Latest Reviews
Review Demon Turf - Solid Platformer Let Down By Lacklustre Combat
It's good to be bad
When publisher Playtonic Friends was founded and one of the first titles revealed to be released under its banner was Demon Turf, it was clear the company saw something in it. After spending the last few weeks with it, it's clear the game is a fine-tuned platformer, inspired by genre classics such as Banjo-Kazooie and Super Mario...
Review Project Zero: Maiden Of Black Water - Plenty Of Flaws, But Still Provides Effective Chills
Don't Look Now
The fifth entry in Koei Tecmo's long-running Fatal Frame franchise, Project Zero: Maiden of Black Water was originally released on WiiU back in 2014 and is, for our money, the weakest link in the series. This is a game that surrounds its signature ghost-snapping action with janky traversal mechanics and a wooden cast of characters...
Review It Takes Two - A Magical Slice Of Co-Op Heaven
Heading to Xbox Game Pass this week!
Update: With It Takes Two arriving on Xbox Game Pass Ultimate for console, PC and the cloud this Thursday, November 5th, we're taking the opportunity to republish this review so you can see what all the hype is about! Original review: When we first embarked upon It Takes Two's ten-hour journey, we knew it
Review Riders Republic - One Of The Best Extreme Sports Games On Xbox
The Big Steezy
Ubisoft's Rider's Republic, we think it's fair to say, does not get off to the best of starts in terms of initial impressions. This massively multiplayer open world sports extravaganza - think Forza Horizon with bikes, snowboards and wingsuits and you've 100% got the idea - lays it on thick with painfully tryhard banter and...
Review Age Of Empires 4 (Xbox for PC) - The Return Of The King
RTS is back on the menu
Long before MOBAs hit their stride with titles like DotA and League of Legends, one of the most popular genres on PC was real-time strategy. We may no longer be in the heyday of RTS, but there are still many series from this period that remain an important part of video game history. One of the standouts alongside classics...
Review NHL 22 - EA's Hockey Series Finally Makes The Jump To Frostbite
It's an important year for virtual hockey
In many ways, the latest iteration of EA's long-running hockey series in NHL 22 marks a fresh and crucial new beginning for the franchise. For the first time ever, the game is now running on the company's standard Frostbite engine as opposed to the dated Ignite engine of years past, and the result is a game...
Review The Forgotten City - A Delightful Puzzle Box Of Ideas
A long time ago in a city far, far away
Update (Thu 21st Oct, 2021): With The Forgotten City announced for Xbox Game Pass on October 28th, we're republishing this review to give you an idea of what to expect. As you can see, we were suitably impressed with it! Original (Sat 31st Jul, 2021): On the surface The Forgotten City doesn't look anything...
Review Echo Generation - Stranger Things Style RPG Knocks It Out The Park
An Xbox Game Pass title you don't want to miss
There's been something of a boom in 80s nostalgia in recent years, much of which has Stranger Things to blame for. It's no surprise, as the show's captivating world and electrifying synth tones give the feeling of a warm, cosy comfort blanket - despite the horrors the show presents. Echo Generation is...
Mini Review Nickelodeon All-Star Brawl - Not So Smashing
Something's missing
Starting up the first match with four Nigel Thornberry's battling it out was a momentous occasion. Growing up with classic Nickelodeon cartoons, this was a nostalgic moment for us, as we watched four Nigel's belly flop across the colourful stage. It was a great time, but one that fizzled out faster than it ignited. Within moments...
Review Back 4 Blood - A Worthy Spiritual Successor To Left 4 Dead
Come slay with me
The first two Left 4 Dead games were classics on the Xbox 360, and Back 4 Blood unapologetically attempts to take that formula and modernise it over a decade later, but the big difference this time is that Valve has nothing to do with it, and the reigns have been taken over by Turtle Rock Studios and Warner Bros. Games. That might...
Mini Review Bullets Per Minute - A Frantic FPS Metal Mosh Pit
Rock on!
Have you ever played Guitar Hero and lost yourself so much in the moment that you're thrashing around the room like a real-life rockstar? If so, then BPM: Bullets Per Minute is the game for you, mixing the iconic rhythm gameplay with all the ferocious action of DOOM. It's a unique sell for a game, and while it's a bit rough around the...
Review Alan Wake Remastered - Remedy’s Cult Classic Still Holds Up
Wake up, Alan
When Alan Wake first launched back in 2010, it had the unfortunate task of going up against Red Dead Redemption. The initial batch of people jumping into the game was small, but thankfully over the years, it's gained a cult following via word of mouth. Fast forward to today and developer Remedy Entertainment is working on bringing a...
Review Xuan Yuan Sword 7 - A Huge Surprise Hit
A love letter to the original Xbox days of gaming
These days, games get so bogged down in their ideas that they lose their central idea. Take Assassin's Creed Valhalla for example. The game is fantastic but is accompanied by an extraordinary amount of filler, and the result is that the percentage of people who made it to the end is shockingly low...
Review FIFA 22 (XSX) - FIFA's Best Outing On The Pitch In Years
An impressive year for the footie behemoth
Last year's FIFA 21 was the series' first outing on the Xbox Series X and Xbox Series S, and while it proved a sizeable jump up from the Xbox One version in the visual department, there weren't too many comparisons to make from a gameplay perspective. FIFA 22, however, is marketing its next-gen version...
Review Scarlet Nexus - Bonkers Combat, With An Even More Bonkers Story
Bring some painkillers
With Scarlet Nexus joining Xbox Game Pass (September 30), we're re-publishing this review. A few hours into Scarlet Nexus your fingers are dancing around the controller as you're directing the ballet of action on screen. By the end of the game, you're not only directing the experience, but you're also producing it,...
Review Super Monkey Ball Banana Mania - A Love Letter With A Few Misfires
AiAi and his friends are back!
Can you believe the Super Monkey Ball series is 20 years old? We can't either, but 2021 is the year of the monkey and SEGA is celebrating its iconic hero AiAi and friends with Super Monkey Ball Banana Mania, a completely remastered collection of three fan-favourite titles in the franchise. Whether you're a series...
Mini Review Islanders: Console Edition - An Addictive Tetris City Builder
Building has never been so relaxing
On the outside, Islanders: Console Edition seems like just another take on the city building genre, but within a single minute, it's clear there's more here than meets the eye. Instead of making your islands as pretty as possible, there's a surprisingly in-depth puzzle experience to sink your teeth into, which is...
Review Lost Judgment - Ryu Ga Gotoku Studio Strikes Again
Another fantastic entry
When the original Judgment launched, it came at a time when the Yakuza series was gaining momentum in the West. Fast forward to today and the franchise has grown exponentially, resulting in Lost Judgment being the first instalment to launch worldwide simultaneously. With such a gargantuan task ahead for developer Ryu Ga...
Review NBA 2K22 - Bringing Another Layer Of Next-Gen Polish To The Court
A next-gen slam dunk?
This review is based on the next-gen (Xbox Series X, Series S) version of NBA 2K22. With 2021/22’s NBA season not too far away from tipping off, a brand-new edition of NBA 2K makes its way onto next-gen consoles just in time to give b-ball fans a wealth of slam-dunking sports action to get stuck into. This time around...
Mini Review Breathedge - An Hilarious, But Frustrating Survival Game
Lost in Space this is not
Breathedge arrives on Xbox Game Pass on Thursday, September 9th (2021). Here's what we think of it! If you put Ark: Survival Evolved and The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy into a blender, Breathedge would most likely be the result. A game which attempts to balance the in-depth mechanics of various survival games, whilst...
Mini Review The Artful Escape - A Fantastic Musical Odyssey On Xbox Game Pass
An assault on the senses
Around an hour into The Artful Escape, we were absolutely in awe of what was on display. It was an assault on the sense, both visually and through its audio, absolutely engrossing us in its musical odyssey. It was a moment that was perhaps our favourite of the entire year, perfectly encapsulating the reason why we play...
Mini Review Kitaria Fables - Charming World Let Down By A Monotonous Grind
Cat got your tongue?
On the surface, Kitaria Fables looks to be a charming mixture of Stardew Valley and Diablo. Blending elements of the iconic farming simulator with the ferocious action of the latter is a great setup. In its initial opening hours, the game demonstrates a perfect blend of the two, delivering a satisfying gameplay loop. But it's...
Mini Review Crown Trick - Another Fantastic Roguelite For Xbox Game Pass
Death is only the beginning
One of the beauties of Xbox Game Pass is being able to try out games we would never usually touch. Crown Trick is the latest in a long line, replicating the roguelite genre with its own unique twist. After the huge success of Hades, players, such as ourselves, are looking for more titles to scratch the itch it left...
Review Sonic Colors: Ultimate - A Rollercoaster Thrill Ride
Faster than fast, quicker than quick
Sonic has had a tremendously troubled past. Outside of Sonic Mania, the series has hit a lull for several years now with lacklustre titles such as Sonic Forces and Sonic Lost World - the poor hedgehog can't catch a break. However, back in 2010, Nintendo Wii owners were treated to a 3D iteration which seemed to...
Mini Review Golf Club Wasteland - A Brilliant Birdie From The Rough
Yes, there is life on Mars
We were drawn to Golf Club: Wasteland from minute one. A golf game in which Earth is now a course for the ultra rich and the remains of civilization live on Mars? It's a great concept, and while the golf itself is nothing to write home about, it's the combination of everything else that makes Golf Club: Wasteland a...
Mini Review The Big Con - A Charming Xbox Console Exclusive
90s road trip, anyone?
There's something about the atmosphere of the 90s that just resonates with so many people - even those who weren't even alive during the time period. From the classic dial-up tone when you connected to the internet to taking home your favourite movie from Blockbuster, it's a timeless period that many feel nostalgic towards...
Review Aliens: Fireteam Elite - A Survival Shooter That's All About The Action
A mostly great squad-based Xeno shooter. Mostly.
Diving into Cold Iron Studios' Aliens: Fireteam Elite for the very first time - especially if your last videogame experience of this universe was Alien: Isolation - it's probably best to adjust your expectations ever so slightly. This isn't some slow-burn horror effort, tension-filled corridor crawler...
Review Psychonauts 2 - Bigger, Better And Crazier, Another GOTY Contender
Absolutely mental
Replaying the first Psychonauts this year felt as though we'd slipped back into our younger selves, sat in front of the TV on a Saturday morning watching cartoons. It has such a wonderful atmosphere, with characters we love, a world that's a delight to explore, and a beautiful insight into mental health that's portrayed with ease...
Review Twelve Minutes - The Game Pass Thriller With A Hollywood Cast
If I could turn back time
It's impossible to not at least be intrigued by Twelve Minutes. An interactive top-down thriller, launching into Xbox Game Pass on day one, and starring a Hollywood cast the likes of which games are almost never treated to, especially in the case of indie titles. The question is, can it live up to the hype? Fortunately, the...
Mini Review Button City - All Style, No Substance
Defunctland
From the outside, Button City looks as though it should be a wholesome recipe for success. It has a wonderful visual style, cute characters and boasts a ton of arcade games to lose yourself in. All of this is set to be wrapped in a beautifully told story that pulls on those nostalgic heartstrings of sitting in the arcades when you were...