Digitally Downloaded's Scores

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For 3,524 reviews, this publication has graded:
  • 52% higher than the average critic
  • 11% same as the average critic
  • 37% lower than the average critic
On average, this publication grades 2.2 points lower than other critics. (0-100 point scale)
Average Game review score: 73
Highest review score: 100 Bayonetta 2
Lowest review score: 0 Orc Slayer
Score distribution:
  1. Positive: 1,789 out of 3524
  2. Mixed: 1,411 out of 3524
  3. Negative: 324 out of 3524
3526 game reviews
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    • 66 Metascore
    • 70 Critic Score
    DC Super Hero Girls: Teen Power
    My concerns with DC Super Hero Girls: Teen Power sit with it as a property. I know this is a wildly controversial thing to say, but I don't really believe that Marvel and DC are appropriate for children. If the hundreds of implied and explicit deaths per movie or show weren't enough to convince you of that, then the inherent moral lessons from these properties should because there's a lot more there to digest, interpret and come to terms with than people generally think about. Making all that baggage cute, as DC Super Hero Girls: Teen Power does, might make it palatable to a young audience, but it still needs to be questioned. That being said, at least it's not Call of Duty, which way too many people buy for their kids, and as I said at the start, both Nintendo and the developer deserve a lot of credit for producing a game specifically designed for young girls that isn't an egregious example of shovelware. This thing plays well and is fully featured, and that is a sadly uncommon thing for this demographic.
    • 64 Metascore
    • 70 Critic Score
    Tokyo Twilight Ghost Hunters
    Without the kind of narrative depth that has me cracking out the history books (as I did with Hakuoki) or heading over to the philosophy section of the library (Danganronpa), Tokyo Twilight ends up being a little too simple and teen anime for its own good. That being said, it's harmless fun, and with an enormously creative and enjoyable combat system, as well as plenty of content, it's still a very worthwhile game.
    • tbd Metascore
    • 70 Critic Score
    Vertical Strike Endless Challenge
    Vertical Strike is a super low budget and cheap little game, designed to give fans of the occasional dogfight a quick rush. Thanks to its tight and efficient mechanics, and the steady and enjoyable approach that it has to difficulty escalation, it achieves what it sets out to. Nothing more, and nothing less.
    • 53 Metascore
    • 70 Critic Score
    Valkyrie Drive: Bhikkhuni
    The important thing about this game is that despite what anyone has to say about the various stages of nudity, it’s perfectly playable and delivers exactly what it sets out to – boobs, butt, and brawling.
    • 84 Metascore
    • 70 Critic Score
    F1 2018
    Has F1 2018 done enough to render last year’s (excellent) title redundant? Probably not. But if it has been a few years since your last F1, absolutely give this one a go. The racing market is a crowded one, but F1 is pure racing, and the sport doesn’t get much more exciting, or strategic, than this one.
    • 81 Metascore
    • 70 Critic Score
    Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney - Spirit of Justice
    I hope the next Ace Attorney game has more structure in its overarching narrative and the developers actually have the cases flow naturally from one to the next. Even with its flaws, Spirit of Justice is good fun, through, and another quality example of a narrative from the ever-growing stable of visual novels we are now getting translated into English.
    • 79 Metascore
    • 70 Critic Score
    The King of Fighters XV
    I do admire the developer's desire to maintain the arcade fighter tone and aesthetic in King of Fighters, and I'll forever be a fan of this series as long as they keep dropping Athena into it. The team at SNK are no doubt working on more limited budgets than the big guns, and with the absolute focus on esports in the fighting game space it's no surprise that they've made that a near-perfect experience, even as they've stripped almost everything else out of the game to make that happen. However, there's no way to paper over this; people who do like fighting games in single player or local multiplayer are going to be left feeling very cold, though. Colder than Kula, even. And that's disappointing.
    • 73 Metascore
    • 70 Critic Score
    NBA 2K Playgrounds 2
    Without any statistical tracking, limited number of players on the court and only a handful of modes, that this title won't have quite the shelf life for me that a more involved simulation game like NBA 2K19.
    • 65 Metascore
    • 70 Critic Score
    CATAN: Console Edition
    Catan – Console Edition is a perfectly fine adaptation of a hugely popular board game. The developers have done their best to make it work for both online and offline play, and present it gorgeously. I just wish that another, equally talented developer, took Twilight Struggle, or the Game of Thrones board game, or any of a few hundred other incredible board games and adapted those instead.
    • 67 Metascore
    • 70 Critic Score
    JYDGE
    There's quite a few levels to work through in Jydge, so you'll get your money's worth. There's probably no reason to go for both this and Neon Chrome, though. There's just not enough variety in how the games play (or indeed their visual design) to sustain them across two titles. I like the idea of spinning this setting into a franchise, as there's potential there, but giving another genre a crack would be a good idea at this point.
    • 69 Metascore
    • 70 Critic Score
    R-Type Final 2
    All of this leads to a game experience that doesn’t quite feel as polished as it could have been, but with enough of that core R-Type DNA to keep me engaged enough to keep on unlocking ships. Although, once again I come back to that silly title, because even R-Type Final 2 isn’t the final R-Type. There’s DLC to come, and a premium edition just of this game if you’re particularly keen.
    • tbd Metascore
    • 70 Critic Score
    Molemen Must Die!
    Molemen Must Die! is a pretty solid action title, especially given its low price. Certainly it is a shallow game, but at a price point of three dollars, it's not hard to get your money's worth out of it. If you like a good laugh at the expense of an overly sensitive man who wants to build a wall... erm, drop a bomb, then you will likely get a chuckle out of the premise here. However, other than a few bits of background signage and the wordless introduction that quickly plays out at the start of each game, the political tongue-in-cheek is quickly forgotten in favour of the frantic action.
    • 81 Metascore
    • 70 Critic Score
    Far Cry 5
    It’s a shame that the plot turns what could have been an interesting, critical title into one that’s simply yet another serviceable AAA game for mass consumption. Did Ubisoft have something interesting to say about extremism and violence? Probably not, but maybe embracing parallels with current events would have made this production seem less like a backyard rodeo.
    • 69 Metascore
    • 70 Critic Score
    Game of Thrones: Episode Two - The Lost Lords
    Hopefully the story can use its established foundation and these moments of emotional investment to drive the story forward as House Forrester attempts to survive the challenges circling in around them.
    • 65 Metascore
    • 70 Critic Score
    Yoshi's New Island
    Those who love cutesy platformers and are willing to cast cynicism aside will be well served, but just like the green dino himself, may find themselves with an insatiable appetite for something more sustaining by the game's end.
    • 60 Metascore
    • 70 Critic Score
    Magic: Duels of the Planeswalkers 2015
    Magic 2015 is still the best way to bring a new player to this old game and the deck building is a great deal of fun, but those who have played the last couple of releases may feel somewhat underwhelmed by this iteration.
    • 62 Metascore
    • 70 Critic Score
    Moco Moco Friends
    Moco Moco Friends is geared firmly toward young children, but the magical girl aesthetics and witty script allow it to transcend an otherwise middling JRPG. It wouldn’t have hurt to take a couple more cues from the collect-and-battle RPG greats and, with a sequel, Moco Moco Friends could be elevated substantially. As is, there’s something to be said for the pure, clean fun Moco delivers in spades.
    • 64 Metascore
    • 70 Critic Score
    Biomutant
    Biomutant's concept of a colourful post-apocalyptic kung-fu adventure is an intriguing one, and when all the pieces come together, it can be a riveting ride. The world is rich and exciting to explore, with plenty of hidden secrets to find and an important, convincing environmental message tied into it and a lot of freedom in how you build your character. But poor pacing holds back the narrative potential, and for all its open-endedness, a lack of finesse in the combat system leaves Biomutant feeling messy and awkward instead of hitting those stylish action high notes it's shooting for.
    • 58 Metascore
    • 70 Critic Score
    RISK
    Risk is a touch limited and is a digital version of a game that has aged badly, though this version of the' game is more comprehensive than the Ubisoft Monopoly game.
    • 78 Metascore
    • 70 Critic Score
    Overcooked!
    Overcooked does feel like a glorified mobile game, of that there’s no doubt. Short, sharp levels, a sharp challenge in trying to get perfect scores on each level, and highly sanitized, cheerful, graphics that are as inoffensive as they are carefully constructed, all ensure that the first thing you’ll think when playing is that you might as well be playing it on iPad. But the production values, coupled with the genuinely entertaining multiplayer, help to make this one of the better “casual” games you’ll play this year.
    • tbd Metascore
    • 70 Critic Score
    B-Project: Ryusei Fantasia
    I can’t help but feel that B-Project: Ryuusei*Fantasia would have benefitted from an approach more like Jack Jeanne, with its “Princess Maker”-like daily management of activities to train the group, but as a straight-up visual novel, this checks all the boxes with colour and panache. It’s a good addition to the B-Project project by Mages, and good on PQube for localising something with as narrow interest in the West as this.
    • 72 Metascore
    • 70 Critic Score
    Peggle 2
    Peggle 2 is an addicting game packed with silly fun that anyone can manage.
    • 74 Metascore
    • 70 Critic Score
    The Raven Remastered
    For Christie nuts, The Raven is one of the better attempts to do her style of detective mystery that Christie herself wasn't involved in. It's well performed and convincing, and the age of the game is hardly a concern because, dated as it looks at times, the appeal of this one has to do more about the cerebral. It's all about the storytelling, in other words, and that side of things is spot on.
    • tbd Metascore
    • 70 Critic Score
    Wanderlust Travel Stories
    Ultimately, Wanderlust succeeds in being an inspirational work about the power of travel.
    • 77 Metascore
    • 70 Critic Score
    Football Manager Touch 2018
    Football Manager has always been for a specific type of person, and one who enjoys a blurring of the lines between legitimate work, and entertainment. Football Manager 2018 Touch brings that effectively enough to the Nintendo Switch, and while it's not a game that's going to turn too many heads or win awards, anyone who likes their really cerebral experiences will love spending hours trying to eke the most out of the favourite football team.
    • tbd Metascore
    • 70 Critic Score
    HIX: Puzzle Islands
    The developers have done everything they can with HIX, and what they've done is fine. This is a perfectly adequate, competent, enjoyable puzzler that, like the best of the genre, takes a simple concept and gets you thinking as you play. Not thinking too hard, since this is meant to be relaxing and calming, but thinking just enough to feel smart at figuring out the solutions. The execution is a little bland and 101, though, and that means, just like the $2 puzzle book, you're not going to remember having ever played it a year from now. As to whether that's worth the price of admission when there are so many other high-quality games being released on the Switch... well, that one depends on how much you enjoy time-wasting puzzle books, really.
    • tbd Metascore
    • 70 Critic Score
    Mia and the Dragon Princess
    Mia and the Dragon Princess doesn’t really stand out amongst the crowd of interactive films; I doubt I’ll remember it in the same way as I remember The Complex, for example. It was an enjoyable time, enough for me to play through to try and get different endings a handful of times. Despite the broken spot in the story tree, it was a welcome addition to the gameplay experience. The acting was good, though some characters seemed unnecessary. One branch of the story felt complete, the others were definitely just dead ends and generally not terribly interesting. Is the game worth playing? Sure. Does it belong in the FMV hall of fame? I don’t think so.
    • tbd Metascore
    • 70 Critic Score
    Fishing Star: World Tour
    There's a lot to like about Fishing Star World Tour. It's a lightweight, highly accessible, and charming little arcade-like take on fishing, and while it's never going to top anyone's list of favourite games, it's the kind of mindlessly relaxing thing that's useful to have on the console for those times where you really do just want to chill.
    • tbd Metascore
    • 70 Critic Score
    Western Press
    Western Press is a tiny game and it even requests its audience to “lower your expectations”, but it still manages to do a lot of things right.
    • 61 Metascore
    • 70 Critic Score
    QUALIA ~The Path of Promise~
    I went into QUALIA expecting it to be a fairly run-of-the-mill big boob fanservice game. And in some regards it is. It’s not really breaking new ground on how these stories are told. On the other hand, the subject of the game is inherently interesting and highly topical, and while the presentation is very familiar, it’s exactly what the target audience likes to see. It’s also an impressive example of how to build a visual novel on a minimal budget without needing to make concessions to the goals of the project. The android at the heart of QUALIA might not be my idea of the ideal love robot, but I certainly enjoyed the opportunity to learn more about her here.
    • 61 Metascore
    • 70 Critic Score
    Gal Metal
    Gal Metal is a unique experience that combines cute high school girls, galactic adventures, evil aliens and metal music together in one unmissable experience. The characters all stand alone in their own right and the story line is engaging with a few plot twists mixed in which has you wondering as to what will happen next. The game took about five hours to complete however mastering the rhythms and besting those difficult scores aided in my eagerness to replay levels factor and kept me coming back for more.
    • tbd Metascore
    • 70 Critic Score
    C.A.R.D.S. RPG: The Misty Battlefield
    Overall, C.A.R.D.S RPG: The Misty Battlefield is a brilliant idea and, mechanically, it’s executed well. But it’s also hard to shake the impression that this is just the first iteration of the idea and that a sequel, while unlikely, would be all the developer needed to really elevate this concept to become something special. As it is, though, it’s a very fine time waster, and, personally, my favourite application of the Slay The Spire style of deckbuilding roguelike yet.
    • 69 Metascore
    • 70 Critic Score
    GRIP: Combat Racing
    GRIP is an enjoyable racing game that is constantly hampered by bare-bones presentation. The core driving is a lot of fun, but when races and battles aren’t presented in a fun manner then it relies on the gameplay to be constantly engaging. The gravity mechanics are certainly cool to see, but they aren’t exactly innovative or game changing enough to overcome the shortcomings after the initial allure wears off.
    • 79 Metascore
    • 70 Critic Score
    Chronicles of Teddy: Harmony of Exidus
    Chronicles of Teddy is a pretty cool game. The reward of discovery is well worth the trip, and with some tweaks here and there, Chronicles of Teddy could have been one of the best releases of 2016. As it stands, it is still a gorgeous title worthy of your time.
    • 78 Metascore
    • 70 Critic Score
    Everybody's Golf
    Everybody’s Golf sticks firmly to the fairway, though it swings a little too wildly too often and dumps itself in the bunker at times too. The grind is real, and though it's enjoyable enough, it's also a game that's quickly going to become hostile to newbies, and that's a problem when so much of the experience relies on the online play.
    • 68 Metascore
    • 70 Critic Score
    Tesla Effect: A Tex Murphy Adventure
    It’s a game that is very clearly made for the fans, mainly those who have played the previous games. The puzzles, the writing, the acting, and the humor is all ripped straight from the 90’s, and if you’re fixated on modern gaming sensibilities, you probably won’t last ten minutes in Tex’s world. But for those who have been waiting for the return of the world’s greatest PI, look no further. Tesla Effect is a love letter to a genre that is all but gone.
    • 69 Metascore
    • 70 Critic Score
    Transformers: Battlegrounds
    Transformers: Battlegrounds did the right thing in eschewing the Hollywood "mature" efforts and the games that tried to piggyback along with those to give us a true Saturday morning cartoon aesthetic. It was also right to go with a turn-based tactics game, rather than yet another action effort. What this game does is add to the Transformers property and demonstrate that it can be more versatile than the folks in suits have been pushing for over quite some time now. It's certainly not the "XCOM clone" for people that come to XCOM for the nuanced tactical strategy, but it's a nice, light little game and, for someone like me who grew up loving Transformers, only to watch the series be driven into the ground in recent years, it's nice to have something nostalgic to some very fond memories that I had as a kid.
    • 70 Metascore
    • 70 Critic Score
    The Golf Club
    Despite its unyielding dedication for all things realistic, I rather enjoyed the demanding style of play The Golf Club prides itself on, even during the first few hours, where the game will either draw you in or turn you off completely.
    • tbd Metascore
    • 70 Critic Score
    Crime Opera: The Butterfly Effect
    Crime Opera's grand ambitions aren't limited to one game. This is the first of six (yes, six) titles that the developer has envisioned as a series. Having played this first chapter, I will be looking forward to the next one. It is a pity that the developer didn't consider presentation and aesthetics more closely for a game that is quite serious in tone and theme, but the narrative value of this game is excellent, distinctive, and original, and ultimately, for a visual novel, that's the first-and-foremost goal.
    • 74 Metascore
    • 70 Critic Score
    The Escapists
    While the visuals and combat are quite simple and not blow you away, The Escapists provides a surprisingly deep game that offers plenty of room for creativity despite the illusion of a rigid framework around your inmate's daily activities.
    • 69 Metascore
    • 70 Critic Score
    Disco Dodgeball Remix
    Despite those small issues, I can see this game developing a strong core audience that will play it for quite some time to come. It's simply too groovy, colourful, and cheerful to resist.
    • tbd Metascore
    • 70 Critic Score
    Scrabble
    The ability to have two to four players as well as online and local multiplayer rounds out a package that brings very few bells and whistles to the classic game of Scrabble.
    • tbd Metascore
    • 70 Critic Score
    Hell Warders
    If you can get a group together, then Hell Warders is a lot of fun that you won’t soon forget. The action is tight, the challenges is robust, and the setting is impeccable. For single player tower defence, there are better options on the Switch (namely PixelJunk Monsters 2), but nonetheless there’s a lot of effort and talent that has gone into Hell Warders.
    • 81 Metascore
    • 70 Critic Score
    Dungeon Encounters
    Dungeon Encounters is deceptive engaging. What seems at first to be a no-frills dungeon crawler, sliced back to its very minimum eventually reveals itself to be quite the clever little project. It provides the very basic foundation needed for a JRPG, and then gets out of the way, letting the player write their own story and fill in the metaphoric (and literal) blanks in their own way. That makes it an oddly cathartic experience.
    • 59 Metascore
    • 70 Critic Score
    Mind Zero
    Mind Zero is still a very entertaining game, it's just that when you deliberately compare yourself to the greatest, you're inevitably going to disappoint. Were Mind Zero to stand with its own narrative drive, and free of the comparisons to Persona, this game would have appreciated for what it is, rather than what it is not.
    • 64 Metascore
    • 70 Critic Score
    8BitBoy
    8BitBoy is a great throwback to the NES era of platform gaming where skill and mastery were required if you were to make it through to the end of the game. It’s games like these that remind us that button mashing does not always win the day and sometimes, just sometimes, perseverance can be a reward into itself.
    • tbd Metascore
    • 70 Critic Score
    Diablo III: Ultimate Evil Edition
    Really this is an expansion pack, and it's going to cost you almost as much as a new game, so if you are a veteran of Diablo 3, be aware of that.
    • tbd Metascore
    • 70 Critic Score
    Plague Road
    For a game made by such a small team, Plague Road drips with genuine quality. Mechanically, it’s a tight, efficient roguelike that gets the core gameplay loop down perfectly, which means that it can be very hard to put down. Some misfires in how the game is themed and presentation let it down, however. It’s not quite as cohesive as I wanted it to be, and while the art style is tantalising, the game ultimately fails to build the lore and fiction that it needed to give it the depth it needed to be something truly special.
    • 71 Metascore
    • 70 Critic Score
    Lords of the Fallen
    What it is is a challenging fantasy game with a good sense of progression that is entertaining to play, even if it's got no chance of being remembered as a classic like Demon's Souls and Dark Souls are.
    • 36 Metascore
    • 70 Critic Score
    Balan Wonderworld
    I genuinely love Balan Wonderworld because it caught me at just the right moment to indulge its whimsy. I don't for a second think it's a great game or platformer, but then I also just don't care. It offers something much more viscerally engaging; raw creative energy, and I would rather a hundred games fall flat like this one has and at least give me something different than play yet another highly refined copy of something I've already played a hundred times. Sometimes, just sometimes, raw creativity is enough in itself.
    • tbd Metascore
    • 70 Critic Score
    Sugoro Quest: Dice Heroes
    Sugoro Quest: Dice Heroes can be a fun game, albeit a frustrating and unfair one. With that said, I won’t blame you if you decide to rely on save states while playing. Now onward and roll for great justice!
    • tbd Metascore
    • 70 Critic Score
    Da Vinci's Art of War
    As a purely single-player experience, Art Of War compares poorly to those games with robust multiplayer features, such as Ticket to Ride or Agricola. It looks the part of a premium board game on the App store, however, so if the idea of a more complex version of Risk appeals to you, you can't really go wrong here.
    • 75 Metascore
    • 70 Critic Score
    Figment
    What players will find with Figment is a game that paces itself well to create a world that tackles the inner demons of its protagonist in a way that is simultaneously light hearted and without trivialising the seriousness of the themes. If for no other reason, you should look at this one for its art direction alone. It really is gorgeous.
    • 70 Metascore
    • 70 Critic Score
    Curses 'N Chaos
    Although I wish it did a better job of being captivating for more than a stage or two at a time, those exhausted with 2D brawlers ought to give it a go because of its unorthodox gameplay quirks and pulsating atmosphere.
    • tbd Metascore
    • 70 Critic Score
    Epoch (2014)
    As a time waster good for short bursts of play between more meatier games, EPOCH does a great job.
    • 83 Metascore
    • 70 Critic Score
    World of Tanks Blitz
    Obviously compared to the PC game, World of Tanks on the iPad is not as beautiful, but it holds up well, and on my third generation device I got a lovely sense of fighting over classic military settings.
    • 72 Metascore
    • 70 Critic Score
    Devil May Cry 4: Special Edition
    While it seemed a bit weird that Capcom had not originally included Devil May Cry 4 into its HD Collection a few years back, the Special Edition is worth a look for fans of the series on the PlayStation 4 as a stand alone game, thanks to the visual upgrades and new character scenarios.
    • 77 Metascore
    • 70 Critic Score
    The Lion's Song
    It is the small, seemingly insignificant details of The Lion's Song that will make you smile the most as you explore the four episodic chapters of the game. It's purely story-driven stuff, but with wonderful characters, all dealing with very real (and easily relateable) creative challenges, this is a game that provides players with a real look into the human psyche, and where the world's great ideas and art come from.
    • 66 Metascore
    • 70 Critic Score
    Ogre
    Most of the people reading this review will not carry with them the positive burden of Ogre’s historical heritage. To them, it’ll be just another turn based strategy game, and therefore for them it’ll be harder for me to recommend Ogre over competitors offering a nicer, smoother, experience. However, if you are an old timer like yours truly, or if you simply love turn based strategy enough to never miss a chance (like yours truly), potentially also seeking a tool with which to saw the seed of strategy with friends and family, I’d say: let this Ogre trounce you.
    • 73 Metascore
    • 70 Critic Score
    Thea: The Awakening
    Thea: The Awakening makes for something of a grim, low-power 4X strategy game that works extremely well with its particularities. Proper planning can only take a God so far as adaptability and luck plays a major role with random events that could very well lay waste to everything. While that's not necessarily always good fun, what it does do remarkably well in building the tense atmosphere that is quite unique for the genre.
    • 66 Metascore
    • 70 Critic Score
    AiRace Xeno
    Those new to the series should strap in and hold on tight - it’s one heck of a wild ride - but AiRace veterans might want to let this one stay in the pits.
    • 80 Metascore
    • 70 Critic Score
    Ironcast
    I do think that Ironcast has found itself the right home on the Nintendo Switch. In the way it plays, Ironcast benefits from spontaneous game play sessions which the Switch can provide due to its tablet mode.
    • 71 Metascore
    • 70 Critic Score
    Lords of Xulima
    Lords of Xulima is strictly for the more masochistic of gamers. Its merciless difficulty that only exponentially spikes the further you play should come as a dream come true for fans who like the ultimate in ball-kicking.
    • 75 Metascore
    • 70 Critic Score
    Ken Follett's The Pillars of the Earth
    If you are the type that engages in video games for the quick thrill, then Pillars will probably drive you crazy and you should stir away. However, if you are fine with the other extreme, do not mind lack of arcade style challenges and are willing to take your time, then Pillars offers the depth and the learning experience that mere mortal books cannot deliver. Speaking for myself, I thoroughly enjoyed the experience Pillars had provided me with for that very reason.
    • 74 Metascore
    • 70 Critic Score
    Raiden IV x Mikado Remix
    The reality for Raiden IV x Mikado Remix is that hardened fans of the series probably do already own this game in one form or another already. In some respects, this is just a late port, and a slightly odd one given it’s gone from the lower-powered Switch to the PS5 (as reviewed), XBX and PC. If you do already have it, while this is a nice take with some great music choices, it’s hardly essential...If you don’t, it’s a very good shmup, if not one of the most complex out there in terms of gameplay mechanics. You’re still ultimately chasing a high score and not much else – and I didn’t appreciate that the default high scores were set pathetically low, because I’d rather have something to chase from the get-go. Still, I am a bit of a Raiden tragic, so in that frame at least, this is definitely a top game – for me.
    • 72 Metascore
    • 70 Critic Score
    Dragon Ball: Xenoverse 2
    The refinements here are not staggering, but there are enough of them to make this iteration what more sequels should be: an improvement over the original. There is still room for improvement, but Dragon Ball: Xenoverse 2 should appeal to both brawling and DBZ fans alike.
    • tbd Metascore
    • 70 Critic Score
    Ed-0: Zombie Uprising
    There is a lot to admire about Ed-0. Conceptually it’s spot on, the gameplay is taut, albeit “classical”, and the atmosphere is thick and entertaining. Unfortunately, it’s also a story of missed opportunities, and what could have been a truly stand-out experience ends up being just a flashy B-grade roguelike. Is it worth the time investment? Sure. Is it going to be something you remember for many years to come? Sadly, no.
    • 73 Metascore
    • 70 Critic Score
    Disney Illusion Island
    Disney Illusion Island is both enjoyable and entertaining, but just as the action in the game zips by with slick efficiency, so too is your memory of the time with it going to be breezy. If you’re able to use it as a way to bond with family or friends, then it’s going to have much more value than as a single-player experience. For those playing solo, expect plenty of charm, but given that it has been developed so that the youngest of children can enjoy it, there just isn’t much substance to it.
    • 71 Metascore
    • 70 Critic Score
    Uno
    As with many classic board and card games, Uno isn’t perfect. It’s driven by luck, games tend to go overlong, and Ubisoft’s no-frills approach is workable, but workmanlike. Despite that, I do really enjoy the core game of Uno in short bursts, and for people who regularly play online with family and friends (and can thus do away with the occasionally irritating random players), this is a great, low-cost way to spend a Saturday evening together when separated by distance.
    • 69 Metascore
    • 70 Critic Score
    Absolver
    If the network was more stable and the game played more to its strengths around one-on-one combat, this would be a game I’d recommend in a heartbeat. It’s still well worth a look even with those flaws, but I can’t help but imagine what could have been.
    • 82 Metascore
    • 70 Critic Score
    Victor Vran: Overkill Edition
    It's that sense of humour that helps Victor Vran to step out of the shadow of its genre namesake. It's a fully feature-rich example of the Diablo clone, is well balanced so that it never becomes tiresome to play, and offers plenty of shiny loot. The gameplay itself might not be breaking down any boundaries, but between this and Titan Quest, the Nintendo Switch is not lacking for quality horde slaughtering action.
    • 68 Metascore
    • 70 Critic Score
    Reel Fishing: Master's Challenge
    Plot aside, Reel Fishing is a very specific game for a very specific audience. It's a reasonably casual game, but at the same time it can't be expected to appeal to anyone who doesn't "get" the appeal of fishing. But for people that simply want to toss a lure into the water, then this is a good way to get away from it all for little while, and for an inner city dweller like me, that's a bit of escapism I appreciated a great deal.
    • 71 Metascore
    • 70 Critic Score
    Assetto Corsa Competizione
    All of this puts me in a difficult spot with Assetto Corsa Competizione. On the one hand, it’s my favourite racing experience, hands down. It just handles beautifully. On the other hand, from features to gameplay modes and with regards to almost everything that doesn’t specifically involve racing, Competizione is substantially behind its peers, making this a racing experience that only the most hardcore of hardcore racing fans will get much out of.
    • 75 Metascore
    • 70 Critic Score
    Ys: Memories of Celceta
    I do need some kind of narrative focus, and with Ys: Memories of Celceta, that's pushed so far to the periphery that I really struggle to connect with it as some others have. The action is great - it's shallow, but that's not a criticism when it's this smooth and enjoyable - but I just can't get past the lack of context.
    • 79 Metascore
    • 70 Critic Score
    Alienation
    Ultimately I don’t think this will be remembered as a classic, and it doesn’t need to be; what Housemarque has created is a bit of fun with friends around, no more, and no less.
    • 84 Metascore
    • 70 Critic Score
    WHAT THE GOLF?
    What The Golf? is by no means a bad game - it's actually highly entertaining - but while the developers have done everything that they can with it, at some point hitting anything but a golf ball around a golf course loses its lustre as a joke. It'll only take you a couple of hours to work through everything in What The Golf?, and you'll have a generally good time as you do, but I can't see this being a game that you ever return to.
    • tbd Metascore
    • 70 Critic Score
    Football Manager 2022 Touch
    Football Manager is work, and there's no other way to describe it. Most games conceal work-like routines and elements beneath the play, but Football Manager ignores the pretence; you're given spreadsheets and actual KPIs to deliver, and if you fail, your virtual club will fire you. It is so difficult to articulate how something like this can be so compelling, but remember, video games are there to allow us the escapism of being someone who we're never going to be, and I'm never going to be the real-life manager of Crystal Palace (and even if I was given that opportunity, I reckon we should let Vieira hold on a while yet). Football Manager 2022 Touch is a wholly inadequate release, given it costs the same amount as last year's edition while also being last year's edition... and yet I won't be able to drag myself away from it for many months ahead.
    • 65 Metascore
    • 70 Critic Score
    Bubble Bobble Sugar Dungeons
    It is way, way better than Bubble Bobble 4 Friends, and it could be great for you if you like your games on the とても難しい side, or if you don’t already have a copy of the still excellent Bubble Symphony to hand. If you’re after that classic Bubble Bobble gameplay, however, the original is still the best.
    • 71 Metascore
    • 70 Critic Score
    Knowledge is Power
    Knowledge is Power is an entertaining quiz game, and based on my multiple playthroughs I’m yet to hit a question for the second time. It's Mario Kart-style item system ensures that most games are close, no matter the quiz knowledge. At the same time, the questions themselves are entertaining and varied enough that this one comes highly recommended for trivia heads.
    • tbd Metascore
    • 70 Critic Score
    Grim Legends: The Forsaken Bride
    The story was familiar yet contained enough freshness to make it interesting, the hand-painted backgrounds were drool-worthy, the puzzles were a good balance on the fun-challenging scale, and whenever I was in a pinch there was a cat to help me out.
    • 78 Metascore
    • 70 Critic Score
    Like a Dragon Gaiden: The Man Who Erased His Name
    Thankfully we only have to wait three months for the next “proper” title in the series to land. While Like a Dragon Gaiden might have been disappointing against the astronomically high standards of this series, I have no doubt whatsoever that January 2024 will deliver another bold step forward for SEGA’s gritty urban epic.
    • 59 Metascore
    • 70 Critic Score
    There Came an Echo
    I came away from There Came An Echo quite sold on its unique approach to inputs, and that is both surprising, and really quite inspiring. Because it plays so differently, the game requires that you take a very different approach to playing it, and while I don’t think this is an innovation that’s going mainstream any time soon, having a voice controlled game on the PlayStation 4 makes for a unique, interesting, diversion. Throw in production values well beyond what most indies can achieve, and a plot that will get you thinking across its last few hours, and you’ve got a genuinely worthwhile little experiment here.
    • 70 Metascore
    • 70 Critic Score
    God Eater Resurrection
    God Eater: Resurrection is a very fun hunting game, though it's not perfect. It's great that there is another alternative to the Monster Hunter formula available to us, though. Between this, and Koei Tecmo's rising Toukiden franchise, it's proving to be a really good period for this little genre.
    • tbd Metascore
    • 70 Critic Score
    Chinatown Detective Agency
    No doubt the audience for Chinatown Detective Agency is small. Modern video games spoon feed everything to players, so I can only imagine how counterintuitive it will seem to many to have a game that’s actively telling them to Google It, Mate and is willing to leave them high-and-dry with only vague clues. This is a game for people that genuinely enjoy researching stuff, and niche as that is, I have to believe that there’s a space in the market for it. Otherwise, “where’s the curiosity gone?” becomes a very real and sad question that we need to ask about our society and the entertainment that we consume.
    • tbd Metascore
    • 70 Critic Score
    Prophour23
    Prophour23 is clearly not a game built for the mass market - it's for the gaming equivalent of mad scientists, treasure seekers and cult-genre lovers.
    • 80 Metascore
    • 70 Critic Score
    Under Night In-Birth Exe:Late
    Whether it's a game that the hardcore will enjoy over the long term depends entirely on how much of a community springs up around that well-designed, but limited, online multiplayer.
    • 81 Metascore
    • 70 Critic Score
    SUPERBEAT: XONiC
    That issue aside, Superbeat: Xonic is a vibrant, slick and well-produced rhythm game that, while minimalist, has a clear identity of its own. On the PlayStation Vita there is already plenty of good quality rhythm games, but this one sits in the with them nicely.
    • 78 Metascore
    • 70 Critic Score
    Resident Evil: Revelations
    With Resident Evil 7: Biohazard suggesting that the main entry games are again pivoting in a new direction, Capcom's re-rerelease of Revelations may be its way of showing fans that it's also committed to the "classic" Resident Evil formula with this side series. While the visuals have aged considerably in the short timeframe, the classic Resident Evil gameplay and feel is still there, complete with a bonkers B-grade storyline. I’d dare say that most Resident Evil fans have possibly found a way to have played this already, and there is really no incentive to come back for another round.
    • tbd Metascore
    • 70 Critic Score
    Ticket to Ride
    It’s very good that the Switch has Ticket To Ride, as it is a lovely, inoffensive, easy-playing board game. It’s as accessible as something like Risk, Monopoly, or Catan, but less luck-based and therefore far less frustrating than those other games. Marmalade is a highly competent developer and while the presentation of the game isn’t the most inspired, this is still going to be heavily in the rotation for multiplayer fun if your group has any interest in board games at all.
    • 78 Metascore
    • 70 Critic Score
    Skylanders Trap Team
    It's a highly focused game designed explicitly to fill up the Christmas list of the child in the household. But it is a well produced game, well above the standards of most children's games, and those miniatures are highly collectible stuff. The kids will love having this under that pine tree.
    • tbd Metascore
    • 70 Critic Score
    Talisman: Digital 5th Edition
    Talisman is really just a glorified game of Snakes and Ladders when it comes to players having the agency to determine the winner. They simply don’t. There’s a lot to like about the presentation and theming of the board game, and unlike its previous Talisman project, Nomad’s done a sparkling job with the presentation and aesthetics of this one. For that reason, it is the definitive version of Talisman out there, but there are just so many board games that were released in the past decade that have ruled Talisman obsolete from a game design perspective, and so many of those have a digital edition too.
    • 72 Metascore
    • 70 Critic Score
    Lanota
    Lanota has the distinction of being the most interesting rhythm experience on the Nintendo Switch by virtue of that unique and clever gameplay mechanic. It lets itself down a little compared to the many other rhythm games on the console by having too much music at odds with the theme and aesthetics that are carried through the presentation, and that inconsistency is disappointing. It's still delightful, but perhaps a game that would have been better off in the hands of developers with a greater capacity for music curation.
    • tbd Metascore
    • 70 Critic Score
    Peggle 2: Jimmy Lightning DLC Pack
    If you are a fan of Peggle 2, the couple of bucks you would be putting down on this DLC is probably well worth it, but I cannot help but get the feeling than PopCap's efforts would have been better served in creating an original news character.
    • 64 Metascore
    • 70 Critic Score
    The Franz Kafka Videogame
    The Franz Kafka Game is an interesting attempt at representing Kafka’s narrative style in an interactive medium. It’s not always going to be fun to play, but it’s a memorable experience which relies upon witty writing and clever design rather than technology or rewards systems. This is a game which is often confusing and unintuitive, but it gets away with it under the guise of being true to its source material. If you’re in a pensive mood and want to play something that’ll make you think, The Franz Kafka game will gently help you let go of reality and embrace the absurd.
    • 82 Metascore
    • 70 Critic Score
    Stealth Inc 2: A Game of Clones
    We have a very strong contender for one of the best exclusive games in the Wii U library. It is sadly held back by minor control issues, but those issues are easy to overlook due to the sheer fun that you will get out of the gameplay.
    • tbd Metascore
    • 70 Critic Score
    Sword and Fairy Inn 2
    Sword & Fairy Inn 2 is enjoyable. If you’re in the mood for a hyper-casual “simulator” and if you know the characters, so much the better. As someone who enjoys the Sword & Fairy main series a great deal, I don’t regret spending time with this, but at the same time, I do want better fan service spinoffs than this.
    • 76 Metascore
    • 70 Critic Score
    Mario & Luigi: Paper Jam
    Satirical and self-referential, backed with some boundlessly creative combat systems and the endlessly bright Mario aesthetic, Paper Jam might not be a huge step forward from its predecessor on the Nintendo 3DS, but it is every bit as much fun.
    • 79 Metascore
    • 70 Critic Score
    Fury Unleashed
    Fury Unleashed is a step better than what you would expect from a generic-looking run-and-gun action game. Its intelligent premise and sheer adherence to fun in all its forms makes it a great game for unwinding or chasing that elusive feeling of flow. Say what you want about Fury and his two-dimensional escapades, but Awesome Games Studio had a clear vision for their game and executed it to an impressive degree of success.
    • 67 Metascore
    • 70 Critic Score
    AI LIMIT
    The developers really tried with an exceptionally difficult genre. AI Limit won’t be remembered alongside FromSoftware or Koei Tecmo’s work in the genre, but it’s also by no means a poor effort. It’s like the work that a student who really understands the source material produces. It might only be a shade of the master’s work, but you can’t help but hope they get another swing at it, because they’re on the cusp of breaking out and carving out something brilliant with its own identity.
    • 75 Metascore
    • 70 Critic Score
    METRO QUESTER
    For all its warts, though, it’s also a genuinely interesting and intense mind puzzle. I have no doubt that Metro Quester will not sell as well as Kemco’s usual by-the-number SNES-era JRPG clones. It isn’t as instantly accessible or familiar. But if Kemco published more games like this it would be a publisher to respect and pay closer attention to. These kinds of quirky, different, and memorable experiences are what we need to see more of.
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