, 2017
Critic60/100
Agreement

While it's not as unique or charming as its predecessor That's You, Knowledge Is Power is a solid, fun quiz game for when you've got friends or family around. While it's a little light on actual quizzing, the Power Plays allow for plenty of game-changing moments and inject some tension into the game as everyone scrambles to wipe virtual goo off of their phones and answer first. With another solid game added to its lineup and many more coming over the next few months, Sony's PlayLink service won't be going away anytime soon.

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No vote recorded.
LEGO Marvel Super Heroes 22017
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Push Square
Sam Brooke·Nov 14, 2017
Critic50/100
Agreement

Playing LEGO Marvel Superheroes 2 is a constant battle between being pulled in by TT Games' charm and being pushed away by the repetitive gameplay. For every excellent moment there are seemingly multiple forgettable ones, but if you can stomach the lows of the story, then there are some fun times to be had. Still, this middling effort shows that the LEGO series is in need of some revitalising changes.

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No vote recorded.
Rugby 182017
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Push Square
Sam Brooke·Oct 23, 2017
Critic40/100
Agreement

Though Eko Software has tried to give virtual rugby a breath of life – and in some ways, with a revamped control and camera system, it has – the lack of modes and dismal presentation leave a bad taste in the mouth. At full-price, Bigben is demanding an obscene amount of money for a game that feels years behind where it should be.

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No vote recorded.
Pro Evolution Soccer 20182017
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Push Square
Sam Brooke·Sep 18, 2017
Critic80/100
Agreement

With its peppy presentation and new lick of paint, Konami has breathed even more life into PES with its latest instalment, a celebration of everything thrilling about football. Gameplay is exciting and technical, and the selection of modes varied and replayable to the point where it's hard to see where the franchise will go next - except for fixing some major flaws in Master League and adding some more licenses. Fans of the series need not Pjanic: PES 2018 continues the series' goal-den streak.

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No vote recorded.
Madden NFL 182017
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Critic70/100
Agreement

Though the new Longshot mode is ultimately a disappointment and the gameplay hasn't changed much, Madden NFL 18 is still an excellent pigskin sim despite its lack of competition. Welcoming for newcomers and deeply detailed for die-hards, this year's edition of the long-running franchise is certainly not a Maddening experience.

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No vote recorded.
That's You!2017
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Critic80/100
Agreement

With an entertaining atmosphere, plenty of settings, and over 1,000 questions, That's You is an absolute with mates – and in this case, the more the merrier. Questions can get hilarious, awkward, crazy, or just downright weird, but what is guaranteed is that you'll be having a hugely fun time. Thanks to its focus on self-deprecation, creativity, and absurdity, Wish Studios' latest is up there with Jackbox and Sportsfriends as an essential for game nights. And the best thing? It's free on PlayStation Plus for the next few months.

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No vote recorded.
I Want to Be Human2016
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Push Square
Sam Brooke·Jun 29, 2017
Critic30/100
Agreement

It's unfunny, it's fiddly, it's aggravating, and most of all it's an assault on your senses – if there's anything that I Want to Be Human is rebelling against, it's your health. While developer Sinclair Strange has tried to carve out its own artistic style, it doesn't work at all, and the menial, tedious gameplay doesn't help either. This game may want to be human, but it sure isn't fit to be.

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No vote recorded.
Victor Vran: Overkill Edition2017
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Push Square
Sam Brooke·May 30, 2017
Critic70/100
Agreement

Victor Vran: Overkill Edition doesn't revolutionise the action RPG genre, but it certainly has helped it evolve. The scrapping of class systems and skill trees gives you more control over the character that you want to make, while the hordes of collectable loot will keep you chopping and changing your loadout for a long time. While its story is a little stale and there is still something very conventional about how Haemimont Games' latest is set out, the variety of gameplay and four-player co-op will keep you coming back to Zagoravia for hours.

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No vote recorded.