Bandai Namco Xbox Reviews
Review Dragon Ball: Sparking! Zero (Xbox) - A Super Take On Budokai Tenkaichi
Your wish has been granted
Dragon Ball fighting games have a rich history, but one series that has arguably ascended above the rest is Budokai Tenkaichi. Since the original title was released on the PlayStation 2 in 2005, these games (known as the ‘Sparking!’ series in Japan) have been expanded upon – recreating the legendary battles and...
Review Sand Land (Xbox) - A Classic Manga From Dragon Ball Creator Akira Toriyama Revived
Tank beats everything!
The resurgence of Sand Land is very much a bittersweet moment for fans of the legendary manga artist and character designer Akira Toriyama, after he passed away at the age of 68 in early March 2024. While he was best known as the creator of Dragon Ball around the world, he also cont
Marshall Arts
The last time we jumped into 2017's Tekken 7 on Xbox Series X we were quite taken aback by how poorly optimised the game was on Microsoft's current crop of consoles. We don't have the exact numbers in front of us right now, and Google is so very far away, but this is a game that, last time we checked, was running at 720p on the latest...
Mobile Suit Gundaaayum!
There has, understandably, been a whole heap of interest leading into the release of Armored Core VI: Fires Of Rubicon, and certainly a great deal more hype from a much wider range of gamers than is usually the case with this long-running, and rather niche, mech shooter series. Of course that's all down to how FromSoftware's...
Review Tales Of Symphonia Remastered – A Remaster That Could Have Been So Much More
Lloyd Irving returns in Bandai Namco’s classic RPG
Bandai Namco’s Tales series hasn’t exactly been a powerhouse here in the west compared to certain other famous Japanese role-playing games, but one entry in particular that has got quite a lot of love from fans over the years is the charming adventure Tales of Symphonia. This action-style RPG...
Review Pac-Man World Re-Pac - Classic 3D Pac Is Back After 23 Years
How does it hold up?
You don’t often see Pac-Man outside of a maze, so whenever it does happen, it’s often a weird and sometimes wonderful sight. Over the years, we’ve seen the dot eater cameo in fighting games like Super Smash Bros. and even race around in karts in certain other games, but did you know he’s also featured in his very own 3D...
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 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 Dark Souls III (Xbox One)
Light my fire
What do you expect of a sequel? Do you expect it to reinvent itself and alter its DNA in substantial ways, or do you prefer that it refines its formula and tastefully enhances its best qualities? If the latter is your preference, you'll be delighted with Dark Souls III. Developer FromSoftware has taken the foundation from past Souls...
Review Project CARS (Xbox One)
Spin Spin Sugar
It's 8am on a drizzly Spanish morning. Despite the light smattering of rain, the early morning sunlight floods through the trees dotted around the Catalunya circuit, reflecting in the standing water on the wet tarmac and bringing the whole track to life. The sand to the edges of the raceway looks as bright and soft as the most...
Burnt out
When it comes to simulations of motorcycle racing, there's really only one name left in the business. When you buy a game based on MotoGP, Motocross, Superbikes, or anything else that runs on two wheels and has an engine, Italian developer Milestone is likely who will be behind it. With so many titles under their belt, we were expecting...
Review Dragon Ball Z: Battle of Z (Xbox 360)
Is this a Dragon Ball Zzzzzz?
Dragon Ball Z has always been known for it's spectacle of over the top fun, characters, design and action. Dragon Ball Z: Battle of Z is no exception in this highly stylized spectacle fighter, which is easy to play, enjoyable to watch, but which can become repetitive before it gets fun. There isn't really any story to...
Review PAC-MAN and the Ghostly Adventures (Xbox 360)
Pac isn't back.
For this first time since the last time, everyone’s favourite spherical pill-muncher is back, apparently. Only this time he has an American “surfer dude” voice. But that isn’t the only change, oh no. He’s friends with some of the ghosts that he was looking to gobble up in the iconic original title for starters and on top of...
Review Dr Kawashima's Body and Brain Exercises (Xbox 360)
Grey matters
The original Dr Kawashima's Brain Training on Nintendo DS started a revolution back in the day: suddenly game developers realised they could tap into a brand new market of buyers eager to kickstart their cerebral centres, and a host of copycat titles emerged over the next few years. With Kinect ready-made for this same market, it's no...
