Britt Roberts

“As much as I enjoyed my time with Carmageddon Rogue Shift and I applaud the decision to streamline the formula – the lack of any sort of multiplayer is a real shame, and also, whilst Max Damage’s iconic car is a main feature, the lack of a goofy parade of the previous characters and cars in this new, more grim-faced iteration does strip the game of a lot of its historical identity, feeling a little generic ‘blood ‘n metal’ with a lack of humour in the game. That said, it all boils down to a very playable single player experience, with all the heft and weight you’d expect from a racing game in this genre, which I’m completely on board with.”

“Taxi Chaos 2 is a solid game that has shaken off a lot of the issues that plagued the first game, but some still hang on. Great visuals, controls, and perfectly fine for quick blasts of arcade action, it’s a recommendation for fans – and I know there are many – of Crazy Taxi-esque games. That said, as much of a pleasure it is to see the strides this sequel has taken, in a couple of years I’d love to be covering Taxi Chaos 3 and awarding it a 9/10 as there really is some magic under the bonnet of this franchise and plenty of gas left in the tank!”

“The definitive way to enjoy Monolith Software’s classic, hopefully this will get a lot of folks into a game that I spent a lot of my teenage years enjoying. I can’t imagine that Blood 2: The Chosen will get the same treatment and quite frankly, that’s absolutely fine, because it is – as the Aztecs used to say, “Not very good”.”

“Neon Inferno is a title that brings back a niche genre that very much appeals to me, and the beautiful blend of pixel art with more modern graphic sensibilities, and a truly pulse-pounding soundtrack means that it’s a game that pops off the screen. Mid-level bonuses and weapon drops would have a been cool to see, but the personality of each stage and the sheer pace of everything will keep you glued to the screen throughout as you learn patterns and fend off hundreds of foes. A very cool title that deserves to be inhaled by the classic action lovers out there.”

“I think that this game will be one that fans of the original will adore – it’s always fantastic to see POV-only games from the ‘90s/00’s available on console, and Nightdive are the best at what they do – but the sheer design philosophies that run through the game from the original development will be a tough sell to modern audiences that aren’t familiar with the game, and I can imagine that it’s a bit of a hard sell. Whilst there’s online multiplayer, it would have been cool to see local multiplayer included here but overall, I’m just over the moon that Outlaws is finally available to play on console, as it’s a bit of a forgotten title that has a very unique personality that still shines through today, there’s nothing quite like it out there.”

“After playing Dark Quest 3, it did take me a few minutes to adjust to the slightly different approach that this sequel takes, but the multiplayer and custom dungeon builder included means that those that click with this game will have a lot of bang for their buck, and the fact that its such a classic interpretation means that you can get rolling within a minute or two, what are you waiting for? Get out there and defeat the Dark Wizard!”

“I love the idea; and the tone, visuals, and music are all up to par, creating an accessible game, but I can’t imagine it would hold plyers’ interest for more than a couple of hours. That said, at a fiver, it’s a great way to spend an evening, and has put the studio on the map for me, with their esoteric take on the rally genre!”

“Again, I don’t usually comment on price, but the fact that this is currently £25 is quite baffling, the last time I picked up a game at that cost and completed it in under thirty minutes was Hyperstone Heist on the Mega Drive, but at least that had some replay value! I’d avoid this one, sadly.”

“Deathless. The Hero Quest will be firmly installed on my Xbox for some time, it’s become a ‘go to’ game at the moment, perfect for a lengthy session or even for a quick twenty minute blast, if time allows. The subtle tweaks to the genre formula combined with the hardy story-telling makes this a big ol’ recommendation from us here at GF!”

“The game is fully voice acted with a small cast of characters that helps keep things focused as well as a pretty straight story that’s simple but enjoyable, especially for younger gamers, I played this with my young son and the balance of adventure and horror very much appealed to him without being overly scary, perfect for the upcoming Halloween season!”

“Dark Deity was one of my favourite turn-based games of the last few years, Sword & Axe LLC are a developer very dear to my heart due to how they manage to keep such tried and tested genre mechanics feeling fresh and satisfying by creating such a rich and fully rounded gaming experience. This sequel effectively polishes and shines that robust core design into a game that feels even more inviting and satisfying to play. If you are a fan of Fire Emblem or the Shining Force series of games, this isn’t just a recommendation, it should be on the national curriculum! Awesome stuff.”

“The Edge of Allegoria is a game that captures the nostalgic Game Boy vibe with nice pixel visuals and a charming soundtrack tied to tried ‘n tested mechanics that are bolstered to a sense of humour that will probably be a little divisive, although it does give the game its roguish character.”

“As you can tell, I very much enjoyed Chronicles of the Wolf. Yes, it’s derivative and takes a lot of style from the historic giants of the genre, but in my eyes it surpasses – or at the very least matches up to - those it apes. A visually and sonically beautiful creation that utilises tried and tested gameplay, this is a huge thumbs up from us at GF, and very much a contender for game of the year, blinking lovely stuff. 🐺Right, I’m off to kick a thirty-foot tall werewolf in the balls for making me drop my croissant.🥐”

“The most fun I’ve had with Match 3 since Metropolis: Lux Obscura back in 2017, the sense of humour and light-hearted style perfectly ‘matches’ the game mechanics, a great twist in a genre that can be pretty standard and functional…I just need to wait for Creepy Redneck Dinosaur Mansion 5 now.”

“The blend of incredible atmosphere, importance of audio, stylish visuals and simple gameplay come together here in a game that feels luxurious to dive into. The stark graphical style and comic-book nods add to that sense of a pulpy narrative, and the pull of raw America and its myriad citizens bring the states to life in a way that kept me coming back for more. Serious Sim have definitely nailed a vibe here, and it’s a vibe I’d very much like to see continued in future games, lovely stuff.”

“Digital Eclipse have delivered a collection of genuine arcade classics, and it is a joy to re-live them again, but nostalgia can only go so far, and as much as I’m enjoying my time with this collection. I feel that in order to really, really get the most out of the Golden Tee series…you need that sweet, sweet trackball.”

“Victory Heat Rally is a fun and pacey racing game that plays to its strengths with regard to the drifting, breeziness, and sheer speed of the action. That said, it doesn’t quite have enough of an identity – or depth – to make Victory Heat Rally feel like a ‘must have’ racer on the system.”

“Whilst Stormy Knights has appealing visuals, tight controls, a pleasingly simple premise, and music that suits the ambience – after a while the rigid structure of the game, and minor variances in how each battle plays out wore me down a little and even though this is a short game, I feel like my patience had worn out by the time I approached the endgame. A decent little title to dip in and out of in short bursts, but it does feel like it needs more variation or depth to get the most out of the premise.”

“Locomoto is one of the best games I’ve played in the cosy genre, and I was surprised at how involved I got, you always feel like you are making progress toward a fun goal as opposed to pottering around, passing time – and the whole premise of being a train driver, conductor, waiter, private eye, cleaner, postal worker, and all-round problem solver is as appealing as it sounds, making the moment-to-moment gameplay pure charm. This is one that will be installed on our family Switch for a long time to come!”

“Kiborg is a game I find myself going back to for quick blasts quite often, but the more the game infuriates me, and repetition sets in as the enemy patterns and tricks get oh-so-familiar, the more I hope for a future update that adds some sort of co-op campaign, because the combat mechanics here are so fun, varied, and engaging that it just feels that Kiborg is crying out to be so much more than the technically impressive but lonely and slightly repetitive game that it is.”