February2015

  • Review Dragon Ball XenoVerse (PlayStation 4)

    Sparking!

    If you're a fan of Dragon Ball, be it the brilliantly detailed original manga series or the animated adaptation, the chances are that the story is now embedded deep within your psyche – especially if you've played even just a few of the licensed games over the years. It's hard to surprise a fan, then, because they already know the plot...

December2014

  • Review Digimon All-Star Rumble (PlayStation 3)

    Digivolve into average

    Back in the 90s when Pokémon and Digimon fought for the money of the young, the digital creatures managed to win over many would-be monster trainers thanks to a decent television series, but flash forward two decades, and Digimon has long since past its prime, while Nintendo's catch-'em-up continues to dominate the handheld...

November2014

  • Review Tales of Hearts R (PlayStation Vita)

    Pacemaker

    Tales of Hearts R is an enhanced version of the popular Tales of Hearts on the Nintendo DS. Originally only released in Japan, this title represents the 11th entry in Bandai Namco’s long-running role-playing series – but does it live up to the property’s esteemed standards, and is it the type of title that famished PlayStation Vita...

  • Review Pac-Man and the Ghostly Adventures 2 (PlayStation 3)

    Pill popper

    Pac-Man is a classic video game character, recognised alongside other greats such as Mario, Sonic, and Donkey Kong. The origins of these heroes have all helped to shape the gaming world as we know it today – but how is Bandai Namco’s famous bubble biter remaining relevant in this day and age? Well, after sprouting arms and legs, the...

October2014

  • Review Lords of the Fallen (PlayStation 4)

    Harkyn and soul

    With the spawn of the Souls series, gamers around the world have developed a soft spot for controller breaking games with horrendously difficult barriers of entry. Lords of the Fallen is Polish studio CI Games' first attempt at imitating the franchise's success – but does it stand up to its competitors? While the Souls series...

  • Review Shadow Warrior (PlayStation 4)

    Crouching tiger, hidden Wang

    Take those old kung-fu movies that get repeated endlessly on daytime cable channels, add a dash of retro shooter and whatever random bits of supernatural plot you have lying around, and that’s Shadow Warrior. An overpriced product of a bygone era, its attempts to highlight the way that things used to be do little but...

September2014

August2014

July2014

  • Review One Piece: Unlimited World Red (PlayStation 3)

    Bits and pieces

    As legions of fans will tell you, it's not hard to become captivated with One Piece, one of Japan's most popular manga creations, and its latest video game venture, One Piece: Unlimited World Red, is a good example of how easily this colourful world can ensnare anyone with an eye for crazy pirate adventures. The title itself is a...

June2014

May2014

  • Review SoulCalibur: Lost Swords (PlayStation 3)

    En garbage

    Forget about missing blades, we suspect that the folks at Bandai Namco may have misplaced their minds while developing SoulCalibur: Lost Swords. This wretched free-to-play fighter serves up the gaming equivalent of seppuku, except the ancient Japanese suicidal rite isn’t riddled with obnoxious loading times, and thus is preferable to...

April2014

March2014

  • Review Dark Souls II (PlayStation 3)

    Death imminent

    As a cursed individual banished to Drangleic, it’s your goal to collect the requisite souls required to prevent yourself from becoming a hollow while learning about the mysteries that surround you. This may be a sequel to Dark Souls, but it exists very much in a realm of its own, and doesn’t rely too heavily on the series’...

  • Review Tales of Symphonia Chronicles (PlayStation 3)

    Co-lette things lie

    Tales of Symphonia is a classic JRPG from the GameCube era with a wide following, multiple (mostly Japanese) spin-offs, and now a well-deserved HD remaster. In addition to the underrated and underplayed gem, this new collection also contains the second game in the series, Dawn of the New World – although the primary reason for...

February2014

  • Review Pac-Man Museum (PlayStation 3)

    Pac's the way I like it

    Whether you're a ghost-munching veteran or a total newcomer, there's no better way to experience the multiple old-school adventures of Bandai Namco's infamous yellow orb than Pac-Man Museum. Bringing together nine titles that span three different genres, it's difficult not to feel that you're getting plenty of nostalgic...

January2014

December2013

  • Review Saint Seiya: Brave Soldiers (PS3)

    Seiya ain't so

    Saint Seiya: Brave Soldiers is almost the very definition of 'anime fighter'. It's chock full of colourful playable characters, crazy storylines, and over-the-top voice acting. If you've ever tried a Dragon Ball Z or Naruto brawler, then you'll generally know what's in store here – even if the original anime never quite caught on...

November2013

  • Review SoulCalibur II HD Online (PlayStation 3)

    A tale of souls and swords, eternally re-bought

    When the original SoulCalibur II appeared on the PlayStation 2, it was universally praised for its fantastic 3D fighting engine, its diverse cast of characters, and its plethora of modes. Even today, Namco's brawler is remembered fondly by many as the series' greatest achievement. SoulCalibur II HD...

August2013

  • Review One Piece: Pirate Warriors 2 (PlayStation 3)

    Pieces of eight

    Last month saw the release of Dynasty Warriors 8, the latest instalment in the seemingly never-ending hack and slash series. This month, One Piece: Pirate Warriors 2 arrives on Western shores, bringing with it more vast, hectic battles to sink your bloodied weapon of choice into. You’d be forgiven for being worn out on Warriors...

  • Review Tales of Xillia (PlayStation 3)

    A tale worth telling

    You may be inclined to disregard Namco Bandai’s latest offering in the Tales series, but although it's the thirteenth main entry in the franchise (not including spin-offs), and bursting with strangely dressed teens with voluptuous hair-dos – as well a few girls who need to be told that strategically placed ribbons don't...

  • Review Tekken Revolution (PlayStation 3)

    King of free-to-play fighters

    The video game industry is changing faster than a Tekken character’s costume. The digital era has ushered a flurry of new distribution models for publishers to exploit, and that’s left major firms like Namco Bandai juggling dozens of ideas in the hope of happening upon a critical hit. Tekken Revolution, one of the...