Mike

About Mike

Mike gets all the racing games because he understands that stuff even though he doesn't drive.

It’s funny how games centred around a day job land when I’ve got time off work. Unlike the daily tedium of an office job, Merek’s Market covers a grass roots sole proprietorship in a lot less time and feels a lot more fun. Crafting your way through dozens of time-restricted […]

Merek’s Market – PS4 Review

October 13, 2021 in PS4 / Reviews tagged against the clock / bartering / big village games / crafting / merek's market / shopkeeping by Mike

One of the things I dread in this job is having very little to talk about. Shorter games do find their way to me but, for the most part, they’re manage to inspire discussion. Even visual novels, a genre loaded with brief experiences usually manages to provide enough ammo for […]

Takorita Meets Fries – PS5 Review

October 5, 2021 in PS5 / Reviews tagged adventure / branching narrative / chips for dinner / food / mermaid / mermen / merpeople / roseverte / takorita meets fries / visual novel by Mike

I’ve never been to a circus but do have a fascination with travelling showmen like P.T. Barnum. There’s something compelling about the mix of grift, charisma and talent and The Amazing American Circus is here to recreate the experience in card form. Juggler Games have done well with the 19th […]

The Amazing American Circus – PS4 Review

September 28, 2021 in PS4 / Reviews tagged big top / card battler / fire-eater / juggler games / management / mime / pt barnum / ringmaster / strongmen / the amazing american circus by Mike

As more years go by, Visual Concepts’ NBA 2K series feels like a stuck record. Whilst it is uncontested, the basketball they deliver is largely of astounding quality. Last year’s effort felt like a backwards stumble. The changes to shooting appeared to backfire and many post-release patches were handed out […]

NBA 2K22 – PS5 Review

September 20, 2021 in PS5 / Reviews tagged basketball / mycareer / myteam / nba 2k22 / online multiplayer / quests / sports / visual concepts / wnba by Mike

Stillalive Studios managed to impress with me Bus Simulator. The relaxed and charming running of a bus company managed to resonate with me as a regular public transport peasant. Despite this, it had some clear issues with meeting mission objectives and technical issues. Now three years have passed and the […]

Bus Simulator 21 – PS4 Review

September 18, 2021 in PS4 / Reviews tagged bus simulator 21 / driving / job simulator / public transport / route mapping / stillalive studios / tickets please / time-keeping by Mike

I must admit it’s nice to see sport get back to some kind of normality in 2021. The calendar is mostly full these days and the mass cancellations of last year have been curtailed somewhat. With that in mind, it’s time to check out WRC 10 FIA World Rally Championship. […]

WRC 10 FIA World Rally Championship – PS5 Review

September 8, 2021 in PS5 / Reviews tagged group b / historical / kylotonn / motorsport / off road / racing / rallying / time trial / wrc 10 fia world rally championship by Mike

NASA will probably tell you golf and space go hand in hand. Ever since they hoofed balls on the Moon, there’s been a fascination with sport where the gravity simply isn’t there. Golf video games tend to play a lot more with reality and Golf Club: Wasteland is opting for […]

Golf Club: Wasteland – PS5 Review

September 4, 2021 in PS5 / Reviews tagged apocalypse / golf club wasteland / mars colonist / narratively-driven / radio talk show / ruins / space / sport by Mike

I’ve always been a coward. Even as a bike lover, I could never bring myself to mount one and ride in anger. I value my skeleton too much. It’s why I take great joy from riding virtually and RiMS Racing is the latest effort to have me covered. Coming from […]

RiMS Racing – PS5 Review

August 26, 2021 in PS5 / Reviews tagged aprilla / bmw / circuit / ducati / mechanic simulator / motorcycles / motorsport / mv agusta / online multiplayer / point to point / raceward studio / rims racing / suzuki / time trial by Mike

For a lad that spent a lot of his youth with old machinery, I have some serious blank spots when it comes to retro games. Spelunker HD saw a PS3 re-release a decade ago and it’s come back around again in Spelunker HD Deluxe. A reimagining of a 1983 classic, […]

Spelunker HD Deluxe – PS4 Review

August 19, 2021 in PS4 / Reviews tagged cave dwelling / co-op / ghosts / online multiplayer / retro 2D platformer / score chasing / spelunker hd deluxe / tozai games by Mike

I know the market’s full of them but I haven’t played a Metroidvania in a while. When they’re good, the deliver a flowing experience that I’ll always enjoy. Exploration always appeals to me and uncovering new secrets across an expansive map. Unspeakable Pixels released Batbarian: Testament of the Primordials last […]

Batbarian: Testament of the Primordials – PS4 Review

August 3, 2021 in PS4 / Reviews tagged 2d / batbarian: testament of the primordials / companions / light-hearted / luminous bat / metroidvania / Pixel art / puzzle platforming / rpg elements / secrets / unspeakable Pixels by Mike

You know, I’m not sure how long it’ll take me to get used to seeing EA’s logo on an F1 game. This is Codemasters’ first title since the acquisition and I think more than a few people wondered what influence, if any, the new bosses would have. As it turns […]

F1 2021 – PS5 Review

July 28, 2021 in PS5 / Reviews tagged braking point / career mode / codemasters / F1 2021 / george russell / lando norris / lewis hamilton / motorsports / online multiplayer / racing / sports / story mode / time trial by Mike

7 months on I’ve finally had a chance to get a Playstation 5. Naturally, this opens me up for some reviews and I’ve had my eye on Chivalry 2 for the past month. Torn Banner Studio’s medieval multiplayer combat has been confined to PC, until recently. With console versions out, […]

Chivalry 2 – PS5 Review

July 20, 2021 in PS5 / Reviews tagged bow and arrow / chivalry 2 / dismemberment / medieval combat / melee / objective-based / online multiplayer only / screaming / sword and shield / team deathmatch / torn banner studios / warfare by Mike