Sammy Barker

Push Square

Sammy Barker·Jun 25, 2018

Critic60/100

Agreement—

The Awesome Adventures of Captain Spirit thoughtfully examines a troubled childhood through the eyes of the 10-year-old living it. This non-linear episode encourages you to explore, refraining from beating you over the head with its difficult subject matter. It's building into something, and it's hard to determine exactly what that is with DONTNOD being so coy about its plans for the sequel. You need to really dig into this to get anything out of it, and while we found the backstories of the small cast to be well thought out, it's hard to know what purpose they will serve yet.

Push Square

Sammy Barker·Jun 5, 2018

Critic70/100

Agreement—

Onrush is a chaotic arcade game that surprisingly comes together – even if there are question marks regarding its longevity. This brash vehicular experience draws inspiration from several different areas of the industry, but it reassembles them into something unusual and entertaining. A great online infrastructure means you can be in and out of the action in seconds, but the package could do with a little more meat on its bones to fully justify its price tag.

Push Square

Sammy Barker·May 24, 2018

Critic70/100

Agreement—

Detroit: Become Human is vintage Quantic Dream, delivering a multifaceted choose-your-own-adventure that's both ambitious and somewhat of an acquired taste.

Push Square

Sammy Barker·May 8, 2018

Critic70/100

Agreement—

2MD VR Football works so well because it has the best throwing mechanic we've experienced with PlayStation VR to date. The game's relatively simplistic, tasking you with executing a series of successful two-minute drills, but the ability to design your own playbook paired with the implementation of recognised NFL rules mean that there's some strategy to this arcade affair. The art style's not going to appeal to everyone and it's unlikely to keep you occupied forever, but fans of American football are sure to have a blast doing their best Tom Brady impression in virtual reality.

Push Square

Sammy Barker·May 8, 2018

Critic40/100

Agreement—

AO International Tennis went wide with its first service, and double faults at second attempt.

Push Square

Sammy Barker·May 6, 2018

Critic70/100

Agreement—

Super Mega Baseball 2 looks like a straightforward arcade game and it can be if you want it to be – but there's a surprising amount of depth to this colourful sequel that will keep you coming back. The game's vibrant presentation and frenetic flow set it apart from MLB The Show, and its raft of customisation options mean that you can tailor it to your tastes. Some cumbersome controls can grate, but if you're looking for a baseball game a little less serious than Sony's, then this is a great alternative.

Push Square

Sammy Barker·Apr 29, 2018

Critic60/100

Agreement—

Home Run Derby VR makes the act of slugging entertaining, thanks to good PlayStation Move motion tracking and a strong balance between arcade and simulation gameplay. But the price of entry is far too high for a title that only includes three stadiums and one game type – even if it is ultimately rather entertaining to play.

Push Square

Sammy Barker·Apr 12, 2018

Critic100/100

Agreement—

God of War is a special game. This reimagining of the famous PlayStation franchise elevates the series in unexpected ways, without forgetting the core tenets that made Kratos a fan-favourite to begin with. This is a sprawling single player epic with an abundance of secrets and a storyline that keeps you hooked from start-to-finish. While it borrows liberally from other action adventure greats, its unique combat and outstanding artistic direction separate it from its immediate peers. A truly impressive achievement.

Push Square

Sammy Barker·Mar 27, 2018

Critic60/100

Agreement—

For a series that's defined by its tardiness, Pure Farming 2018 leans a little too heavily on the slow side for our liking. This is a perfect first choice for newcomers, though, as its campaign walks you through every single element of agricultural “action” – and there's a helluva lot to wrap your head around. The various environments could do with a little more visual identity, but they offer unique challenges that make them worth playing. And while the quick-fix challenge mode won't keep purists occupied for long, we certainly appreciate the attempt at distilling the title's gameplay into short session bursts.

Push Square

Sammy Barker·Mar 27, 2018

Critic70/100

Agreement—

A strong finale to another quality series, we've really enjoyed getting up close and personal with Gotham's goons.

Push Square

Sammy Barker·Mar 26, 2018

Critic50/100

Agreement—

R.B.I. Baseball 18 doesn't really need to exist on the PS4, which is an issue. While it's competent enough to register a clean hit, The Show runs laps around the title in virtually every department. Yes, it's cheaper and more accessible than Sony's vastly superior alternative – but we still wouldn't recommend pinch hitting San Diego's effort for this.

Push Square

Sammy Barker·Mar 25, 2018

Critic60/100

Agreement—

John Doe's unpredictability continues to be the highlight in a season that's seen Bruce Wayne's role become ever more important than the titular Dark Knight. While short, this is a solid episode that puts plenty of interesting plot threads into play, but with the finale around the corner, there's very little resolution – merely setup for that all-important fifth episode.

Push Square

Sammy Barker·Mar 18, 2018

Critic80/100

Agreement—

On the title's tenth anniversary, Burnout Paradise Remastered is a timely reminder that – like Avril Lavigne – this arcade racer can still do it better than all of its contemporaries. Seriously, there's no other like it, so when's it going to sink in? The only real downside is that the pricing's stupid – what the hell is EA thinkin'?

Push Square

Sammy Barker·Mar 13, 2018

Critic60/100

Agreement—

The Council has impressive ambitions – even if its execution is not up to scratch. You'll already know whether its alternate history backdrop appeals to you, but it's the RPG elements that threaten to disrupt the narrative genre. We already like what this series is doing, but the writing and voice acting leaves a little to be desired. That said, this is a solid start, even if it is a bit too early to come to any conclusions about the overall story just yet.

Push Square

Sammy Barker·Mar 7, 2018

Critic70/100

Agreement—

This is a Farewell for Life Is Strange fans, but Deck Nine once again does an outstanding job of telling a heart-wrenching tale within what is, effectively, someone else's story. DONTNOD may be the creators of this wonderful slice of life series, but the American developer's done an impressive job of furthering the fiction with Before the Storm – and this episode ties a big fat bow around Max and Chloe's yarn for good. Now, what's next?