JJDoom
2008
I remembered Gears of War 2 very fondly and I am delighted to say that it still held up beautifully today after a much needed replay.
Taking the excellent formula established in the first game, the second entry cranks up the action, gore and emotion to whole new levels. With new weapons, enemy types and locations, it was a blast to fight off the locus horde once again with the iconic cast of characters quipping hilarious lines along the way.
Not only is Gears of War 2 funny and exciting, it also tugs on the heartstrings through some intense plot moments that make it a truly unforgettable experience.
Taking the excellent formula established in the first game, the second entry cranks up the action, gore and emotion to whole new levels. With new weapons, enemy types and locations, it was a blast to fight off the locus horde once again with the iconic cast of characters quipping hilarious lines along the way.
Not only is Gears of War 2 funny and exciting, it also tugs on the heartstrings through some intense plot moments that make it a truly unforgettable experience.
2022
The flow of this game didn't quite work for me, even after utilising all of the moves, weapons and traversal options it had to offer. It plays fairly well and has a distinct style, but it felt like it was missing something for me. The need to perform tricks to reload your weapons feels illogical to me, although I suspect this was a way for the developers to encourage players to make use of all of the mechanics.
Ubisoft once again proves that the fundamentals that underpin the Assassin's Creed franchise are solid, but Mirage highlights the fact that this needs to be done in conjunction with an equally great story and memorable characters.This is a good game but it could have been a great one.
I liked this game, but I really wanted to love it. Positives and negatives below:
+Great movement mechanics
+Incredible graphics
+Varied flora and fauna
+Smooth performance
+Decent combat
-Bad main story
-Absent, forgettable villain and other characters
-Terrible main character voice acting
-Repetitive, boring side missions and activities
-Tedious resource gathering/crafting
Would love to see more Avatar games in the future, although I'm not sure I'd want Ubisoft to tackle them.
+Great movement mechanics
+Incredible graphics
+Varied flora and fauna
+Smooth performance
+Decent combat
-Bad main story
-Absent, forgettable villain and other characters
-Terrible main character voice acting
-Repetitive, boring side missions and activities
-Tedious resource gathering/crafting
Would love to see more Avatar games in the future, although I'm not sure I'd want Ubisoft to tackle them.
2020
Ghost of Tsushima is a beautiful game with excellent graphics, score and sound design. The gameplay is fun, with a variety of equipment and moves that you can utilise to mix things up. The plot is far from perfect, but there are a few emotional moments that worked for me to decent effect. Some of the missions got a little repetitive and I didn't enjoy the major boss fights for the most part. Great game overall.
2020
A very effective showcase of the PlayStation controller's abilities which is actually a really good game in its own right. Cutesy level design, interesting mechanics and satisfying collectibles. It's a short experience and there isn't much challenge but I can see why there is a speedrunning community around this game.
I loved Ratchet & Clank when it first released, playing all of the games released on the PS2. Sadly I diverged from the franchise, not playing one until now with Rift Apart.
The first thing that struck me when firing up this game was the incredible visuals both in-game and through the rendered cutscenes. The worlds, colours and lighting blew me away, with fine details such as the Lombax fur or Clank's shiny surface bringing this world to life beautifully. The controls are extremely tight and it feels great to play, making creative use of the controller's capabilities through the various weapons and movement options.
The arsenal available to you here is fine, but I found myself gravitating toward a smaller handful of weapons and avoiding others. Combat was fun, requiring you to move around the level through the titular rifts to avoid enemy fire and reach more advantageous ground. Enemy variety was fine but I was quite disappointed by the recurrence of multiple bosses, leaving the experience feeling somewhat repetitive.
Level variety was good overall with a number of different gameplay styles switching things up in the form of traversal sections, clank puzzles, a hacking minigame and pure combat.
The story was OK but I feel that it could have had more emotional weight overall. Rivet is a fine addition to the series and I'd like to see her again if we get another game.
This game pulls one of PlayStation's most iconic duos through the rift into the present, offering a familiar experience with some new and novel elements. Where it falters in story and variety, it excels in entertaining gameplay. This is a really solid foundation to build on for a potentially amazing sequel. I don't think this game sold particularly well overall, which is a great shame so I hope we do see one eventually.
The first thing that struck me when firing up this game was the incredible visuals both in-game and through the rendered cutscenes. The worlds, colours and lighting blew me away, with fine details such as the Lombax fur or Clank's shiny surface bringing this world to life beautifully. The controls are extremely tight and it feels great to play, making creative use of the controller's capabilities through the various weapons and movement options.
The arsenal available to you here is fine, but I found myself gravitating toward a smaller handful of weapons and avoiding others. Combat was fun, requiring you to move around the level through the titular rifts to avoid enemy fire and reach more advantageous ground. Enemy variety was fine but I was quite disappointed by the recurrence of multiple bosses, leaving the experience feeling somewhat repetitive.
Level variety was good overall with a number of different gameplay styles switching things up in the form of traversal sections, clank puzzles, a hacking minigame and pure combat.
The story was OK but I feel that it could have had more emotional weight overall. Rivet is a fine addition to the series and I'd like to see her again if we get another game.
This game pulls one of PlayStation's most iconic duos through the rift into the present, offering a familiar experience with some new and novel elements. Where it falters in story and variety, it excels in entertaining gameplay. This is a really solid foundation to build on for a potentially amazing sequel. I don't think this game sold particularly well overall, which is a great shame so I hope we do see one eventually.
One of the worst games I have ever played. Absolutely inexcusable in every sense.
2019
Much like the game it is based on, Secret Neighbor is baffling, boring and bad.
Without the tedious tank sections this game would stand alongside its predecessors.
2002
While this game might not technically be the best by any measure, it features such an intriguing and bizarre world/story that it is impossible to forget.
Cinematic in every sense, Red Dead Redemption 2 stays with me long after I put the controller down.
2011
What can be said about Dark Souls that hasn't already? Every time I go back I am sucked in by the timeless combat and intricately designed world. Praise the sun!
2016
A return to form for the franchise after the stumble with Dark Souls 2, this is the perfect end to the series with the finest bosses that From Software has ever designed. When that final boss music plays, the goosebumps and emotions always hit harder than any enemy in the game.
2022
Equal parts interesting, satisfying and frustrating.