Mike

About Mike

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

WWE have ruled the wrestling roost for a long while but that hasn’t stopped companies looking to mildly threaten the sports entertainment behemoth. Nobody has really come close but All Elite Wrestling are the latest to, at the very least, gain a foothold in the industry. What follows is AEW: […]

AEW: Fight Forever – PS5 Review

June 30, 2023 in PS5 / Reviews tagged aew fight forever / barbed wire exploding death match / branching narrative / cm punk / fighting / i'm old tired and i work with children / kenny omega / online multiplayer / the young bucks / wrasslin / yuke's by Mike

Frictional Games have been at the forefront of the indie horror genre and their Amnesia series has been, for the most part, very well received. I’ve yet to play the earlier games but I always considered their restrictive nature to be off-putting. Sneaking around an environment with little to arm […]

Amnesia: The Bunker – PS4 Review

June 22, 2023 in PS4 / Reviews tagged amnesia the bunker / claustrophobia / frictional games / immersive sim / isolation / Monster / psychological / puzzle solving / supernatural / survival horror / world war i by Mike

MotoGP might still be the greatest sport I never watch. Since it was bumped off free-to-air TV, I’ve barely stayed current with it, although it’s been intriguing to keep an eye on it since Valentino Rossi moved towards team ownership and Mark Marquez injures himself into a sad decline. I […]

MotoGP 23 – PS5 Review

June 15, 2023 in PS5 / Reviews tagged championship / milestone / moto2 / moto3 / motogp 23 / motorcycles / motorsport / online multiplayer / time trial by Mike

Farming simulators seem to get of traction these days. Maybe it’s a question of escapism or the fact they trivialise the back-breaking labour of farm work but people seem to love them. I can see the appeal but there’s always a sense the repetition might wear me down. In comes […]

Everdream Valley – PS5 Review

June 11, 2023 in PS5 / Reviews tagged child labour / cosy / ducks / everdream valley / Farming simulator / fishing / herding / livestock / moon eaters / sheep by Mike

Warhammer 40,000: Boltgun is a chip off a very familiar block. I’m not sure how I feel about the term ‘boomer shooter’ but it is accurate in conveying a very specific first-person experience. I’m not a fan of the fiction but the setting certainly lends itself perfectly to a no-nonsense, […]

Warhammer 40,000: Boltgun – PS5 Review

May 29, 2023 in PS5 / Reviews tagged auroch digital / boomer shooter / first-person shooter / Games workshop / heresy / platforming / space marine / warhammer 40k boltgun by Mike

Timing is everything with sports titles and TT Isle of Man : Ride on the Edge 3 has managed to land right in the middle of the road racing season. With the marquee event mere weeks away, Raceward Studios has produced a challenging and rewarding racer that makes the Isle […]

TT Isle of Man: Ride on the Edge 3 – ...

May 11, 2023 in PS5 / Reviews tagged conor cummins / ian hutchinson / michael dunlop / motorsport / online multiplayer / public roads / raceward studios / racing / time trial / tt isle of man ride on the edge 3 by Mike

One look at Strayed Lights had me interested. With a fairly minimal approach to storytelling and a parry-based combat system, I was anticipating something unique. Whilst it does try to plough it’s own furrow, Embers’ effort has me a little underwhelmed. Visually appealing, the sparse narrative and forgiving fights have […]

Strayed Lights – PS5 Review

May 9, 2023 in PS5 / Reviews tagged coming of age / embers / exploration / minimalist storytelling / parry / platforming / rite of passage / strayed lights by Mike

There’s been a good glut of multiplayer games about deception and I think it fits in with my inability to rely on my reflexes. These tests of intelligence really appeal to me and another one has landed at my door. Deceive Inc. is the latest online-only, class-based effort looking to […]

Deceive Inc. – PS5 Review

May 1, 2023 in PS5 / Reviews tagged asymetrical multiplayer / caper / class based / deceive inc. / espionage / heist / online-only / spying / sweet bandits studios by Mike

Religion and videogames has always felt like an odd combination. Other mediums have had their religious epics but gaming just struggles to pull one together. Saga of Sins hasn’t quite got those lofty ambitions but this effort from Bonus Level Entertainment does use a Christian backdrop to deliver a decent […]

Saga of Sins – PS5 Review

April 25, 2023 in PS5 / Reviews tagged 2d platforming / 7 deadly sins / angels / bonus level entertainment / crusaders / Devil / germans / metroidvania / religion / saga of sins by Mike

I often wonder with gaming narratives how to truly judge them. There are entirely story-driven games where the focus shifts from gameplay which ultimately diminishes the interactive element of the medium. Melon Journey: Bittersweet Memories by Froach Club is another one of these games. With the gameplay reduced, I often […]

Melon Journey: Bittersweet Memories – PS5 Review

April 15, 2023 in PS5 / Reviews tagged animal town / corporate espionage / crime story / froach club / gameboy aesthetic / melon journey bittersweet memories / narratively-driven / puns by Mike

Monster Energy Supercross: The Official Videogame 6 is a mouthful. The long-running Supercross franchise certainly feels like it’s in the land of diminishing returns. The second iteration on current consoles, the features on show give me a great sense of deja vu and, whilst the racing remains tight and competitive, […]

Monster Energy Supercross: The Official Videogame 6 – Playstation ...

April 7, 2023 in PS5 / Reviews tagged bikes / jumps / milestone / monster energy supercross - the official videogame 6 / motorcycles / motorsport / mud / racing / stadiums by Mike

I do enjoy some side-scrolling platforming and a dystopian future of science gone amok is fantastic trope to mine. Combining the two is Titanium Hound from Red Spot Sylphina. With a visual style very much within the 16-bit era, this indie effort starts to stumble with controls and pacing. There […]

Titanium Hound – PS4 Review

March 21, 2023 in PS4 / Reviews tagged 2d sidescroller / cops / crafting / dystopia / future bacteria / mech plot / platforming / red spot sylphina / shooter / titanium hound by Mike