February2018
Grunt and squeak and squawk with the animals
Fe is the latest project from the Swedish studio Zoink! Games, and is a wide departure from its previous work. Swapping out quirky, comical adventure games like Stick it to the Man for something more straight faced, the developer's experiment is a decent effort, but unfortunately falls short of greatness...
March2017
Review Mass Effect: Andromeda (PS4)
In space, no one can hear you meme
About half an hour into our Mass Effect: Andromeda playthrough, squadmate and cocky Londoner Liam snapped into a t-pose – arms in the air as if he was being crucified – and refused to come out of it until we reloaded our game. We had heard that BioWare's latest was buggy, but we couldn't have imagined just how...
October2016
Over the top
As one of the deadliest conflicts in human history, World War I had a massive impact on the twentieth century. Not only did both sides suffer an absolutely horrific number of casualties, but the geo-political upheaval it caused planted seeds of division that would resonate throughout the century to come. With the "bad guys" of the...
June2016
Review Mirror's Edge Catalyst (PS4)
Good Faith
When the first Mirror's Edge released in 2008, it performed so poorly on the sales front that it's really quite remarkable that Mirror's Edge Catalyst exists at all. While the original certainly had its fair share of issues, some gamers look back on it quite fondly – especially since there wasn't anything quite like it at the time,...
February2016
Review Plants vs. Zombies: Garden Warfare 2 (PS4)
Behind enemy vines
Popcap has taken control of the plantation again with a sequel to the much-loved Plants vs. Zombies: Garden Warfare. We really liked the original release, praising its ability to "stay true to its roots" while still offering an olive branch to new audiences by "switching up the franchise's familiar format". But by returning to the...
No strings attached
Pretty much from the moment that Coldwood Interactive's creative director, Martin Sahlin, took to the stage during EA's E3 2015 press conference, we had a good feeling about Unravel. Sure, Sahlin was very visibly nervous, but it was in an endearing way, and if anything, made our early impressions of the game even more positive...
November2015
Review Star Wars Battlefront (PS4)
Yavin a good time
With many excellent Star Wars games committed to gaming history, it's unfortunate that the last five years or so have been a bit of a disappointment. A trend towards mobile games and titles targeting a younger demographic has left many yearning for a Star Wars game that can stand alongside classics such as TIE Fighter, Knights of...
Asleep at the wheel
For a game that's so high on Monster energy drinks, Need for Speed sure could do with a sugar rush. Ghost Games' long-awaited reboot – which was constructed over the course of a two year development cycle – is a slow and turgid affair, which is in direct contrast to its hyperactive cast of characters. It's frustrating because...
September2015
Take a Tebow
There are three types of people when it comes to American Football: the people that love it, the people that don't care about it, and the people who think that it's 'namby-pamby rugby'. Only the people in the first camp would usually play this year's edition of the Madden series, even more so now because of the increasing tactical...
August2015
Review Dragon Age: Inquisition - The Descent (PS4)
Descend no further
We hope that you're not sick of delving into dank and ominous caverns, because Dragon Age: Inquisition's second expansion, The Descent, is a spelunker's wet dream. Taking the Inquisitor and their party down into the Deep Roads – a gigantic network of underground caverns that are home to countless types of dangerous beasties –...
Review Dragon Age: Inquisition - Jaws of Hakkon (PS4)
Not enough bite for your buck
The Frostback Basin is a melting pot of varied environments, and it's arguably the star of Dragon Age: Inquisition's first expansion, Jaws of Hakkon. It's a gorgeous and vast location that features beaches, bogs, caverns, forests, jungles, mountains, and even islands made of ice. It's also bathed in a constant sunset,...
March2015
Review Battlefield Hardline (PlayStation 4)
Battlefield Vice
We all know what police officers are like, don't we? If semi-documentaries like The Wire, CSI, The Shield, and A Touch of Frost are anything to go by, there's barely a person in law enforcement on either side of the pond that isn't addicted to meth and good-hearted hookers. As easy as it is for us to identify with these fictional...
November2014
Review Dragon Age: Inquisition (PlayStation 4)
Everybody expects the Inquisition
BioWare has had to endure a rocky road of late. Mass Effect 3 didn't sit well with everyone, and although there was a decent game at its core, Dragon Age II missed the mark almost entirely when it came to being a worthy successor to the great Dragon Age: Origins. As a result, a lot rests on Dragon Age: Inquisition's...
October2014
Review Peggle 2 (PlayStation 4)
Ode to joy
Peggle 2 is, as its name suggests, a sequel to PopCap’s incredibly popular mobile game, which sees you using a ball to clear a board of pegs in an almost pinball-esque fashion. This simple mechanic makes it incredibly easy to pick-up and play – but its accessibility also enables an addictive experience, meaning that it can be hard to...
August2014
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...
December2013
Review Need for Speed: Rivals (PlayStation 4)
Cops 'n' racers
Need for Speed: Rivals rarely wants you to take your foot off the accelerator. Swedish upstart Ghost Games’ debut arcade racer fuses the fast-paced police chases popularised by Need for Speed: Hot Pursuit with the open world pandemonium of Need for Speed: Most Wanted, and serves up an emergent online experience that ensures that...
November2013
Review Battlefield 4 (PlayStation 4)
'Til it goes click
While narratives have never really been DICE's strong suit, Battlefield 4, the next entry in its popular series of shooters, at least takes things in the right direction. While Battlefield 3 delivered an incredibly boring campaign that bordered on dreadful at times, the new entry at least seems like it tried. The story is not...
Review Battlefield 4 (PlayStation 3)
Boom! Shake, shake, shake the room
Almost every event that you're a part of in Battlefield 4 is punctuated by some sort of demolition or explosion. Pursued by a helicopter? It'll blow up sooner or later. Running up a flight of stairs? They probably won't be there on the way back down. Need to get past an armoured vehicle? Better blast it to bits...
June2013
Blown it
For a game named Fuse, the latest title from Insomniac Games does fittingly merge a plethora of ideas to create a satisfactory experience – but we're not sure that such meek praise was on the developer's agenda when it embarked on its first multiplatform project. This is a competent third-person shooter that ticks every box in the...
April2013
Review Tiger Woods PGA Tour 14 (PlayStation 3)
On par
The threat of stagnation with annual sports titles is something that EA faces with a large chunk of its catalogue. This year's iteration of Tiger Woods PGA Tour 14 is no exception, delivering another enjoyable digital facsimile of golf, with just enough tweaks and additions to tempt truly committed fans into upgrading. For everyone else,...
December2012
Review Mass Effect (PlayStation 3)
Back to the future
Launching five years after its original Xbox 360 debut, Mass Effect has finally landed on the PlayStation 3, completing the series' sci-fi trilogy on Sony's console. However, the title's late arrival places it in an awkward position, destined to be judged against the sequels it spawned. Has the classic aged gracefully? Not...
November2012
Review Need for Speed: Most Wanted (PlayStation Vita)
Portable octane
Need for Speed: Most Wanted takes place in the beautiful city of Fairhaven where the most notorious street racers call home. As you attempt to make a name for yourself, you’ll have to climb your way up the list of most wanted drivers by earning speed points. To do this, you’ll have to prove that you have some serious chops behind...
April2012
Review EA Sports FIFA Football (PlayStation Vita)
Transfer listed
The portable FIFA titles have come a long way since the days of Game Boy Advance, when pitched down versions were the norm. These days EA takes the portable market a little more seriously, going on PlayStation Vita from day one and launching FIFA Football alongside the new system. If you've played a home console FIFA title in the...
Review Tiger Woods PGA Tour 13 (PlayStation 3)
Out of the woods
It’s been a year now since the publicity surrounding Tiger Woods’ marital mishaps forced any real acknowledgement of the star to be removed from EA’s premium golf series. But time is a great healer, and, heading into the Masters, last year’s laughing stock is now the one to watch. That change in attitude is reflected...
March2012
Review Mass Effect 3 (PlayStation 3)
Cause and effect
Mass Effect 3 is all about the big payoff and no, we’re not talking about its controversial conclusion. Those who’re returning to BioWare’s sci-fi epic will have already invested many hours trawling the galaxy, zipping through mass relays, forming alliances with races from distant worlds and making difficult decisions that...
