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GRID | Xbox One | Review

17/10/2019

 
GRID-Codemasters

Liverpool vs Manchester United. Borg vs McEnroe. USA vs Europe. Whatever the sport, a decent rivalry can add so much more to a simple competition, eliciting passion, anger and excitement from spectators and participants alike. It’s an extra layer of intrigue that veteran motorsport developers, Codemasters, have successfully recreated in GRID thanks to their nemesis system, but we’ll get to that in a bit.

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by Liam
​Andrews

Picture

@liam_andrews5

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Developer: Codemasters
Publisher: Codemasters
Platforms: Xbox One, PlayStation 4, PC
Players: 1 - 16

We’ll start with career mode, the game’s main attraction. A sizeable offering, GRID’s single-player component features six different car classes that can be tackled in any order, each of which are composed of twelve events (save for the invitational class, which features double that number) and a showdown finale. Events are made up of between one and four races that feature a mix of city and traditional tracks, as well as car types, and come with different prerequisites for beating them, such as placing in the top three, winning outright or finishing with the fastest time.

​Completing an event usually unlocks a further two, making it easier to avoid those that don’t suit your play style or are simply too challenging. It’s a good way of ensuring progression isn’t stymied, while more experienced drivers and completionists can easily go back and mop up leftover events for extra prestige and in game currency to buy new cars. While the basic machines readily available to all players are competitive enough, there are one or two later options, such as the BMW M1 Turbo, that are well worth splashing the cash on.

Each class feels and handles differently, from heavy, ponderous muscle cars that lumber around corners to the boisterous F1000 series at the other end of the spectrum. There’s enough variety to keep things interesting, and although locations are often repeated (there’s more than 75 tracks in total, based on regions such as China, Japan, Malaysia, the UK, San Francisco, Sydney, Havana and Barcelona) tackling them in alternate weather conditions or in a different class of car often means approaching them in a totally different way.
GRID’s AI provide excellent opposition, keeping races both consistently competitive and entertaining.
Before each race, you’re given the chance to take part in hot lap qualifiers, which, while entirely optional, are a great way to learn each track’s nuances ahead of the main event and also give you a chance to improve your starting position. Leading the line going into a race is, naturally, a big advantage, especially when competing on GRID’s city tracks, where tight corners and narrow streets make it harder to break out from the back of the pack.

​Starting in the rear means you’re also more likely to collide with other drivers, and, intentionally or not, pick up a few nemeses in the process. It usually takes several collisions to spark a rivalry, though occasionally just a single bump is all that’s required to annoy the AI. Teammates aren’t immune to a bout of in-house rivalry either, and will actively ignore orders and requests if you hit them too many times.
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City tracks are particularly impressive at night

Rival drivers are marked out by an angry red indicator above their car, and will attempt to hinder your progress should they get the opportunity to do so, sometimes even to the detriment of their own race, whether its aggressively blocking an overtake or performing a surprise pit maneuver just as you’re taking a tricky corner. It’s a brilliant system that adds so much more to races, creating short-lived rivalries and added drama without ever feeling unfair or overpowered.

In fact, GRID’s AI in general provide excellent opposition, keeping races both consistently competitive and entertaining; we’ve seen computer-controlled drivers smash into walls, flip cars and take risks that, at times, mirror human behaviour, adding to the overall sense of authenticity. You can, of course, get a similar experience by delving into the game’s online offering, but without the option to pick and choose tracks, car types or weather settings (unless you’re hosting a private game), you might find yourself battling the conditions more than other drivers.

​Visually,
GRID is a good-looking game, if not spectacular. Some levels stand out more than others; racing through one of Zhejiang’s city circuits at night, with neon lights reflected in the rain-soaked road, for example, looks amazing, but traditional circuits like Silverstone and Brands Hatch, with their wide tracks and open surroundings, are relatively bland in comparison. One of the more bizarre visual hiccups are the cars’ mirrors, which display reflected images in retro-like low-res graphics and reduced frame rates. If, like us, you prefer a cockpit view, it can be a little jarring, but it’s a minor issue that certainly doesn’t detract from an otherwise decent game.
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Objects in the rear view mirror are actually a lot prettier than they appear

GRID also caters to both petrol heads and newcomers alike thanks to a generous suite of difficulty options; while we preferred a more arcade-like experience, with automatic gears, race lines, cosmetic damage only and face-saving flashback abilities enabled, it’s possible to turn all assists off, increase AI difficulty and transform the game into a proper simulator. It’s this flexibility, along with the game’s solid racing gameplay, generous solo offering and excellent nemesis system that make it an easy recommend.

Pros

  • Nemesis system adds spice to races
  • Decent variety of cars and tracks
  • Excellent sense of speed
  • Accessible career mode
  • Caters to both arcade and simulation playstyles

Cons
​
  • Online play lacks customisation options
  • Low-res mirrors reduce immersion
  • Traditional circuits are aesthetically bland

​8/10
0 Comments

Star Wars Pinball | Nintendo Switch | Review

14/9/2019

 
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Pinball machines are few and far between these days. You might find a dusty old one in your local pub, but it’s very unlikely you’ll stumble across the crème de la crème like a Star Wars-themed table.

James Michael Parry

​by James
Michael
Parry

@james_parry on Twitter

​@james_parry

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Developer: Zen Studios
Publisher: Koch Media
Platform: Nintendo Switch
Players: 1-4

Fortunately, thanks to the power of the Nintendo Switch, you can now carry 19 of those along with you in Star Wars Pinball. At first glance you might be tempted to make a snap judgement – either that the tables are going to feel samey quickly, or that the sheer number alone is overwhelming and you don't know where to start.

The game eases you in gently with its Career mode though, which has you take on each table in turn with a different imposed limit, whether that's time or pinballs or distance travelled. You don't need to be a pro to make progress here either, even just paddle flapping away you'll find the points wracking up, but to really get to the big bonuses – and more importantly experience the more visually interesting features of each table – you may want to refer to the table guide, which will take you through the various special missions and skillshots which can be played with on any given setup.

If linear isn't really your speed, you can also tackle the tables in any order with a standard three-ball setup, complete with the usual score challenges to boot. After a bit of flipping, you'll find you've picked up some holocron shards which can then be used to unlock force powers, giving you buffs and abilities used to tip the odds in your favour and help to reach even higher scores.

​​There are online leaderboards and a metagame within them which pits the light against the dark side of the Force for... well, it's not immediately clear what for. Of course, if you're on the go out in the middle of nowhere you might feel a bit more isolated. Never fear, as befriending fellow passengers on public transport has never been easier with hotseat multiplayer letting you take turns and challenge one another for the mantle of top scorer.
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The level of detail and visual polish the game has to offer is only really shown off on a big screen however, if only because so much of the detail is otherwise packed into a small space. Even with a range of camera options (which annoyingly don't seem to remember your preference between stages), you can't get the full effect in handheld move.

One particularly neat feature is that you can encourage the screen to turn 90-degrees in either direction, meaning in tabletop mode (presumably with some makeshift stand option) or handheld portrait with an adapter, you can enjoy a more comfortable oblong, bird's eye view of proceedings.​

The highlight of the experience, and where Zen Studios really flex their creative muscles, is the scene mode, which has six scenes or characters showcased in micro-fights or challenges spread across the board, where your actions might cause blaster fire to be deflected or a door to be unlocked. The fun of reliving those iconic moments is a genuine thrill, even for a fan with more rewatches of the original trilogy than they might like to admit…
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There's longevity here (unless you really, really aren't a fan of pinball), and plenty of nooks and crannies to explore within every table. You'll even stumble across the odd minigame, where you'll navigate an asteroid field or go toe-to-toe with Darth Vader in a lightsaber duel, and playing around with familiar characters (albeit with less familiar voice acting) is a delight.

Pinball is here, and the Force is with it.

Pros

  • A vast array of tables from all across the galaxy
  • Inventive ideas and even lesser films are spun in interesting new ways
  • Gorgeous visuals, slick presentation and solid performance

Cons
​
  • Slightly hammy voice work in places
  • Camera can be uncooperative
  • Force feedback is lacklustre

9/10
0 Comments

Kingdom Come: Deliverance – Band of Bastards | Xbox One | Review

8/3/2019

 
Kingdom Come: Deliverance – Band of Bastards | Xbox One | Review - Pass the Controller

Band of Bastards is the third major expansion for Kingdom Come: Deliverance - Warhorse Studios’ medieval simulation RPG, which is holding up well a year after release - bringing with it a cluster of combat-oriented missions for battle-hardened players to get stuck into.

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 by Liam
 Andrews

Picture

@liam_andrews5

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Developer: Warhorse
Studios
Publisher: Deep Silver
Platforms: Xbox One,
PlayStation 4, PC
Players: 1
Bandits are raiding the lands of Sir Radzig Kobyla, your liege Lord, and it’s up to you, along with a group of mercenaries who happen to owe Sir Radzig a favour, to restore order.
​

With battles often taking a backseat in the main game, where flashpoints are saved for random encounters on the road and set-piece skirmishes many hours into the campaign, we were particularly excited by the prospect of teaming up with the titular bastards and giving our sword arm a proper work out. Things wouldn’t be quite so easy, however.

This being a combat-centric experience, the developers (along with the bands’ leader, Sir Kuno) want to make sure you’re battle ready by having you overcome two obstacles. Firstly, players must have completed the main campaign’s Baptism of Fire mission - the first big fight which takes place about a third of the way through - and secondly, you need to beat Dangler.

Who’s Dangler? He’s one of the eight not-so-merry men you’ll be riding out on missions with, should you be able to prove your ability to the rest of the gang by beating him in single combat. While no Jaime Lannister when it comes to swordplay, we’d managed to hold our own so far, so one measly mercenary wouldn’t be problematic… Right?

​Wrong. We were massively underprepared for the confrontation; confidence, pride, armour and flesh were quickly cut to ribbons by our extremely dexterous foe, across multiple attempts. It took a lot of levelling, gear tweaking and combat practice to eventually take him down. Returning players with high-level characters shouldn’t have a problem, but those still working their way through the campaign would do well to give
Band of Bastards a wide berth for the time being.
So, once you’ve polished off Dangler and been accepted into the nefarious crew, what adventures await? With around five hours of new content, Band of Bastards is comprised of six quests - five main and one side - plus the opportunity to explore your new camp and get to know the mercenaries within it.

Each of these characters feel unique and well-rounded, sharing entertaining backstories about how they became members. Particular highlights are the tale of how Dangler acquired his moniker (that’s sure to have set your mind racing) and how Sir Kuno’s family fell from grace.

The DLC’s solitary side quest, where head bastard Kuno asks you to retrieve a ring that grants its holder unlimited booze in taverns, unfortunately proves to be little more than a series of fetch quests taking place entirely within the borders of the small camp area.

​
Main mission wise, four of the five on offer feature combat situations for players to get involved in, with some decent armour components up for grabs to those willing to pay the iron price. The action’s tied together by some impressive cutscenes, and, while the story may be relatively straightforward, it does explore the questionable morals and irresolute loyalty of a sellsword company.
Unfortunately, it’s over all too soon. Just as you’re growing emotionally invested in a character, the conversation options dry up, and the same goes for Band of Bastards’ narrative as a whole. More disappointingly, the big finale ends on rather a limp note; the game’s framerate tanks and enemies display bizarre behaviour, doggedly chasing you around the battlefield whilst ignoring the rest of your party hacking them to bits. Granted, it’s possible to avoid a brawl altogether and settle things in single combat, but doing so means you miss out on a lot of extra loot, including a significant amount of coin.
​

None of that’s to say we didn’t enjoy the new content, though. The opportunity to venture out with your own crew and battle loads of baddies is exactly what Kingdom Come: Deliverance needed - the problem is, it needs even more of it! Band of Bastards is good, but it could have been great. All the components are here - the memorable characters, backstories and adventures - they just needed a bigger stage to flourish upon.
Pros

  • Combat-centric gameplay
  • Memorable characters
  • Loads of good loot up for grabs
  • Explores the questionable morals of a mercenary

Cons

  • Inaugural battle locks out lower-level players
  • Disappointing finale
  • Framerate suffers during large conflicts
  • It’s over too quickly

6/10
0 Comments

Two Point Hospital | Steam | Review

5/9/2018

 
Two Point Hospital | Steam | Review - Pass the Controller

There’s a fine art to taking a beloved franchise and using it as a base to produce something new that can stand alone. Whether it’s The Last Jedi dividing a fanatical Star Wars audience or the latest superhero flick not being true to its source material, the process is fraught with danger and potential fan backlash. How reassuring to our faith in humanity then that Two Point Hospital is every bit the worthy standard bearer for a welcome return to the 90s’ management sim boom.

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​by James
Michael
​Parry

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@James_Parry

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Developer: Two
Point Studios
Publisher: SEGA
Platforms: PC,
Mac, Linux
Players: 1
Best of all, it leapfrogs (or bullfrogs...) the technical constraints of that bygone era to deliver a title with graphical and performance settings up the wazoo, including a stonkingly high frame rate slider which goes so far in specific numbers we're pretty sure it's a gag.

In fact, the humour is something which gave the original game it's trademark Britishness, so you'll be pleased to hear that’s been brought through in top form. Over-the-top ailments - which you, as hospital administrator, must put doctors on the case to diagnose - are the most obvious example, though, tragically (or fortunately, for patients), Bloody Head and Slack Tongue aren't running rife in Two Point County.

More than that though, it's the little animations and character interactions that make the game stand out if you look a little closer, such as the frustrated nurse struggling to get her computer to work, or a lonely monobrow snaking its way around the hospital halls, waiting to be zapped by your all-seeing crosshair of doom.

​Despite the nods to
Theme Hospital, the game isn't at all closed off to newcomers, taking cues from the likes of The Sims in character personality traits and the ability to play with time, which can make things a lot less frantic. Offering up just a handful of conditions and different areas to manage in the first few levels, you won't be worrying about minor details like hygiene or temperature in your hospital until you've got to grips with the basics.
Two Point Hospital is every bit the worthy standard bearer for a welcome return to the 90s’ management sim boom.
A major plus this time around is that you have multiple locations to manage, so you can always revisit an earlier level and beef it up with more advanced equipment and items to boost your overall organisation's revenue. This metagame is a welcome addition, but, so far, hasn't seen different locations interact or crossover.

Repetition and busywork are the quickest way to kill the fun in a simulation game, but fortunately, thanks to the slow introduction of mechanics and a startling amount of depth when you start to dig into the more detailed menus on the information tab, Two Point manages not to be afflicted with this disease.

Given there are humans responsible for Theme Hospital involved with the project, it's no surprise that this and probably every other review mentions the game's connection to what was a mainstay of 90s PC gaming. Despite that, Two Point proudly stands on its own, with more than enough fresh ideas to make it feel like an entirely new game.

​
There are a few foibles to throw amongst the superlatives, however: AI behaviour of characters can be questionable at times, and in some aspects there's a lot of manual clicking of items to make sure they’re dealt with - particularly for the janitors, even though you can manually enable and disable specific tasks.

​Other elements seem very much up to chance as well, such as the panic-inducing emergency requests, which see six or eight patients with the same condition come in for treatment at the same time. In these instances, it often doesn't seem to matter how slick an operation you’re running - there are always casualties. You might have a plus-sized ward with enough empty beds and a more than capable senior nurse, boasting the relevant treatment specialist skills, but still find patients dropping dead on you. A less than encouraging outcome.

Still, these moments are few and far between, and the potential to add in new elements post-launch is now far more likely than in the CD-ROM era.

If you're looking for a surprising diagnosis for this game, then you'll need a second opinion, as we're here to confirm - despite a few minor flaws - that the Two Point fever sweeping Steam right now is every bit as intoxicatingly contagious as it's cracked up to be. If they'd got the original tannoy voice back, it might somehow be even better.

Pros


  • A welcome adrenaline shot of nostalgia
  • Improves on its inspiration and brings the genre bang up to date
  • Technically well put together and bags of options to tweak

Cons

  • Sometimes chance plays into things a little too much
  • Emergencies with zero deaths seem near-impossible
  • AI occasionally has a mind of its own

10/10
0 Comments


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