You can always improve a game concept by adding cats and an onslaught of cat-themed puns. Always. The latest example of this is Cat Quest, a small, straightforward open-world RPG that finds plenty of charm in its feline persuasion. Cat Quest starts as many a game does, with someone close …
Strange, abstract trailers have a way of catching my attention. No, I’m not talking about that Death Stranding thing from The Game Awards, but the curious-looking 0°N 0°W from indie outfit Colorfiction. The title, pronounced “zero north, zero west”, is based on the coordinates of the fictitious Null Island. The game itself is described …
I’m one of the few people in the world who wasn’t taken with Horizon Zero Dawn. It’s an incredible technical achievement and a game with a fascinating premise, but for me, none of the story, characters, or game systems really lived up to that potential. I’d hoped that a big …
In a world where shooters almost always given the military of sci-fi treatment, it’s refreshing to play a game like Ace of Seafood. Instead of army fatigues or space marine armour, it gives you… a gang of fish and other sealife. That shoot lasers. And roam the ocean beating up …
The Sims is one of the most popular game series’ in the world, and for good reason. A careful balance of deep simulation systems, humour, approachability, and social commentary made it a franchise that anyone can enjoy. In any given game, there’s a huge range of things to do …
Despite its prominent place in Japanese art history, there haven’t been too many games that channel ukiyo-e; Oreshika: Tainted Bloodlines, it’s Japan-only predecessor Ore no Shikabane wo Koete Yuke, and Tokyo Tattoo Girls are the only ones that come to mind. Asakusa Studios, based in Tokyo’s historic Asakusa district, is …
Even though I’m about as far from a gearhead as possible, I always enjoyed playing Gran Turismo games. It wasn’t so much for their realism or the depth of their motorsport simulation—to many, the most important parts of the series—but for the rags-to-riches nature of its career modes. Gran Turismo …
For me, one of the most remarkable things about Life is Strange was its ability to capture the beauty of small moments. For all its philosophical underpinnings and clever twists on the time travel premise, it was those little in between moments that really resonated with me. I’m not …
It’s been almost 30 years since the original Raiden helped give birth to the modern shoot ’em up. With Raiden V: Director’s Cut, the series finally makes its debut on PlayStation 4. The core ideas haven’t really changed even since the 1990 arcade game, but they don’t need to—the …
It didn’t take long for Assassin’s Creed Origins to blow me away. It wasn’t the game’s stunning re-creation of Ptolemaic-era Egypt that did it. It wasn’t the meticulous authenticity or the impressive production values. No, the thing that sold me within minutes of firing up the game was when main …