Sammy Barker

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Sammy Barker·Feb 13, 2017

Critic70/100

Agreement—

Enormous, open levels augment Sniper Elite 4 with some of the best long-distance shootouts that the series has seen thus far. The under-the-hood improvements – paired with the idyllic Italian backdrop – do give this entry the edge over its predecessor, but if you've played one of these games before then you'll know more or less what to expect. Nevertheless, as far as ball busters go, it doesn't get much better (or wince-inducing) than this.

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Sammy Barker·Feb 1, 2017

Critic70/100

Agreement—

Like matriarch Marguerite's dishes, bonus mode Ethan Must Die will prove an acquired taste, but the two other VHS tapes included with Banned Footage Vol. 1 are a delight. Nightmare serves up some surprisingly smart arcade action that fans missing Mercenaries will surely enjoy, while Bedroom is brilliant puzzle sequence that subverts the rules of the main game in order to create a real sense of tension without requiring any enemies at all. There's no question that had this content been incorporated into the main campaign it would have been an even stronger package overall, but as a standalone it's still easy to recommend.

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Sammy Barker·Jan 23, 2017

Critic80/100

Agreement—

At its very best, Resident Evil 7: Biohazard is a barnstorming survival horror with some truly brilliant boss fights. Granted, the game isn't always able to maintain its own high standards, but it eclipses its abysmal predecessor with ease. While it borrows ideas from a variety of different sources, it manages to feel both original and old-school all at the same time. And even though fans are likely to be divided by the release's direction, make no mistake: this is the change that the series has needed for quite some time.

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Sammy Barker·Jan 10, 2017

Critic70/100

Agreement—

Even though the core of Gravity Rush 2 remains largely unchanged, you'll be hard pushed to find a fresher open world title in a sea of Grand Theft Auto and Assassin's Creed clones. Kat's traversal mechanic is still among the most satisfying that the sandbox genre has to offer, and an endearing cast of characters means that you'll actively want to spend time in their world. The combat and mission structure may still be this series' biggest shortcoming, but colourful scenarios mean that you'll stick around long enough to see the sizeable story and its many side-quests through. So, while not everyone will be dazed by what this release has to offer, the sequel should at the very least ensure that existing fans continue singing Kat's chorus.

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Sammy Barker·Dec 22, 2016

Critic30/100

Agreement—

Crystal Rift is far from an enjoyable experience, with cumbersome controls, lacklustre visuals, and poor enemy AI. The entire experience gets very tiresome very quickly, and with the ever increasing expectations for great quality games, this just doesn't cut it. This rift would be better left unexplored, unless you think you'd enjoy its torturously repetitive depths.

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Sammy Barker·Dec 7, 2016

Critic90/100

Agreement—

The Last Guardian is a modern masterpiece, and a worthy addition to Team ICO's already flawless track record. Some will be unable to look past the mechanical shortcomings, but they'll be missing out on one of those most meaningful and truly original experiences in years.

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Sammy Barker·Oct 31, 2016

Critic30/100

Agreement—

Weeping Doll's one of those games where you can see the intentions of the developer, but the end product just isn't very good. The muddled mismatch of time periods could be forgiven if the writing wasn't so woeful and the voice acting so unintentionally amusing. There's the nugget of a good idea here, but like an action figure with its appendages in the wrong places, it's been sloppily assembled.

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Sammy Barker·Oct 25, 2016

Critic70/100

Agreement—

Contrary to common opinion, Farming Simulator's always had the root of a great game buried beneath its Eurojank surface, but now that nugget's really starting to blossom. This edition doesn't reinvent the veal [Sorry – Ed], but it refines what's enjoyable about the originals, and sprinkles some Miracle-Gro on top. It's still an acquired taste, and you're going to need to be patient to get the most out of it, but if you've ever dreamed of being an agricultural extraordinaire, then this is a series now very much in its hay-day.

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Sammy Barker·Oct 14, 2016

Critic50/100

Agreement—

Super Stardust will always be an outstanding arcade game, but this particular version is a tired attempt at repurposing an ageing experience for yet another PlayStation platform. The classic gameplay options function fine in virtual reality but offer nothing new, while the added PlayStation VR-exclusive Invasion Mode fails to grasp what's great about the original experience. It's one of those launch games that's just kinda… there.

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Sammy Barker·Oct 13, 2016

Critic90/100

Agreement—

Magnificent many years after its original release, Rez Infinite finally feels at home on PlayStation VR – and virtual reality has got its first killer app. A sensational sensory overload, this sublime shooter may be short-lived, but you'll be hard pushed to find an experience more deserving of your attention this year.

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Sammy Barker·Oct 12, 2016

Critic50/100

Agreement—

RIGS: Mechanized Combat League may be the posterchild for PlayStation VR, but it's not the headset's MVP. While this future sports sim has a strong art style and some interesting ideas, it struggles to get the business done where it matters – on the pitch. Nauseating action and mushy combat really cause this contender to drop points.

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Sammy Barker·Oct 5, 2016

Critic70/100

Agreement—

How much would you pay to be Batman for an hour? If your answer sits somewhere in the region of £15.99/$19.99, then Batman: Arkham VR is a virtual no-brainer. With the exception of the finicky motion tracking and brief running time, this is an exceptional short story that eloquently demonstrates many of the advantages of virtual reality. But perhaps the most impressive thing here is that, in transforming you into the Dark Knight, it illuminates both the pros and cons of being a masked vigilante. And while the former interactions will make you feel downright awesome, it's when the Caped Crusader slowly begins to unravel that it comes into its own.

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Sammy Barker·Sep 20, 2016

Critic70/100

Agreement—

By trimming the fat, Telltale has delivered a much stronger episode in its fledgling Batman series. The story's beginning to take a shape of its own now, and more interesting personalities are beginning to come to the fore. While it still feels like the developer's laying foundations, this episode begins with a twist and goes out like a rocket – and that's how we'd like it to continue, thank you very much.

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Sammy Barker·Aug 15, 2016

Critic60/100

Agreement—

Bound is beautifully presented and will make you think, but its basic platforming doesn't have the legs that developer Plastic thinks it has. Fans of emotionally charged titles like Gone Home will be satisfied with what's on offer here – but those looking for a quality platformer may want to dance with something a little more competent in that department.

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Sammy Barker·Aug 2, 2016

Critic50/100

Agreement—

When it's obsessing over the broken politics of Gotham, this alternate take on DC's most famous franchise promises plenty – but lacklustre heroics and writing inconsistencies really drag it down. There's reason to be excited by some of the fictional deviations that the developer's taking, but they're yet to manifest themselves in any meaningful way, and the overemphasis on tired series tropes will draw many a groan. It's obviously too early to determine where this story is going to go, but our biggest concern right now is that Telltale isn't entirely sure either.