Stephen Tailby

Push Square

Stephen Tailby·Oct 8, 2019

Critic70/100

Agreement—

Concrete Genie is a warm, joyful experience that embraces creativity in a unique way. Painting your way through Denska is effortlessly fun, and the genies that help Ash through his adventure are delightful. While this main thrust of the game is well realised, combat feels like an afterthought, as it's stashed away right at the end. This and a couple of smaller issues hold the game back from greatness, but taken as a whole, this is definitely worth playing -- and pretty as a picture, too.

Push Square

Stephen Tailby·Oct 3, 2019

Critic70/100

Agreement—

A clear improvement on the original, Yooka-Laylee and the Impossible Lair is a pleasant surprise. It struggles to balance difficulty, but the end result is a robust and compelling platformer. It feels much more cohesive than its older brother and, free from the need to play to nostalgia, gives the characters and the world a better identity. It isn't perfect, but it's certainly a step in the right direction for Playtonic Games.

Push Square

Stephen Tailby·Sep 27, 2019

Critic70/100

Agreement—

Whether playing for the first time or picking it up for old time's sake, Castle Crashers is still capable of providing simple, senseless fun.

Push Square

Stephen Tailby·Sep 21, 2019

Critic80/100

Agreement—

Mutazione is simple, but achieves what it sets out to do: tell an emotional story about community, family, and forgiveness among a memorable ensemble cast. It's relaxing, compelling, and unique. That it also looks and sounds magnificent is just the icing on the cake.

Push Square

Stephen Tailby·Sep 19, 2019

Critic70/100

Agreement—

It's not exactly original, but The Sojourn is a solid puzzler with well designed levels and some nice ideas.

Push Square

Stephen Tailby·Sep 3, 2019

Critic70/100

Agreement—

Overall, the driving is competent, and most importantly, delivers that thrill ride as you scream over treacherous terrain. It's a shame the presentation is somewhat lacking, because this is otherwise a solid rally experience.

Push Square

Stephen Tailby·Aug 7, 2019

Critic30/100

Agreement—

For those looking for a new party game to play with some chums, this is certainly different, but you'll be done with it faster than it takes you to buy it.

Push Square

Stephen Tailby·Aug 2, 2019

Critic70/100

Agreement—

Thanks to simple controls and near constant progression, this can quickly become unbelievably addictive. There's a lot more to Forager than meets the eye. Save for some occasionally fiddly controls, this is a pleasant surprise indeed.

Push Square

Stephen Tailby·Jul 30, 2019

Critic70/100

Agreement—

Wargroove is finally on PS4, and despite launching with practically no fanfare, it's very much worthy of your attention. The pixelated exterior houses surprisingly deep tactical gameplay that's easy to grasp but will soon give your grey matter a workout. With highly customisable difficulty and a vast range of modes to enjoy, this is a decent turn based strategy game that fans of the genre shouldn't pass up -- although we suspect many will have played it to death already.

Push Square

Stephen Tailby·Jul 11, 2019

Critic40/100

Agreement—

A game based on Stranger Things seems like a winning combination, but this effort based on the recent season three leaves a lot to be desired. Most of what makes the show so good is missing here, and the gameplay and presentation are terribly flat. Retelling the latest season, sometimes word for word, also alienates the game from both people who've seen the show and people who haven't. Our advice to you is to watch the source material and leave it there; the game isn't going to turn your world upside down.

Push Square

Stephen Tailby·May 28, 2019

Critic70/100

Agreement—

One of PS4's strangest offerings, Trover Saves the Universe is a mouthy, madcap adventure with words that speak louder than its action. It's not all that long, but the promise of free DLC will extend the adventure later down the line. The option to play on the TV as well as PSVR is welcome, although it's clear the game is built with the immersive headset in mind. However you play it, the unusual landscapes, characters, and scenarios are what make this a game worth playing, but be aware of the silly and often dark humour before you take the plunge.

Push Square

Stephen Tailby·May 28, 2019

Critic60/100

Agreement—

With a little more polish, this could've been one of PS4's better indie platformers. As it stands, Unruly Heroes is a beautiful game with gameplay flaws putting a dampener on things. It's largely a fun game to play, especially in co-op, but controls aren't as tight as they should be, and combat devolves into button mashing territory all too easily. The result is a decent, if unremarkable, side-scrolling action title.

Push Square

Stephen Tailby·May 17, 2019

Critic70/100

Agreement—

We don't want to drag Team Sonic Racing down for ultimately quite trivial points. At the end of the day, Sumo Digital has served up a solid kart racer that succeeds in bringing something new to the table. It won't be to everyone's tastes, but the cooperative racing adds a nice layer of rapid fire strategy. It's implemented well, to the point where standard races feel distinctly secondary. It might be lacking the wow factor SEGA's other IPs brought to Sumo's other racers, and it's a shame performance is a little rocky, but this is a good option for PS4 players who want some arcadey thrills.

Push Square

Stephen Tailby·May 6, 2019

Critic70/100

Agreement—

Despite some repetitive mission design, Shakedown: Hawaii manages to entertain in much the same way as its predecessor. It swaps out pop culture references for jibes at the modern world, and it's an angle that slots right into the GTA-esque design. The business management aspects are what will keep you hooked, with each day bringing you more and more cash to splash. Its brand of action is simple but satisfying, and there are plenty of ways to enjoy the game if you're after some breezy open world antics -- just don't expect it to blow your socks (and sandals) off.

Push Square

Stephen Tailby·Apr 22, 2019

Critic60/100

Agreement—

Jupiter & Mars is an enjoyable underwater experience that sadly doesn't push the boat out. The visuals and music mix for a trippy swim through Earth's ruins, but the lack of interactivity makes the journey surprisingly dry. If you're after a relaxed dive through colourful caverns, this might be worth a look, but don't expect it to make a big splash.