Developer Arkane Studios’ return always feels like a welcome one, packed with both anticipation and fond memories of previous titles. From Dishonored to Deathloop, we’ve understandably become accustomed to a certain level of creativity and quality from the developer. That being said, Redfall feels like a missed opportunity. It’s a world full of lore and intrigue,…
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Crime Boss: Rockay City’s reveal felt like a nail being hit on the head. Between the stellar cast, featuring Michael Madsen (Reservoir Dogs), Chuck Norris (Walker Texas Ranger), Kim Basinger (Batman), Danny Glover (Lethal Weapon), Michael Rooker (The Walking Dead) and even rapper Vanilla Ice, and the satiric nature of a crime-ridden beach city in…
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Horizon Forbidden West has released its long-awaited DLC follow-up, in the form of a new expansion titled Burning Shores. The PS5 exclusive add-on for the game follows Aloy as she journeys to a new part of the USA which winks at the future of Hollywood and its place within this new world. The main difference…
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The time has finally arrived. After what feels like an eternity, Dead Island 2 has finally made its way to our homes, bringing with it waves of zombies to dismember in gory fashion. In many ways, Dead Island 2 is a solid action title, packing in brutal melee combat and a consistent sense of humour….
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For everything that Minecraft has done over the past decade or so, it’s surprising top realise that the franchise has not yet touched the strategy genre. That is, until now. Minecraft Legends looks to fill that gap, providing fans and newcomers alike with an RTS spinoff that feels accessible to both younger and older gamers…
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I had only gotten into golfing as a sport in recent years, but had always admired the EA Sports PGA Tour games (or Tiger Woods PGA Tour games as they were known back then) for a fun and laidback approach to what is otherwise an incredibly tactical and nuanced activity. While I couldn’t get a…
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Following in the footsteps of critically acclaimed games with a fiercely loyal fanbase always feels like risky business. But Mato Anomalies by developer Arrowiz has stepped up to the plate, to produce their own take on the much loved visual novel meets turn-based JRPG genre. While the game is far from perfect, it brings to…
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If previous remakes of Resident Evil games taught us anything, it’s that you can in fact teach an old dog new tricks. But unlike older games that experienced newer visuals and revamped gameplay, Resident Evil 4’s more recent tropes and mechanics bring it closer to what many expect from both the broader franchise and aforementioned…
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If you’ve fallen out of love with the WWE 2K series in recent years, we don’t blame you. Aside from the inconsistent performance and rampant bugs and glitches, the franchise certainly seemed to be heading toward a breaking point of sorts. Thankfully, WWE 2K22’s fresh showcase mode and steady performance yanked the franchise away from…
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Wo Long: Fallen Dynasty comes to us from developer Team Ninja; yes, the same Team Ninja behind both Nioh and Nioh 2. Much like those games, Wo Long: Fallen Dynasty is a challenging and satisfying romp that largely succeeds at providing consistently cohesive combat mechanics and confident pacing. While its boss battles serve as the…
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Originally releasing on the Nintendo Wii back in 2011, Kirby’s Return to Dreamland served as a safe and memorable entry in the franchise, featuring the titular and ever lovable pink icon. While Kirby’s Return to Dreamland Deluxe is certainly better than the original, it’s still very much the same game at its core, short of…
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For as much as I have enjoyed almost every entry in the Yakuza series (known in Japan as Like a Dragon), I was surprised to find I had never encountered Like a Dragon: Ishin! Funnily enough, western fans might have felt the same way, upon realising that this entry is actually a remake of a…
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It’s admittedly been a while since I had touched base with the Monster Hunter series. And then I saw it; the reveal of Wild Hearts, developer Omega Force and Koei Tecmo’s answer to an existing breed of hunting game, that draws on many of the techniques and mechanics of the aforementioned franchise, while adding satisfying combat,…
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I’ll be the first to admit it; I still pop in the older Harry Potter games on both the original PlayStation and PlayStation 2. My love for both the films and books aside, I simply love existing in this world and exploring the nooks and crannies that Hogwarts has to offer. So you could imagine…
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Forspoken is a fantasy adventure with a lot of heart and soul at its core. While some of its magic gets lost in translation, the expansive open world, unique controls and intriguing combat system help the game feel fresh more so than not. The cinematic scope of the story and main missions give it a…
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The original Dead Space, released in 2008, still holds up as one of the greatest sci-fi horror games of all time. But 2008 also feels like a long time ago in gaming terms. As a result, Dead Space’s remake feels like that same relevant experience, made all the more satisfying thanks to minor gameplay choices…
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The Fire Emblem series has seen consistent success for its various gameplay implementations and winding narratives that seem to steer the franchise forward in both new and exciting directions. Fire Emblem Engage might be the latest entry in the franchise, but makes dedicated choices to bring the series back to its roots, instead focusing primarily…
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Up until this very day, Persona 4 Golden holds a very special place in my heart. I’m not a huge fan of the JRPG genre as a whole, but more so titles within the genre. As a result, Persona 4 Golden stands as my favourite Persona game to date and my favourite game on the…
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While Persona 4 Golden stands as one of my favourite JRPG titles of all time, I feel as though I never gave Persona 3 Portable a fair chance. This time around, I was delighted to find that this entry holds up in many ways, thanks to its deep and nuanced combat and dark story, even…
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My first few hours with High On Life were something different, with the final product proving to be one of the most polarizing and subjective games I’ve played in recent memory. But it’s not for the reasons you might think. High On Life ticks many of the boxes associated with the first-person shooter genre; it’s…
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I’ll be the first to admit that I’ve fallen out of love with Need for Speed games in recent years. It’s not that they’ve been necessarily bad, but given recently established franchises like the Forza Horizon series or the returning Gran Turismo series, Need for Speed has had seemingly little to offer the genre in…
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The big blue blur is having the time of his life in 2022, thanks to an incredibly successful film sequel. So with the Sonic series reaching an all-time high in recent years, developer Sonic Team has decided to completely re-invent the wheel by taking him out of his traditional 2D side-scrolling adventure, instead opting for…
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My immediate impressions of The Callisto Protocol were sceptical at best. From new developers Striking Distance Studios and video game director, designer and producer Glen Schofield, one of the minds behind the original Dead Space, I couldn’t help but feel his newest attempt at survival horror was clearly something left unfinished with his previous franchise….
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With Marvel dominating the film, TV and gaming landscapes, it’s no surprise that someone finally got around to adapting Marvel’s Midnight Sons in some way, shape or form. Yes, you read that right; while Marvel’s original and existing comic book series is spelt a little differently, developer Firaxis Games‘ take on the Midnight Suns still…
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I’ll admit right upfront, that I’ve never played the original Goat Simulator before Goat Simulator 3. But after playing the newest entry in the franchise, I’m not sure why or how I’d ever missed it. That being said, if you tried looking for Goat Simulator 2, don’t bother; it doesn’t actually exist, making Goat Simulator…
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Vampires in the Wild West. We’re not sure it gets any better than that either. I would liken Evil West to the best parts of both old school horror films and exploitation films of the 70s and 80s. It’s stylish and gratuitous, all while taking itself way too seriously. Its general pacing and combat mechanics feel…
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At first glance, Pentiment felt like a game I wouldn’t necessarily be interested in. I’m not big on medieval Eurpoean history, nor am I invested in the text-based gameplay that Pentiment thrives on. That being said, I’m glad I came across it. Pentiment is without a doubt the biggest surprise of 2022 so far, but I…
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It feels like it’s been a while since the last wave of rather memorable physics-based, side scrolling experiences like Limbo and Inside. Thankfully, Somerville brings with it that immediate sense of mystery and wonder that I only now realised I had been missing. Development studio Jumpship’s co-founder Dino Patti, also founded development company Playdead, and…
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If 2018’s God of War felt like a story of identity and resolve, God of War Ragnarök feels more like a story of discovery, consequence and ultimately, fate. Many of these aspects had formed an incredible journey which we had begun back in 2018, but left things ultimately unfinished, and players yearning for the remaining pieces…
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Upon its relatively recent reveal, New Tales from the Borderlands immediately drew me in with its familiar visuals and charm, what with the original Tales from the Borderlands being my favourite Telltale game to date. Developer Gearbox Software has picked up the franchise with confidence, retaining much of the wit and charm via general humour and likable…
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