TheSixthAxis' Scores

  • Games
For 4,006 reviews, this publication has graded:
  • 45% higher than the average critic
  • 7% same as the average critic
  • 48% lower than the average critic
On average, this publication grades 3.5 points lower than other critics. (0-100 point scale)
Average Game review score: 71
Highest review score: 100 Ratchet & Clank
Lowest review score: 10 The Lord of the Rings - Gollum
Score distribution:
4133 game reviews
    • 65 Metascore
    • 50 Critic Score
    There are moments where Gear.Club Unlimited 3 nearly comes together, but when other games like JDM and Tokyo Xtreme Racer exist, it becomes clear just how much of a poor facsimile it is.
    • tbd Metascore
    • 50 Critic Score
    The Padre is a game that pains me. It has potential, but gets stuck deciding what it wants to be and falls short of being good or interesting. The basics are there, but it looks like it still has some demons to exorcise to become truly great.
    • 55 Metascore
    • 50 Critic Score
    It's not a technical showcase by any means, but The Incredible Hulk is a decent enough game for Marvel fans and we can't deny that we had some fun with the physics; Hulk's later powers can be devastating. But when you've leveled the same building five times and caused 10 car pile-ups the fun wears thin.
    • 62 Metascore
    • 50 Critic Score
    Despite having a perfect soundtrack and wonderfully creepy voice-over, Brawl’s single-player misses the mark thanks to its insane difficulty.
    • 70 Metascore
    • 50 Critic Score
    For a brief moment of brilliance, Contra: Operation Galuga is the modern interpretation of a 2D run ‘n’ gun that we always wanted. But it's a fleeting moment, and what comes after is a deeply onerous experience that proves a trudge to see through to completion.
    • 40 Metascore
    • 50 Critic Score
    A purely basic simulator game. You plant, you cultivate, you harvest, you sell. That is the process over and over, with repetitive missions cropping unless you turn them off. If you’ve ever wanted to run a farm, then this is for you, but other than that there’s no real need for the game on console.
    • tbd Metascore
    • 50 Critic Score
    Stellar Wanderer DX isn't the most exciting or engaging example of the space sim genre and suffers from feeling too small and repetitive. Within its own bubble, it does get the basics of space combat and trading right, and fills a gap in this severely neglected genre.
    • 65 Metascore
    • 50 Critic Score
    Pikmin Bloom is a fine AR experience, but sadly it’s just not a good game. With the volume (and intensity) of bugs, the lack of things to actually do and a poor economy, Bloom's player base feels likely to wither without significant change. However, the game does already have a core group of players who absolutely love it, so watch this space. With enough bug fixes and quality of life improvement, Pikmin Bloom may well blossom into something worth playing.
    • 75 Metascore
    • 50 Critic Score
    You’ll get more out of the game the more you put in, and there’s some challenge here for the dedicated, but if forced I’d rather stick to the iPhone version which is far cheaper.
    • 76 Metascore
    • 50 Critic Score
    A dark-fantasy western RPG with a compelling world and an ambitious narrative, Weird West is undermined by awkward combat and micromanagement. Weird West's rotating multi-character perspective will be an acquired taste, but makes sense as a method of world-building. It’s got room to grow, but right now, it’s challenging to build momentum in the early game and to persevere through the mid-game.
    • 54 Metascore
    • 50 Critic Score
    Werewolf: The Apocalypse - Earthblood feels like it had the potential to be really good, but even though the combat is very satisfying, the drab interludes and disappointing stealth meant I spent a lot of the time asking when the game was going to be over. To me, that speaks volumes.
    • 60 Metascore
    • 50 Critic Score
    Dusk Diver 2 flies too close to the sun - and it isn't even aiming for the sun in it's own solar system. While the original game was a tight and exciting brawler, this sequel tries to pivot into a more methodical character-action style without the tools that make those games so rewarding. The result is a game with repetitive, sluggish combat dominating the entire experience. Fans might find crumbs of narrative intrigue to explore here, but newcomers have little reason to dive in.
    • 55 Metascore
    • 50 Critic Score
    But you’ll find that behind the bad animation and dodgy plot is a game that has sound ideas at its core.
    • 71 Metascore
    • 50 Critic Score
    It’s simple to just say that Starpoint Gemini 2 isn’t for everyone, but there are fundamental issues that really make this game utterly impenetrable. The presentation is generally of a good standard, and though the performance falters at inconvenient moments, it’s how the game deals with teaching players how things work that’s most disappointing. We’ve seen space simulations that work on consoles, but this particular trade isn’t worth what they’re offering.
    • tbd Metascore
    • 50 Critic Score
    The plentiful issues of Sword and Fairy Together Forever make it hard to recommend; lacklustre graphics, eye-numbingly long loading times, and uninspired combat do not a great action RPG make. And yet, and yet, if you can look past the problems you’ll find a charming RPG with fantastic mythology and an intriguing world to explore.
    • 56 Metascore
    • 50 Critic Score
    Although barren, its gameplay systems operate well enough, going hand-in-hand with developer Swordtales’ minimalist approach. That said, mechanically, it fails to do anything that truly immerses players any more than the game’s pretty visuals.
    • 64 Metascore
    • 50 Critic Score
    Hell as a location feels a bit bland, and without the other Saints to bounce off Kinzie and Gat aren’t that interesting or funny. Combine that with the lack of in-game music and customisation options and this entry is a step backwards for the series.
    • tbd Metascore
    • 50 Critic Score
    Panzer Knights has some fun tank combat and a wealth of customisation options, but it's ultimately held back by some frustrating gameplay quirks, and a story that takes itself far too seriously without the rich writing or polished grammar it needs to back it up.
    • 59 Metascore
    • 50 Critic Score
    It isn’t a fun puzzle game, and feels like a missed opportunity.
    • tbd Metascore
    • 50 Critic Score
    Despite it many flaws, I enjoyed BDSM and will be going back to get the Platinum trophy. It is mindless fun with occasional boobs, but really does need a good hard polish (honk honk) and a decent script editor.
    • tbd Metascore
    • 50 Critic Score
    In an industry filled with excellent couch co-op games, it’s really hard to recommend Shakes on a Plane. The gameplay is incredibly simple, offering very little variation outside of the core campaign mode. Unless you’re desperate for a multiplayer game, having finished everything else, this is one flight you can probably miss.
    • tbd Metascore
    • 50 Critic Score
    It doesn’t even matter that the gameplay here is so good and delightfully complex. Pox Nora on PlayStation 4 is a failure in execution rather than concept; an excellent card and strategy game that few will likely stick with because of the frankly unacceptable technical issues. Even frame rate issues could be overlooked, but parts of the UI failing part way through matches rendering them unplayable and the usual F2P always online syndrome casts a dark shadow over the rest of the game. Maybe just play it on PC instead.
    • tbd Metascore
    • 50 Critic Score
    Rumbral feels like it is just getting going when you hit the credits. There is a sufficiently good atmosphere and decent designs, but the lack of an engaging story to draw you in and some sluggish gameplay elements does let the overall experience down.
    • 62 Metascore
    • 50 Critic Score
    Omega Force has decided to experiment here, though it’s an experiment that fails to live up to its full potential. Having sampled some of the genre’s top flight titles, Godseekers’ brand of turn-based strategy feels shallow by comparison. Still, there’s enough here for ardent fans of the franchise to wring some enjoyment out of. For something that feels truly new and innovative, all eyes now turn to Dynasty Warriors 9.
    • 62 Metascore
    • 50 Critic Score
    Poison Control has some of my favourite art and character designs from any game this year, but that isn't anywhere near enough to carry the entire experience. The dual-character combat system is a fresh and stylish idea, but it isn't executed very well. Clunky movement and repetitive combat end up holding back this otherwise stylish and unique new game from Nippon Ichi Software.
    • tbd Metascore
    • 50 Critic Score
    There are some interesting ideas in War Sails but there’s a good reason why naval warfare was never a core part of the Bannerlord package. Sea battles just aren’t that appealing, lacking any kind of rewarding strategic depth or enjoyability. However, for those wanting a fresh way of tackling the campaign map, War Sails introduces new tactical opportunities and a layer of ship management some Bannerlord players will find themselves engrossed in. In short, this isn’t a must-buy expansion and for new players we’d recommend sticking with the base game.
    • 80 Metascore
    • 50 Critic Score
    I love the idea of Hunt: Showdown 1896, but in practise it's mostly abandoned by people either sprinting all the time or camping all the time. It's hard to "get good" in this game because, one; it doesn't tell you how to, so you have to watch youtube videos and read reddit threads to figure things as basic as what UI elements mean in the menus, and two; because everyone else is already good and you die before you can get anything done or learn anything. I've made some progress, but doing so was a frustrating and gruelling experience that wasn't entirely down to my own incompetence. If you're a glutton for punishment this could be the extraction shooter for you, but it's hard to recommend to anyone that isn't already embedded in it.
    • 62 Metascore
    • 50 Critic Score
    Whilst fifteen minutes may seem an incredibly short time for a game to last these days, most arcade shoot ’em ups are short and barely last half an hour. There’s nothing really new or exciting in Ghost Blade HD, but it’s a solid entry to a genre that is almost non-existent on current consoles.
    • 68 Metascore
    • 50 Critic Score
    Down The Rabbit Hole is a perfect example of a VR game utterly beholden to its format. It builds an incredible vision of Lewis Carroll’s Wonderland, and lets you interact with it, but completely forgets to give you any reason for being there.
    • 56 Metascore
    • 50 Critic Score
    Although fans will appreciate Deep Silver bringing the series back from the dead, some will no doubt find themselves alienated by the amount of omissions and alterations found in Sacred 3. With that said, it’s still a competent game, even if a little too shallow for fans of the genre.
    • 71 Metascore
    • 50 Critic Score
    The story does nothing original unless you wind up on one of the new story paths after 20 hours of play. On top of that, the visuals still reek of PS3 muddiness despite the smooth framerate. It’s a grindy number-managing repetitive experience, and you might automatically love that or hate it depending on your allegiance to Compile Heart. It simply feels out of place next to other PS4 JRPGs on offer, and could have used a lot more polish if it wanted to stand a chance in the current gen.
    • 70 Metascore
    • 50 Critic Score
    Warriors All Stars is a grand celebration of the history and popularity of Koei Tecmo. Unfortunately, the celebration fails to deliver a satisfying video game experience. Every time I had to re-unlock a character, or study three different menus to try and guess which missions I had to avoid so I could get the next proper story chapter, Warriors All Stars felt less like a celebration, and more like homework.
    • 64 Metascore
    • 50 Critic Score
    The streamlined gameplay and polished visuals haven't incurred any detriment, but compared to what fans will be expecting, 7XL misses the mark, it's failure only made worse by the steep launch price.
    • 53 Metascore
    • 50 Critic Score
    Loading Human is an interesting experiment that looks to explore relationships through VR. However in Chapter One these feel rushed instead of being built at a steadier pace. The price point may also be off putting, as a £30 game that lasts 3 to 4 hours, that is only the first part of a trilogy. Untold Games have crafted a VR world that looks fantastic for the most part but it is populated by characters that come across as two dimensional, and a story that might be better enjoyed once all the chapters have been released.
    • tbd Metascore
    • 50 Critic Score
    While the review here tends toward the critical, I didn’t hate my time with The 9th Charnel. It is definitely over-priced as a first-time developer’s project and I don’t think anyone will feel that its 4 hour runtime justifies a price close to that of Silksong. If this was around £5 then it’d be a different matter but I can’t really recommend the game as things stand. If Saikat Deb builds on this, however, and focuses on the gameplay over the confusing narrative then their next project might be more successful.
    • tbd Metascore
    • 50 Critic Score
    It’s still early days for Pirates: Treasure Hunters. Getting off the ground and building a community is hardest stage for any MOBA, but while there’s a number of ways in which it tries to break the mold, a pattern of common missteps overcloud the game’s prospects of a bright future.
    • 70 Metascore
    • 50 Critic Score
    Wicked Isle feels like a band releasing greatest hits albums to meet a contractual obligation. It's a remix of what came before, so if you just want more Atomfall for a future playthrough or haven't played the main game yet, this slots right in. If you were hoping for a narrative hook that keeps you invested on its own merits, you'll be disappointed. This is just more of the same, but without a compelling mystery to pull you in.
    • 60 Metascore
    • 50 Critic Score
    Hair-tugging difficulty spikes and a harsh entry barrier for newcomers are enough to drag White Knight Chronicles II from being a good game into the pool of mediocrity.
    • tbd Metascore
    • 50 Critic Score
    At £7.99 the Ryder White DLC will prove a hard sell for those who haven't already booked a timeshare in Banoi. Despite being fairly meaty in size the expansion lacks any sort of meta-game reward or replayability, not to mention the awkward integration and occasional issue with pacing.
    • 65 Metascore
    • 50 Critic Score
    Whilst the controls ruin the combat in The Baconing, this isn't actually all there is to the game.
    • 66 Metascore
    • 50 Critic Score
    The MotoGP series has long suffered from a lack of obvious progression from one release to the next. This time, Milestone has at least tried to do things differently and switch game engines, but right now that hasn’t paid off. Last year’s game was already supposed to be a transitional one, yet here we are with a game that is a regression for a series that was becoming a bit stale.
    • 62 Metascore
    • 50 Critic Score
    Sonic Boom: Fire & Ice isn’t a bad game, it just isn’t a good Sonic one. It’s a solid, if bland, outing for a character that still deserves much better. Fans of the Sonic Boom animated series will still likely find something to enjoy, but younger gamers may struggle with the new-found emphasis on multiple abilities and gated areas.
    • 63 Metascore
    • 50 Critic Score
    8-Bit Hordes has attention grabbing visuals but little else on offer. This is Real Time Strategy by the numbers and entirely forgettable, though other developers would do well to remember and adopt the 8-Bit series control scheme. In that regard at least, Hordes might have some of its own ideas pilfered, rather than liberally borrowing everyone else’s.
    • 57 Metascore
    • 50 Critic Score
    It's exactly what anyone would expect of a film tie in game. Functional but underwhelming. The smattering of effective ideas is eventually overwhelmed by mediocrity.
    • 71 Metascore
    • 50 Critic Score
    It's difficult to sum up Conspiracy! On the one hand it's a great concept and the meta approach is fascinating. It's a game with many interesting things to say about online culture, the news cycle and how we perceive the world we have constructed. This is a game with lofty ambitions, but it also happens to be a dreary experience that, despite a short run time, was an absolute slog to play.
    • tbd Metascore
    • 50 Critic Score
    Whilst Train Sim World 4 does the train sim part quite well, the world part is incredibly lacking - it comes with only three routes in the base game and the others cost significantly more than you might expect. All of those routes are in North America or Europe, even the DLCs, which would make it a much smaller world than the one I live in. If you love trains and have plenty of train sim money, Train Sim World is a good option for running routes. Just be aware that you'll probably be paying more than is reasonable.
    • 48 Metascore
    • 50 Critic Score
    It’s difficult to recommend Arkham Horror Mother’s Embrace if you’re not already a fervent fan of the universe, and knowledge of what this game could have done with the source material will leave you yearning for a better digital implementation of Asmodee's tabletop tour de force.
    • 70 Metascore
    • 50 Critic Score
    Afterlove EP is a heartfelt project that looks to explore the theme of loss, grief, and moving forward after the death of a loved one. However, it is marred by some bugs that cause loss of key conversations, and you can get softlocked out from seeing the ending.
    • tbd Metascore
    • 50 Critic Score
    Realm of Champions has a lot of good ideas, but it's currently light on content. There's the potential to tell a superb tale set within the Marvel universe, but it's doing nothing with the story at the moment. Hopefully, this can change in time as right now, it’s mostly grinding with no real endgame.
    • 56 Metascore
    • 50 Critic Score
    While Hardware Rivals is fun to play in chunks it gets repetitive quickly, and its great visual design isn’t enough to cover the cracks.
    • 65 Metascore
    • 50 Critic Score
    Sadly, this isn’t the breakthrough fans were expecting. Omega Force took a pretty big risk with Dynasty Warriors 9, and while its open world integration can be seen as a small triumph, this newest entry is marred by its heavily outdated approach to combat design.
    • 63 Metascore
    • 50 Critic Score
    Too much of my time with Kiborg was spent thinking how much more fun I’d be having if the game dumped the roguelite elements and just went full old-school third person action brawler. So many of its failings could be ignored in that form. Instead, Kiborg is a slightly underwhelming rougelite that looks like it should be far more fun that it is.
    • 58 Metascore
    • 50 Critic Score
    Naruto X Boruto: Ultimate Ninja Storm Connections is a disappointingly dull entry in the series. You have to wonder where CyberConnect2 will go from here.
    • 70 Metascore
    • 50 Critic Score
    I really wanted to like Hightower and I kind of do, thanks to all of the passion and cute touches that are peeking through the cracks. Whether it's the inclusion of old movie trivia that can skip a battle, some Charlie Chaplin footage, a scene where you're trapped behind a wall and more, it's clear there was a real vision here, and while it may not be fully realised, I admire the effort. The end product falls short on a number of levels, but I have a soft spot for it regardless and will be keeping an eye on the developer's future games.
    • 62 Metascore
    • 50 Critic Score
    Chimparty is fun enough to break out for an occasional bout of light-hearted multiplayer when you’ve got friends round, and accessible enough to cater for all ages, but its limitations soon being to show if you spend any extended period of time with it.
    • 66 Metascore
    • 50 Critic Score
    The card combat and deckbuilding of Neoverse is incredibly strong and if all you need to keep you entertained is deep card combat, it's got you covered. However, the lack of any kind of context and background to anything, just going from fight to fight, eventually takes the sheen off. The core of the game has benefited from a great deal of attention, care and creativity, it's just a shame it was almost squandered due to the lack of it elsewhere.
    • tbd Metascore
    • 50 Critic Score
    nGolf is one of those games that will fly by without much, if any fanfare. It offers a competent mini-golf game, but there have been others that have been more challenging and entertaining. It is not worth the full price, but at a steep discount it's a charming choice if you really need to play through some simple golf puzzles.
    • 65 Metascore
    • 50 Critic Score
    Aces of Thunder feels like it's missing some basics, like tutorials, feedback on hits, and an informative HUD. I know it's a sim, but what's the point of simulating me being in a plane and not knowing where to go? What kind of commander says there's enemies incoming, but with no further details, like direction? That, along with some frustrating issues with the controls and fiddly use of a DualSense while in VR just leaves me coming away from the game more frustrated than elated. If you've got the patience to get through the trial and error, you might enjoy this very realistic flight combat sim, but the multiplayer still won't be well populated without crossplay.
    • 75 Metascore
    • 50 Critic Score
    Mary Skelter 2 is a fun game at its core, but it surrounds that with a lot of elements that detract from the experience and make it almost unplayable in public, at home, or anywhere you think your screen could be seen. Fanservice isn't an inherently bad thing, but the characters are all way too young to be used in this way, and it's just not great. The customisation is good, and the combat gets great the further you press on, but it's hard to ignore the random instances of undressed girls sprinkled throughout the game.
    • 54 Metascore
    • 50 Critic Score
    Knack is a game with some solid core mechanics which cry out for a bit more polish and a lot more variety in the gameplay. While changing size is truly amazing, it doesn’t bring enough in the table to make the lengthy game fun, and it becomes quite tired after the halfway mark.
    • 61 Metascore
    • 50 Critic Score
    Some parts of the Asemblance are executed incredibly well, but having clocked in at just over an hour, it’s a tough one to recommend. Those who enjoy tearing apart this specific type of interactive thriller will have a ball searching every detailed nook and cranny for fresh clues, while the majority of gamers simply “won’t get it”. Either way, we’re intrigued to see where Nilo goes next and whether its ambitions for a landmark narrative series can actually materialise.
    • 57 Metascore
    • 50 Critic Score
    Fans will no doubt appreciate the new gameplay features but, as a whole, Mugen Souls Z feels too exclusive a game, even for a sequel. Its niche narrative focus and penchant for superficiality make it a hard sell for newcomers.
    • 82 Metascore
    • 50 Critic Score
    While NBA 2K19 is competent it has also, for me at least, continued down the road of not feeling as fun or exciting as previous NBA 2K titles. This year, the feeling isn’t so much of outcry as it is fatigue at having seen the gradual changes take place over the last several years.
    • 71 Metascore
    • 50 Critic Score
    Chernobylite is a game that's dripping in atmosphere, but doesn't quite hit the mark in other areas. If you can get past its clunky shooting and stealth mechanics, there’s some fun to be had in base building and people management.
    • 53 Metascore
    • 50 Critic Score
    Has-Been Heroes has a genuinely inviting and involving combat system that requires real strategic thought to master. However the rest of the game just doesn’t pull together to form a cohesive whole, with brutal difficulty, frustrating permadeath and an under-utilised premise all serving to taint the end product. It does at least benefit from the Nintendo Switch’s portability, and this is where it’s at its best, but at home you’ll likely be turning it off far quicker than Frozenbyte were hoping for.
    • 58 Metascore
    • 50 Critic Score
    Please don't take this review as the ranting of a moody Ninja Gaiden fan. Remove the franchise name and the score would still be the same. Despite promising much at the start, Ninja Gaiden 3 misfires at almost every turn, and whilst it's not a bad game, it struggles to rise above average.
    • 62 Metascore
    • 50 Critic Score
    With more development time, copious patches, and some decent tutorials, the good game hidden deep inside Flint: Treasure of Oblivion could be dug up and unearthed. But for now, that treasure remains hidden, with only a map inscribed on the back of a wooden peg leg to try and find it.
    • 66 Metascore
    • 50 Critic Score
    While Way of the Hado feels tacked on and ultimately a pointless gimmick, this is still a great version of Street Fighter II and currently the best way to experience the classic game on today’s hardware. The additions to the main game are minor at best for the astonishing price tag, with Evil Ryu and Violent Ken just being amped up clones of existing fighters, but it still plays like the classic arcade fighter. Just don’t expect anything revolutionary.
    • 63 Metascore
    • 50 Critic Score
    Including all of the NASCAR license must be a mammoth task, and while Heat 5 is an improvement over its forbearers, the overall feeling of the game is that of a vacuous slog. With no obvious USP other than the volume of cars and tracks, or magic new features that other racing games should take inspiration from, NASCAR Heat 5 is a perfunctory depiction that’s enjoyable in small doses but runs out of tyres once you get past the initial stages.
    • tbd Metascore
    • 50 Critic Score
    There's nothing big or clever about Habroxia, yet it will provide a solid few hours entertainment. It is remarkably unremarkable, but it's worth a punt if you want something to play on PS Vita.
    • 48 Metascore
    • 50 Critic Score
    If you're a fan of horse racing or interested in getting into the sport, Champion Jockey is without doubt a must-have; it's technical, it's in-depth and you're guaranteed hours upon hours of replay value. However, if you happen to be a gamer looking for a quick burst of casual fun, Champion Jockey's myriad of intricacies and learning curve may be enough to hinder your enjoyment.
    • 65 Metascore
    • 50 Critic Score
    UEFA 2012 is what many of us have been asking for since DLC became a major part of console gaming. Unfortunately, the desire to deliver it as an expansion, rather than a unique product has meant that corners have been cut. While that has made the end product less expensive than in previous instances, it still appears quite costly when measured against other items on the relevant stores.
    • tbd Metascore
    • 50 Critic Score
    Who Wants To Be A Millionaire? stays faithful to the show's traditional format, packing in thousands of questions and several modes for both local and online multiplayer – the battle royale mode is a pretty good idea. There can be some odd difficulty spikes though, not to mention the need to grind to unlock more question packs and the player avatar and host doing little more than taking up space. A practical recreation that lacks any sort of soul.
    • 67 Metascore
    • 50 Critic Score
    As a 3D action game, Estival Versus manages to tick most boxes, but it fails to deliver anything which could be labelled as ground-breaking. While in no way poor or unenjoyable, it does little to put this franchise on the map. Still, for fans of previous entries, there’s plenty of meat on the bone, bundled together in a respectably polished brawler.
    • 53 Metascore
    • 50 Critic Score
    The dark, twisted story is something that has a lot of potential, and the music is great. However, odd design choices like obscuring the action and cluttered menus that don’t mesh together well, along with pretty uninteresting characters makes it hard to do so.
    • 68 Metascore
    • 50 Critic Score
    The Inner Friend isn’t a bad game, but it never really rises above mediocrity. As a result, it's difficult to recommend unless the narrative premise attracts you. There are some moments of greatness amidst an interesting take on trauma and the idea of replaying unresolved memories from one’s past, but the overall feel is distinctly average.
    • 66 Metascore
    • 50 Critic Score
    Like the first two games, Fairy Fencer F: Refrain Chord is flawed, tonally inconsistent, and a massively repetitive grind. Re-treading this story for the third time and jump to an entirely different and less enjoyable gameplay system has made it even harder to recommend this game in spite of it's flaws. There is charm, and there are moments, and diehard Compile Heart fans might be able to push through and enjoy them, but I suspect that the people this game will truly speak to are few and far between.
    • 66 Metascore
    • 50 Critic Score
    Monochrome Mobius: Rights and Wrongs is full of interesting nuggets of narrative revelations for fans of the long-running Utawarerumono visual novel series, but its pacing problems and lacking quality make it much less suitable for newcomers than it should be.
    • 57 Metascore
    • 50 Critic Score
    While a fun distraction, there’s little to recommend wholeheartedly when it comes to Kirby: Battle Royale. Its mini-games are well designed, but with a short Story Mode and limited replay value for its other modes, it becomes clear that this is not a stellar addition to an already bulging line-up. Kirby fans are probably better off saving for a Switch as the pink puffball is heading there next year.
    • 63 Metascore
    • 50 Critic Score
    The Occupation has a premise that is really intriguing in theory. Trying to spy on a powerful entity and taking them to task with your questioning is the kind of experience that can be great in the game, and taking inspiration from current affairs makes it feel much more authentic. It's a shame that various bugs, even when updated to the most recent build, can make the experience feel lacklustre, and at times a frustration to play.
    • 53 Metascore
    • 50 Critic Score
    Grimshade frustrates as it offers up an interesting and original world to explore and then actively deters you from doing so with overly difficult and frequent combat. This could be worth visiting after some balance updates, but one to avoid for now.
    • 64 Metascore
    • 50 Critic Score
    Oniken does a few things right, but flounders when it comes to the most important parts of the experience. The visuals and audio of the game are a faithful and accurate tribute to the style of classic NES action games, sure. All of the artistic flair in the world can't help a game that simply isn't fun to play, though. Action in Oniken is consistently stiff and frustrating, and while boss encounters can provide brief moments of gratifying gameplay, only the most dedicated of action platformer fans will have the patience to reach those encounters.
    • 62 Metascore
    • 50 Critic Score
    Lost Soul Aside is, ironically, a mostly soulless experience that never really comes together.
    • 65 Metascore
    • 50 Critic Score
    Although I see what it was going for, Legend of Legacy HD Remastered doesn’t quite stick the landing. The visuals and music are excellent, and the concept of filling maps out through exploration scratches a very specific yet satisfying itch. But, the repetitive nature of the overall gameplay, along with punishing you for any sort of experimentation with characters or weapon loadouts, leaves a bitter taste in the mouth, overall.
    • 56 Metascore
    • 50 Critic Score
    Raiders has some interesting ideas, but slips in its execution. While the gunplay is solid and the graphics and voice acting are both good, the repetition of the missions combined with the need to replay them for what little character customisation there is quickly takes the shine from it all. What remains is a middling game that misses its potential.
    • 65 Metascore
    • 50 Critic Score
    Hypercharge: Unboxed delivers on its promise of plastic-bashing toy warfare. However, for more mature gamers and fans of the genre, it doesn’t go deep enough, playing it safe with serviceable albeit rather basic gameplay.
    • 59 Metascore
    • 50 Critic Score
    I really wanted to write about the positives of featuring more cultures in this genre, and about how cool it is to have a famous actor play the protagonist, but sadly the gameplay gets in the way of anything interesting. Unknown 9: Awakening is just a bunch of gaming tropes loosely tied together with boring and uninspired NPCs lazily lurching from set piece to set piece, as the poorly designed game creaks and groans under the weight of expectation.
    • 55 Metascore
    • 50 Critic Score
    Breach & Clear is playable and it is even quite entertaining. Clearing missions and customising characters is satisfying, and the sound design and music help engage the player. Everything else though, does the opposite. Low quality visuals, poor menus, a complete lack of story and game-breaking glitches render this game, at least on this platform, nearly impossible to enjoy in the long term.
    • 46 Metascore
    • 50 Critic Score
    Instead of being a full-fat adaptation of Survival Evolved, ARK Park is more of a taster, chopping that game into smaller chunks, then isolating them. This isn’t the same sprawling open world shooter – it’s something much smaller and less substantive, though still looks to capture that core ARK essence. It may succeed on some level though, needless to say, those players who pony up £30 and go in blind could come away deeply dissatisfied.
    • 67 Metascore
    • 50 Critic Score
    Though Team Ninja has certainly spruced up a number of elements, they seem to have avoided the game’s most fundamental issues. The series’ trademark gameplay has always been challenging but never quite so obstructive and un-rewarding.
    • 53 Metascore
    • 50 Critic Score
    Distinctly average then, PlayStation Move Heroes trades off some legacy brand IPs without ever really giving them room to shine or, indeed, interact. It's a frustratingly shallow collection of styles, dressed up as something more than it ultimately ends up as.
    • 61 Metascore
    • 50 Critic Score
    After the Fall is a fun co-op zombie shooter in VR, but with a lack of content at launch, awkwardly randomised attachment unlocks, and constantly separating parties between levels, it's not without issues. I really want to love After the Fall and, honestly, I would be at peace with all of its flaws if it had more content.
    • 67 Metascore
    • 50 Critic Score
    The music by Marcin Sonnenberg is excellent, the ancient Germanic future to the game is a decent angle for some humour, but it ultimately fails to maintain interest due to monotonous gameplay. This is a rare case where the game’s presentation outpaces its gameplay, leaving behind a creative and briefly entertaining, yet inexplicably dull game. Certainly good for passing time, but there are countless similar games on mobile devices for a fraction of the price.
    • 77 Metascore
    • 50 Critic Score
    Soul Reaver and its sequel benefit from modern controls and minor visual upgrades yet there are niggling issues these remasters fail to address. Sparsely placed checkpoints and the lack of a quick save feature do little to help accommodate the sensibilities of modern gamers and will no doubt lead to prospective new fans and nostalgia seekers to bounce off pretty hard, especially if they encounter the same crashes we ran into.
    • 60 Metascore
    • 40 Critic Score
    I like Doctor Who a lot. As a TV show it's got all the best things about good entertainment and genuinely has some incredible storylines and messages. Doctor Who: The Edge of Time is not one of them though. Between sluggish movement and dull puzzles, I think it's enough to say that even Jodie Whittaker can't save this game.
    • tbd Metascore
    • 40 Critic Score
    Gonner 2's main aim is to make your life a living hell. If you think you’re ‘ard enough, Gonner 2 is here to prove you really aren’t, and if that’s your type of thing then you can go right ahead. The procedurally generated levels can seem unfair and overly random in places, often leading to the end of a run, but its controls, music and artstyle have to be commended for creating such a gritty and dark atmosphere. Fitting for a game that’ll make you want to die.
    • 59 Metascore
    • 40 Critic Score
    Asterix and Obelix: Slap Them All! 2 could have been a tremendously fun arcade-inspired side-scrolling beat ‘em up. Instead, it’s a boring, lifeless, repetitive, and unfinished mess. Avoid like a menhir to the face.
    • 55 Metascore
    • 40 Critic Score
    VR Ping Pong VR's inconsistent physics are a constant issue that stops you from ever feeling comfortable whilst playing, as at any moment something might behave oddly. Add a few bugs, missing or poorly implemented arcade modes, and multiplayer that's already lifeless and it's difficult to recommend the game. Once it's been updated, if all you want is a very pretty ping pong game, this might do the job.
    • 64 Metascore
    • 40 Critic Score
    Although there’s a niche that will no doubt revel in the game’s eccentricity, those who cringe at otaku culture will find very little value here. Even looking past its more tasteless tendencies, the game’s combat is average and its design is repetitive. Still, it’s a complete write-off by any means, in part thanks to its vibrant depiction of Akihabara and the surprise inclusion of English voiceover.
    • 66 Metascore
    • 40 Critic Score
    Spacebase Startopia feels a bit too basic for a management game and is not something you could really spend hours cultivating once you have the station set up. What it offers is rather simplistic, and is marred by regular crashes on console and an AI advisor that you'll grow to hate.

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