there's no denying that Age of Mythology’s gameplay can feel simplistic, which is ironic, considering how influential the series has been. Having played a bunch back in the day, the missed campaigns are appreciated, but we can’t see ourselves regularly returning to the well.
Planet Zoo is, ironically, a relatively toothless park building game. It doesn't have the delicious chaos of the Jurassic World Evolution games or the thrills of building your own rollercoaster and then hoping it'll stay on the tracks in Planet Coaster. But it's a pleasant and charming game. There's an airy joy in creating a peaceful home for animals to live in, and the earnest conservationist slant of Planet Zoo is hard to fault.
Something that hasn’t aged quite as well are the shooting galleries. The enemy spawns feel too abundant on some levels, causing the gunplay to get a bit too monotonous. This is especially true on 'The Lost Levels' which are brand new bonus missions meant to connect “old” Doom to “new” Doom, but end up overstaying their welcome.
Once the novelty of playing a game within the My Hero Academia world wears off, all that's left is another fairly average arena brawler. Different modes aren't enough to make the title stand out, and ultimately, My Hero One's Justice 2 offers an experience which, although enjoyable, is forgettable and somewhat bland. It's safe to say that we expected more from this sequel.
While it may be incredibly similar to what came before it, Nioh 2 smartly adds yet more depth and mechanics to its engagements to make for one of the best combat systems around.
Bloodroots takes the frenetic ferocity of Hotline Miami and transforms it into an action puzzler that's distinct enough to stand on its own. The title incorporates its enormous roster of weaponry effortlessly and is able to easily communicate each armament's strengths throughout spontaneous skirmishes. It's masterfully designed and bizarrely well written, meaning not even difficulty spikes and occasionally unfair camerawork can detract from its achievements.
Two Point Hospital is the antidote to our two-decade Theme Hospital obsession. With its strong sense of humour and accessible yet deep gameplay loop, this spiritual successor replicates all the elements that made the 1997 original so memorable. Importantly, it's been smartly converted to the PS4, with a slick control scheme and a varied campaign.
. Minor collision detection niggles aside, this is a well-executed adventure, it’s just not especially interesting from the outset. Some may find a few hours of fleeting entertainment here, but it’s not going to live long in the memory once you eventually close the application down.