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LEGO Star Wars: The Skywalker Saga review | Xbox Series X|S

12/4/2022

 
The Millenium Falcon in Cloud City

Many of us, especially around here, have had a fairly long history with LEGO games, and an even longer history with Star Wars, so you could say expectations were high for LEGO Star Wars: The Skywalker Saga.

James Michael Parry
by James Michael Parry

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​@james_parry

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Developer: TT Games
Publisher: WB Games
Platforms: Xbox Series X|S, PS5, Switch, PS4, Xbox One, PC
Players: 1-2


Back in 2016, I talked about needing a break from LEGO games, since I’d dipped into most games by then, and then I proceeded to review at least half a dozen more over the next few years that followed, including LEGO The Force Awakens, which was all the way back in 2017.

Coming back to the LEGO Star Wars franchise after all this time feels strangely refreshing, and although many of these stories and moments have been touched on in previous games going as far back as 2005, the series' trademark physical humour and beautiful presentation is back and better than ever.

Visually, the amount of lighting effects and reflections here really lifts the action on-screen, while the character models have a lot more texture and surface imperfections which really give you the sense this is actual LEGO.

Attention to detail in that area is a delight, since you can't beat the excitement of seeing a physical set you own perfectly recreated in the game, as happened on numerous occasions, particularly with the various spaceships, which, along with the characters themselves, are numerous.

The format of this game is as straightforward as you'd expect, with each of the nine episodes bringing its own characters and locations, but the galaxy is connected by a map which lets you zip between any planet you've been to in any film. So, if you want to, you can bumble about Naboo with Rey and Finn to find some Kyber Bricks (the main brick to collect this time), which might be tucked away behind an environmental puzzle or challenge.​
Obi-Wan and Darth Maul with lightsabers
Characters each have different abilities, depending on their type, and the variety brings in the sort of range of gameplay we've seen across countless LEGO games all in one.

It can prove frustrating at times to keep straight exactly what tool is needed to deal with each different coloured glow, but once you've got the hang of it (or refreshed your memory), you settle into the experience quite easily.

The puzzles themselves aren't massively challenging, though you aren't always given a huge amount of direction, a lot of the challenge is piecing visual cues together to work out the way to go.
Rey dodges a TIE fighter
Combat isn't too tough either, especially if you've got one of the many lightsaber-weilding characters along for the ride, as between the sabers themselves and force powers, your characters will make quick work of most enemies.

If you do find you need a bit of extra oomph though, there is a rudimentary upgrade system, which lets you level up running speed or build time for LEGO, though most won't be necessary unless you're gunning for 100% completion.
there's always something new to discover whenever you are wandering around hub worlds, inevitably smashing everything in sight...
Speaking of, there is an awful lot of "stuff" in this game. Collectables are nothing new of course, but here the total number of Kyber Bricks alone numbers at over 1,000, on top of multiple part minikits per level, hidden costumes, characters and ships as well as cheat codes to unlock huge stud multipliers.

It's dizzying at times, though it means there's always something new to discover whenever you are wandering around hub worlds, inevitably smashing everything in sight.
Leia takes down some Stormtroopers
The experience is always endearing and wholesome, with even the darker moments of the story poked fun at or even played for laughs.

Between gameplay sections you'll see cutscenes – so far, so normal. However with so much story to get through, these sequences can feel very rushed, with entire plot points or conversations truncating minutes into mere seconds. If this is your first introduction to the story then you'd more than likely struggle, which might be the case for some younger fans.

For most though, it's a well-known story, meaning it doesn't pose too much of a narrative stumbling block, it just means at times you can feel a bit of cutscene whiplash.
A Bongo in Theed, Naboo
The voice acting is, for the most part, on point. Qui-Gon Jin has a bit of a Sean Connery twang, but some of the actors doing impressions of the original performers do a great job – particularly Rey. Others go in a different direction, which also works, as we've seen in the Holiday Christmas Special, from which many of the performers reprise these roles. Finally you have Anthony Daniels and a handful of other originals, so in all it feels like a really mixed bag.

John William's iconic score is included in its full majesty, and the sound design is, as usual, pulled straight out of the film universe, as are all of the location and character designs – many of which boast an impressive amount of scale, which is especially apparent when you're just bumbling about, exploring.

Space is less of a compelling setting, with many space sections already well-trodden more effectively in everything from the recent Squadrons all the way back to the original Rogue Squadron series. It all has the feeling of filler rather than having a real significant point to it.​
A Speeder fights an AT-AT on Hoth
LEGO Star Wars: The Skywalker Saga feels very comprehensive, and with it being the team's umpteenth trip to a galaxy far, far away – though the first in a few years – you'd certainly hope so, but perhaps this should be the swansong for the entire franchise in a way. (Besides further Mandalorian expansions anyway.)

The experience is fun and quite therapeutic, with tons of options of things to do and explore. What's more, the game offers a rare opportunity at some very engaging and varied splitscreen play, which is a huge thumbs up.

For those already itching to jump back into the LEGO Star Wars world, this is a no-brainer, but equally, despite its drawbacks, it's a great introduction into the genre and the galaxy overall.

Pros
  • Nostalgia-fuelled locations, ships and characters abound
  • Using different characters does change the game and adds replayability
  • Everything you could want from a Star Wars LEGO experience…

Cons
  • …though possibly a little too much clutter for some
  • Not a huge number of new ideas
  • Visual updates are noticeable, but not game-changers

9/10​
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Elden Ring review | PS5

14/3/2022

 
My original Elden Ring character, an Astrologer, beneath the Erdtree

OK, let’s get the obvious out of the way – yes, Elden Ring is tough. This will be little surprise for anyone who knows developer FromSoftware’s track history, but it was important to give it a little more time than our usual reviews to really scratch the surface of this colossal experience, so here goes…
James Michael Parry
by James Michael Parry

Twitter logo
@james_parry

Elden Ring box art
Developer: From Software
Publisher: Bandai Namco
Platforms: PS5, PS4, Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, PC
Players: 1+

Coming into this game as a relative newcomer, having had some substantial time with Dark Souls II but never really “getting” it, I was fully prepared for a damn good thrashing, but in the end Elden Ring challenged me in ways I didn’t expect.

The basics? You are a Tarnished, exploring a fantasy world known as The Lands Between. Unlike previous SoulsBorne games, the map is open world, which is probably one of the game’s biggest stand-outs.

You can choose between 10 classes, each of which has differing RPG stats like strength, dexterity and intelligence, and specific starting weapons and armour. After gaining a few levels, done by spending the runes you get from defeating enemies at Sites of Grace, you can customise your build extensively, meaning the lines between classes are fairly thin.

​There’s also magic to contend with, as classes like Astrologer, Confessor and Prophet, which add a different element to the hack-and-slash play style veterans might be used to.

Getting into combat, classes and how the game works is only really explained to an extent. The on-the-nose-titled Cave of Knowledge serves as a tutorial area, which you could actually miss if you rushed through the opening area, which tends to do more to explain traditional combat than magic or arcane-based approaches.

Mastering mechanics like guard counters, parrys, backstabs and visceral strikes is crucial, and the difficulty of encounters varies wildly depending on how well you can execute these moves.

However, my combat experience overall didn’t follow the path of improvement I expected from dying over and over again. Let me explain.​​
As you gain levels, the number of runes needed to gain the next increases, so at times you’ll find yourself wanting to farm runes to gain levels before taking on a particular area or boss. One area I stumbled upon (though I since read is a well-known farming spot) is a hilltop in Stormhill near the Warmaster’s shack, which has five trolls just hanging out.

Each gives you 1,000 runes, and one in particular is more chilled out than the others, making it an easier target. Throughout my time with the game I explored this area many times (and if you try yourself beware doing so at night, as the Deathbird boss lurks nearby), and every single time the experience has gone differently.

​
What’s frustrating is that the method and timing might be exactly the same, but because the enemy AI is clever enough to not be entirely predictable, you never feel like you have a particular handle on the situation, and after one early attempt where I killed 3 or 4 trolls in a row I foolishly went in with a new-found sense of confidence, only to be cut down before defeating even one.​
Every experience of Elden Ring will be different. There are a lot of different options and approaches you can take – some which might be considered easier...but all are valid.
This is the sort of thing which means Elden Ring “isn’t for everyone”. Not because not everyone can “git gud” or because they aren’t capable, but because different people want different things from their gaming experiences, and here the rewarding feeling is earned by a lot of time, hours and determination to keep going back after being killed by Margit, the game’s first mandatory boss, depending on which way you go.

Bosses are a huge part (often literally) of this genre of game, and Elden Ring is no exception. One of the symptoms of an open world is that many of these battles are optional, or at least feel avoidable, since they can be tackled in different orders.

The tougher bosses have NPC summoning signs which you can use to bring a bit of coop support into battle, and the arcane skills known as Ashes of War can also include allies like wolves, a sorcerer or even jellyfish.

You can also team up with other players, the mechanics of which probably could be explained better, but, at this point, what did we expect? The important thing is, the option is there for those who want it, and if you’d rather play offline without any helpful (or deceptive) player messages littering the landscape, you can do that too.​
Big scary Elden Ring enemies
Every experience of Elden Ring will be different. With so many classes, builds, weapons and paths to choose, there’s no right way to work through the game’s map, and there are a lot of different options and approaches you can take – some which might be considered easier than others, but all are valid.

Visually, the game doesn’t give as striking an impression as the Demon’s Souls remake on PS5, though there are plenty of beautifully crafted vistas and memorable locations, just something about this game’s visual style doesn’t have the same contrast and impact.

There is a lot of colour however, with the rich greens, reds and golds of the landscape and sky feeling like a breath of fresh air compared to the greys and browns you might typically see in a FromSoftware production.

There are some technical rough edges as well, with a fair amount of noticeable pop-in textures for things like grass. While it doesn’t tend to affect gameplay, it does emphasise the amount of detail that’s packed into the world.​
Torrent the horse leaping in Elden Ring
Exploration on the other hand is a huge strength. Since sometimes you can run into a tough enemy and feel like you need a change, or to gain a few levels before heading back, having the option of picking any other compass direction and knowing there will be a completely different experience to discover is hugely exciting.

The score and audio design gains some big points as well, with the chilling, understated music swelling to raise the drama of an encounter, and you quickly getting to know sounds that come from touching a Site of Grace or summoning your trusty spectral steed Torrent.

In all, the journey across The Lands Between has been far more enlightening than I expected, with Elden Ring proving to be more forgiving, rewarding and yet more punishing than any game I’ve ever played.

Whether it’s an experience for you or not, you might have already made up your mind, but if you’re hesitant, I would say it’s definitely worth the benefit of the doubt. FromSoft have crafted an experience that's well worth a go.

Pros
  • An open world which redefines what an open world can deliver
  • Tried and tested hack-and-slash with tons of options and approaches
  • A careful balance between challenge and rewarding gameplay

Cons
  • Visuals lack punch at times and pop-in is fairly common, even on PS5
  • Difficulty spikes can be just too unforgiving and encounters inconsistently taxing
  • While the lore of the world is rich, the story takes a backseat a little too much, despite input from George RR Martin

9/10
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Mass Effect Legendary Edition Review | PS5

26/5/2021

 
A Reaper touches down

It’s been almost a decade since we last set foot on the Normandy, Captain Shepard’s iconic spaceship, and it feels good to be back. While Mass Effect: Andromeda was a perfectly passable Mass Effect experience, arguably with some of the most refined action in the series, somehow it didn’t have that special something. We just didn’t warm to the protagonist in the same way we did with Shepard - in fact, we’d struggle even to remember their name...
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​by James
Michael Parry

Twitter logo @james_parry

​@james_parry

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Developer: BioWare
Publisher: EA
Platforms: Xbox X|S, Xbox One, PS4, PS4 Pro, PS5, PC
Players: 1

With a whole generation of new fans ready to become galactic paragons and renegades, the remastered trilogy puts players in the boots of Commander Shepard. Alongside a cast of varied companions, he or she must fight against an ancient race of mechanical enemies known as Reapers.

Not everyone has played these games before, so let’s start with a bit of a primer. On the surface, Mass Effect is about a soldier in an intergalactic military who gradually wins the support of both the establishment and the galaxy’s civilian races. Decisions during combat and in conversation decide if players do this virtuously, or with an iron fist.

Wielding skills in diplomacy can decide whether or not users need to pull out a weapon, right from the start. As the trilogy progresses, however, players increasingly come up against enemies which can’t be reasoned with. As a result, ME2 and ME3 rely more heavily on action to get the job done.

This was historically one of the series’ main sticking points, though there are a few tweaks in the Legendary Edition that attempt to tie all three games together as a more cohesive whole.

​ME1 brings much more of a traditional RPG approach, with a significant number of skill points to be spent across a large number of abilities that differ between classes. Later games simplify the process, with only a handful of active skills and a more deliberate upgrade path.
Shepard fights the Geth on Feros
There are tons of weapons, though they all conform to the familiar shotgun, pistol, assault and sniper rifle archetypes. In the first game these work on a cooldown rather than needing to reload, which can make for more strategic combat encounters. Any excess weapons can be assigned to teammates, sold and/or broken down into omni-gel used to skip hacking mini games and repair Shepard’s land vehicle.

In the second and third games, these more unique elements are nowhere to be found. Weapons need loading with thermal clips (presumably to speed up combat), for example.
There’s so much to cover here that it feels like we can only scratch the surface in terms of what players might discover.
Getting back to the first instalment, which has undoubtedly seen the most change, Mass Effect now has smoother combat mechanics in general. Improved cover mechanics, squad orders and a dedicated melee button are cribbed from its sequel to give players more control. That said, utilising biotic and tech powers (essentially magic and tech-based skills, respectively) can still feel quite clunky. Faster enemies are especially hard to take out, as they overwhelm the relatively immobile Commander Shepard easily.
BioWare have taken the time to smooth out the visuals and performance, too. While there’s still the odd janky animation here and there, players will notice the lighting improvements in the first game in particular, which would often require squinting to make out characters’ faces when they had helmets on.

The game runs from a fairly pedestrian, but reliable, 1080p at 30fps, all the way up to 4K UHD at an eye-watering 240fps on PC – provided the graphics card can handle it. What users get ultimately depends on whether they go for the “favour quality” or “favour framerate” graphics mode. For example, the Xbox Series X outputs up to 60fps at 4K UHD on the former setting and up to 120fps at 1440p on the latter.​
Garrus Vakarian
Characters and companions have always been the Mass Effect series’ crown jewel, however. While there are too many noteworthy examples to shout out individually (though we have discussed some of our favourites), it’s fair to say the depth of interaction varies quite significantly both between games and between squadmates and general NPCs.

The first title doesn’t go into too much detail straight away, but, in time, players learn about how companions differ and their individual values. Relationships with some characters can develop into romantic entanglements, all depending on how users behave. 

Where this system - and the accompanying dialogue - can start to creak is when users do things the game doesn’t really expect. In ME1, for example, an Asari consort is having problems with a client. Since the mission structure is fairly open, especially in the bustling Citadel, players might follow this quest line through to completion before another NPC suggests they check on the (already solved) situation.​
Liara T'Soni, your Asari companion and love interest
These kinds of inconsistencies follow through to romantic connections as well. Characters that are romanceable in one game aren’t always in the next, and being reunited with them can feel jarring instead of a natural continuation as would likely be the case in a single, longer game.

Dialogue options directly link to a meter which awards users points for paragon (noble) and renegade (ruthless) behaviour, too. There are benefits to hitting either end of the spectrum, which can lead to the system feeling like it encourages suboptimal decisions in certain situations.

There’s so much to cover here that it feels like we can only scratch the surface in terms of what players might discover. For those who’ve done it all before, the nuanced characters might feel more primitive than you remember, and the gameplay transition between each game can take some getting used to.​
Shepard fights a Husk with an omnitool
For those who are new, Mass Effect: Legendary Edition is a real treat. It’s filled with thoughtful touches and memorable moments that are up there with some of the most dramatic set pieces in gaming history. It might not feel quite as polished as a modern game, but BioWare and EA have done the work to smooth out some of the rougher gameplay and visual edges. It’s now easier and more enjoyable than ever to follow the journey of Commander Shepard from beginning to end, allowing players to fully appreciate the epic space opera in comfort.

Pros

  • Colourful characters you want to go on continued adventures with
  • Freedom of choice in where to explore and how to treat others
  • Pleasant visual and gameplay upgrades throughout the series

Cons
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  • No dedicated PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X|S versions
  • Binary choices can feel arbitrary at times
  • Progressive lean towards action trades style for substance

8/10
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Assassin's Creed Valhalla review | Xbox One X

19/11/2020

 
Eivor fights a boss with two axes in Assassin's Creed Valhalla

There's nothing like clambering over a snow-capped mountain while exploring the hallowed lands of the Norse. Assassin's Creed Valhalla makes this experience, and many more, nothing short of breathtaking.

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by James Michael Parry

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​@james_parry

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Developer: Ubisoft Montreal
Publisher: Ubisoft
Platforms: Xbox One, PS4, Xbox X|S, PS5, PC
Players: 1

After your customary introduction to the game's systems (with little emphasis on stealth or assassination), you'll reach your first settlement, Fornburg, where your tribe and adopted family stand outnumbered against the enemy.

From here there's time to explore your surroundings before journeying to England and kickstarting the main adventure, as you search for wealth and solve mysteries to bolster your skills and equipment. Quests don't get too much more involved than sneaking, stabbing and sailing, but the setting feels spaced out enough to avoid the repetition which plagued some earlier Assassin’s Creed titles.

Ever since Origins, the series has had more of an RPG flavor, and, far from the largely cosmetic character development in Syndicate, Valhalla's Eivor will unlock not only abilities but a variety of upgradable gear to help on his or her quest. Exploring will also reward you with fancy new abilities which run on a cool down, helping to bring your clan's enemies to a swift end.

This open-world gameplay direction can initially seem at odds with the core stealth mechanics. In time, however, the freedom of movement in a wider space proves more challenging and exciting as you analyse the best ways to approach each situation.
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Present day check-ins with the returning Layla provide a few smatterings of context for new players unfamiliar with the overarching Abstergo and Animus storyline, though Valhalla is really Eivor's story. That draws a stark contrast to recent Ubisoft stablemate Watch Dogs Legion and its protagonist-less approach, with this game being much stronger for it.

Even during the prologue it’s easy to care about characters, especially the genuine bond with your adopted brother Sigurd. It’s straight from the pages of Game of Thrones, as is the power struggle around which the main story is built.
Norway in Assassin's Creed Valhalla
There's no compromise on scale, though as you travel around you'll notice the odd bit of texture pop-in. Performance is fairly solid on the whole, though we did get stuck in the environment once or twice while searching for goodies in the wilderness.

The approach to uncovering those goodies is fairly unforgiving, with only a vague spot on the in-game map to shoot for. It's a difficult balance to strike, since players tend to roll their eyes at unnecessary hand-holding, but the odd understated voice line to suggest you’re getting colder or warmer would be beneficial in some of the more complex areas.​
Valhalla can suffer from a lack of direction at times, but its Nordic influence seeps into every pore, leaving plenty to get excited about.
Environments are very much divided into things you can interact with and things you can't. You can pick up health from odd pots of food that the locals seem to have absent-mindedly left simmering, but a pile of fresh apples and other fruit in a barn aren't deemed edible, for example.

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Elsewhere there are more inconsistencies, with Eivor being able to climb mountains endlessly - no stamina needed, à la Breath of the Wild - yet a few consecutive dodges during combat will quickly tire the protagonist.
Eivor and her raven in Assassin's Creed Valhalla
Fortunately, combat as a whole is reassuringly savage and satisfying. Lower level enemies are entertaining fodder, but more advanced foes require you to keep your wits about you.

Assassin’s Creed Valhalla can suffer from a lack of direction at times, but its Nordic influence seeps into every pore, leaving plenty to get excited about. Strong characters, choice of approach and presentation make it a great choice for those breaking in a new next-gen console or sticking with an older platform.

Pros

  • Impressive visuals, even on the old consoles
  • Likeable characters pull you into the story
  • Tried and tested gameplay is more polished than ever before

Cons
​
  • Inconsistent environmental interactions can hamper problem-solving
  • Skill tree can be overwhelming
  • Combat can initially be hard to crack

9/10​
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Pokémon Sword and Shield | Review | Nintendo Switch

22/11/2019

 
Pokémon Sword and Shield | Review | Nintendo Switch - Pass the Controller

​The road to the Galar region has been a rocky one for Nintendo and Pokémon fans alike, but when it comes to deciding how this pair of new Nintendo Switch games fare, we'll be focusing on what is here more so than what isn't.

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​by James
Michael
​Parry

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@James_Parry

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Developer: Game Freak
Publisher: Nintendo
Platforms: Nintendo Switch
Players: 1
As the first mainline Pokémon titles on Switch, expectations were high coming into Sword and Shield - which we’ve lumped together here due to them being largely identical. The overall experience is ultimately very, very familiar to regular players, with a more traditional gym badge structure returning after Sun and Moon's departure from the well-trodden format, and battles pushing the nostalgia button hard by leaning into familiar tropes.

Sun and Moon, alongside Let's Go Pikachu and Let’s Go Eevee, brought new elements to the table. In Sword and Shield, however, normalcy and familiarity consume about 80-90% of the game, leaving little wiggle room for the few new elements to shine.

One returning feature is the ability to Dynamax Pokémon, overpowering and over-sizing them for three turns of badassery to surpass previous features like Mega Evolutions and Z-Moves. The novelty is initially impressive, but after a few times it wears off as you impatiently ride out the lengthy and unskippable animations.

Some Pokémon also boast Gigantimax forms, which function in much the same fashion only while also tweaking the visual design and granting a signature move to Pokémon. Nintendo made a song and dance about the “new” Gigantamaxing feature, yet this song is barely a remix.

​What does strike up a new tune is encountering significantly over-levelled Pokémon in the Wild Area. Coming up against these presents a chance to push your battle skills early on, but also shows off creatures in something more approaching a natural environment. While Pokémon do prowl about as you wander elsewhere in the game, the large evolutions present in the Wild Area carry an exciting visual impact that brings back memories of the Safari Zone, recapturing some of the child-like wonder of early Pokémon series exploration.
A cross between Teletubbyland and Breath of the Wild's rolling plains, the Wild Area itself could use a bit more intricacy. Biomes and various weather effects seem to shift from hail to sun and back again largely without rhyme or reason, but you'll lose plenty of time pottering about nonetheless. For the collectors amongst you, it's also a great opportunity to fill your Pokédex and diversify your party early on.

The story is by the numbers as usual, so those hoping for a deep, meaningful conversation with an NPC hanging out in a Pokémon Center will continue to be disappointed. A cheerful tune greets you whenever you do visit, though in this region there doesn't seem to be any Poké-helper for the nurse.

Elsewhere, the soundtrack is an awkward mix of sound effects we've been hearing for years (decades even), an increasingly archaic lack of spoken dialogue, and some charming new themes composed for the Wild Area and various cities. So fun are these latter spins on British culture, visually as well as musically, that you might find yourself spending longer than you should lingering in any one location.
​

While some rockstar Pokémon like Pikachu and Eevee get full sound effects - the creatures often saying their own names with a springy sense of joy - most don't have as much aural character, instead relying on adorable animations to help you bond with them as you play together in camps.
Animations overall are a strange mix, though. Even brand new additions like the three available starters (Scorbunny, Sobble and Grookey) have either well-choreographed displays for their unique moves, or completely generic ones which don't seem to match the move at all. You can go from the delight of a bespoke Wooloo "Tackle" to Scorbunny merely jumping on the spot to covey a "Double Kick" – even when it kicks merrily for some other moves.

Shortcomings don't end there, as the game also struggles to make the most of its new platform. Some locations and scenery really shine in terms of their design, but generally you'd be forgiven for assuming that Sword and Shield were 3DS ports.

That might still be enough for many players; after all, it’s almost impossible to escape the joy of setting out on an adventure to go from Pokémon zero to hero. Getting properly invested in a team and playing with their movesets to feel like you have all the bases covered is constantly rewarding, in spite of the eye-watering number of type combinations that are now available.

Hopefully the development compromises and sacrifices felt across Pokémon Sword and Shield will allow Game Freak to reassess and build on their successes to push the envelope in the future. In the meantime, there's a solid and enjoyable experience here, just not a new one.

Pros

  • New Pokémon have some great designs
  • The Wild Area is somewhat game-changing
  • Riffs on British culture are heartwarming

Cons

  • Only a handful of new elements
  • Human characters continue to be dull distractions from the titular stars
  • Many popular Pokémon don’t return, including some of the original starters

7/10
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Subdivision Infinity DX | Nintendo Switch | Review

16/8/2019

 
Subdivision Infinity DX review on Pass the Controller - attack!

The trouble with space is that it's mostly empty. Venturing into the unknown in a tiny spaceship in Subdivision Infinity DX, you feel that sense of scale immediately, as enemy ships, gun turrets and collectables flicker as pixels in the distance - particularly in handheld mode.
James Michael Parry

by James Michael Parry

Twitter @james_parry

​@james_parry

Subdivision Infinity DX
Developer: MistFly Games and Blowfish Studios
Publisher: Crescent Moon Games
Platforms: Steam, Nintendo Switch
Players: 1

While almost certainly what developers MistFly Games and Blowfish Studios were going for, it can make things a little difficult to pick out at first. What you do get though is a space adventure you can jump into with both feet from the word go.

With a pokey little starter ship and some tutorial missions awaiting you, you’re introduced to your avatar - a fairly standard-looking white guy - and have a little text-based chat with AV-2, your friendly(?) robot “guy in the chair” who sends you on your missions and often updates you in the field.

Before long you’ll have started to build your supply of coins, used to upgrade your ship, but sadly the better ships and upgrades are level locked. This makes even the early missions quite challenging without taking the time to replay stages in order to make the most of the upgrades you can purchase early on.

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There are five star systems to explore, each with a few standard missions and a couple of exploration missions which have a very strong emphasis on the exploration, as you might expect, opting not to give you much in the way of direction of objectives. It’s here you’ll do the bulk of your grinding, uncovering hidden crates of supplies and taking down enemies.

​Battles can be a bit frantic, feeling like aerial dogfights as enemy ships whip past and force you to turn around in pursuit. Even your starting lasers lock on once you’re in range, simplifying the often tricky 360-degree targeting system, but enemies seem to have pinpoint accuracy from the word go, meaning you’ll find yourself running for cover (and eventual health regeneration) frequently. Manoeuvrability isn’t a problem, fortunately, with a boost for a bit of added speed and tight controls, once you’ve adjusted the sensitivity to your preference.

Subdivision Infinity DX review on Pass the Controller - exploring space
Subdivision Infinity DX as a whole doesn’t offer a huge amount of variety, and with limited progression and customisation on offer, at least early on, momentum can start to drain fairly quickly. If you absolutely need a space shooter to play on the go, though, Subdivinity offers a taste of the sort of experience you might expect from something like Everspace at a fraction of the cost. What you’ll miss out on is the depth, variety and graphical polish - though it’s a step up from something like Event Horizon or Vostok Inc. - and experience the odd bit of slowdown when things get busy. It all depends what you’re looking for in a space adventure.

Pros

  • Controls are fairly straightforward, once you get used to them
  • Simple presentation lets you jump right in
  • Flying around and dogfighting in outer space

Cons
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  • Graphics and production values don’t really impress
  • Little variety in the formulaic gameplay
  • Often difficult to make things out playing in handheld mode

6/10​
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Heaven's Vault | PS4 | Review

25/4/2019

 
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As my GCSE German teacher would tell you, I’ve never been particularly blessed with languages. How is it then, that Heaven’s Vault has stuck with me from the first play - back at Rezzed in 2018 - right through until now? More importantly, has that initial promise spawned the Oscar Wilde of video games, or, much worse (but definitely funnier), Danny Dyer?

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by Rob Holt
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@acousticmagic

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Developer: Inkle
Publisher: 
Inkle
Platforms: PC, PS4
​Players: 1
Heaven’s Vault casts you in the role of Aliya, an archaeologist with an intriguing past, a love for destroying robots, and a taste for discovery. From the very first moments of the game there’s intrigue aplenty: Aliya’s one-time saviour and now-time mentor tasks you with finding her lost associate, a fellow by the name of Renba. It’s from this simple quest that the game opens up, branches out, and, ultimately, thoroughly entertains.

Now that you know the basic premise, how does the game actually play? Well, you’ll find yourself flitting between third-person adventuring and point-and-clicking, conversing with multiple dialogue options, language deciphering, and... sky sailing on your noble steed. We’ll break them all down individually, of course, but what we can say for sure is this that each element comprising Heaven’s Vault is so well executed, you’ll be hard pressed to pick a favourite.

Point-and-click adventure sections form the backbone of the game, and depending on personal preference (or time constraints) you can indulge in as much, or as little, detective work as you like. We were so taken by the gameworld and story that we spent as much time as possible in each area, gathering every morsel of information available, to not only aid our discovery of what happened to Renba, but to understand as much as we could about the ancient language and characters at the center of the game.

​
These sequences are also where you’ll start to see the true beauty of the world which developer Inkle has created. One moment you might find yourself on the Zelda-infused farming moon of Maersi, a location flourishing with lush green grass, endless trickling water, pigs and not-so-friendly citizens. The next you’ll be on a barren, rocky moon, being blown away by sandstorms. Ten minutes later, the bustling, definitely-influenced-by-Marrakech alleys and markets of Elboreth. Then there’s the Garden Palace, a level so thoroughly, stunningly beautiful you can’t help but sit back and just admire it.
Like many games before it, Heaven’s Vault utilises an excellent conversation system that not only affects how people interact with you, but what you learn about the settings, story and lore. We’re sure many would site the Mass Effect series here, but since the Brighton branch of PTC (that’s me) has never played any of them, it feels rather more like the ghost of Shenmue. How will you behave around a particularly aggressive slave master, for example? Will you try and sympathise, or downright scold them for their line of work, thus potentially closing off a line of questioning and information? These choices even change the course of your relationship with robot sidekick Six, who bloody loves a good natter.

Discovery and decoding of an ancient language is one of the main parts of the game that we found so compelling back at Rezzed 2018, so it’s wonderful to see it fully realised in the final product. This is where a thirst for adventure really helps, too: interact with everything you can, as often Aliya will remark about inscriptions or glyphs on certain items, and it’s here where the fun begins. If an inscription is split into four parts, let’s say, you’ll be given a potential selection of words to fill in each of the blanks, based on what you’ve previously tried or discovered. This charming element of trial and error further strengthened our desire to explore.

​
What was all that lark about sky sailing, then? Imagine a blend of Panzer Dragoon and The Wind Waker and you’ll have a decent idea of what to expect, as you pilot the good ship Nightingale along vast rivers in the clouds, to destinations new and old, all the while having one eye out for ruins and wreckages to plunder. The tranquil mood, pastel hues and sublime strings and pianos stave off any potential frustration at the amount of time it can take to get between places in the game, but those of you without patience will be happy to hear that a fast travel option is currently being patched in.
Heaven’s Vault never fails to leave you in awe, in a way only a few games really do.
We’re not sure why you’d want to skip over absorbing more of such a resplendent and alluring game, though. From the dark outlines and subtle colours of the exquisite hand-drawn 2D characters, to the fully 3D, lush environments of the Nebula, Heaven’s Vault never fails to leave you in awe, in a way only a few games really do (here’s looking at you, Breath of the Wild). It’s largely these lavish, luxuriant locales that spur you on to visit as much of the world as possible.

​There’s just so much to love about the game, honestly. Sure, it isn’t completely flawless (the lack of music in many of the cutscenes seems odd, especially considering how good the soundtrack is), but the blend of adventuring, sky sailing, story and language are pretty close to perfect. The wealth of choices mean it’s ripe for multiple replays, too, so you’re really getting your money’s worth.
Whether it’s the small touches such as story recaps every time you start a play session, or the big ones listed above, Heaven’s Vault manages to tap into that truly wondrous, almost childlike sense of discovery brought on by experiencing something for the first time. If it sounds like your speed, make sure you don’t miss out on this glorious, glorious experience.

Pros
​
  • Absolutely stunning visuals
  • Fantastically blends point-and-click adventure with other genres
  • Deep lore, story and characters
  • Sublime audio all around
  • Encourages you to do it your way, lending the game replay value

Cons
​

  • Jarring sections where the gorgeous audio vanishes
  • Lengthy travel times may bore some (though there’s a fix incoming)

9/10
0 Comments

Spyro Reignited Trilogy | Xbox One | Review

26/11/2018

 
Spyro-Reignited-Trilogy

Hot on the heels of their Crash Bandicoot reboot, Toys For Bob and Activision are back with another slice of 90’s nostalgia in the form of Spyro Reignited Trilogy, an upgraded collection of the first three titles to star the diminutive purple dragon, lovingly restored for a new generation.

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 by Liam
​ Andrews


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​@liam_andrews5

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Developer: Toys For Bob
Publisher: Activision
Platforms: Xbox One, PlayStation 4, PC 
Players: 1

Even if you’re too young to remember these games in their original forms, or just happen to have grown up in a household where Mario was the undisputed king of platformers, a quick search shows just how much of a stellar job the team at Toys For Bob have done bringing Spyro into the modern era.

​Blocky graphics and blurry textures have been polished and smoothed to a standard fit for today's consoles, while more refined animations breath new life into characters, particularly in the first game, where Spyro’s fellow dragons now boast unique personality traits to help set them apart from one another. The only downsides to this are an occasional dropped frame and a sometimes tricky camera (an element you didn’t previously have manual control over), though neither are intrusive enough to spoil the experience.

It’s also worth noting at this point that Reignited doesn’t give you the option of enabling subtitles. While this won’t be a deal breaker for most players, for some they’re a real necessity. Although the trio of games don’t lean heavily on their narratives, it seems odd that such a basic feature would be overlooked, especially considering how many of the first game’s tips are tricks are handed out through short vignettes every time you rescue a dragon. Hopefully it’s something that’ll be remedied in a future patch.

Despite the drastic visual overhaul, there’s much here that’ll feel instantly familiar to veterans of the series, with core gameplay and level designs that remain true to the source material. Map layouts are the same, and Spyro can use his signature jump, glide, charge and flame abilities just as he did in the past.
There are still gems galore to hoover up across the hub worlds and their many colourful offshoots, and old hands and newcomers alike will be glad to hear that the relatively rudimentary gameplay still holds up, even if enemies - particularly bosses - do seem absurdly easy by today’s standards.

​All three games feature a healthy mix of biomes, from sandy deserts and treetop villages to the obligatory water levels, but it’s the sequels, Ripto’s Rage! and Year of the Dragon, that outshine the first thanks to the addition of non-dragon NPCs which imbue worlds with extra character. Year of the Dragon even sees you take control of Sypro’s sidekicks now and then, including a jetpacking penguin with shoulder-mounted rocket launchers, which is just about as fun as it sounds.

Along with bonus levels – including our personal favourites that see you flying through obstacles and taking out enemies within a time limit – these moments help to stop monotony from creeping in as you progress through the collection. There’s also the added challenge of collecting skill points, which are acquired through completing specific tasks on certain levels, be it taking out enemies with particular attacks, reaching a hidden area or taking no damage during a boss fight.
Reuniting with Spyro provided a welcome and nostalgic distraction from modern life.
They add another layer of depth, especially for the completionists out there, but the concept art offered as a reward for their completion is a bit underwhelming. We’d have been much more motivated to hunt down all of the numerous challenges if there was a sweeter bonus up for grabs, like maybe a means to switch between the original and remastered visuals. As it is, the only throwback to the original games’ design is the option to play with the old-school soundtrack (composed by The Police drummer Stewart Copeland) enabled, which doesn’t actually sound all that different from the updated one.

Although the Reignited Trilogy may appear basic compared to many of today’s offerings - you won’t find any branching skill trees or a particularly engaging storyline here - the colourful, cheery nature of the games kept pulling us back in for more. On the whole, reuniting with Spyro provided a welcome and nostalgic distraction from modern life, reminding us of a simpler time when penny sweets and six o'clock double headers of The Simpsons were the norm.

Pros
​
  • Simple, satisfying gameplay
  • Beautifully remastered visuals
  • Characters have a lot more personality
  • Switching between the three games is easy

​Cons
​
  • Occasional dropped frames
  • Boss fights are underwhelming
  • No comparison tool to showcase the visual leap
  • No subtitles

7/10
0 Comments

11-11: Memories Retold | Xbox One | Review

7/11/2018

 
11-11: Memories Retold - Kurt

Everyone has their own feelings about war. Whether it’s something that feels close to home or distant, it’s undoubtedly an emotional and evocative subject. Coinciding with the centenary of the end of World War 1, 11-11: Memories Retold brings a different perspective to a conflict which changed the world forever.
James Michael Parry

​by James
Michael
​Parry

Twitter - @james_parry

​@james_parry

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Developer: Aardman Digital, DigixArt
Publisher: Bandai Namco
Platforms: Xbox One, PS4, PC
Players​: 1

Gaming’s nuanced insight into war has often been limited to whether the explosions in the latest Battlefield or Call of Duty are more explodey, so to come into a game where the fighting itself is very much in the background is beyond refreshing. 11-11 is a game that changes your pre-programmed gamer mindset, because it isn’t a game in which you ‘win’.

Instead, story is absolutely critical, with publisher Bandai Namco and co-developers Aardman Digital and DigixArt bringing in the writing talents of Iain Sharkey and Stephen Long - famed for their mind-bending, but always thoughtful work on Derren Brown’s specials - to create characters we actually care about.

Kurt (brought to life by Homeland, The Lives of Others and Bridge of Spies actor Sebastian Koch) is a German zeppelin engineer drawn into the war when his son, Max, goes missing. Meanwhile, Harry (voiced by Elijah Wood) is a Canadian photographer who’s only trying to impress his would-be girlfriend Julia when he signs up to be one of the Allies’ official photographers.

Your time is split equally between the two perspectives, letting you get to know more about each character mostly through framed voice overs. While influencing narrative outcomes isn’t a major focus of the game - in fact, events largely happen around you without input - you do make a mark on the story through the pictures you choose to take (which cannily turn up in cutscenes later on) as Harry and what you decide to put in letters home penned by Kurt.
Gameplay is light here, with only the occasional puzzle or slightly wonky stealth section to vary the pacing, but to suddenly thrust you into some sort of shooting gallery would take away the power of what 11-11 is trying to do.

At times you also take charge of a pigeon or cat, which Harry and Kurt have picked up along their journeys respectively. This can offer a few additional gameplay twists and opportunities for unique storytelling moments, but largely they feel fairly token and don’t reach their full potential.​

When you venture out into No Man’s Land as either animal, which you’ll do frequently, there’s a far lesser sense of danger considering both sides deem them to be harmless. Neither army is portrayed as right or wrong, and there’s no glorifying the situation; in fact, the soldiers themselves are more alike than any rhetoric or propaganda from the time would have you believe.

​
Undoubtedly the first things that’ll strike you when loading up the game is the astonishing visual style, which makes use of a technique known as ‘painterly’ to have scenes appear as if they’re being redrawn by thousands of brush strokes as you move. There’s a feeling of walking through beautiful impressionist landscapes as you explore, offering up breathtaking scenes amid the undeniable horrors of the war itself.

​In less skilled hands this could have come off as a cheap Photoshop effect, but this collaboration between Aardman Digital (who, contrary to popular belief, work with more than just clay) and DigixArt creates a sublime combination of technical prowess and artistic flair. They’ve crafted a truly unique style which impressively manages to adapt to a variety of locations and climates throughout the game’s course.

11-11: Memories Retold - Harry
While the effect does attract attention, it may prove to be an acquired taste as the industry races towards photorealism. The visual fidelity of the assets themselves, when you look past the effect, is fairly low, which can give a somewhat dated feel at times, particularly to characters in cutscenes.

It’s not too big of an issue, however, when the elements surrounding that mostly nail remaining historically accurate and respectful of true events, whilst balancing that with the sort of nonsense which makes a game a game, like successfully navigating a homemade hot air balloon over No Man’s Land at night, for example.


11-11’s soundtrack also succeeds in feeling appropriate without sounding generic, as composer Olivier Deriviere, responsible for music on titles like Alone in the Dark, Remember Me and Vampyr, uses a choir’s chorus to echo across the battlefield, creating a chilling and sombre mood.​​
The execution is exceptional and the end product is, quite unironically, a very memorable experience.
11-11: Memories Retold - tree
11-11: Memories Retold - poppies
The strongest feeling which shines through as you play though, is pride, as every element of the game is carefully pieced together to create a tribute to those who valiantly fought and sadly lost their lives.

It’s unfortunate that the odd technical mishap occasionally creeps in to spoil the immersion, but compared to a narrative journey from, say, the Telltale stable, 11-11 more than competes with the best in the adventure genre.

If you’re looking for a history lesson, you won’t find it here. While Memories Retold uses the war as its setting, it’s more about the relationship between Harry and Kurt and how it develops over those last two years of conflict. Fortunately, the execution is exceptional and the end product is, quite unironically, a very memorable experience.

Pros

  • Visually unique, to an impressive degree
  • Memorable, often interactive & compelling story
  • Gameplay is suitably simple & accessible

Cons

  • Bugs can quickly break the illusion
  • Animal sections are fairly forgettable
  • May prove too much of an acquired taste for some

9/10
0 Comments

The Council - Episode 4: Burning Bridges | Xbox One | Review

25/9/2018

 
The Council - Episode 4: Burning Bridges Xbox One review - Pass the Controller

Burning Bridges, the penultimate episode in the debut season of The Council, arrives at a tumultuous time for narrative-driven adventure games. Telltale, a company synonymous with popularising the genre and its incremental release format, are in the midst of a heartbreaking majority closure that’ll see many of the studio’s ongoing projects never reach their conclusion. This has, understandably, sewn doubt amongst the community as to whether investing in episodic games ahead of their completion is a good idea. In a case of bad timing, where developer Big Bad Wolf could have lain claim to the mantle with this latest release, it instead fuels the flames with their sloppiest technical work yet.

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by Sam Sant

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@SlamShotSam


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Developer: Big Bad Wolf
Publisher: Focus Home
Interactive

​Platforms: Xbox One,
​PS4, PC

​Players: 1
Picking right back up where things left off in Episode 3, there’s once again the potential to very literally wear the consequence of your actions, should you have reached the suboptimal conclusion. Having undergone a blatant physical change, protagonist Louis should face constant difficult questions, really hammering home your failure, but, whilst he admittedly does on occasion, just as many characters pay the fact no attention. This isn’t out of politeness, instead only serving to make it transparent that they’d have delivered the same lines either way.

These narrative inconsistencies are forgivable to a point, but a worsened technical execution is hard to overlook. Performance across previous episodes already wasn’t great - clunky controls, choppy frame rate, bad animation, missing lip-sync, questionable scripting and delivery - but those not-insignificant issues are now compounded by further errors. The visual model for a sarcophagus was clearly open, yet dialogue referred to it as being closed, even requiring effort points to be spent on “opening” and further interacting with it, while at different stages throughout the episode characters became stuck in T-poses and couldn’t be interacted with as a result. On a personal level, as a completionist, perhaps most annoying of all was the achievement for hitting level 15 failing to unlock.

Still, as a game squarely focused around its story, none of this is reason for a complete write off. Gameplay is simply a means to an end here, and the fact that we pondered what might happen next after stepping away to go about the day is testament to the fact that Burning Bridges succeeds in embedding its narrative hooks. Mostly, at least.

“Aha!” moments start to bring things full circle as we approach the finale, now fully committing to the occult where the the previous episodes gradually began to lean in. Each outlandish revelation injects a hit of adrenaline and the result is a faster, often more engaging pacing without as many filler moments. Unfortunately, this does backfire in one pivotal scene that caps off the second of three chapters. The segment in question had the scope to be intensely raw and emotional, dramatically concluding an arc between Louis and the two characters to which we’re the closest, but instead falls flat due to feeling monumentally rushed. Things could likely have played out very differently, so your mileage may vary, but nonetheless all outcomes should at least feel whole.
Each outlandish revelation injects a hit of adrenaline and the result is a faster, often more engaging pacing without as many filler moments.
A replay to see what might have been may be in order, so it’s a good job that feels justified now more than ever as The Council loosens the buttons on its ruffled collar to have a little more fun. Less po-faced politics doesn’t mean that diplomacy is out of the window, however, rather that it’s now waged on an even grander and more bizarre stage than merely influencing world events.

Previously we’ve said that the series’ micro choices prove more affecting than macro-scale decisions, but here that sentiment is flipped on its head. Many character decisions are arbitrarily black and white - good or bad - and underbaked this time around, whereas choosing how best to govern humanity, through equal moral greys that hold a mirror to modern society, is perplexing.
The Council - Episode 4: Burning Bridges Xbox One review - Pass the Controller
The Council - Episode 4: Burning Bridges Xbox One review - Pass the Controller
Throw in an elaborate new location and a couple of exciting abilities that’ll help to decipher even the most secretive guests, for a cost, and it’s commendable that Big Bad Wolf aren’t afraid to mix things up a bit at this late stage. The team of former Ubisoft developers also settle on a nice middle ground when it comes to puzzle design, having historically either spoon-fed answers or left players a little in the lurch, here uniformly making them taxing whilst allowing for a degree of circumvention through sleuthing or the smart investment of effort points/use of consumables.

​
With an abundance of problems both old and new, Burning Bridges is an undeniably messy experience. If you’re a purely mechanics-focused gamer, there’s absolutely naught but a veiny, enraged brow in store, but, that being said, you probably don’t fall into that camp if you’ve made it this far. Anyone that can forgive the many foibles in favour of being spun an intriguing yarn should still apply; we’re certainly eager to see how things conclude when the finale (fingers crossed) launches later this year.

Pros

  • Finally lets loose & goes a bit bonkers
  • Moves at a fair clip, nixing filler
  • Makes you care about events outside the manor
  • New abilities are rejuvenating
  • Gathers loose ends in preparation to tie them off

Cons

  • Significant scenes can play out with a squib
  • Established relationships fall by the wayside as priorities shift
  • Significant technical issues

6/10
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