The in-combat effects and camera work really make what could be a relatively basic combat cycle into something that feels dynamic and empowering.

Death Stranding is an irredeemable piece of garbage that should serve as a warning to publishers who give developers carte blanche to create ‘art’.

While Marathon hasn’t grabbed me yet, I’m going to keep plugging away at it before bolting a score on to this review and calling it a day. There’s a lot here, most of it good, and as long as Sony backs Marathon through this teething phase I think we could have a gem on our hands – with some aggressive polishing, of course.

It isn’t as innovative as past Modern Warfare games, nor does it have as many iconic moments. But for the most part, it’s a unified campaign that nails what Modern Warfare should be. Fans of Call of Duty campaigns won’t be able to put their controller down. [Campaign Review = 80]

Based on the first two instalments however, I can happily recommend this for anyone that loves to dig into a layered story – or just wants to snoop around in somebody else’s emails.

You shouldn’t buy Wildlands right now. The types of glitches and problems we experienced in previews still rear their head; while they’re forgivable in a pre-release environment, the same isn’t true when buying what should be a finished product. The entire experience is best summed up by our multiplayer adventure: you’ll run around a lot, but you’re not going to be able to get much done.

A creative and novel way to spend time in whatever level of lockdown you’re currently engaged in.

Through an oversimplification of systems compared to previous entries in the franchise, everything in Far Cry 6 feels too safe…There isn’t any challenge to the combat, the exploration is mindless and the story that unfolds is completely unsatisfying.

The fact that STALKER 2 is complete and ready for an imminent release is nothing short of a miracle. It’s just a shame that my experience... is damaged by a constant stream of ever-present bugs and issues. [Provisional Score = 50]

There's something admittedly unique about Romeo is a Dead Man, but that quirkiness doesn't make up for its middle of the road design. In fact, it's not long before quirky is just there for the sake of quirkiness, not serving anything larger.

This is the kind of game a cheap uncle buys a kid for Christmas out of the bargain bin giving little thought beyond, “little Timmy likes cars so I’ll buy him this thing.” Sadly, it will only keep kids entertained for as long as it takes them to realise the odds are stacked against them. While some real passion has gone into the transition of some much-loved toys into digital form, the challenge of Hot Wheels Unleashed is just too great for its target audience. Without significant fixes, it will do little more than frustrate all who pick it up.

Featuring systems that focus on community engagement and competition among friends, there are some clever new ideas that haven’t been seen in games before. Still, Steep falls short where it matters most, offering you more moments of anger than adrenaline. If you have plenty of patience then this might be the game for you, though most will end up pissed off rather than going off-piste.

Regretfully, the remastering of Onimusha 2 is just an increase to the resolution and nothing more. There are no new textures, no improved lighting effects, and no changes to character animations. If anyone was going to criticise a remaster for being a cheap cash grab, this is a fine example.

The issue here is that Until Dawn didn’t need a remaster. Or a remake. I would wholeheartedly recommend everyone reading this buy and play the 2015 original, and I would equally recommend you banish this remake from your mind to never think of again.

The story is mostly just window dressing for a mission-based grind-‘em-up.

Perhaps the least forgivable aspect for me, given my love of exploration and discovery in games like these, is that all the islands feel the same. For Sea of Thieves to be a truly unforgettable experience for me I’d have liked to have seen islands and archipelagos that feel lovingly crafted with supreme attention to detail. What we have instead is a map that feels like Rare turned “Generate Game” on once and just ran with what the creator spat out. This, more than anything else, saddens me as it makes things feel even less devoid of life. Islands are too spread out, too samey and too uninteresting leaving the player with a, “seen one, seen them all” feeling.

Aliens: Fireteam Elite is an uninspiring and dull game that should have been shot out of an airlock.

If you’re a racing fan, be it arcade or simulation, I recommend you avoid this game – it’s a thoroughly unenjoyable experience from a once great series.

If you ignore the presentation, there’s something in here for dungeon crawl fanatics, but you’re better off going with something like Darksiders Genesis for a far more enjoyable experience. Like Darksiders isn’t for the younger gamer in your life, neither is this. Snack World: The Dungeon Crawl – Gold is available now on Nintendo Switch.

In a world where developers are getting used to working from home and games are being pushed back due to the global pandemic, EA decided that Battlefield 2042 was ready for this year. It’s not.

All up, Avengers is turning out to be a pleasant surprise so far, a game with more narrative and heart than I expected thanks to a lacklustre beta. There’s till the sense that it’s trying to be and do far too many things, and time will tell if that proves true.

Super Mutant Alien Assault has some good ideas in it, but the balance of quality vs quantity was shifted way too far towards the latter, resulting in a potentially excellent platformer that’s been ruined with unnecessary filler. Give this one a miss unless you’re a huge fan of getting really angry at video games.

The fact that DICE responded so quickly to the complaint of its beta being pay to win is a good thing; a source of hope the likes of which the Rebellion can use to secure victory. Unlike a lack of response (or urgency) after the launch of Star Wars: Battlefront, I truly hope that lessons are learned quickly and implemented before Battlefront 2‘s player base walks away in protest. Again. [Provisional Score = 6.5]

While true fans of the franchise might get a kick out of seeing a new take on an old story, Alone in the Dark is a tonal and functional mess that frustrates more than it entertains.

The first-person Way of the Hado mode is garbage.

It’s eminently clear throughout that Slitterhead suffered a messy development. It’s an incomprehensible slog to play through and I regret spending so much of my week with it.

Avengers would have been a great story-driven title but its Games as a Service elements completely destroy it. Steer well clear, at least until Achievements and progression are fixed. To date, Square and Crystal Dynamics haven’t even bothered to officially acknowledge the issues the game is facing. For shame.

While objectives are straightforward, it’s teamwork that generally lets a team down. From my playthroughs, you can almost immediately identify a team that will work at a unit – or, ideally, in a handful of coordinated ones – compared to teams with individuals that will rush to an objective with a strategy in mind. Games where individuals are blindly rushing at a group of bad guys are frustrating beyond belief, and sadly, they’re happening often at this point. [Review in progress]