Bayonetta, what a game! It was really refreshing to go back to it after playing Bayonetta 3 last year and being disappointed with it. It’s always really nice to play a videogame that is not just proud of being a videogame and proud of what it is trying to do but also revels in it. I first played Bayonetta back on the PS3 not that long after its release and then went back to it again on the Wii U when the sequel released. So now this PS4 version is my third dive into this game and it’s been a while. Bayonetta in my memory was a brilliant game that I really enjoyed but after just playing it again I found a bunch of little issues that my mind had conveniently forgotten, so that’s where I am going to kick off this review.

‘We wanted to bring a new flavor into the market, and I knew a female lead would accomplish exactly that. It was clear to us that mixing a sexy and amorous female character with an action game setting would produce a masterful spice blend…’ (Kamiya)

First up are the quick time events, these are a bit annoying on both the first play through and subsequent play throughs. They do keep you engaged and involved and are cool moments but the timing window for them is small, they sometimes result in a death if failed and it means anytime they are involved you can’t skip the scene. As a huge Resident Evil 4 fan I don’t hate these but they could have been better implemented. The camera isn’t always your friend but thankfully it’s not very bad and was mostly during exploration that it needed wrestling. Every once in a while the screen might be a little too busy or the enemies might block your view. Then there is the button mashing required for the ‘punish’ and ‘torture attacks.’ It is certainly more visceral and keeps up constant engagement but what about my poor thumb. Similar to this is how a couple of attacks can have Bayonetta stuck or stunned and you need to smack the stick side to side. You also need to do a bunch of hits to open chests. I know they are Umbra resting places so it makes sense but surely one button press could have done. Some of the Alfheim portals are hidden in an annoying way. I was looking up and around for them and checking for breakable walls but didn’t realise some of them appear after a certain level of progress and then require backtracking. I’m not sure how much crafting lollipops adds to the game, they could have been found and are buyable. There are some rare, minor finicky or frustrating bits as well.

‘Bayo is a fashionable girl, and the fact that her clothes are made from her hair suggests that her outfit is a reflection of her own personal fashion sense.’ (Kamiya)

Some of the cut scenes are not fully animated and are instead like slide shows. It would have been great to see every single moment of this game fully done and the inconsistency of what is and isn’t fully animated makes it stick out further. I’m not sure if this was a creative choice or due to time and budget constraints, either way I think it could have been better. Then when it comes to the story it can be told somewhat awkwardly at times, with some cut scenes being a bit info dump-y. It can be predictable too and occasionally things are said that don’t need to be. I guess you’re going to get Fly Me to the Moon stuck in your head as well. I don’t think there is anything else to nitpick and that's what these issues are just nitpicks. Right, that’s all out of the way, now I can start gushing about this game.

‘…did you know she also uses her powers to change the blood spray during battle into rose petals whenever she takes damage? Bayo has strict personal policies regarding beauty, and never lets her standards fall short!’ (Kamiya)

The first thing I’m going to praise is the presentation and style as you’re going to notice this straight away from the cover alone. Bayonetta is an absolutely sumptuous feast for your eyes and ears. The level of detail in this game is so impressive. Like the butterflies coming off Bayonetta, or how her butterfly wings when jumping have that stained glass look, or how the skull roses bloom out of where she steps while in beast mode, or how the patterns on her guns line up. You could spend all day listing these details and still miss things; it’s staggering how much thought went into this game. It is obvious that a lot of love and passion was poured into this. The only things that held back this team was the hardware, time and money, and maybe the higher-ups too, because it clearly wasn’t a lack of talent or enthusiasm. The animation is superb, the environments are wonderful, the spectacle and bosses are impressive, the cut scenes are well directed (even when like slideshows), the sound effects are spot on and that soundtrack; wow, easily one of my all time favourites and so much fun. Bayonetta is simply one the most stylish and best looking games of all time, with music to match. And all of this serves to enhance and intensify Bayonetta’s phenomenal gameplay.

‘We weren’t initially planning for Bayo to take it all off when summoning Gomorrah, but we thought it would be more fun that way...’ (Shimazaki)

The combat found in Bayonetta is not only some of the best in its genre but some of the best you can experience in all of gaming. One of the things I think makes it special is that it can be accessible without really compromising itself (I know easy and very easy are different). Those new to the genre or a general game consumer can enjoy the ride on easy or very easy. For those comfortable with action games normal difficulty provides a great experience. For people looking for a challenge there is hard and infinite climax. For the hack and slash fans the combat is easy to get into but has a high skill ceiling. There is depth and options available to explore so that you can enjoy many replays, while chasing those platinum’s and you can try to look as stylish as possible while doing it. The game plays great straight from the start with a bit of tutorial phase at first. Then you just have access to its wonders. You get a really good variety of combos, wicked weaves, the dodge plus witch time, torture attacks, punish attacks, enemy dropped weapons, guns, bullet climax, double jump, a taunt, your infernal demons and of course the dodge offset that Bayonetta is well known for. But despite Bayonetta starting off better than most games ever get, they didn’t stop there, you get more tools along the way. You get more weapons, techniques, accessories and two beast modes. And to put it simply; it’s unbelievably fantastic. It is fast and engaging, never looks dull and getting better at it makes you feel so good. But it doesn’t matter if you button mash, get mediocre, get good or try to master it. Anyway you choose is going to be fun as hell, entertaining and rewarding. Obviously though, I would recommend trying to sink your teeth into it at least a little. Playing a verse really well, while not getting hit and being rewarded with those pure platinum’s feels so good; it’s a drug that I wish I was skilled enough to earn more often. That’s right all this praise is being heaped on by someone that isn’t even that good at this. Hard mode was a challenge for me and now infinite climax is kicking my arse. Maybe this just reveals that I suck a bit but I think the fact that I keep playing this and find there’s still so much room for improvement shows how impressive this game is.

‘A “barrier wall” like this one is quite common in games of this genre. But Bayo can blow a million of these away with a simple blown kiss. Bayo does not stop to fight the angels because she is trapped, but rather because she wants to lay a smackdown on the uppity angels before tearing down their precious barrier!’ (Kamiya)

When not in combat you’ll be exploring, collecting things along the way, doing some minor environmental puzzles, a tiny bit of platforming, finding Alfheim portals, playing Angel Attack, visiting The Gates of Hell and a couple chapters really change things up. I really like that Bayonetta is a linear game but it also has these sections and things to find in between combat. The rewards that permanently boost your health and magic make going a bit out of your way worth it, you will find extra fights as well and if you care about the story then you’ll want those notes too. The game just has a really good rhythm of battles and bosses broken up by exploration, collectables and visits to the Gates of Hell to upgrade or stock up on items or get new techniques and weapons. Then each chapter is capped off with the laid back, shooting gallery mini game Angel Attack. Bayonetta doesn’t ever let you get bored that’s for sure, even during the end credits. I think the progression, game length and difficulty curve is pretty spot on too.

‘The players who paid attention while playing probably noticed this, but judging from the look of the weapons that Rodin supplies to Bayo, it would appear that Rodin was also the one who crafted the weapons that the angels use. If I ever get the chance, I would love to tell the story of Rodin’s past.’ (Kamiya)

There are a couple of important things I want to point out as well. The first thing is this games obvious arcade influence, which I really like and it is an important part of why this game is so good. Bayonetta is a game that provides a challenge, has a good scoring system, asks that you play it over and over and it’s a game that you can get into that flow state with, like an arcade or rhythm or any decent hack n slash game. Then there are the two chapters that are straight up homage’s to arcade games and these sections are not flaws in the game. They are fun surprises, that I won’t spoil here, that help break up the game and they somehow just work and don’t feel out of place in Bayonetta. The other important thing is about the Alfheim Portals. The challenges found here at first might seem frustrating because of how they limit you. They have to be completed in a certain way and you have a strict time limit and number of hits you can take. At first I was asking why but it doesn’t take long to realise that these challenges are designed to make you better at the game. The limitations within them force you to learn things about the combat, which makes them well worth doing for that alone but you also get rewarded for doing them too.

‘While considering the scenario, I thought that a young and inexperienced male would make for a good pair with a strong, mature woman like Bayo. Being that I am a pure, virginal boy, Luka is like an in-game representation of my own innocent hopes and dreams.’ (Kamiya)

The story and world of Bayonetta is a bit similar to the gameplay in that it allows you to jump in as much as you would like to. Are you going to skip scenes or are you going to pay close attention? Are you going to find every note and read them all? Are you going to read every single weapon, enemy and accessory description or not? The story, lore and attention to detail are there if you want it or you could easily just sit back and enjoy the spectacle. It follows the witch Bayonetta after she awakens from a long slumber with amnesia. So both Bayonetta and the player are in the dark about a lot details for a decent chunk of the game. As things progress you slowly get more info and flashbacks about Umbra Witches, Lumen Sages, angels of Paradiso, what happened between them hundreds of years ago and who Bayonetta is. While I consider it the weakest part of the game, I still think it’s pretty solid and enjoyable, particularly for this genre. Perhaps the way we judge the quality of stories in videogames needs to be thought about differently than other media because of the unique nature of this medium. The story in Bayonetta and many other games is designed to serve the gameplay. They needed a path through and reasons for Bayonetta to fight many angels and battle Jeanne multiple times. When you think about it this way and consider what they were trying to achieve it's pretty good. If you’re really critical of this part of the game I think you need to ask, does it really matter that much when Bayonetta is so relentlessly entertaining, delightfully over the top and continuously inventive in its depiction of action. Let’s not forget about how great these characters are too.

‘In my opinion, an action games story is less important than the situations in which the player has to fight, and the characters they get tangled up with.’ (Kamiya)

The characters in Bayonetta are just so likeable and watchable. Jeanne, Rodin, Luka, Enzo, Cereza and even Balder are so well done. They easily achieved what they were going for with each one. Their designs, personalities, dialogue and mannerisms are on point and somehow every voice actor was the perfect choice and nailed their role. They pair with and play off Bayonetta so well, whether it’s Enzo’s bumbling, comic relief or how Jeanne contrasts with her or how Cereza and Luka pull out another side of her. Rodin says “whata ya’ buyin?” and indicates he played Resident Evil 4, so obviously he is a top shelf character. But Bayonetta, she just outshines them all. Bayonetta is one of the greatest videogame characters of all time and one of the most purely entertaining and charming characters across all media. So much went into her creation and it shows in every aspect and detail. From the way she stands, which varies based on the weapon. To how she activates things and pulls levers. To how the camera frames and tracks her. How her confidence and immense power is blended with her femininity and a cheeky, clever playfulness. How she is so cool, composed and violent but at the same time she still cares deeply for those around her. How she walks, moves and dances thanks to the efforts of the professional dancer Maiko Uchida and everyone involved with motion capture and animation. To her fun dialogue and the irreplaceable performance of Hellena Taylor. To her exquisitely detailed design by Mari Shimazaki, whose ideas, talent and time put in paid off so much. Naturally I have to give credit to Hideki Kamiya for his vision and commitment to getting the best as well, and of course to all those who I haven’t named and who don’t get the same attention – thank you so much for your contributions in bringing this character and game to life, it is truly something special.

‘As expected, the blind higher-ups demanded that we get rid of the glasses. Now, I’m a pacifist by nature, and will avoid confrontation when I can… but compromise and majority votes have kept too many great ideas from the world. I stood my ground, and succeeded in earning glasses for Bayo. My intention is not to create something that won’t be hated; it’s to create something that will be passionately loved.’ (Kamiya)

Playing Bayonetta is like playing one of the greatest games ever made but someone annoying is in the room with you making noise and walking in front of the screen occasionally. Because that’s what Bayonetta is. It is one of the best games ever but it has some niggles and sometimes gets in its own way a little. This was my third visit to Bayonetta and my third time buying it and I would happily do it again. After my first play through this time around I wanted to immediately start again. Then after the second I wanted a third go and then a fourth. How many games can you truly say that about? The first Bayonetta is still the best Bayonetta, go play it, I highly recommend it.

9.5/10

Unicorn Overlord is one of only a handful of new releases I’m really interested in this year and is one of the very few that I am actually interested in buying straight away at full price. The reason for this isn’t just that Unicorn Overlord looks very appealing to me but also because the developer Vanillaware have not missed yet. I am happy to report that after playing Unicorn Overlord Vanilliaware’s reputation is not only intact but now elevated a little higher than it was before. Unicorn Overlord is a game that has breadth and depth. It is a tactical RPG that delivers both quantity and quality but it is not flawless.

The story is simplistic and might not quite be what some people wanted after 13 Sentinels but it is grand and enjoyable and of course picks up right around the end. It is carried by the many smaller stories I liked getting lost in along the way and by an enormous cast of characters I wanted to get to know and build rapport with. I like this world and there is plenty of history and lore to discover. I think the main character and the main objective of liberating Fevrith from evil being plain and generic allows for everything else to take centre stage, which is what Unicorn Overlord is actually about. It is about the people and places of this world and the journey. Vanilliaware also made things pretty tricky for themselves by giving players some freedom in the order of completing things. The main issues I have are that it’s slow to start and is also a bit overwhelming.

The gameplay is similar in that it is slow to start and overwhelming but that’s the price that needs to be paid for a game like this. Thankfully Unicorn Overlord provides comprehensive archive and game tips sections in the options to help keep you up. On top of this it does have tutorials, a slow, accessible way of introducing things and you can test units in mock battles. It has so many options, unit combinations, classes, equipment and items. I loved diving into this and never tired of messing around with my units and changing up my characters. I was always looking forward to gaining new team members and seeing how they could be used. The game allows quite a lot of freedom and diversity in your approach. You are rewarded for your thought and experimentation by finding ways to do better in the addictive battles. I do wish with so many characters available, plus you can hire more, that I could have more units created at once. The game could have then restricted this by only allowing use of a certain number of them per battle. The Battles may feel repetitive after 10s of hours put in but they are still always enjoyable; rewarding planning, using the optimal units, watchtowers, items and the terrain.

It has satisfying progression and an addictive loop. You have a battle. Then you can restore and use the local places to expand unit sizes, hire or promote characters, buy equipment and items or have a meal at the tavern. Then explore the local area for supplies, items, treasures and side quests. Then get your units and characters ready for the next battle. Then repeat. It is really enjoyable and I constantly wanted to keep going. Although this does start to feel worn out towards the end and would have benefited from a slightly tighter run time, to be fair though I was doing everything along the way. I think if the Cornia, Elheim and Drakenhold areas were a bit smaller they would have nailed it. There are some other side things to do, which can help break things up, like the coliseum, which has an online component. There is a mining mini game and rapport conversations too. The bigger problem though is difficulty. It is a bit too easy. You’ll find yourself bumping the game up to tactical difficulty before leaving the first area. Then later on if you’ve been doing most of the stuff along the way you will probably find yourself overpowered often and might look at putting it up to the hardest difficulty. Even then this might not be enough for serious tactical fans craving more challenge. It does get harder right at the end and after finishing the game an even higher difficulty does unlock. A few more large scale battles and a few less small ones would have been awesome too.

When it comes to presentation it’s a Vanillaware game so of course it does not disappoint. Unicorn Overlord is beautiful with a wonderful variety of character designs, backgrounds and objects. I love this detailed, layered art that pulls you into each scene. There’s obviously been so much love poured into how this game looks, even the menus look good to me. Despite everything going on and lots of info being displayed I always found the screen clear to view and everything easy to read. It sounds great too with a polished and fitting soundtrack and quality effects and voice acting. The only thing to nitpick here is that not everything is fully voiced. On top of all this it works perfectly on PS5 and feels very complete.

Unicorn Overlord is the type of game that makes me wish I didn’t have any responsibilities for a while so I could just sink an unhealthy amount of hours into it every day until I was done. Its flaws mostly come from how long and ambitious it is. They don’t detract too much from the experience though and I loved it anyway. It was an engrossing delight not to just play through but to get the Platinum Trophy as well. It is my game of the year so far and even if I play every single new release I have even a slight interest in this year I doubt this would change. Vanillaware have put out another fantastic game and I have another game to highly recommend.

8.8/10

13 Sentinels is one of my favorite pieces of science fiction ever, across any medium.

Go into this as blind as you can. This one of those games you want to experience with very little knowledge of it before hand, so I don't want to say too much.

The story is one of the best in gaming history. The characters are excellent and all shine brightly despite the large cast. It's looks and sounds absolutely beautiful. If you've ever played a Vanillaware game you'll know what to expect.

Unfortunately I can't praise the gameplay as highly. The gameplay isn't bad, it's just not as compelling as the narrative, art, characters, etc. It's fun but not interesting enough and lacks challenge.

I highly recommend 13 Sentinels and it's one of those games that everyone who loves this medium should at least try. It definitely deserves more love and attention than it has currently received.

9.0/10

F-Zero 99 hits you with two doses of nostalgia straight out the gate. As soon as you fire it up you get the first dose from those familiar visuals and sounds. Then the second dose hits after a few races when you realize that this reminds you of the fun Death Race mode from F-Zero X. However, despite this healthy hit of nostalgia the game also feels fresh. F-Zero 99 may not be the F-Zero many were hoping for but it’s still a really good game.

F-Zero 99 plays how you would expect. You need to learn those tracks, know when to back off the acceleration, when to slide and when to boost. You need to time those spins because you can’t spam it. You need to nail those corners and keep that speed up. You have some control over the vehicles flight and landing too. It’s the same fast, slick racing you remember that rewards skill and practice. Only now this has been combined with the chaos and a little strategy of having 99 racers pushing hard for top spot.

At times things can be an absolute mess as you get smashed around the track by all the other racers and the tricky course itself. It sucks to receive a good bump and then get caught up in a shit storm which drops you back many places. It sucks to blow up just before the finish. But god damn do those top 10 finishes feel good. Weaving your way through the chaos and picking up places is rewarding. So is delivering your own good bump or getting a KO. KOs also get you a health increase. There’s also that bit of strategy I mentioned. You need to manage your health with boosting as it’s the same bar. You need to collect the little super sparks and hit golden vehicles to fill a meter to get that skyway, which means not always driving on the fastest or safest line. Choosing when to activate that skyway, so you can safely cruise above the competition, is important too as you can skip by the most chaotic parts of the track. Another important thing to consider is when to hang back a bit or when to push hard or when to be defensive. The whole thing is just good, satisfying fun, even when things haven’t gone your way. It has that very strong ‘just one more go’ energy.

Hopefully this game continues to exist with good support because I can see myself having at least a few races almost every time I turn on my Switch for a long time. I am also hopeful that this may lead to Nintendo finally giving us an F-Zero GX remaster or remake or a totally new game in this deserving series. My only real issues are it needs more content and Nintendo is going to have to find a way to keep it fresh so people keep coming back. If you can access F-Zero 99 there is no reason not to try it.

8.2/10 (for now)

A great remaster of an absolute classic.

Metroid Prime is one of the greatest Gamecube games and one of the best games of that generation. It’s great to see it get a quality remaster for old fans to revisit it and so new players can jump in easily. They did an excellent job with this remaster by taking an already good looking game that was still holding up well after all this time and making it look beautiful. The game works perfectly too. They also added new control options without getting rid of the old controls. One thing to keep in mind though is this is a Gamecube game so it was made within the limitations of that time and hardware. Not that it really matters as I still enjoyed this more than the majority of current games but it’s still worth remembering when going into Metroid Prime remastered.

Metroid Prime is one of those games that can be hard to put down after starting it. The exploration is so satisfying and enjoyable. Every time you find a new ability it triggers your memory of all the things you went past that can now be reached/unlocked. The exploration is also elevated so much by the atmosphere, beautiful visuals and great soundtrack. The environments are a joy to become familiar with and all the small details, like reflections and moisture on the visor, add so much. Combat is good with a variety of great looking enemies to dispatch. There is also a good variety of weapons at your disposal, once unlocked, that you are regularly forced to switch between. Things really work well when faced with a small number of different creatures. There are some puzzles to solve too and the developers trusted players to pay attention to the environment and use the tools available. There is plenty of scanning to do and lore to discover which adds another layer of depth to the experience.

Metroid Prime does have some things to nitpick though. First of all I think the design could be a little tighter or the locations more interconnected to reduce backtracking slightly. It is also on the smaller/shorter side and could have benefited from one more location. I think most first time players will probably finish it in around 11 to 13 hours. On top of this, while it is definitely worth revisiting, it doesn’t have a lot of immediate replayability. You could try for 100% or do a different difficulty but Metroid Prime could be a one weekend game for many people. It does lack a little in challenge and the enemy AI could be better. Another thing is that some of the bosses don’t take quite enough damage which means the fight drags on a tad too long. However none of this brings down the whole experience too much.

Metroid Prime is a beautiful, fantastic game with very minor faults and this is a really well done remaster. I hope Metroid Prime 2 can get the same remaster treatment soon too. Metroid Prime Remastered is a must own Switch game. If you’ve never played this before then go grab yourself copy, this is one of the greats.

9.3/10

Evil West is just simply a fun game that comes from the developers of the recent Shadow Warrior trilogy. It has been on my radar since it launched but thanks to PS Plus Essential it jumped up my list and after playing it I’d like to grab a physical copy. It’s a western/horror beat ‘em up with guns and it feels like something from the 360/PS3 era, in a good way.

Evil West is set during the 1800s in an alternate universe where the American frontier needs to be protected from a supernatural threat. That’s where the Rentier Institute comes in. This organisation and their agents fight against vampires and their familiars. You play as one of these agents, Jesse Rentier. The humans are doing quite well thanks to the advancing technology and one vampire sees this as a threat to the continued existence of his kind, so he declares war. From here shit obviously hits the fan and let’s just says you’ve got a lot of monsters to kill. The world and lore of Evil West is surprisingly really cool. There is easily potential here for a prequel or sequel. The story and characters are enjoyable in a B horror movie way and it mostly moves along at a good pace, with some detours. The dialogue is fun with performances well suited to the characters and the type of game this is. There are also collectables along the way that flesh things out a bit more.

The presentation is spot on for this type of game. The cutscenes are in widescreen, with film grain and a slightly worn out look to suit the old western and horror movie style. I think they should have gone further though and carried this through more into during the gameplay too. The locations and the variety of the locations are just fantastic. There’s so many different ‘western’ locations here from rail yards, to towns, swamps, sawmills, mountains, mining areas and oil fields, with many places pushed beyond the norm into something hellish. Each location has its own distinct personality while still fitting perfectly into this world. I love all the details too, like the spiders and webs and the bats and the huge full moon filling the sky. The characters and monsters look very good too. They’ve done such a good job with this games look and with how well they blended the horror, sci-fi and western elements together. Unfortunately though the more you venture into this game the more cracks appear. Technical problems and a lack of polish here and there bring things down a bit. The worst thing I encountered was a boss that completely disappeared from the stage we were fighting in, giving me no choice but to restart the fight.

One thing that looked off to me at first was the glowing chains that signify that this is something to interact with. But not long after I realised they fit in just fine as Evil West is such a game-y game. It’s broken into chapters, each one being a narrow linear path that regularly opens to larger circles, so you always know when a fight is coming. It even has a couple of mine cart rides. There are things to find just around the corner or by looking up or around. Usually it is chests or boxes that burst into a shower of shiny coins that are used for upgrades. The upgrades and perks are very straight forward but progression is constant and satisfying with the game constantly throwing new things at you. By the end you’ll be an electrically charged powerhouse, with a ridiculous arsenal, which you use to tear apart the enemies in gory, messy style. It’s absolutely a game-y game and it is kind of glorious but also formulaic and would be too monotonous if it wasn’t so good at putting a smile on your face.

One of the reasons for that smile on your face is going to be the combat. It’s an over the shoulder, third person shooter blended with a beat ‘em up. You get a couple of main guns for precise shooting, grenades and a revolver you unload from the hip, a shotgun as well for quick, close, heavy damage and a couple more fun surprises. The melee part is punch combos, launching uppercuts and slams. You get a cool electric gauntlet that lets you stun and pull yourself to enemies or pull the stunned enemies to you. For defence you have a block, a kick that interrupts and a quick evade that if pressed twice you will fully roll away. There are a couple of special things you can do too that I won’t give away. It works, and works really well for the most part. You’ll be zipping around, punching faces and blasting away as you try to manage the bloodthirsty creatures all around you. But this sea of blood, carnage and fun does trip up and fall short in some ways.

Evil West shares the same problem as God of War (2018), which is a close over the shoulder camera limiting your view, with enemies, attacks and ranged enemies all around, at least Evil West is more fun than God of War though. Evil West handles this issue with on screen indicators and sounds but you will still find yourself getting smacked by attacks coming from off screen every now and then and it might even lead to a death here and there. This issue compounds with another problem which is just how busy the screen can get, resulting in obscured action. As you can probably guess there’s a bit of frustration to be had with the combination of these problems. The difficulty actually kind of helps fix this but is also another fault. The game is just too easy on normal, things don’t get going until towards the end and you can easily not die for most of the game. Playing the game on Evil difficulty, new game plus felt like the sweet spot, once you get past a simple start. During this second play through I had all the tools and previous experience but it kept the tension up. I was on my toes and punished for mistakes. Frustration did kick in a bit towards the end of my Evil difficulty play through and it highlighted the combats flaws. Some other things you may encounter is getting a bit stuck between the enemies and environment, the electric pull not working smoothly, things not feeling as snappy and responsive as you would like and there is not an enormous amount of depth to it all. However I had far more fun than troubles with the combat.

Evil West is a good time that feels like an older game with some modern benefits. I enjoyed going through the game twice and would’ve gone for the Platinum Trophy if there was a quick, simple way to replay the bosses. If you’re not a fan of things that are a bit silly, over the top and violent then clearly give this a miss. But if you are a fan of this or can at least tolerate it then Evil West is easily worth a play through maybe even two.

7.7/10

RE4 R is a safe, unfinished, inferior re-imagining of one of the greatest games ever made that has unnecessary monetization (day one DLC plus more added after reviews) and doesn't need to exist. However I still really enjoy it and recommend it.

The crazy level of mainstream praise this game has received is bad for the future of the medium. The dismissal of the original, the claims that the original needed modernizing and that this new version of RE4 is better or on par with the original is awful. I thought video games were a medium deserving respect. Doesn't the gaming community get pissed off anytime someone from TV or film makes an ignorant comment about games. So why are we treating one of our classics like this because there is a shiny new but inferior version out. Could you imagine this happening to a classic film, TV show, book etc? Are video games disposable toys that we get rid of when new ones come out or are they art?

The way the original plays is so good. The combination of the way Leon moves/controls, standing your ground, accurate shooting, melee attacks, knife, repositioning when needed and using the environment to your advantage with the way enemies move/attack/behave/react, enemy variety, level design, the weaponry and set pieces just works so damn well. It doesn't have any right to be this good but it is. It is near perfect. This re-imagining takes this gameplay and tries to modernize it, make it more realistic and play similar to other modern 3rd person shooters. In doing so they upset the near perfect balance. So they tried adding new things and re-balancing to get it near perfect again but failed. What we are left with is a game that is good to play but less fun and more frustrating than a game made almost 20 years ago. Nearly every part of the gameplay needs adjusting. But I think with further tweaking it could play different but maybe as good as the original.

The re-imagining does do a better job with the story and lore but loses so much of what made the original special. The characters have more depth now but lose almost everything that made them so entertaining. Why focus on these changes? It's not what RE4 needed, this is RE4 not The Last of Us. The original story and characters were about fun and entertainment and serving the gameplay. There is so much cut from this game and none of the changes or additions make up for it. The pacing is also worse. How did this re-imagining drag on longer than the original when it has less content? Why do the merchants side missions and back tracking for treasures feel like unnecessary bloat?

It does look quite good after turning off lens distortion and chromatic aberration but I still prefer the originals art direction by far. The original was surreal, bleak, unnerving and gruesome. The re-imagining is overtly 'horror,' dark and clichéd. The original character and enemy designs were better too. I do like the new brute enemies swapped for JJ though, this was a good idea. It runs well and I only noticed a little jankiness and the frame rate only dipped a little when things got busy in the rain. There was a little pop in too.

Why was Mercenaries not at launch and why does that mode feel underdone? Why are there little things I need to pay extra for? (Like the original soundtrack) Why have they added more little things to pay for? Are these going to make the game easier? Did they deliberately make the game harder/more frustrating/grindy hoping to push some to buy these? (Please don't buy them). Why wasn't all this at launch during the review window? What dlc is coming and how much are they going to charge for it? Why are so many people just okay with this?

Why am I already tired of this game while looking forward to continuing to replay the original for another 18 years? It is just such a huge missed opportunity. Capcom took something brilliant and instead of remaking it, building on it, trying to improve it and leaning more into what made it one of the best ever they decided to make it something different. But not different or bold and fresh enough to stand on it's own.

This game and the original are not survival horror, stop calling every horror game survival horror. It sucks seeing one of your favourite genres being erased by mislabeling and wilful ignorance.

This is a re-imagining not a remake. A remake is the same again but hopefully better. A re-imagining is a reinterpretation or adaptation which is very familiar but different.

Now this re-imagining exists it means there will never be an official remake or high quality remaster.

The original Resident Evil 4 is affordable, available everywhere and comes with all the content and no microtransactions.

I'm still giving this game a high 7, even though this has been a pretty negative review, because even an inferior re-imagining of RE4 is still RE4, which is unbelievably good. There's still plenty of fun to be had here, there are some good moments and ideas and it's a pretty polished game.

So go play the original if you haven't or replay it again if it's been a while. But still check out this new version just don't take the mainstream reviews seriously, keep your expectations reasonable, enjoy it for what it is and it'll be a good time. I paid full price day one, got the platinum trophy on PS5 and I don't regret it.

7.8/10

The Callisto Protocol landed on PS Plus at the perfect time for me. I had just finished up some other games and I had been waiting for the price to drop on this because I wanted to try it for myself, despite the less than stellar response it received. So I jumped in straight away and even though it’s derivative and not a perfect game I still ended up having a pretty good time.

The Callisto Protocol was met with a mixed reception which I think was in big part to the wrong expectations. I think people were expecting a literal Dead Space clone, which this game is a ‘spiritual successor’ to, but it’s kind of a different experience. The Callisto Protocol is a very deliberate, focused, linear experience. It’s the type of game that is constantly trying to nudge you forward and doesn’t offer much in the way of exploration or backtracking. It’s also not a straight up third person shooter. It’s more intimate than that and focuses a more on melee than shooting. So if you haven’t played it yet I would recommend throwing your expectations out the window. Go into this open minded, let the game do what it wants to do and try to enjoy it for what it is.

It didn’t make the best first impression on me as I had to get through the agreements and a DLC advertisement before starting but that was quickly forgotten when I was hit with those impressive visuals. Wow, this game looks good. The characters, environments and attention to detail are some of the best I’ve seen. It’s also really graphic and gory. Sound is top notch too and the game works well. I only noticed a few small issues the whole game. (Occasionally a dead enemy limb would go nuts on the ground and a few times I broke some glass and there was no sound to go with it. Enemy and friendly AI aren’t too sharp as well). It is an impressive, polished game that pulls you into its world and atmosphere.

However, despite this it has a big issue, it’s just not scary. The jump scares just do not land. They wash over you while you barely manage to let out a ‘meh’ in response. It gets worse as the game goes on because they keep trying it and it changes from ‘meh’ to ‘this is annoying.’ There is no proper build up or creativity and the game isn’t creepy either. But I think there is something The Callisto Protocol can succeed really well at and that is making the player feel uncomfortable. This game is dirty and gross. The gore is detailed and in your face. The atmosphere is thick, heavy and oppressive. The camera is up close and so is the combat. The way you move feels heavy and deliberate. There are a lot of tight spaces. It’s claustrophobic, intimate and unpleasant. It is not a world you want to be in. Perfect for a horror game and was enjoyable in the worst/best way when playing in the dark without distraction.

So The Callisto Protocol looks and sounds really good and while it may fail at being scary or creepy it succeeds at creating discomfort. But how does it play? I would say it’s like a pizza that doesn’t quite have enough toppings. You walk or run slowly through linear areas, picking up items, stopping to upgrade your gear and sometimes wander into little extra side areas. You can hop over some waist high things, climb up in some spots, crawl through vents and squeeze through tight spots. It’s fine but get’s repetitive and needs variety. I think this game might actually be a bit too long. It feels like the developers were worried about it being too short and decided to pad it out. I don’t want to go in too far to avoid spoilers but there are many bits throughout the game that overstay their welcome. One section in particular is a later part that strongly encourages stealth and it just drags on, especially when the stealth in this game is very basic. I think the game could have been shortened and/or tightened and had some stuff replaced with puzzles (which this game doesn’t have). The other issue is too much lazy stuff we’ve seen a lot before, like – get the power back on, find the keycode, find a fuse, getting separated from the other characters, etc.

I’ve seen the combat be described as simple and just dodging left and right and mashing attack. I think you could play the game this way but you would be doing yourself a disservice and making things more frustrating (Dodging is too simple and should require more timing though). You are meant to be aiming for perfect dodges and you also have a block, counter hit and heavy attack on top of your basic short melee combo. Often after some melee hits you’ll get a chance to do some quick lock on shots with your guns too. Speaking of guns, that’s the other major part of combat. You shoot at enemies like a regular TPS and you can sneak in some shots up close in melee range too. So it becomes about juggling an enemy or small group of enemies by mixing these two killing methods and it’s pretty satisfying. Then on top of this you have a GRP (telekinesis) that can throw objects or enemies and of course there some conveniently placed, but repetitive, gory traps to send foes into. It reminded me a bit of MadWorld (Wii), which is never a bad thing. You also have a limited inventory space, ammo isn’t super common and your telekinesis requires time or an item to recharge. This means you’re forced to mix these three elements (guns, melee and telekinesis) together, with a little stealth thrown in, constantly for the best play experience and it’s not a bad recipe.

Overall I think the gameplay has an enjoyable, solid base and even some sauce and cheese, it just needed some quality toppings. The combat needs a little more strategy. The game needs more enemy variety and more weapon variety – both melee and guns. It should be more demanding when it comes to blocks and dodges. It is a good time, even with repetition setting in too early and some occasional frustration. I think if the developers build on this gameplay in a sequel we could have something special.

The last thing to discuss is the story and it’s just good enough, but nothing to write much about. I think it is typical sci-fi, horror stuff with pretty decent world building. This doesn’t bother me too much for two reasons. First is that it is carried by some really good performances and visuals. Second, this type of experience is also carried more by the atmosphere, moment to moment action and character interactions rather than some bigger narrative and/or deep lore. It’s fleshed out a bit through audio logs found throughout the game and there’s some good environmental story telling. The locations are very detailed and you get a good sense of what the spaces were like and how they were lived in, along with what recently took place there. The biggest sin this game commits as far as I can tell is that the ending is somewhat incomplete and left to the DLC.

The clearly talented developers at Striking Distance Studios didn’t deserve for The Callisto Protocol to be dunked on. I think it deserves a lukewarm to quite positive response, with high hopes for a sequel or follow up. I think if they can push a sequel in the right directions, maybe even make it a survival horror game, then there is the potential here for something exceptional. As The Callisto Protocol currently is, I think it’s a solid, but not top tier horror game and I think I’m going to grab a physical copy for my collection. I’d recommend it to almost all PS Plus subscribers and most big horror fans. For everyone else maybe wait for a bit of a price drop.

7.0/10

Just an extra note:
This review is based on a single normal playthrough but I liked it enough that I’m considering a second run. I haven’t played the other modes or DLC. Also I obviously just played the game more recently so it’s likely that it is in better shape now than it was at launch. I forgot a couple of points too - The bosses are underwhelming and it has a cool photo mode.

The pinnacle of survival horror and one of the greatest games ever made. It's been over 20 years and I still love it just as much if not more.

Survival horror gameplay is so satisfying, especially in Resident Evil Remake. When you start out you feel like a mouse trapped in a violent maze. Then you start to learn the map, figure things out, get better and make your way through. Then the replays begin. You go from fumbling your way through to attempting things like harder difficulties, speed runs, no save runs, no hit runs, etc. It is so enjoyable, rewarding and fun. If there was any game I could forget and experience all over again it would probably be this.

Every enemy encounter is meaningful because they don’t go down quickly and you have to consider the risk, limited resources, item management and backtracking. When you approach a zombie or hear one around the corner you need to stop and make a decision. Do I take it out or try to run past? Is there another way to go? How much health and/or ammo do I have? How much health and ammo is back in the item box? When am I going back to the item box? How often am I going to come back here? If I put it down will I come back and burn it so it doesn’t get back up? What do I do if I get hit? Do I have any self defence items? How much progress will I lose if I die? The game allows you to screw yourself and never holds your hand but this makes overcoming it so much sweeter. It is utterly fantastic.

Then on top of this there is enjoyable exploration through creepy, atmospheric environments that you slowly unlock your way further into. With tense action against tough, scary enemies that forces you to stand your ground or run. The weapons hit hard and can produce graphic headshots and you can die just as horrifically. And the puzzles that are just right. Nasty traps, horror, gore and jump scares. This game recipe is f**king exquisite.

The presentation is stellar. The fixed camera angles allow the developers to perfectly frame the whole game to increase the atmosphere, horror and player discomfort, and to highlight or hide things for the player. The visuals and art direction are excellent. The environments are gorgeous and detailed or dirty and gruesome when needed. The mansion is stunning and has so much atmosphere. It is my favourite video game location ever, it’s that good. The character and enemy models are great. The game is getting old now but still looks so good. Of course the audio is top notch too. The music, sound effects and ambient noises are so well done but they also knew when to have restraint and it’s all such a big part of the game's unnerving atmosphere.

I love the characters, story, lore and dialogue too. The history of the mansion, Umbrella and the experiments is fun to dive into and all the notes/diaries/documents are worth reading. Jill, Chris, Barry, Rebecca, Wesker, even poor Richard, I love them all. The famous dialogue is a joy as is the B horror movie vibe.

The only thing I can think of that is wrong is that I wish there was more of it and that we still got games like this regularly. A little bit longer, more options, more unlockables, more variety on further playthroughs. But I’m probably just being greedy, this game is near perfect. The only other issue is that the cave and laboratory areas are not as memorable as the mansion and residence for me.

It improves on everything from the original while staying true to that vision. It doesn’t really throw anything away or remix stuff too much. It just makes it better and the new additions fit in so well it’s like they were always meant to be there.

Go play this now if you've never tried it. I’m serious, I don’t care what your plans are. If you’ve never played Resident Evil Remake, fix that as soon as possible. I’m jealous that you get to experience this for the first time and wish I could again. Give it some time, you will get used to the older gameplay style and find it really works for this type of game. I hope as many people as possible enjoy this. Resident Evil Remake is how remakes should be done and how well games in general should be done.

9.7/10

No More Heroes 3 is not the best looking or the most technically impressive game. It does not tell an incredible story or have the strongest gameplay. But it has way more heart, personality, style and charm than most games.

How do I even begin describing its style and vibe? No More Heroes 3 is a punk game. It’s anti mainstream and proudly does its own thing. It takes inspiration and shows love for a lot of pop culture things like anime, videogames, films, wrestling and music and at the same time it also parodies this stuff too. It is very self aware, fourth wall breaking and a bit cheeky and I love it. No More Heroes 3 has so many cool ideas in it like for example when it just stops to discuss Miike films. (Hopefully this gets more people into Miike films; I would recommend Gozu, 13 Assassins, Visitor Q, Ichi the Killer, Audition and the miniseries MPD Psycho). Of course there are problems with this approach the main ones being not all the ideas thrown in are excellent or work really well and you are also relying on your audience to just ‘get it’ and roll with it.

Visually No More Heroes 3 is a mixed bag. On one hand it’s really stylish and has some awesome character designs. On the other hand there are a lot quite simple and bland looking objects and locations. I am not a huge fan of the enemy designs and I think the bosses are a bit lacking too, especially when compared to the first two games. The game works well enough and loads quickly, I am definitely glad I waited and played the PS5 version. There was an issue at launch where the trophies were not working but they eventually fixed it. The game is not big budget and does lack some polish.

Gameplay is mostly pretty fun. The combat is solid and looks cool with a combination of sword, melee, dodge, wrestling, a combo counter, skills and slots activated specials. Travis, the main character, has a skill tree and things called Death Glove Chips that allow you to upgrade and personalise your play style as well. Exploration does start to drag and isn’t very rewarding and Travis’ bike isn’t as fun as it looks. There are things to collect and do in the world. There are seeds to plant, scorpions to catch, alien shells, T-shirts, doppelgangers, kittens, capsule toys and Deathman cards. It is a bit much and starts to feel like a chore. There are also defence missions and mini games. The defence missions are just fights and they get repetitive. The mini games are a laugh at first but quickly become repetitive too. This over the top action game can quickly grind to a halt if you do a lot of this at once. Luckily you are not forced to do too much of this but it’s there for the completionists or people that just want a little more. The main story parts and boss fights are great and the gimmicks mostly deliver.

When it comes to the story and characters it is generally a pretty good time. There is a lot here for returning fans but it is still possible for newcomers to jump in and follow along. It is about Travis returning home to face a new threat and that’s all I’ll say to avoid spoilers. Travis and the returning cast are great and the new villain is cool too. Things move along at good pace. Scenes are well directed and the voice actors nail the larger than life characters. It’s not perfect but I enjoyed the journey. The music is good too. Most of the new bosses are pretty forgettable though and as I said not every idea lands. I love No More Heroes 3’s style and humour but I know a lot of people won’t like it.

The problem with playing and reviewing Suda 51 games is they are subversive. A lot of this game’s ‘flaws’ could be deliberate choices. Like the tedious collectables, the ‘chore like mini games,’ the empty open world and bland looking locations. Lots of it could be Suda’s commentary on modern gaming; he is a mischievous creator that likes to take the piss. Some things are obvious and some not so much. It is up to the player to interpret it all and then decide if you like it and think it’s worth it because deliberately bad is still bad but also fun if that makes sense.

I enjoyed No More Heroes 3 enough to play though it more than once and even considered going for the platinum trophy for a while. The biggest issue with No More Heroes 3 is that after waiting this long and when you compare it to the first two games it is a bit disappointing. It just doesn’t hit as hard and is not as memorable as the first two. For No More Heroes veterans and Suda 51 fans it is still a must play. For everyone else I would recommend you play the other games first but if you really want to jump in here then go for it. No More Heroes 3 is nowhere near a perfect game but who cares it’s still cool as f**k.

7.6/10

F the mainstream gaming media and Youtubers for ignoring, dismissing or s**tting on this game. Gungrave G.O.R.E. might be lower budget and rough around the edges but it is a blast to play.

Gungrave G.O.R.E. is in third person and a shooter but don’t think that it is going to be like the third person shooters you’re used to. Gungrave G.O.R.E. is an arcade action shooter and has more in common with games like rail shooters, beat ‘em ups and shmups.

You move Grave, the main character through linear stages in a slow and deliberately designed way that works with how the game plays. He has plenty of actions at his disposal to deal with the waves of enemies. First up is his regular shooting which auto targets or can be more controlled and doesn’t need reloading. You can do a charged shot too which is handy for shielded enemies at a distance. He can jump and dodge. The dodge doesn’t just get you out the way but also gives you a small invincibility window and you can shoot during it too. The jump can also double as a dodge and again you can shoot during it. Grave has melee attacks and starts with a basic combo for breaking shields and deflecting rockets. Grapple ability lets you hold enemies as a shield while still shooting and then throw them and there is a chase which is like a charge forward.

There’s fury mode which when activated pushes close enemies back and gives you a temporary damage boost but you need to have earned it first. Killing enemies in this mode also builds your art score. The art score is one part of getting a good rank at the end of the stage. Burst mode is stationary rapid fire with camera control for dealing with crowds. Storm Barrage is similar to this but needs to be earned and is way faster and as long as you have shield it can’t be interrupted. Executing stunned enemies builds art score and recovers your shield. Finally there are demolition shots, that need to be earned, which are like special attacks that give you a brief window of invincibility and can be devastating to crowds, knock enemies down and gives health back.

All of this works really well together and the game is about constantly moving forward while keeping your beat going (hit counter). When no enemies are present the beat can be kept up by destroying objects. While doing this you need to always be picking the right actions at the right time and the right targets too. Then on top of that you need to build your art score and keep an eye on your shield, health and actions earned. Gungrave G.O.R.E. rewards you for playing well during the action and after stages with a rank and points that can be spent on upgrades and new abilities. Stages are a short blast, about 10 minutes or less and it is fun and addictive.

Unfortunately gameplay can be held back at times by a lack of polish, poor AI and spawns happening too slowly. I got stuck on the environment twice and enemies were frozen and unkillable a couple of times too. The constant onslaught of gameplay, bullets and explosions can be tiring and repetitive. There are two side characters as well which go underused and in Quartz’s case is underdeveloped too. Gameplay would have benefited from a shorter run time with less but more highly polished stages.

I can’t say how well Gungrave G.O.R.E. does presenting the source material because I haven’t played the previous games or seen the anime. I found the story, characters, dialogue and cutscenes to be pretty bland and didn’t get into it at all. Don’t get me wrong it can be freaking cool from time to time but mostly it’s just not. It lacks charm and charisma. Cutscenes can often feel lifeless and the whole experience exudes low budget. The voice acting doesn’t help either. Gungrave G.O.R.E. could have benefited a lot from just going all out silly and way more over the top. At least the sound effects and music are fun and pretty well done.

The visuals of Gungrave G.O.R.E. are not too impressive. It looks like an older game that has been polished up a little for a PS5 release. The developers have done a good job making up for this with style and variety. There are 31 stages that take you different places in the world with different types of settings. It also has a diverse line up of enemies to blast away and multiple bosses too. The old anime/ PS2 era style is cool and a bit nostalgic.

I hope that the developers of Gungrave G.O.R.E. are well aware that there are plenty of gamers out there that still appreciate this type of game and that what they have achieved here is pretty cool. I’ll definitely be keeping an eye on this developer to see what they do next. I’m having plenty of fun with Gungrave G.O.R.E. but I know many players will bounce off this game quickly. I would still give it a strong recommendation to anyone that enjoys arcade and action games.

7.0/10

This review is going to be blunt and straight to the point. Marvel's Spider-Man is about as deep as a creek. It’s a very pretty and polished creek that I had fun splashing around in. But it’s still just a creek.

Web slinging and combat is basic. Good looking but dull open world with a list chores to complete. It’s bloated and too long. Story and characters are just fine but not memorable. You can’t really blame Insomniac though. With a character this important and a budget this big it is not surprising they played it safe and kept things a bit bland and easy. They would have had people watching this game very closely and people would have been breathing down their neck if anything went wrong.

It is still a fine game with many moments of fun. The action sequences and cut scenes are well done. As I said it is highly polished and looks good. I can’t lie as well there is something about these bland open world checklist/collectathons that my brain enjoys on a very basic level. But this probably isn’t a good thing and we shouldn’t be settling for games like this. At the same time though if people just want a big, simple, shallow, fun, blockbuster game I’m not going to stand in the way or be too critical. If you really like this and think it’s fantastic then you do you and enjoy yourself.

Marvel's Spider-Man is well made and a decent distraction. I would recommend giving it a play through especially if you’re into Spiderman. I just hope that one day a developer tries something really cool and risky with the Spiderman universe and combat.

6.7/10

Here’s my review/rant about Separate Ways and Resident Evil 4 2023 as a whole. Before I start I want to make it clear that this DLC is fun, polished and worth playing.

Why is this paid DLC? It should have been part of the package at launch just like the Mercenaries mode and all the content for it. At least Capcom didn’t charge that much for it I guess. It seems very deliberate to me. Staggering the release of the games content helps keep the game relevant, gets everyone talking about the game again and helps sales. It also gave them an opportunity to slip in those little microtransactions that are ‘pay to make the game easier’ on top of the day one stuff that was already there. I guess the next step will be to release the Game of the Year or Gold Edition. Now that this content is only available digitally Separate Ways and the Mercenaries mode will potentially disappear at some point. Unless it’s on the actual disc of the next edition released; does that mean I have to buy this again if I always want access to it? It all seems pretty gross for a full priced, single player game, which should be completely enjoyable without an internet connection. I’m guessing by the reaction that we’re all just numb to this now. I can’t talk too much though; I paid for it and played it too.

Why did a bunch of the cut moments/set pieces/bosses of the main campaign end up here? (Still plenty of stuff missing) They took things from the main campaign, which weakened that experience, and put it in Ada’s campaign to strengthen it. Awful decision, why not, I don’t know this might sound crazy, make new, amazing, memorable moments just for Ada, which her character definitely deserves.

Speaking of Ada, what did they do to her? Ada was once a cool, scene stealing character, despite not seeing that much of her. Leon can spend all day jumping out windows and suplexing dudes with a smirk on his face and a great line up his sleeve but as soon as Ada enters he is no longer the biggest badass on screen. Ada always came across as one of the smarter Resident Evil characters (maybe that’s not saying much but it’s meant to be a compliment). Maybe she couldn’t win a straight up fight against Leon but she’s always two steps ahead. This new Ada is just fine; she’s okay, kind of cool but a big step down.

Lily Gao can’t pull off this character. I can’t believe I need to mention it but this is no reason to harass her or say anything derogatory about her as a person and that is not okay. Let’s keep the criticisms to the work. It isn’t even her fault. She didn’t cast herself, she didn’t make most of the voice direction decisions, and she didn’t write this story or dialogue. It’s disappointing but not awful.

Where’s Krauser? Where’s the ship? Why is Wesker here in person? This game is meant to be linear but it feels super linear and scripted too. I think this comes down to many small areas being unnecessary blocked off, Ada using her grapple gun to get around and it seems built to encourage more stealth (why?). Why am I tracking footprints? - just what I wanted in Resident Evil 4. The Black Robe is a bit lame, even if parts concerning him are a nod to older versions of RE4 we never got. He comes across as padding and the final fight with him is underwhelming. The dull, pointless, run time padding Merchant missions and the goofy yellow paint make their triumphant return, yay!

Alright let’s talk about the good because there’s still plenty to like here. You get to play as Ada and her grapple gun is fun, even if you don’t have any freedom in how or where it’s used. Luis gets more screen time, which is great to see and I think I heard some returning music. There are more documents to find and more lore gets added. As you play through there are constant nods to what is going with Leon’s campaign at that time and there’s also some nods to other Resident Evil games. It’s fun enough, replayable and looks and works just as good as the main game.

Even though it is more fleshed out, it’s still such a missed opportunity. This was a chance to make Separate Ways something way better and more substantial.

This DLC has just further cemented how disappointing the whole Resident Evil 4 re-imagining is. Don’t get me wrong it is undeniably fun, polished and worth playing. I would still buy it again although if I had the chance I might have waited for a ‘complete edition.’ However this new Resident Evil 4 is a great example of what’s wrong with current AAA gaming. It is so damn safe and will forever live in the enormous shadow cast by the original too. Capcom did not want to take the risk of doing a remake or re-imagining that kept the original games controls, gameplay, tone, sense of fun and style. They also did not want to take the risk of creating a bold, fresh new take on Resident Evil 4. They gave us something safe, comfortable, and enjoyable enough without really being special and it looks like the majority stood up and cheered; calling it a masterpiece and a 10/10. It makes me sad but hopefully after some time has passed people will come back and re-evaluate this game. I’m in a torn place right now because this is enjoyable, fun and replayable. It does give these characters a different way to shine and there’s stuff here that I like. But I cannot shake this deep disappointment I feel and I don’t see myself revisiting this.

I’m really concerned about the future. Capcom has provided a perfect lesson here on how to take a GOAT and turn it into 7/10 game with microtransactions and get praised for it. AAA games are already pretty much, with some exceptions, just 6 or 7 out of 10 games with high production values, that’s if they aren’t broken, buggy and/or riddled with microtransactions. What if the Silent Hill 2 remake comes out and it’s a neutered, inferior version of that game and the majority loves it. What if we see a wave of re-imaginings that are just better looking but rounded down, blander versions of classics and people praise it. The lack of respect or understanding I see for older games, gameplay and design is really starting to bother me. I’m sorry but video games, game design, mechanics and style has not been getting better year after year. In fact I’d say it’s stagnated or even gotten worse in a lot of ways.

The best thing about Resident Evil 4 2023 is it further highlights just how good the original is. The fact that a changed, neutered, toned down version of Resident Evil 4 is still this fun just shows how damn strong the original is. Maybe I should just be quiet, lie down and be grateful for what we got because this could have turned out a lot worse - my condolences to all the really big Resident Evil 3 fans out there.

I don’t know maybe I’ve just become old and have started yelling ‘things were better in my day.’

7.8/10 for the whole Resident Evil 4 2023 re-imagining package.

Not much needs to be said about Zelda: Link’s Awakening. It’s a traditional Zelda experience with a healthy dose of quirkiness and a charming art style. It has satisfying puzzles and progression. Exploration and curiosity is constantly rewarded. It’s also got beautiful, classic Zelda music and sounds. The story is simple but really enjoyable. It was originally a Gameboy game but this kind of makes it even more impressive. They did a great job with this remake. It looks modern and has modern conveniences but feels and plays old school.

Maybe the price point is about $10 too much. There are some minor technical/performance issues. Also working out what to do or where to go can at times lean towards being a little too obtuse, especially if you gave this to a younger gamer. But it is mostly just a great time.

Zelda: Link’s Awakening is an easy recommendation. It is a must play for every Zelda fan and is a great entry point for newcomers.

9.0/10

I’m glad Valkyria Chronicles is back, I didn’t think Valkyria Chronicles 4 was actually going to happen, it’s still great despite having some flaws and not evolving much from the first game.

The first thing I want to write about is the look of this game. I loved this style back on the PS3 and I still love it now. It’s like a hand painted, water colour story book come to life, which is mixed with an anime/manga style. It’s charming, timeless, colourful and full of personality. This style is carried through into every part of the game; from the UI to the little sound effect words that pop up during gameplay. It perfectly suits the games fantasy World War 2 setting. The environments and characters look excellent too but it’s a shame a lot of characters and enemies don’t get a unique look or at least some variation. The weapons and tanks got plenty of attention and look great as well. The game could use more varied animations and in general the gameplay needs work to look smoother. A lot of the game is presented in a stilted way with only some moments getting fully animated scenes. I also had this weird issue at times during gameplay where things would pause for a second during a turn change or after I selected an action which just added to the overall stilted feeling of the game. So I would sum up the look of the game as cosy and beautiful but stiff and at times a bit awkward.

When it comes to gameplay Valkyria Chronicles 4 is a good strategy RPG. You run your characters and tanks around small maps and then stop to take actions against the enemies or heal. But you need to be careful as the enemies will fire upon you if you are in range. Of course your side will do the same during the enemy turn too. So positioning your characters is vital to ensure both good offence and defence. There is cover to crouch behind and grass to hide in. You can take advantage of the environment and your own tanks. You have a small variety of classes at your disposal with their own purpose and strengths and weaknesses. Figuring out what to do and in what order to do it is satisfying. You have limited movement, actions per turn, health, some ammo types and range. Some units can command and bring another unit with them. Characters get benefits if they fight alongside other characters they like and you can also give out orders for buffs or other benefits. On the whole there is a decent amount to be considering each turn and when picking your team. It’s really enjoyable when it all comes together and rewarding when your plans work out. Even when you are careless and things go wrong trying to plan your way out of your own mistakes is fun too. The game does a thorough job of teaching you how to play and there is plenty of post game content as well.

As much as I do enjoy the combat it does have some issues and it just doesn’t feel like much of a step up from the first game. I wish the maps were bigger with more epic battles and more units. A lot of the battles have like a gimmick or specific way they should be played which got a bit annoying. I would have liked more open battles with a lot of freedom in how to tackle it. Don’t get me wrong though there is usually still a good amount of freedom within these ‘gimmick’ battles. The other thing is jank/awkwardness. Your characters will often get stuck running at cover for a moment before jumping it. Characters also can’t move through small spaces even if they look plenty big enough. So for example if you put your tank near a wall but leave a gap, you need to make sure it’s a really big gap for characters to fit through. It looks awful and is very frustrating when you try to move a character through a space that appears big enough but you just get stuck. There are awkward times when aiming too. Sometimes bits of the environment will be in the way even when you don’t think it will be when positioning your character and what makes it worse is that occasionally enemy fire will pass through and hit when you thought it was safe.

Outside of the main battles you’ll find yourself watching the story and side stories, visiting the headquarters and doing skirmishes. The way the story is played is in little chunks. So you have to keep clicking on the next bit to watch which means seeing more loading screens and wasting time. But I guess that also means you are never stuck in long bits of story. The headquarters is where you organise and upgrade your squad and equipment. You upgrade classes and get new orders with experience and buy upgrades to uniforms, tanks, weapons, etc. with currency. It is a bit simple and has you hearing the same dialogue over and over. It would have been cool if it was like a hub you could walk around in and hang out with the squad. In the headquarters you will also find a wealth of information to keep you up with the story, terms, weapons, world and characters and how to play as well. Not much really needs to be said about skirmishes; they are side battles to test your skills and get more experience and money.

So how is the story? Well it’s not too bad. I enjoyed the journey and there were many good moments but is has its problems. There are times when it feels like there is needless padding. It’s a bit too contrived and Squad E has some ridiculous luck too often. I lost count of how many times they were saved by the weather. It is a bit predictable too and has an underwhelming ending, even when you put in the extra effort for the true ending. Despite the visuals it’s still about war and has no problem going into darker themes but doesn’t do a whole lot with it. I didn’t have an issue with the goofiness or tone changes and actually think that’s part of the games charm. The characters do a lot of the lifting here and they are a diverse, fun bunch to spend time with. Each character, even the side characters, gets just enough development to push them past merely being the stereotypes they start off as. This ties back into the gameplay as well. The characters potentials and preferences change after using them and going through their stories which makes them better. It would have been great to see this pushed even further. The voice actors do a great job and the soundtrack is good but many tracks are repeated a bit too much. The major bad guys are a bit of a letdown though. When comes to story and characters I prefer the first game but this isn’t a bad time.

Valkyria Chronicles 4 is a solid, enjoyable game, that is easily worth playing and it is fantastic to see this series continue. However this isn’t much of a step forward from the original PS3 game and I still prefer that original too. It feels like there’s so much untapped potential here. Valkyria Chronicles could be a top shelf series if given a bigger push, bigger budget, more polish and a bolder story. I’m hopeful it continues and I am keen to see a Valkyria Chronicles 5. I would recommend Valkyria Chronicles 4 to everyone that played any of the previous games and enjoyed them but you’ve probably already played this. So to everyone new to Valkyria Chronicles I would recommend getting the remaster of the original first but you could jump into this one if you like without a problem.

8.1/10