Simon Cardy
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Writing For
IGNLatest Reviews
Disco Elysium is a unique blend of noir-detective fiction, traditional pen-and-paper RPGs, and a large helping of existentialist theory. Its twisting plot, cast of memorable characters, and sheer depth of choice combine to create an experience that begs to be savoured. A few minor gripes aside, it hits on almost every single one of the marks it sets out to achieve and left me yearning to spend more time in its world.
Volta is a significant addition to FIFA and while it doesn’t all hit the right notes, it’s a largely enjoyable way to play a wealth of content, including a story mode that’s more concise and engaging than The Journey. Elsewhere, improvements have been made to the core FIFA 20 experience, especially when it comes to defending, but overall controlling the ball feels less consistently fluid. For someone not attracted by the allure of Volta, the stilted pace, coupled with a neglect of offline modes such as Career, make it FIFA 20 an adequate but underwhelming entry into the series.
Observation is a smart, original science fiction story propelled by its novel approach to puzzle design and stunning attention to detail. So often, an experience like this can struggle to find the balance between challenging gameplay and a captivating story, but Observation doesn't suffer from this, and the compelling plot is never halted by frustratingly obtuse conundrums. It simply doesn’t deal in obfuscation. Instead, it’s beautifully signposted without feeling clumsy, driving you through its labyrinth of hallways, and a story that grips from start to finish. All of these components combine to craft a chilling high-concept tale that nails the landing and fully accomplishes what it sets out to achieve.
With a plethora of new modes and some significant gameplay tweaks that make ball control more convincing, FIFA 19 is a distinct improvement upon last year's effort. Not all of these additions hit the mark, however, such as the Gears of War-style shooting mechanic and a handful of the new Kick-Off modes. When coupled with an underbaked The Journey single-player campaign, those slow down its momentum a bit. That said, FIFA 19’s simply more fun than recent entries with a level of variety that should only increase its longevity.
Through small tweaks and refinements, FIFA 21 plays as well as it has done in recent memory, but lacks the relatively big features that are usually used to justify a new version of an annually released game. Attacking is fun and fluid, defending is a real challenge and an art to master, but goalkeeping leaves a lot to be desired and the AI is inconsistent in several ways. Career Mode has received small enjoyable additions but has not seen the overhaul I’m still wishing for and feels like an opportunity missed, while Volta still struggles to prove its relevance. All in all, FIFA 21 is a year of small improvements with much to enjoy, but little to shout about.
Overwatch is a one-of-a-kind hero shooter that is far and away the best of its genre. It offers variety, depth, and style that very few come close to matching. Its four-year-old foundation has been lovingly crafted into the unparalleled multiplayer experience that it offers today. From its now-cherished characters and expertly crafted maps to outstanding sound design and dynamic action, it's a masterpiece of competitive gameplay. Most importantly of all though, it’s never stopped being ridiculously fun after all these years. All of these factors combine to make Overwatch a singularly special shooter, and one that I would recommend to anyone without hesitation.
It’s a cliche, but Dreams really is something that needs to be played to fully grasp an understanding of. It’s unlike anything else: an ambitious project that has been expertly brought to life by Media Molecule, and an audacious experiment in game design that gives you endless ways to enjoy your time with it. The creation tools allow for ultimate expression despite there being a few controller related challenges to work around – never enough to deter. The vast range of experiences already on offer via Dream Surfing means that no two sessions playing it are ever the same, offering fresh ways to have fun every time you start it up and see what community creations have popped up while you’ve been away. Whether you just want to create, purely play, or get involved in a bit of everything, Dreams offers it all to you. This is one dream I urge you not to sleep on.
Predator: Hunting Grounds doesn’t quite let you live out that power fantasy of being an extraterrestrial master hunter, nor does it provide top-tier co-op FPS gunplay. Brief moments playing on either side of the battlefield create genuinely exciting action scenes, but they’re all too infrequent and end far too abruptly when you find them because the Predator is too often outgunned and has few means of dividing and conquering his prey. There’s a consistently enjoyable experience buried somewhere in the janky jungle of Predator: Hunting Grounds, but it’s just not that easy to find yet.
Developer Out of the Blue’s debut game is a gorgeous homage to the films and games that inspired it. Through engaging Myst-style puzzles and a captivating story, Call of the Sea triumphs in bringing its island alive, along with the characters that have explored it. It delivers a short-lived but engrossing experience through stunning art direction and an excellent voice cast, with the biggest of its minor annoyances being a slow movement speed. If a fun, but emotionally affecting adventure is what you’re searching for then Call of the Sea most definitely answers that call.
Bugsnax is a light-lifting puzzle adventure that is elevated by its strong story and characters that I enjoyed until the very end. Despite some simple mechanics, the laughs outnumbered the groans significantly as I found myself surprisingly invested in the events of the island and its inhabitants. With over 100 Bugsnax to discover and catch there’s plenty here to entertain the completionists, alongside those just looking for a well-told six-hour mystery that will keep you guessing until after the credits roll. All of this while making you feel emotionally connected to the characters, something you previously might have thought sounded impossible. Until you saw a carrot crawl, that is.