Latest Reviews
Review Biomutant - An Ambitious Game Weighed Down By Its Own Ideas
A missed opportunity
There was a moment ten hours into Biomutant where we had to pause and collect our thoughts. Not because the game was particularly challenging or intense, but from the overwhelming amount of systems being thrown at us. The marketing up until its release has heavily focused on the creativity inside the game, and its definitely...
Mini Review Baldur's Gate: Dark Alliance - A Barebones Re-Release Of A Classic
An expensive nostalgic trip
Baldur's Gate: Dark Alliance made a surprise re-release earlier this month, having originally released back in 2001 on the original Xbox. We never played the game back in the day, so this version was a perfect excuse to dive into the classic RPG and see what the fuss was all about. It received positive reviews on its...
Ethan's Hunt
Set just three years after the events of 2017's superlative Resident Evil 7, Resident Evil Village rejoins perennial whiner Ethan Winters and his wife Mia as they struggle to come to terms with the ordeal they suffered at the hands of the hillbilly Bakers in the Mold-infested swamps of Louisiana. Although the family has now been whisked...
Mini Review Judgment - A Fantastic Yakuza Spin-Off That Looks Better Than Ever On Xbox Series X
I hereby find you, excellent!
Right out of the gate - if you've ever been interested in the Yakuza series but turned off by the number of entries, then Judgment is the game for you. It's a fantastic insight into the world that the franchise has built, but under the guise of a new eye. The game sets itself as a perfect starting point for newcomers,...
Review MLB The Show 21 - Xbox Fans, It's Finally Time To Play Ball
Welcome to The Show
Baseball fans never thought they'd see this moment arrive, but it's finally here! MLB The Show 21 is officially an Xbox game, not to mention a day one Xbox Game Pass addition, and seeing the little PlayStation intro sequence as you boot it up definitely takes some getting used to! Full disclaimer, we're not hardcore veterans of...
Review Outriders - People Can Fly's Looter Shooter Soars Into Action
Riders on the Storm
People Can Fly's Outriders does not, we think it's fair to say, get off to the grandest of starts. Kicking off with a prologue that showcases all of its weakest elements at once - the janky cutscenes, buggy facial animations and duff dialogue, it's an introduction to a brand new IP that had us pretty worried if we're being...
Review Balan Wonderworld - The Balan-dest Platformer On Xbox Series X
Everyone's mad here
When Balan Wonderworld was announced last year, it was a game that seemed completely up our alley. It checked all the boxes for what we look for in a platformer. Unique abilities, colourful worlds, and personality busting from its seams. With the talent involved and being lead by Yuji Naka, the creator of classic franchises such...
We're pretending we're Supermen again
We comprehensively reviewed Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 1+2 back at launch and found it to be a superb return to form for the Birdman, but now we're doing things a little different with its upcoming Xbox Series X and Xbox Series S upgrade, as there are quite a few things to talk about in regards to the improvements...
Mini Review RetroMania Wrestling - An Enjoyable Old School Alternative To WWE 2K
A non-WWE game on Xbox? What a rush!
We've definitely been starved for good wrestling games on Xbox over the past decade, but if you're looking for something a bit more old school, RetroMania Wrestling finally has you covered. The game is an official sequel to 1991's arcade classic, WWF WrestleFest, boasting a highly detailed style of 2D...
Review Crash Bandicoot 4: It's About Time - Platforming Bliss On Xbox Series X
Grandmaster Crash
Updated Xbox Series X Review (by Fraser Gilbert): It hasn't even been six months since Crash Bandicoot 4: It's About Time first launched for Xbox One, and the game has already received an updated version for Xbox Series X and S. We've checked out the Xbox Series X version, and while it already played really well through backwards...
Mini Review Pacer - The Closest Thing To Wipeout On Xbox
On your marks, get set, Wipeout!
If you're of a certain age and you've owned a PlayStation at some point in your life, you probably have some fond memories of the futuristic racing series Wipeout. And while it's never made the crossover to Xbox over the years, R8 Games has created a faithful and enjoyable spiritual successor in the form of Pacer,...
Mini Review Football Manager 2021: Xbox Edition - Say Goodbye To Your Spare Time
But prepare for some awkward controls
Football Manager 2021: Xbox Edition joins Xbox Game Pass this week, so we've put together this little mini review so you know what to expect. The Xbox Edition is playable on Xbox consoles and PC with Xbox Play Anywhere. We're willing to bet if you're reading this review, you've know at least something about...
Mini Review Taxi Chaos - Competent Enough, But Lacking That 'Crazy' Factor
Let's take a trip back to 1999
Here's the thing about Taxi Chaos; it unapologetically borrows the formula from SEGA's popular Crazy Taxi series in almost every single way, and if you enjoyed that game back in the day, you'll probably get at least a few kicks out of this one. It handles well, the city is well realised and brimming with colour, and...
Review Little Nightmares 2 - Bigger And Bolder Than Its Predecessor
Beware! You're in for a scare!
We play games for escapism - especially in today’s global situation. The art of losing ourselves in a world far different from our own, no matter how horrifying, provides us with a reprieve. Little Nightmares II is built around that idea and deploys its theme of escapism both literally and metaphorically. The result?...
Review Werewolf: The Apocalypse - Earthblood - Feels Dated, But Enjoyable Nonetheless
Rage against the machine
It's hard to get away from the feeling while you're playing Werewolf: The Apocalypse - Earthblood that it would have been more suited for the original Xbox or Xbox 360 generation. That might sound like a criticism, but while the game certainly feels a little dated and overly simplistic in certain ways, it's also a experience...
Review The Medium - A Stunning Xbox Series X Showpiece, Let Down By Uninspired Gameplay
Hello from the other side!
The Medium often feels like a theme park attraction. I'm not talking about the thrilling adventure of Space Mountain at Disneyland, but something more in line with a slower dark ride attraction such as The Haunted Mansion. Bloober Team's latest title, one that aims to utilise the Xbox Series X|S' horsepower to a large...
Review Hitman 3 - A Fitting End To A Magnificent Trilogy
47th Heaven
The final entry in IO Interactive's incredible World of Assassination trilogy, Hitman 3 sees everyone's favourite follicly challenged freak return for one more round of slick and addictive assassination action, and what a way to wind up Agent 47's story this is. From its glitzy, glamourous opening in a Dubai skyscraper, a fully-fledged...
Review Scott Pilgrim Vs. The World: The Game – Complete Edition - A Cracking Comeback
"Hey! You totally came!"
When Scott Pilgrim vs. the World: The Game was removed from digital storefronts in 2014, it was a massive blow. A game franchise which celebrated gaming as a medium was cruelly snatched from us. Since then it’s garnered a massive cult following, and over the years has since become a relic from the Xbox 360 era. Then, last...
Review Cyberpunk 2077 - Packed With Potential, But Desperately In Need Of Some TLC
Soulkiller?
Disclaimer: This review has been updated to include our verdict based on the initial 1.04 hotfix update for Cyberpunk 2077 on Xbox One, and also now includes a score to represent that version of the game. We're not sure we've ever before played through a fully released AAA title while constantly thinking to ourselves "this is going to...
Review Immortals Fenyx Rising - A Fantastical Adventure That Draws Heavily From Breath Of The Wild
Fenyx Nights
Much has already been made of Immortals Fenyx Rising's very obvious similarities to The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild, and with good reason - this is a game that cribs heavily, unashamedly, from Nintendo's Magnum Opus. From its puzzle shrines and stamina-based climbing, to its huge freewheeling open world and core narrative...
Review Gears Tactics - Top-Notch Tactical Action On Xbox Series X
Let slip the cogs of war
Just over six months since it originally released on PC back in April, Gears Tactics finally makes its way to both the Xbox One and Microsoft's brand new Series X/S consoles. This really is an excellent - and very well-timed - addition to the console's Game Pass offerings, a thrilling top-down tactical effort that manages to...
Review Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War - Par For The Course, But Undeniably Fun
Jingo all the way.
Call of Duty: Black Ops returns with a brash and bombastic Cold War campaign that hammers home the series' usual heavy-handed jingoism as it funnels you through shooting galleries full of dim-witted enemies and bashes you over the head with OTT set pieces. This is Black Ops returning to its roots somewhat, steering mercifully...
Review Halo: The Master Chief Collection - Another Chance To Revisit The Classics On Series X
What once was old...
While we wait for Halo Infinite to land on Xbox Series X, at least we have a Series X|S optimised version of Halo: The Master Chief Collection now. Players with compatible displays will be able to experience up to 120 FPS at 4K on Series X and 1080p on Series S. This update also includes some graphic enhancements to the game...
Review NBA 2K21 Next-Gen - A Surprisingly Feature-Packed Upgrade For Series X
A net gain on next-gen
It’s an unwritten rule of next-gen gaming that a console must launch alongside at least one sports game, and that everyone must fawn over how it’s the best that sport has ever looked in video game form, but then acknowledge that the race to get it on next-gen invariably means modes have had to be dropped in the process...
Review Assassin's Creed Valhalla - The Best Entry To Date, And A Series X Showpiece
Great Odin's Raven!
How do you follow up on a game as enormous, as all-encompassing and expansive as Assassin's Creed Odyssey? Do you aim for an even bigger slice of open world in which to set your next Animus adventure? Add evermore RPG elements, fetch quests, side missions and collectibles for players to spend hundreds of hours hoovering up? With...
Review Watch Dogs: Legion - Visually Impressive On Series X, But Repetitive And Clunky
Ded On Arrival?
The hacky-smacky members of Watch Dogs' DedSec return for a third outing in the series that sees the hacktivist gang on the run, framed for a terrorist attack they didn't commit and looking to clear their name as they strike back against shadowy figures across a truly impressive vision of a dystopian near-future London. There are...
Review FIFA 21 - The Slightly More Beautiful Game
Heading in the right direction
It's that time of year again, as EA's never-ending FIFA franchise dribbles down the tunnel and out onto the pitch for another brand new season. It's an incremental update for the most part this time around, there are no really big marquee additions or modes to speak of here, beyond Volta's new story "Debut", but the...
Review Star Wars: Squadrons - The Force Is Strong With This One
Use the Force, LukeSkyWLKR1991
There's an indestructibly attractive core at the heart of the Star Wars franchise that manages to remain forever untarnished no matter how many godawful Christmas Specials, Battles for Endor, butt-clenchingly dull Trade Agreements or "I don't like sand" moments are thrown at it. We're talking about the wonderfully...
Review Marvel's Avengers - Undeniably Fun, But A Bit Rough Around The Edges
A solid start for the Avengers
Marvel's Avengers, much like the most recent cinematic interpretations of the MCU, is at once a spectacular, bloated, messy and undeniably fun experience. It nails the characterisations of its central superheroes, provides a surprisingly entertaining and lengthy campaign full of bombastic action and addictive combat,...
Review Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 1 + 2 - Returns The Series To Its Former Glory
The Birdman is back
It's hard to believe we've reached this point. It's been well over a decade since Tony Hawk fans were last treated to a standout title in the long-running series, and even a past attempt at remastering the original two games didn't come close to hitting the mark back in 2012 with Tony Hawk's Pro Skater HD. But this time,...
