June2023
Review Crash Team Rumble (PS5) - A Pleasant Surprise That Might Not Last Very Long
It's about time... limited rewards
When Crash Bandicoot 4: It's About Time fans were daydreaming of what would follow the former PlayStation mascot's platforming return, we can't imagine an online multiplayer game with a Battle Pass ranked very high on their wishlist. Fast forward almost three years, though, and Crash Team Rumble makes emotes and...
June2022
Review Crash Bandicoot 4: It's About Time (PS4) - Madcap Marsupial's Return Is N. Sanely Good
Positive spin
Republished on Wednesday 29th June 2022: We're bringing this review back from the archives following the announcement of July's PlayStation Plus lineup. The original text follows. After Naughty Dog parted ways with Crash Bandicoot, it's fair to say the quality of subsequent games has been inconsistent. However, Activision finally did...
March2021
Beautiful bandicoot
There's lots to like about Crash Bandicoot 4: It's About Time. A direct sequel to Naughty Dog's classic trilogy, this latest platformer takes the marsupial and his pals on a time-twisting adventure as they put a stop to the antics of Neo Cortex and N. Tropy. It debuted on PlayStation 4 last year, and while it's perfectly...
November2018
Review Spyro: Reignited Trilogy - A Platforming Treasure Wonderfully Restored
A real gem
It's amazing how similar the paths of Crash Bandicoot and Spyro the Dragon have been. Both started things off with a trio of beloved platformers on PSone before they were handed to different developers, who made likeable but inferior adventures that ultimately led to the characters falling into obscurity. Both owned by Activision, the two...
October2016
Review Skylanders: Imaginators (PS4)
Crash bash
Ever since it was kickstarted by Mattel's U.B. Funkeys titles a decade ago, the 'toys to life' genre has become a juggernaut, raking in billions and becoming the bane of parents' wallets worldwide. Skylanders is its flagship, a colourful platforming series with a now gigantic selection of stylised action figures to import into the game...
November2015
A pair of 2.5Determined magical hoppers
How could a developer solve a problem like a desire to build a side-scrolling platformer in a 1996 3D graphics obsessed world? The answer was to find a middle ground, which we affectionately refer to as 2.5D today. Published by Crystal Dynamics and created by Toys for Bob in Novato, California close to the...
October2014
Review Skylanders: Trap Team (PlayStation 4)
Money trap
Whether you’re a seven-year-old or a 30-year-old, there’s joy to be found in the Skylanders series. Whether it’s the cheesy humour and cute visuals, the simple puzzles and combat, the imaginative heroes and villains, or perhaps the detailed collectible figurines, this uber-popular property has you covered. And capturing your...
December2012
Review Skylanders Giants (PlayStation 3)
Bigger and better?
Considering the success of the original Skylanders, it's no surprise that a sequel has already hit store shelves. Activision's accessory-laden adventure game commanded eye-watering sales figures during its last term at retail. But can a series that’s so heavily dependent on peripheral purchases thrive in its second outing?...
