Just Dance 2017 (Switch) review

Published on by Chris Scullion3 Comments
Ubisoft / Ubisoft Paris
Switch, PS4, PS3, Xbox One, Xbox 360, Wii, Wii U, PC (Switch version reviewed)

91exhieunml-_sl1500_Here’s the deal.

There’s no snobbery on this site. You might be the sort of person who will never like Just Dance, and if it isn’t your cup of tea then that’s fair enough.

The reality, though, is that this is a series that had sold 40 million copies by 2013, so dismissing it outright just because it isn’t a shooter or a platformer is a type of elitism that doesn’t fly here.

Every game deserves a fair review, so that’s what you’re getting. Check your prejudices at the door (and, given some of the songs here, your pride as well) and let’s get jiggy as fuck. Continue reading “Just Dance 2017 (Switch) review” →

The complete history of Bomberman

Published on by Chris Scullion43 Comments

bomberman-character-art-from-bomberman-online-on-sega-dreamcast-2001In just a few days, the Nintendo Switch will finally be released.

It’s an exciting time for many gamers, because the launch of new hardware is always a thrill.

But it’s also an exciting and nerve-wracking time for a group of gamers who have had a rough time of it in recent years: Bomberman fans.

On the same day the Switch launches, Super Bomberman R will be sitting on the shelves alongside it. It will be the first new physical, boxed Bomberman game to appear in stores in more than eight years.

For people my age (30 and up if you must know, you cheeky prick), Bomberman is one of the classic video games series.

These days when you think of big, popular multiplayer games you think of Call Of Duty, Destiny, Overwatch and FIFA.

In the early ‘90s, it was Bomberman.

Because it’s been nearly a decade since the last retail Bomberman release – and because even then it wasn’t really as popular as it had been – there’s a generation of gamers who aren’t too familiar with the series as a whole.

That’s where yer man Scullion comes in. Continue reading “The complete history of Bomberman” →

Forma.8 (PS4) review

Published on by Chris Scullion3 Comments
MixedBag Games
PS4 / Xbox One / Wii U / Vita / Steam (PS4 version reviewED)

Metroidvania games are ten a penny these days, so it’d take something special to catch the attention of this grizzled veteran with boyish charm and a tough exterior but gentle heart.

Um… what I’m trying to say is Forma.8 is bloody good. Continue reading “Forma.8 (PS4) review” →

A Normal Lost Phone (Android) review

Published on by Chris Scullion1 Comment

ACCIDENTAL QUEENS
ANDROID / iOS / STEAM (ANDROID VERSION REVIEWED)

Note: This is a plot-heavy game that deals with a sensitive topic. Those who have already played through the game will have noticed that I have deliberately not used certain words and descriptions in a way that may seem ignorant. I have only done so in order to avoid spoilers and to ensure the player goes into the game knowing what they’re supposed to know at that stage.

a-normal-lost-phone-iconWhat would you do if you ever found a mobile phone?

Would you hand it in to the police and hope it made its way back to its original owner? Would you search its address book for a number called ‘home’ or something similar and call it to let them know you found it?

Or would you search through the user’s messages, emails, dating app and photo gallery in order to find out more about their life?

A Normal Lost Phone works on the assumption that you’d go with the last of these options, and that’s really the only major problem I have with it. Continue reading “A Normal Lost Phone (Android) review” →

Ultra Street Fighter II and Super Bomberman R hands-on previews

Published on by Chris Scullion4 Comments

Header image by Jorge Vargas

Two of the games I played at last month’s Switch UK premiere event share a lot in common.

Both are based on classic games that were bigger in the ‘90s, both are heavily focused on multiplayer gameplay, and both have received some criticism for their rumoured £40-£50 price points.

Having had the chance to briefly play both, it’s clear this is an argument that will continue until they’re released, and likely beyond that. Continue reading “Ultra Street Fighter II and Super Bomberman R hands-on previews” →

Snipperclips hands-on preview

Published on by Chris Scullion9 Comments

snipperclips_art3For every big Nintendo franchise out there – your Marios, your Zeldas, your Metroids – there’s usually another smaller one that’s widely ignored by the gaming public in general.

Sometimes these are proper retail games: the likes of Band Bros, Custom Robo Arena, Excitebots, the Bit Generations series and New Style Boutique were all strong titles that were so underappreciated they may as well have had photos of Ben Affleck on the cover (he’s a cinema legend, deal with it).

More often than not, though, these ignored gems have been digital-only releases tucked away in each Nintendo system’s rarely browsed eShop. Indulge me for a second, there’s a big list coming because this really annoys me.

Pushmo and its sequels. Art Style PiCOPiCT. Dr Mario & Germ Buster. Three separate Mario vs Donkey Kong games. Art Style Kubos (Precipice in the US). Hydroventure. Excitebike World Rally. Dillon’s Rolling Western. Harmoknight. BoxBoy and BoxBoxBoy. All seven Picross e games.

These were all digital titles published by Nintendo that were thoroughly enjoyed by me and most of those who bought them, but were tragically ignored by the masses and ultimately didn’t sell as well as they could and should have.

If you’re thinking of buying a Switch, please don’t let Snipperclips become the latest member of that club. Continue reading “Snipperclips hands-on preview” →