Reviews

Let's get this established first, the visuals are deliberately hideous. The bio-mechanical design is fantastic, the world is desolate and long dead, the few living entities are misshapen, the game succeeds in making a such an ornate, non-human place look like a graveyard and the sound design is equally unearthly

However, while these positives make the game stand out, they're also the only things carrying the game. Gameplay is drab, there's combat which is clunky and feels unrefined, like it should've been the main focus or pulled completely.

There's no context for what's happening, no dialogue or such, one should draw their own conclusions.

I've very little to say, it's visually catching but that's virtually all it has going.

Nearly any comment regarding the Spyro games is guaranteed to include the words "My childhood."

A timeless classic, a hat-trick from the PlayStation 1, now rebuilt from scratch two decades later. All the old characters are here, all the platinum-standard themes, all the gorgeous scenery, a reminder of why the originals were a holy trinity among platformers.

There have been some changes, some better, some worse, but it never hampered my experience, I guess the old games are just so close to me that I could look past them, a few blemishes on a polished glass can be abided.

If this trilogy gets a worthy sequel to override the tragic slip-up that was Enter the Dragonfly, then this series has earned it, as have us fans.

I happened to browsing sales only this October 2020 and I spotted the entire Bear with Me bundle, including the Lost Robots expansion. What a bargain. An adorable design, interesting characters and the whole series doesn't outlive its welcome. That being said the voice acting could be better.

I said the games are brief, which I feel is a weakness, each installment is short and I was left wanting more, but ultimately, no regrets here.

It's clear this game is made for a specific audience, cosmic horror fans, mystery fans and somewhere in between. There's a deal of investigation work done in the game, finding clues and drawing conclusions, but that's a small portion of the experience. There's interacting with character through dialogue trees and solving rudimentary puzzles.

The atmosphere is fitting, the island of Darkwater is particularly creepy, the first third of the game is paced well. But the story does drop by the second act onward, the third act may well look like the writers gave up.

In spite of that, there is enjoyment to be had in the early parts of the game, the aforementioned atmosphere is unsettling, the ambient sounds add to tension.

Not for everyone, but with an open mind one could get their money's worth.

It's easy to see what people dislike about the game. The limited character models, the bizarre environments, the rigid combat, the peculiar voice-acting and more. The game is old, niche and unremarkable.

And yet, I like it. In fact, those flaws make it all the more endearing. Being only a youth when this game came out I was hooked somehow, the dark, claustrophobic environments create a noticeable atmosphere, the music is eerie, when I first solved the puzzles I felt like a genius.

A game that has aged poorly can still evoke the highest nostalgia, and for that, it will mean something to me forever.

From playing on a PlayStation 2 to the time I get to buy the Xbox One version, Final Fantasy X will be one of the most cherished games of my experiences.

Firstly, this isn't a game to me, it's an adventure. I was attached to the characters at all times, I felt like I was there on their journey, these people make for great company, even if some can be boisterous.

The music, oh Lord, the music. As soon as the game boots up one is treated to a heart warming piano piece, and the quality is constant all game long, heroic anthems for exciting pieces, somber tunes for emotional scenes, dramatic sounds for tense moments, the music is lovable.

The combat is turn-based, characters and enemies take turns during battles and I likes this battle system, being able to decide one's target and attack, it feels fair.

I say the game is almost perfect, for it is not without it's faults. There's a Blitzball minigame, a cross between association football and water polo, it could be a lot better, not being able to control individual players feels wrong and makes the sport a little unfair.

Some scenes are cringeworthy, this was before the emo subculture was prominent in media, the occasional angst puts me off the characters, which is a shame, considering I've said that I adored the characters.

What else? The visuals, the location is a continent known as Spira, the south is sunny islands, the north is snowy mountains, even the bad weather regions look gorgeous for the time. Dependent on the situation, character models shift between their handsome high-resolution models and their low-resolution versions.

Overall, a fantastic game. I'm so happy to have played it.

Outlast is a game that opens with a warning of horrifying content, it lives up to such expectations. Scenes of gore, torture, nudity and madness await those who wish to be horrified.

The story concerns a freelance journalist, Miles Upshur investigating an anonymous tip from an employee at Mount Massive Asylum in Leapville, Colorado. As with most horror stories he is foolish enough to go alone without weapons or forward planning, he is soon thrust into an experience of the worst of the human mind, fleeing from deformed patients.

It's been a while since a game has made me feel genuine terror, I've played it a number of times now and there are key moments that still leave my heart thumping, this was particularly true during my run of the insane difficulty.

The fourth live show of Bottom hits all the marks of the previous endeavors, from the rude humor to on stage bloopers, prop malfunctions, strong language and the few times when the leads follow the script.

Richard and Eddie are still on a desert island, whether it's the same from Hooligan's Island is unknown, but this series is renowned for many things, continuity is not one of them.

The second act I feel was weaker, even with particularly funny blunders. (Vecks in Practice, anyone?) It is a little diluted in comparison with the older live shows but is not without its highlights.

A forgotten platforming gem from the PlayStation's momentum building years, a 2.5 dimensional side-scrolling adventure set against a fantasy setting. I'll say this from the start, the game is beautiful, vibrant colours for the time that fit each level. And if there's anything that I'll hold dear from this game for all time, it's the music, it is brilliant, the more, let's say "trippy" themes still sound like the stuff of dreams.

As for the gameplay, well, it's a platformer, jump onto or over enemies and hazards, there are two characters, Fergus, a jester, and Nikki, an acrobat. The former has a cartwheel attack, the latter has a double jump.

1996 was a great year for gaming, seeing the start of many franchises, all classics for good reason, but whenever anyone mentions games of that year, Pandemonium! is first to my mind. Enjoyable as a moppet, enjoyable as an adult.

I received an Xbox 360 on Christmas 2008 and Condemned: Criminal Origins was the first game I played for it. It had me from the get go, and I still play it from time to time. The combat is visceral and full of impact, a successful block leaves enemies open to attack, while at the same time not allowing the player to become complacent and swing wildly and make every fight a joke.

But what really appeals to me is the environments, every location is decrepit and ruined, it gives the city a wide, deserted feel, murky lighting and crumbling structure are plentiful, good places to hide or be killed.

On the other hand, the final level is a bit foolish, yet the ending is always the hardest part of a story. And the voice acting could be better.

Overall, it's a cult classic for good reason and a worthy addition to the horror game library.

Saints Row is a series I adore and they seemed to get better with every installment. The fourth game is the peak in wacky and enjoyable.

The addition of superpowers is just silly, in a good way, and every completed quest feels worthwhile. The only catch is the superpowers makes the game a little too easy at times, obliterating any opposition once everything is attained.

The story is equally fruit loop, taking pot shots at famous media of past and present. A blast from start to finish.

It's quite a feat how so much is told in a quarter of an hour. A Grand Day Out is thirty years old now and hasn't lost its charm nor its entertainment value, a British icon that can be seen by anyone.

A show that holds near and dear to me, shirking typical sitcom settings and instead opts for a extragalatic adventure across space, and "adventure" is the correct word because virtually every episode is one. An adventure into the unknown.

The characters make engaging banter across an extraterrestrial road trip, encountering alien life, alternate dimensions and other oddities.

This slapstick still brings joy to me from too young to be viewing to adulthood, and as inaccurate as this sounds, I don't believe it's aged at all.

Minimalist concept, satisfying slapstick and funny toilet humor make for one of the best comedies ever made.