Latest Reviews
Review Futuridium EP Deluxe (PlayStation 4)
Spacecubes
The work of a space pilot is never done – and in Futuridium EP Deluxe, you'll learn this firsthand. This retro themed shooter attempts to combine classic genre tropes with modern sensibilities, while also providing a cacophony of visual and sonic stimulation. But does this ship reach warp speed, or could it have used a bit longer in the...
Review FIFA 15 (PlayStation 4)
Straight down the middle
Reviewing FIFA tends to get harder as the years pass, especially when there are no new gameplay innovations or drastic blueprint alterations to shout about. Last year's entry felt like a step up purely because of the graphical and technical improvements that came courtesy of new hardware, but FIFA 15 is obviously unable to...
Review CastleStorm: Definitive Edition (PlayStation 4)
It's reigning Zen
Blurring the line between tower defense and real-time strategy, CastleStorm proved a surprise hit when we reviewed it last year. This time, Zen Studios’ clever mash-up is back on the PlayStation 4, with all of its previous DLC and a few new surprises up its sleeve. But how does this version stack up against the game that we...
Review Arcana Heart 3: LOVE MAX!!!!! (PlayStation Vita)
Girl power
When a game title has five exclamation points, there should be no doubt that it will attempt to blow your mind with a furious amount of explosions and wow moments. Arcana Heart 3: LOVE MAX!!!!! is certainly in your face, focusing on large full screen specials that will blind you with brash colours, while still maintaining classic 2D...
Review Frozen Synapse Prime (PlayStation Vita)
Fail to plan, plan to fail
Never has the phrase ‘No plan survives contact with the enemy’ been truer than when playing Frozen Synapse Prime on the PlayStation Vita. This turn-based tactics game has a real talent for throwing a spanner in the works, forcing you to hastily change your combat plans. Taking on the role of a tactician, you’ll...
Review Watch Dogs: Bad Blood (PlayStation 4)
Dreadlock screen
Watch Dogs was a solid sandbox title that was let down by a shallow story and a weak cast of characters, and even though it featured a number of well designed missions and some great combat, a severe lack of personality kept proceedings from being truly memorable. Flash forward, and we have the game's first expansion: Bad Blood...
Review Sherlock Holmes: Crimes and Punishments (PlayStation 4)
Baker treat
Sherlock Holmes is the ultimate alpha male. He may not be particularly strong, but he has the ability to crush any man with his incredible intellect – and in Crimes and Punishments, a PlayStation 4 adventure loosely based upon Sir Arthur Conan Doyle’s famous short stories and the BBC’s more modern adaptation, he practically revels...
Review KickBeat: Special Edition (PlayStation 4)
Kick it into touch
KickBeat: Special Edition is the re-release of Zen Studios’ rhythm fighting game for the PlayStation 4. Now, you may be asking yourself what a rhythm fighting game actually is – or you may not be. Either way, picture a fusion of Mortal Kombat and DJ Hero, and you’ll more or less have the right idea. Sadly, this game sounds...
Review Run Like Hell! (PlayStation Vita)
The running plan
Thanks to frighteningly ubiquitous smartphones, endless runners have become quite literally a dime a dozen. However, rather than attempting to separate itself from this pack, Run Like Hell! embraces its heritage, taking some serious cues from popular titles in the well-worn genre. But does its adherence to tradition see it take out...
Review Warriors Orochi 3 Ultimate (PlayStation Vita)
The handheld ultimatum
These days, publisher Koei Tecmo is all but forced to shove its Warriors games onto handheld consoles. With portable devices ruling the Japanese market, it makes perfectly logical sense, and what kind of musou fan would turn down the opportunity to wreck thousands of enemies on a small screen from the comfort of a seat on the...
Review Naruto Shippuden: Ultimate Ninja Storm Revolution (PlayStation 3)
Ninja stars shine so bright
The Naruto: Ultimate Ninja series has been a rock for Japanese developer CyberConnect2. A franchise which began back in 2003 on the PlayStation 2, there have been numerous entries since, and it's impressive to think that not a single one has been overly disappointing. In fact, the series has only gotten better as the...
Review Fairy Fencer F (PlayStation 3)
Caught off-garde
Sometimes the best way to succeed is to stick to the bread and butter of the genre, rather than mess about with weird gimmicks. In Fairy Fencer F, developed by Compile Heart, it aims to do just that in using fairies, furies, and fencers. Upon overhearing a rumour, our hungry hero Fang removes the sword in the stone to get his one...
Too few men on the ice
Last year, when EA made it apparent that NHL 14 would be the only sports game to be skipping out on arriving on the (at the time) next generation of consoles, some people were distraught – this author included. Why would the publisher miss out on introducing NHL to the PlayStation 4 as soon as possible? It was explained to...
Review Murasaki Baby (PlayStation Vita)
Balloon fright
Murasaki Baby made this typically composed critic want to toss his figurative toys out of the pram, and that’s never a good sign. Ovosonico’s long in production PlayStation Vita exclusive whisks you away from the hustle and bustle of the real world to a nightmarish fantasy land, where you must guide a wailing infant and her purple...
Review Flockers (PlayStation 4)
Sheep thrills
In the nineties, Lemmings was so popular with gamers that it appeared on a mind boggling number of platforms, as millions tried – with varying degrees of success – to guide the careless rodents to safety. Since those heady days, you don’t see many titles that follow the Lemmings formula, but with the release of Flockers on the...
Review Destiny (PlayStation 4)
Guardians of the galaxy
Expectations breed negativity, and Destiny's long awaited launch has suffered for it. Despite making more money than we dare to imagine in its first 24 hours on the market, Bungie's latest project has attracted the ire of many players since its servers went live. After what feels like an eternity of hype and huge marketing...
Review Minecraft: PlayStation 4 Edition (PlayStation 4)
Chip off the old block
Minecraft is quite simply one of those games that will go down in history as a truly revolutionary idea. Markus ‘Notch’ Persson’s block busting sandbox has rapidly transformed into a cultural phenomenon, sprouting memorabilia, fancy dress costumes, and, of course, console ports. This PlayStation 4 release is very much...
Review The Golf Club (PlayStation 4)
Fore the fanatics
Breaking into the sports genre is almost impossible if you’re an indie outfit. There’s money to be made in pub games and the like, but you’re never going to see a ten man team take on FIFA or Madden – the odds of success are significantly worse than Tiger Woods’ now that he’s busted his back. The Golf Club by Canadian...
Review The Last Tinker: City of Colors (PlayStation 4)
Needs a bit more tinkering
Sony has never been a stranger to having platformers hit its consoles. In a day and age where 3-D platformers are becoming less common than they should, there are occasions when weʼre treated with a fun little title that rekindles our interest in the genre. Developer Mimimi Productions brings PlayStation 4 owners a new...
Review Madden NFL 15 (PlayStation 4)
Defensive win
It’s Madden Season, so it's time to pone your rivals and show them what you're made of on the gridiron — well, the virtual gridiron, at least. Unlike previous titles, this year’s release of the American football simulator makes some pretty massive changes to the way that the game is played. Madden NFL 15 has taken inspiration...
Review Velocity 2X (PlayStation 4)
2Xcellent
Since the very beginning of video game history, developers have strived to give us new and exciting ways of blowing stuff up in space. Whether it’s deadly invaders from planets unknown or chunks of asteroids, it’s all been in preparation for Velocity 2X. Strap yourself in, grab yourself a glass of tang, attempt to figure out what the...
Review Warriors Orochi 3 Ultimate (PlayStation 4)
A good sssstarting point
Warriors titles may be having a decent critical run of late, but even that doesn't help the fact that this year has already had its fair share of titles from Koei Tecmo's slash-'em-up franchises. We've had Dynasty Warriors 8: Xtreme Legends Complete Edition and Dynasty Warriors: Gundam Reborn, and now we've got Warriors...
Review Disgaea 4: A Promise Revisited (PlayStation Vita)
On the move, dood!
When someone mentions “hardcore gaming,” your mind probably either springs towards the image of an overweight shut-in with poor hygiene and an obsession with the evils of Call of Duty or, failing that, one of those Korean chaps who inexplicably play Starcraft for six weeks straight. You probably don’t think about a cutesy...
Review Danganronpa 2: Goodbye Despair (PlayStation Vita)
Hello addiction
Anyone who played and enjoyed Danganronpa: Trigger Happy Havoc is likely to mention one of its greatest strengths when praising the game: its ability to make you think about and consider the title's events, even when you're not playing. Its narrative structure and cast of interesting personalities meant that you'd end up pondering...
Review Mahjong Gold (PlayStation Vita)
Shiver me tiles
The Mahjong solitaire variant is a popular genre for handheld devices. In fact, it’s ideal for touch screen handhelds due to the nature of the game: bite-size puzzles solvable by matching pairs of symbols. And, indeed, 8 Floor Games' collection of Mahjong titles with their three star challenges, limited special abilities, and...
Review Plants vs. Zombies: Garden Warfare (PlayStation 4)
A real grower
Years of cultivation at PopCap Games has led to the growth of its latest title, Plants vs. Zombies: Garden Warfare. This series has long been known as a popular tower defence title – however, the developer has now planted its roots into new soil by changing the format slightly. As its Call of Duty spoofing name may indicate, this...
Review The Walking Dead: Season 2, Episode 5 - No Going Back (PlayStation 3)
The long and winding road
Back in July, when Telltale’s critically acclaimed The Wolf Among Us wrapped up its first season, The Walking Dead was only at its halfway point – but the developer has raced to Season Two’s finale since then. As those of you that are familiar with the series will already know, this second set of episodes puts you...
Review Tales of Xillia 2 (PlayStation 3)
Cat scratch Ludger
Tales of Xillia 2 is the sequel to last year's successful Tales of Xillia on the PlayStation 3. Much like the previous game, it’s charming, wonderful, and rewarding all at the same time. The worlds of Rieze Maxia and Elympios return as well as most of the gameplay from the original, and being the 14th title in the Tales series,...
Review Risen 3: Titan Lords (PlayStation 3)
Roll with it
For any series to make it to a third entry is quite an achievement, especially when it’s a perennial underachiever like the Risen games. After leaning heavily into the more piratical aspects for its first sequel, developer Piranha Bytes has doubled down on this approach for Risen 3: Titan Lords, letting you once again sail the high...
Review Trials Fusion: Empire of the Sky (PlayStation 4)
Looking up
If there was one thing wrong with Trials Fusion, it was that there wasn’t enough chances to fall tens of thousands of feet to your death. The fans have spoken: sometimes smashing your 120MPH bike into a brick wall just doesn’t feel dangerous enough. Don’t worry, though, as Ubisoft has heard your cries for a little more distance from...
