Like the twisted version of Sméagol himself, the new game Lord of the Rings: Gollum, based on the franchise and character of the same name, has been hiding in the shadows up to its release this week. While not all forays into Middle Earth have been gaming gold, we've enjoyed a fair share of great games based on the franchise, so what new experience could we create based on another standalone character? Think you've got an idea worthy of the Horn of Gondor? Let us know on Discord.
Éomer | Liam Andrews My initial instinct was to go with Boromir, just because his (spoiler alert!) death at the end of the first film was one of my favourite scenes in the whole trilogy and I think it would make for an epic finale in any game about him. If I was going for a Boromir game, I reckon it would be linear, and that horn he carries would be used to summon nearby allies to your aid in battles or temporarily boost your health and attacks. However, I’m going to pick Éomer instead. A game starring the future King of Rohan would be an open world one, seeing as the Rohirrim are known for their love of horses and you need a big bit of land to ride them in, a bit like the one in Read Dead Redemption 2 (it’ll borrow some of those horse animations as well). The game would see Éomer roaming around picking fights with orcs, having adventures and helping Rohan’s citizens, generally keeping the lands safe and being a good Marshall of the Mark. It would probably follow the events of the films, with a whole new map opening up (again, Red Dead Redemption style) when Éomer is banished and rides north and also feature some big set piece battles in the form of the charges at Helms Deep and Minas Tirith. Sauron | James ParryWhile The Rings of Power might not have done a great job at building a compelling world as backstory for the heroes we know and love, there's something to leading the rise of evil.
We know from just the films the gist of the story, sure, but the satisfaction of slowly taking over the various realms and pooling their resources could work as a sort of macro scale Fallout Shelter, combined with the option to get out and take on battles yourself, just as a lord gradually realising his power would do. The combination of action and strategy gameplay could make for a really unique experience, and turning the Nemesis system from Shadow of Mordor/War on its head could enhance the push and pull of the growing war and give it a real personal edge. The world is already so rich and exploring it could give you a chance to explore well-known locations in a way you wouldn't be able to any other way. Plus, the series is arguably about the character, given the title, and it’s fair to say it doesn’t come off looking too great in that, so perhaps there’s a chance for some well-needed good PR for The Dark Lord. With The Legend of Zelda Tears of the Kingdom hitting the Switch this week, excitement levels are high(rule) for gamers to rejoin Link on the next chapter of his journey. While we don't know too much about TotK just yet – expect a review in a little while – but there are so many critically acclaimed Zelda games we are still yet to play, so here are a few. Have you played them all? Which would you say is the best you haven't got to from what you've heard about it? Share your picks in the Discord. The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild | Chris BrandA little bit of business before I get started, most Zelda titles kind of passed me by (the last Nintendo console I owned was the N64 and I struggled with the weird, three-handed, controller because I was born with only two hands, like a stupid normal person), so I chose Breath of the Wild as the best Zelda game I've never played, despite knowing little about it. After re-reading James' review and watching a couple of speedruns, I can now confidently claim to be an expert. I'd like to say that the story is absolute perfection, from beginning to end, with a huge twist that no-one could have predicted. However, given the nature of speedruns, I didn't have much of a chance to soak in the narrative. Also, the speedruns I watched were in French, probably due to unskippable dialogue or cutscenes being shorter in that language, which made things even harder to follow. All I can say with any degree of certainty is that Breath of the Wild is devoid of red pencils. In terms of gameplay, it looks like just the sort of open-world epic I could really get stuck into. The games have evolved over the years but this is a refreshing change which breathes new life into an old franchise, much like Odyssey did for Assassin's Creed. Having played Immortals Fenyx Rising (Ubisoft Does Zelda), I almost feel like I've experienced BotW myself, though the Ubisoft version does seem like a Diet Zelda, which is surprising, given the amount of unnecessary bloat in most of their titles. I'm often looking for a big single-player adventure to get lost in, so maybe someday I'll pick up a decades-old Switch and finally play what's been heralded as one of the greatest games of all time. Or maybe this will be a Pokémon situation. The Legend of Zelda: Majora's Mask | James ParryI missed Ocarina of Time when it was first released, but I was drawn into the N64 era in time to get the gold edition cartridge release, so – even though I failed to finish it – I did at least manage to play the game. I think I even got to the adult Link section...so long as there are absolutely no follow-up questions. Majora’s Mask, which is set two months after OOT, was a different story. At the time I heard the game featured time travel, which involved you travelling through the game in a three-day cycle, about 54 minutes in real time, before using the Ocarina of Time itself to return to the first day. Undoubtedly cool, but it also immediately made it more intimidating and, after failing to get through the previous game, I ran from the terrifying hills of Termina. On top of that, the game takes a step forward from its famous predecessor in other ways, such as masks, some of which transform Link into different creatures to let you access areas or complete puzzles. The mechanics of OOT were already solid, and in the years since are still held up as amongst the greatest in not just the series, but open-world games in general, so perhaps Majora’s Mask has got the short end of the Deku stick by being the difficult second child in the 3D Zelda world. What would your pick be? Shout in the comments or join the conversation on Discord.
With the punniest celebration day of the year nearly upon us, and with Jedi Survivor bringing newcomer's to a galaxy far, far away, it's time to talk Star Wars. We have been graced with so many Star Wars games in the past…40 years, it's impossible to pick a favourite – though we've certainly mentioned plenty in Team Talk over the years. So, instead, we're coming up with our own. Whether it's a sequel, a remake or something brand new, there are almost endless possibilities. What would you choose? Let us know in the Discord. A Darth Maul origin story | Chris BrandDespite being one of the more intriguing characters from the prequel trilogy, Darth Maul didn't get a lot of screentime in The Phantom Menace. Parts of his story have been told in other media since Episode I and he lived an eventful life, often coming face-to-face with Obi-Wan and other, less famous, Jedi. It would be a wasted opportunity if we didn't get to experience some of that first-hand, maybe in the style of The Force Unleashed, Star Wars Jedi: Survivor or even Knights of the Old Republic. We got to visit Maul's birthplace, Dathomir, in Fallen Order. Oozing with atmosphere (and possibly other things), it was as creepy as the Nightbrothers and Nightsisters who dwelled there, though it would likely have a very different feel if these were our brothers and sisters and this was our disgusting tentacle-tree thing. It could serve as a base or central hub, somewhere to train Maul and his allies, and recuperate after getting cut in half by Obi-Wan, again (I'm assuming it happens a lot). Star Wars games are great for exploring, with a lot of variety between locations. There's also plenty of iconic vehicles that can be used for getting around fast, something that, as far as I'm aware, has never really been utilised outside of the Lego Star Wars series. If Darth Maul can't have his own game, Obi-Wan Kenobi would be my next choice. He must have lived an interesting life if his encounters with Maul aren't even worth mentioning to Luke Skywalker. I stole a hot baked potato at college and I bring it up every chance I get, Obi-Wan must be chopping dudes in half before breakfast. An open world game on Coruscant | Liam AndrewsI can’t remember if there’s ever been a game set properly on Coruscant, but I think it would be very cool to have one take place entirely on the city planet, especially one with a Grand Theft Auto-style open world with plenty to explore.
Of course, it would be impossible to cram an entire planet’s worth of structures into a game map, but again GTA could be an inspiration. GTA games were always good at stitching together three or four unique areas into one big map, which created a feeling of a much larger world that was still easy to explore on foot or by vehicle. However, with Coruscant being a city world and lacking in open countryside, the different areas linked together in the game could instead be unique districts, such as lower-level street areas, high rise skyscrapers, ship docks, the Senate, Jedi Temples and so on. For gameplay, I wouldn’t mind having multiple protagonists, again like GTA V. There is a Star Wars book by Karen Traviss that’s set on Coruscant (called Triple Zero) in which a team of clone troopers go undercover to take down a separatist organisation via espionage, ambushes and shootouts, which would probably translate quite well to the heist mission structure found in GTA V's campaign. It could also be fun to see a few rival factions working together to take down a larger threat, such as a Jedi, a Mandalorian and an Imperial/Separatist. We’re all about supporting the little guy around here, as you’ll have spotted from a few of our reviews, so when Nintendo puts together its Indie World Showcase, it’s time to take a look at the best of all the indie games coming to the Switch. What was your highlight? Let us know in our Discord. Oxenfree II and Cult of the Lamb | Chris BrandDespite reading positive reviews and seeing nothing but praise for Oxenfree, it took me some time to get around to playing it, as I don't often have the patience for slower-paced adventure games. When I finally did dive in, purely to sate my curiosity, I was pleasantly surprised. The puzzling components are engaging without being too challenging, the story is compelling and the choices you make going through will determine how it all plays out. Though Oxenfree offered multiple endings, it's not the sort of game I could replay. For me, the fun is in uncovering the mystery and enjoying the journey to get there. Once I've experienced it and that crucial element is missing, I can't go back. A sequel that promises more of the same (with some new features, as is the fashion when it comes to sequels), however, is just the thing to get me excited. Or, at least, it would be, if not for the fact that Oxenfree II will be releasing on every platform but Xbox. It's cool though, I'm writing a TV show about a guy who invents super-bacon and I'm pitching it to everyone, aside from Netflix. Screw you guys. The trailer for Cult of the Lamb DLC, Relics of the Old Faith, also caught my attention. As an added bonus, I may one day get to play it because Devolver Digital is an inclusive company that cares about people, unlike stupid Netflix which only cares about getting your hard-earned cash so they can buy fancy rugs. The kind of rugs that are too good to walk on, they're just for show and a complete waste of money. As I've not yet played Cult of the Lamb (but, once again, heard nary a bad thing about it), everything is new to me and the free update not only adds more content but also improves the base game. Mineko’s Night Market, Rift of the Necrodancer and Quilts and Cats of Calico | James ParryWhile the true highlight was seeing two chaps standing by a duck pond (thanks Animal Well), and, like Chris, the Cult of the Lamb trailer definitely stood out, it was Rift of the Necrodancer which hit the sport for me straight away. Any sort of rhythm game is automatically worth a look for me, and the art style is a bit of fun as well. It’ll be interesting to see if the core gameplay loop can evolve and sustain interest or if it feels a little…one note. Perhaps it’s nostalgia for Animal Crossing New Horizons, or the fact that I’ve visited Japan recently, but the overall vibe, visual style and the prospect of minigames like cat racing in Mineko’s Night Market seems like a lot of fun. Though whether it’s a game for me remains to be seen. Finally, there was Quilts and Cats of Calico, featuring a real cat – they know their audience. I’ve never played the original board game, but it certainly seems like there could be a market for this one, particularly those in withdrawal from Stray. Cosy games are definitely a theme at the moment, both in the showcase and in general, and it will be interesting to see where the subgenre goes next. So far we’ve seen plenty with a great vibe to them but gameplay can feel a bit restrictive or minimal at times. We've been out of the loop for a few weeks, but in our absence we were handed another nail in the coffin of the Electronic Entertainment Expo, or E3, as the show was cancelled once again this year. The show was an online-only shindig last year and was caught up in the wave of event cancellations due to COVID the year before, but there has been big promises of springing back bigger and better than ever this year as recently as a few months ago. In case this does end up being the end for E3, we thought it was time to shout out some of our favourite moments from years gone by and celebrate everything the show represented in the gaming landscape. Xbox always leant into the drama of its announcements with a booming voiceover accompaniment of "World Premiere", and no year was more of a premiere than 2018, where Microsoft rallied after a few years of criticism from the Xbox One's launch, to bring 15 world premieres and 50 games in its showcase overall. Finally, and many exciting moments through the years, my personal highlight has to be all of you banding together in our online chatroom to talk about the shows as they happened for several years. The build up would involve awkward time difference calculations and pngs of various stage times, but you would all show up every time to really get into the spirit, like a sort of Eurovision Song Contest experience which saw each publisher trying to out-perform the other. Truthfully, that is what I will miss the most, and while Gamescom and The Game Awards both offer glimmers of similar moments, the way news is shared by gaming companies now seems like it's changed forever. Pour one out. Star Wars Battlefront II | Liam AndrewsI never used to pay much attention to E3 when I was younger, as I got all my information from gaming magazines in the early 2000s rather than watching events. I’m sure there was plenty of E3 coverage in them at the time, but I was only interested in the games themselves and wasn’t particularly fussed about where or how they were revealed. It wasn’t until I joined PTC that I started consistently watching E3 presentations. While my preferred method is still to catch up on all the reveals after an E3 type event so I can focus on the stuff that interests me, I can definitely see the appeal of watching such things live, especially with a few friends. Probably my most memorable picks from the E3 live events was the Star Wars Battlefront 2 reveal during EA Play (any show that opens with Star Wars’ Imperial March is off to a winner). I loved the 2015 Battlefront reboot, but the expensive season pass and lack of variety brought the experience down somewhat. The 2017 reveal promised to fix all that, showing off multiple locations, weapons, vehicles, and characters from all Star Wars eras and also introduced the game’s new class system. Although the BF2 would go on to be panned at launch thanks to its loot box heavy progression system (which was thankfully fixed later on) the reveal itself was very impressive. The Artful Escape | Chris BrandMy favourite E3 memory is from many moons ago. As the showcase takes place (or used to) around my birthday, I've always had cause to celebrate and my preferred method of celebrating back then was to get unbelievably hammered.
It all started off so well; I was watching E3, I was drinking, I was taking notes and I didn't have a care in the world. Until, that is, I awoke the next morning and attempted to make sense of the notes I'd jotted down whilst heavily birthday'd. Though the notes were littered with creative language and very short, I'd been descriptive enough for sober me to understand everything. Everything, apart from "Guitar Bastards." Not wanting to watch the events again in their entirety, I forgot all about Guitar Bastards and moved on with my life. Years passed, before a little indie game called The Artful Escape hit Gamepass. From the screenshots, I immediately recognised it as Guitar Bastards but with a different, far less appealing, name. I downloaded it, to serve as a digital monument, reminding me that patience is often rewarded. And because it has guitars and I'm a nerd. The Artful Escape is a colourful and charming adventure (and a fairly easy 100% completion) that I could have easily missed, just a quick trailer, nestled in amongst a handful of other long-forgotten titles, competing with the likes of Extreme Snow Bullshit (A.K.A Steep) and Moose-Pricks (I think that turned out to be The Deer God). With Starfield suffering its latest, seemingly inevitable delay, and other releases expected this year already on their second or third release date, we thought it was high time we shouted about a few games where the delay was a good thing. No matter how right Shigeru Miyamoto's famous quote about a broken game being bad forever is, that wait of even a few months can feel excruciating if it's the thing you're most looking forward to that year. It's not all bad news though, often a game will be delayed and end up meeting or even surpassing expectations, so we've come up with a few examples. Let us know yours in the Discord. BioShock Infinite | James Parry While it would have been tempting, and very timely, to pick Resident Evil 4 for this question, since it reportedly was in development hell and had numerous delays before finally making it to the GameCube in 2005, my experience with the title was the Wii release, so it would have felt a little cheeky. One delay I do recall though was BioShock Infinite, a title I vowed to push through and finish after having such a hard time sticking to it with the original. While the delay was only a few months, from October 2012 to March 2013, that shift put the game in a less crowded part of the year, and meant my summer that year was dominated by tearing holes in reality. The world of Columbia was stunning, and showed a mastery of that sense of uncomfortable-ness you find at the beginning when forced to decide whether to join in with the town's cruelty and throw a baseball at someone. The anticipation of that moment, as it's well telegraphed by a growing sense that something isn't right, is the definition of a moment worth waiting for – and you can bet its impact would be lessened without those few crucial months of polish. And can we just remember how strong the ending was? If you know, you know. High on Life | Chris Brand High on Life's release was postponed, not to give it a little bit of polish (which is usually the case), but to avoid having to share the limelight with other, more established, titles. Even though it's the lesser-preferred reason for a delay, it worked out well for me, as it missed our cut-off point for Game of the Year 2022, so I can comfortably choose it this year, if every other game gets pushed back until 2024.
I wasn't sure exactly what to expect going in, aside from the trademark humour, but I'm happy with what we got. If I had expectations, High on Life would've met them. It's a solid first-person shooter that's long enough to feel complete without ever becoming a slog. The graphics are a visual treat and space is suitably "alien" looking, in a similar way to The Outer Worlds. Levels are fairly linear, with some kind of out-of-the-way places to find hidden loot, but, as beautiful as this all is, exploration isn't as much of a focus, as the real discoveries are to be found in hub areas when you're surrounded by a cast of weird and... weird folks. Most of the amusing dialogue could have been skipped, if I'd pushed on with whichever mission I was undertaking, but it seemed like everyone had something to say that was worth hearing. It's well-paced over the course of the story, with a steady stream of new abilities and weapons/friends, though my first playthrough was extended significantly by trying to see and do as much as possible. Unlike a Fallout or Elder Scrolls game, there isn't a lot to soak in when it comes to lore and history, just little jokes, small self-contained stories and the occasional helpful tip on how to defeat high-ranking cartel bosses. As much as I hate waiting, not picking a fight with a bigger dog was probably the right choice in the long run. I need everyone to play it and demand a sequel, it's the only way I'm getting answers to my questions. With Tarnished across the world giddy at the prospect of more adventures in Elden Ring’s Lands Between in Shadow of the Erdtree, we’ve been thinking about other games where a story DLC expansion is overdue, or would just be too much fun to pass up. Perhaps it was a missed opportunity, where the ideas were there but the game didn’t sell well enough, or just something which deserves a new lease of life – let us know what you’d choose in the Discord.
Halo Infinite | Liam AndrewsI thoroughly enjoyed Halo Infinite’s campaign. Zipping around the gorgeous landscape with Chief’s new grapple hook was immensely fun, so much so that I was more than happy to go chasing down optional pickups and side missions scattered across the rocky landscape. And I’d happily do even more! 343 and Microsoft’s attention might have firmly shifted to Infinite’s free-to-play multiplayer (which is also rather good) but I’d like to see another slice of the campaign bolted on to the shattered remains of Zeta Halo. As much as I enjoyed fighting the Banished’s army of minions – spoiler alert - I would like to see an old foe return in the form of the Flood. Their addition could have made a very good campaign into a great one. The Flood offer something completely different to the standard ranged gameplay, literally flooding the player with waves of horrifying enemies and forcing them into panicked close quarter action. I can’t remember whether the Flood are still active in the Halo universe, but it seems a shame to let such an iconic enemy faction lay dormant for so long. Being able to take them on in a modern game with Chief’s new abilities – particularly the grapple – is something I’d love to see happen. Marvel's Guardians of the Galaxy | James ParryThe main game of Marvel's Guardians of the Galaxy was not only a flarking good time, but one of the best examples of linear singleplayer storytelling we’ve seen in ages. Even though it was released back in 2021, with a new film waiting in the wings, admittedly with different interpretations of the characters, it would be great to jump back onto the Milano and reunite the team.
As one of the handful of games I saw through to the bitter end last year, I am already invested in these characters. Even if it was just a bit of messing around on Knowhere, like Mass Effect 3’s Citadel DLC, then that would be enough for me, but I suspect there are more fun stories to explore without leaping into something that would better suit a sequel. Gamora’s story has always been tragic, and despite being the “Deadliest woman in the galaxy” has a lot of layers to peel back. One element which isn’t touched on in the game is her adopted sister Nebula, and the complexities of their relationship, only being mentioned off-screen. Perhaps a rescue mission or an assassination-turned-rescue might be a fun little adventure to bring her into the fold – even into the team – and give us another go-round with these characters, endless banter and all. The possibilities really are endless however, with a whole universe out there to explore, so who wouldn’t welcome another opportunity to try “a fun, exciting space adventure from start to finish.” With Sony's PSVR2 releasing this week, the world of Virtual Reality will be accessible to more PlayStation gamers than ever before. Horizon Call of the Mountain, based on Horizon Zero Dawn and Forbidden West, Sony's ploy to coax you into taking the plunge into VR, but if Aloy and co aren't enough to draw you in, what franchise would be? Whether its a behemoth franchise or a new character you'd like to see try out this medium, let us know in the comments or in our Discord.
The LEgend of Zelda | Liam AndrewsI was torn between two of Nintendo’s greatest franchises I’d like to see get the VR treatment: Animal Crossing or The Legend of Zelda. I reckon Animal Crossing would be equal parts relaxing and bonkers in VR. On the one hand, wandering around the cosy villages watering flowers and gathering fruit sounds pleasant, but I think traversal, which basically involves your character running along a giant rolling pin, would be very weird (imagine seeing house-sized, well, houses, come looming out of the horizon). I also think most of AC’s roster of anthropomorphic residents would be a lot less cute when you’re looking them right in the eye. Especially Pietro. Look him up if you're feeling bold. In the end I’ve gone with Zelda as the title I’d like to see get a VR spinoff. Not the Breath of the Wild era, but classic Zelda, somewhere between Ocarina of Time and Skyward Sword. Think how great it’d be exploring iconic locations like Hyrule Castle in first-person or wielding the Master Sword with precise strokes to take down bosses. Dungeon exploration and puzzles would be so much more immersive, and a lot of Link’s classic items also lend themselves well to VR controls, such as the Bow, Boomerang and Hookshot. Perhaps on the Switch Pro / 2? Gears of War | James ParryThis feels unlikely to come to pass, given Xbox doesn't have a handy, out-of-the-box VR setup ready to go, but let's pretend Microsoft strikes a deal with Oculus/Meta to package a headset with an additional controller – as they have done in the past – which even works flawlessly with Xbox Series X.
Gears of War for me has had diminishing returns, but even a greatest hits collection of iconic franchise moments would be a huge draw for an Xbox VR system, and built on a tried-and-tested universe. You'd have to make a call on whether the game was on-rails or free movement, rather than trying to do both, and perhaps putting in a few sprinkles of brand new content to sweeten the deal, but success could pave the way for Halo and other Xbox staples, which Microsoft don't seem to be able to capitalise on at the moment. The richness of the world is what makes Horizon Call of the Mountain an exciting prospect, and Gears has enough variety in environments and enemies to really transport you. Also, the existing voice talent and even new performances from series staple John DiMaggio would certainly be welcome, and be a key way to access that crucial feeling of immersion. Plus, it will help to build the audience for the series back up again ready for the inevitable 20th anniversary re-release in a couple of years time. It doesn’t feel like the gaming year has really kicked off until we’ve had a Nintendo Direct, so lucky us that Ninty decided to grace us with a slew of updates, including a few surprise reveals which we could dive into right away. We’ve picked our own personal highlights, this time summarised in the form of the overarching emotion the show evoked for us, but what stood out for you from the update? Let us know in our Discord. Disappointment | Chris BrandI'm rather disappointed that there was no mention of Pokémon, as I've had to shoehorn in this link to a wormhole I'm slowly building. I'll get around to playing it man, just give me some time. Running with the theme of disappointment, there seemed to be very little variety on offer, with many titles blurring into one huge mass of retro-styled RPGs and more than a handful of actual retro games that are finding a second home on the Nintendo Switch. My lack of interest may stem from the fact that I don't own a Switch, though this didn't dampen my enthusiasm for the one game we were all surely waiting to see. Liam's most anticipated game of 2023, Tears of the Kingdom, single-handedly carried the show. We didn't get a ton of info or an extended look, but after the success of Breath of the Wild we didn't really need to, everyone had already made up their mind. The idea of playing third-party titles on Nintendo's hardware just doesn't do it for me, but seeing Mario or Link in a new outing often fills me with excitement. A restrained excitement, given that I probably won't ever play these games, but excitement nonetheless. Ninty do make the occasional blunder (Labo, again) but when it comes to first-party games their creativity and innovation shine through. Not enough to make me fork out for a new system, yet enough that I would consider picking one up if the price was right. For now, I'll live vicariously through others, waiting patiently for TotK's release and for one of the team to review it. Or for Ubisoft to announce a sequel to Immortals: Fenix Rising, which is about as close as I can get. Optimism | James ParryWhile, like most Nintendo fans, I appreciated a brief respite in the long wait for Tears of the Kingdom in the form of a trailer, though I am still waiting to be wowed quite as much as its predecessor. If it ends up being more of the same though, that will still be a fantastic experience, and one I’m looking forward to.
What I did love was that the opening of the show was given over to a fairly extensive look at Pikmin 4, a series which I feel like I frequently rave about, often by myself. The game is looking as adorable as ever, and I’m excited to jump in in July. Like Liam, I found the reveal of Metroid Prime Remastered a pleasant and welcome surprise, particularly at a price point that isn’t ridiculous. I expect Splatoon 3 will be keeping me busy for a fair while yet, especially with the new expansion pass looming, so I doubt it will make it onto my Switch, but I’m excited for the series to attract new fans ahead of a brand new instalment. Seeing Samba de Amigo return raised a smile, though I know it more by reputation than personal experience. In fact it was seeing those GameBoy and GBA games which were the biggest nostalgia hit, and it makes me optimistic for them finally getting around to adding more systems, so Nintendo’s complete back catalogue can finally be available all in one place. Finally, it was nice to see the Mario Kart 8 Deluxe Booster Courses add a brand new track, and a Yoshi-themed one at that. Despite my inconsistent performance in multiplayer, a new course does tend to level the playing field…at least for a while. As the cold and dark days of winter begin to subside, it’s got us feeling strangely hopeful, wistful even, for the excitement of the year to come, and the prospect of more games. But we’re an old fashioned bunch around here, so we don’t want to get too carried away with anything too “new”. Fortunate then, that GoldenEye 007 is back on both Switch and Xbox to serve up a re-release fit for the world’s greatest secret agent, and the PC strategy classic Age of Empires II now has a definitive edition on console for the first time. Since some titles aren’t lucky enough to have a full remake like Dead Space, what’s a game that does deserve to be served up to a new audience as a remaster? If you’ve got a top pick then let us know on Discord.
Red Alert 2 | James ParryWe’ve been spoiled by remasters in recent years, with The Command & Conquer Remastered Collection being a particular highlight, which made picking a fruit ripe for revival challenging, but after hours of head scratching I finally realised it had been staring at me all along – Red Alert 2. While console releases of strategy games can be hit and miss. The control style adopted by the very experienced team at World’s Edge for the aforementioned Age of Empires II port shows that the control scheme can be adapted sensibly – and if all else fails you can always plug a keyboard and mouse in. I’ve mentioned before that Red Alert 2 is my favourite strategy game, but to play it in multiplayer on console would be a game-changer. The campaign would hold up to the remaster treatment too, since the bones of the game are in good functional shape, so it’s just a case of widening out its audience. Tie it up with Game Pass for an exclusive launch window and you’ve got an instant captive audience who are already warmed up on AOE and keen to try out more strategy games. Plus, magically releasing it in a few months time would keep the strategy momentum going for the Xbox release of Age of Empires IV, which left many fans (including me) behind thanks to being PC only. Diddy Kong Racing | Liam AndrewsThe return of GoldenEye 007 is a welcome comeback, but there’s another title from the studio’s back catalogue that I’d like to see made playable on modern hardware: Diddy Kong Racing.
I didn’t know this, but there was a remake of the classic N64 racing game turned up on DS some years ago but it somehow completely passed me by, or I totally forgot about its existence. While I could easily pick up this version and play it on my 2DS XL, I’d still like to be able to play the original version of the game on a TV. I never owned the original game, but a good friend of mine did and I used to thoroughly enjoy stopping over to play it. I remember being hugely impressed by the addition of planes and boats as drivable vehicles (particularly the latter) as I’d only ever gotten to drive Mario Kart’s more grounded vehicles. Seeing as Rare is now a Microsoft studio, and how that complicated GoldenEye’s recent release on Xbox consoles and Switch, I’m not too confident we’ll be seeing Diddy Kong Racing any time soon, but I suppose there’s always a chance. In the meantime, I might have to try that DS remake. |
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