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Last reviewed: Mina the Hollower · 6 days ago
Luna Abyss is a AA shooter that holds its own against some of the elite of the genre. Its enticing and ominous sci-fi world is a delight to look at artistically, even if its muddy graphics let it down on closer inspection. Its story is fine, but a slick sense of progression keeps its action and platforming interesting from start to finish.
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.
Grow Home is a gorgeous title which acts as yet another example that not all games need to be hours upon hours long. Its unique climbing mechanics make for a tense and often terrifying time, while its endearing story grounds the entire experience. There are some niggling control issues, but the stunning presentation and subtle soundtrack round things out, ultimately making for a satisfying and adorable game.
Despite being a bit abstruse at times, Armello is excellent at maintaining your interest and offers plenty of guidance to improve your playing technique. Overall, this is a remarkable digital board game that combines an engaging lore with likeable scenarios and fascinating mechanics.
You'll need the patience of a saint to break this curse, but if you've got the skills then Curses 'N Chaos can be a very rewarding game. Strong design and a surprising amount of depth offset some minor niggles, and thus with a low price tag, this is well worth bashing your gaming skills against.
Tearaway Unfolded is so imaginitive that you'll feel yourself wanting to applaud it at points. An occasionally clunky camera and some narrative issues do threaten to screw up this paper-based platformer, but the quirky controls and sheer variety of the gameplay will keep a smile glued to your face. Pitch-perfect presentation and a well-executed conclusion ensure that this remixed release is in tip-top shape, while the sheer wealth of collectibles give it value long after the credits roll.
Giana Sisters: Dream Runners is a hot mess to play, contradictory to its run-of-the-mill appearance. Even if you can manage to grasp what's happening and why it's happening long enough to delve into its online multiplayer, then you'll be hard-pressed to find any actual activity to take part in. A mashup with good intentions, the title falls a long way short of its admirable aspirations.
Although One Piece: Pirate Warriors 3 doesn't do an awful lot to distance itself from its predecessor, it still manages to refine almost every existing aspect. Kizuna attacks add some extra flavour to combat, the lengthy story mode is as comprehensive as it can be, and dream log is something that we'd love to see incorporated into future musou titles. However, as with the second game, it's the immensely fun and varied character roster that acts as the wind in this ship's sails. Simply put, Luffy and his crew's latest adventure is a joy to play.
So close, yet so far. Toy Soldiers: War Chest is an anti-climatic bundle of stale tactics, drawn-out missions, and taped-on microtransactions. It's a wonderful idea in theory that's just not developed enough or presented appealingly.
These conversions are absolutely spot-on in every regard, and the supplemental features – such as the Museum section and inventive Challenge mode – augment the experience neatly without sullying the purity of the original releases. Fans will appreciate the fact that all six NES titles are now in the same package, while newcomers can finally see what all the fuss is about.
Really cool art and a great score pair to ensure that Mike Bithell's latest is worth a shout – but we'd advise proceeding with caution, because there are still kinks to be worked out.
Danganronpa Another Episode: Ultra Despair Girls admirably steps out of the series' comfort zone in order to spread an entirely new kind of despair, but the result is a game that isn't quite as cohesive as its forebears. A massive amount of dialogue often saps the pace of an otherwise eerily tense third-person adventure, but other than that, this is a welcome addition to the franchise that's well worth experiencing if you're a fan of the maniacal Monokuma and all that he stands for.
Nova-111 is an enjoyable turn-based adventure game that manages to impress with its refreshing controls and charming art style. Though it does have some flaws, such as a lacklustre auto-save feature and a cumbersome amount of abilities, you'll be hard pressed to find a weirder and more brilliant tribute to the men and women who changed the world through science.
Until Dawn is a pleasant surprise, and something that fans of interactive stories will really appreciate. As a schlocky horror it's a success, but its fiction actually goes beyond simple slasher – even if it remains intentionally silly throughout. The sometimes sloppy controls will irritate, while the performance capture could have been better, but neither of these issues are nightmarish enough to pull you out of the popcorn flick plot, which is buoyed by the impressive, if not gigantically impactful, butterfly effect. A ridiculous romp is what was promised, then, and this one will keep occupied all night long.
Dragon Age: Inquisition's second expansion is perhaps even less essential than the first, and that's a real shame given the add-on's intriguing premise. Even though there are a few beacons of light in the darkness, such as some meaty combat scenarios and stints of exciting exploration, The Descent is damaged by a disappointingly bad ending and too many underwhelming side quests.
At its usual price of £11.99/$14.99, Jaws of Hakkon is an expensive investment for anyone who isn't hungry for more Dragon Age: Inquisition. Invested fans will undoubtedly enjoy this new adventure, but there's no denying that it all feels a bit flat, despite its wonderful setting. Some great fights and a few good storytelling moments keep the expansion from seeming completely toothless, but it's just not as sharp as it should be.
Adventures of Pip is sure to provide any fans of the genre with a good few hours of fun, and offers up some very interesting gameplay mechanics to boot. Unfortunately, the game is undermined by some niggling issues and poor design choices, but these don't hinder it enough to obscure an otherwise charming and intelligent little outing.