Blair Inglis
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TheSixthAxisLatest Reviews
The Order: 1886 features a wonderfully crafted and realistic alternate history setting with the greatest visuals and production values so far on the PS4. While the first half or so of the story really works, it’s let down by the final few hours, which abandon things shouting out to be explored in favour of introducing forced plot points which do the world and the main cast a disservice. Despite that, the gunplay is a lot of fun and it’s not a bad story overall, just one which could’ve been far better.
Although Far Cry 4 has learned a lot from its predecessor, it hasn’t quite evolved those mechanics enough in some places. That’s not necessarily a bad thing, though: those systems are just as brilliant as they have always been and the world of Kyrat only accentuates the fun to be found in these activities, providing a more vertical world for you to play in.
To say that Borderlands: The Pre-Sequel is nothing more than Borderlands 2 on the moon would be a disservice to the hard work that the developers have put in, and the new features that are definitely noticable. It’s not better than that game, but it’s pretty much essential for anyone seeking out more Borderlands, or someone eager to learn more about the lore of the universe. The Pre-Sequel is a superb action RPG which anyone can jump into, with tons of guns and plenty of fun to be found.
Whether you’re new to inFamous or not, First Light is definitely worth looking into. The only reason you won’t enjoy this is if you didn’t get on with Second Son at all, and although there are some improvements, there’s not enough difference here to convince those who dislike inFamous. The plot may fall flat at points and there might be a sense of repetition, but a return trip to Seattle isn’t something you should turn down. And if you have never visited before, then what are you waiting for?
It’s also only running at 30 frames per second. This really isn’t an issue for Second Son, as the sense of speed is still captured well and the effects still look excellent. There’s also an impressive array of sounds for all of Delsin’s powers, with tone-setting music employed to make battles feel even more incredible. Voice acting fits in perfectly with the almost photo-realistic facial animations, which actually step out of uncanny valley at certain points.
Left Behind is the perfect complimentary side-dish for The Last of Us. It’s happier at points, but just as bleak at others, and everything else is pretty much on par with any of the other chapters in the tale. There’s a brilliant approach to the narrative, while Ellie and Riley’s charm shines throughout, their wonder and imagination matching exactly how you’ll feel as you return to this world.
There’s some great design here, but it’s joined by some poor choices and visuals. While children may have a blast, the difficulty and controls are a bit strange, as if they weren’t designed with them in mind but everything else was. It’s just utterly average and repetitive, despite there being an underlying potential for something superb.
The multiplayer brings those solid shooting mechanics and blends it with something that’s very familiar for Killzone fans. It perhaps evolves in the wrong directions and some design choices are very strange and might even hinder your experience, but the amount of customisation and fun on offer here is paramount, and the game succeeds in that regard.
Beyond is a tale of squandered potential. With acting talent such as Page and Dafoe on board, music from legendary composer Hans Zimmer and visuals that give the PS4 launch line-up a run for their money, it’s such a shame that when it comes down to it, the incompetent story and poor gameplay mechanics leave a lot to be desired.
SteamWorld Dig is a genuine surprise; I hadn’t expected to find such a fantastic indie title on the 3DS eShop, but I’m extremely glad I did. It’s easy to see that the developers, Image & Form, have put a lot of love and care into this game, delivering one of the best indie titles this year, completely worth the asking price of £7.99.