Reviews
370
There’s a lot to like about Screamride, if you can look past its inconsistencies and the fact that you have to play through every mode to unlock the good ones. Is it groundbreaking? Not really – but breaking bricks is fun enough.
The Escapists is, despite its depth, limited by its 2D perspective and SNES-style visuals - if this was a 3D game it could have been infinitely more complex and atmospheric. But the jarring contrast between the ultraviolence, where you can put a bar of soap in a sock and beat someone to near-death with it, and the cutesy, colourful visuals is pretty hilarious.
We feel like this DLC is a reminder of everything we didn't like about a game we did like: it's glitchy, confusing, labyrinthian, dull and fiddly. We had fun with the hugely overpowered Guillotine Gun, but the puzzles and the maze-like tunnels made us curse the day Arno Dorian ever donned his hidden blades.
The tantalising world and systems are fine in their own right, but shoddy car handling saps any desire to play beyond a few minutes at a time. Dock a point if you don't have likeminded pals.
This game oozes perfection in its simplicity. Its ideas are well-executed and spot-on, the dialogue is witty and clever, and though it's often tricky, you're always willing to hop in for another blast.
So good that it almost seems deceitful: like a CG trailer of what the highest level of fun might look like. After 17 years, it's incredible that the series still has such power to astound and excite.
Full of an overwhelming amount of stuff to do this is insane value for money and pretty to boot. Still, we can't help but feel a shake-up is needed for Far Cry 5 to prevent series fatigue.
Enormous, handsome and in love with the subtleties of world design, storytelling and class-based combat. The finest Dragon Age yet, and the most accomplished RPG so far on Xbox One.
Glosses over the changes and additions made in Black Flag, but it's more than deserving of recognition. The skill and attention to detail make this hugely accomplished, if flawed. It's a return to Brotherhood - but that's not necessarily a bad thing.
Astonishing value for money for newcomers, that goes without saying, but those that have already finished the fight(s) on previous Xboxes should think hard about whether they'd be better off investing their money on new experiences. For the hardcore fan craving a return however, this collection is a dream come true - all four mainline Halo titles, updated and optimised, and in a manner that allows you to endlessly remix and reinvent your own personal Halo experience.