Five games for when you are short on time

Games are great aren’t they? They let you escape to places you will never visit, be someone you could never be and have powers more in common with fiction than reality. In short games are great aren’t they? In fact, one of the only criticisms you can really lay on Video Games is that they aren’t the greatest respecters of the players time. Even then you could say that a lot of that is based on the price vs time spent playing a game that some people use to say wether or not a game is worth their time.

Still, sometimes it’s good to sit down and know that your going to complete the game you have your eye on and not in hundreds of hours, not in tens of hours but simply in a few.

Here are some of my favourites:

Firewatch is primarily this game is about the day job, The job of looking out for wildfires in one of America’s National Parks, about telling off stupid adults as they litter or get drunk and then go swimming. It’s also more than that, it’s about loneliness, about finding yourself in the middle of nowhere, it’s about solving a mystery, starting again and helping others. Through the game you will only talk to one other person and that person you will only ever talk to over a radio, and yet even though you will never see them ,you will fuse a bond so strong, that it will feel like you have known them for a life time. It also helps that the game is utterly gorgeous to look at and doesn’t punish you for just walking, just taking it all in. For loosing yourself in your surroundings

A lovely view

It’s cold down here

Dear Esther

Be careful with this one. Again, on paper it’s another game picked from the walking simulator genre. In reality it’s a game about loss and depression about wanting it all to be over. This is not a happy game – at least I didn’t find it to be. I played it one New Years Eve as everyone I knew was out partying, I was sat at home, not feeling great and feeling very sorry for myself. Not the state you want to be when you start this game. It starts hopefully enough. You are just walking about a small Island taking everything in. It’s nice tranquil, the perfect game to play, when you’re not feeling your best. It’s only later, once the story starts to kick in, does the game start to begin. It’s not very happy. However it is a great game and one that you should be played. Just know that you won’t come away laughing.

Portal.

Time to walk away from the sad train now. Time to test our brains and what better way to do that then by playing the ever popular and still brilliant Portal. Yes it may be old now and yes I have only just completed it but, is it ever still as witty, original and striking as you remember. It’s one to get out and play whenever you have a few spare hours and fancy firing that Portal gun again.

Sayonara Wild Hearts

Like many people I accidently completed this game in one sitting and like many people I didn’t mean to. The game is simply fun to play and very short. In fact I think it is only about an hour and fifteen minutes long. Perfect for when you want a gaming fix but don’t have time to dedicate anything longer This game is simply popcorn. Gaming popcorn, it’s bright, colourful and if you could eat it, would probably contain noting good for you. It’s just a good time, with a catchy soundtrack.

Superhot

Superhot Another game that can be completed in an hour or one that could take over your entire gaming life as you try and get all the achievements/ trophies available. It’s a game with a striking look and a singular game mechanic. The elevator pitch is simple. Time only moves when you do. If you stand still nothing happens. It’s only when you move, do your opponents move. At first its startling as you try and get to grips with the controls you die. You die a lot. But, just when you think you will never get it, something clicks. Your brain starts to understand how the game wants to be played. You limit your movements. You play more aggressively. You learn, if you get hit by anything from a first to a snooker cue you die. One hit. Game Over. Then you move up a level. You improve the way you play. You realise this isn’t a game about killing everyone in the room. The room is a puzzle, yes you the objective is to kill and kill again but you can’t go in guns blazing, that’s not an advantage you have. The Advantage you have is time, time to pick your shot, to think about your next move, learning the room to perfection and then striking like a Shark.

If you have anything to add to this list please do 🙂

Games for when you want to relax

Sometimes all you want to do is relax. Kick back, put your feet up and forget about your troubles. And you know what that’s fine. We all have day’s like that.

It’s just that when I have a day like that I still want to play video games and these are my favourites

Flow. Originally released as a free flash game in 2006 by Jenova Chen to accompany his masters degree . Flow was then reworked and given a full release in 2007 by his development company; thatgamecompany. Flow is a simple game about the Flow of life about starting out as almost nothing. A tiny entity that can be eaten by almost any of the other, slightly bigger entities that inhabit the same space as you, Not enemies but simple beings that happen to live in the same space as you. As you play through the game taking other beings into you as you go through the game you grow ever so larger you become more able to defend yourself, more likely to stay alive. Less likely to be attacked or need to attack and as this happens the game changes, evolves with it and becomes less about survival and moves into a more relaxing experience, a more tranquil experience. The games ”final form” sees it slowly morphing into a meditative experience full of wonderful colours and an incredibly ambient music. It hits a switch somewhere in my brain and I just sink into the flow experience an experience that stays with you long after the game has been completed. link here Welcome to Flow in Games (jenovachen.com)

Seyonara Wild Hearts Now for a game with a little bit more action Seyonara Wild Hearts is a game that will have you running, flying, dancing and even skating through psychedelic pop worlds filled with colours. Bright, neon colours all bursting at the seems to pop out of their world and into yours. Yes Seyonara is a bit similar to an endless runner but, you will forgive it as an intriguing story that is coupled with a fantastic soundtrack that makes you want to see what’s around the next corner making the end of the game come a lot sooner than you expect. Your time will be short, the games only as long as the average music album but it will leave a bubble gum flavour on your tongue that will have you humming the soundtrack long after the credits have rolled.

Available on PS4 and Nintendo Switch

We Love Katamari is probably the most bonkers game on this list. It’s probably the most bonkers game on any list- It’s nuts. Originally released on the PS2 a long time ago. In an era when Vib-Ribbon was king and games like PaRappa the Rapper weren’t seen as strange relics from another time but games people were exited to play. We Love Katamari was something of an oddity even then, for it’s a game all about collecting things and I mean ALL of the things. It was all the fault of a God – isn’t it always! they had accidentally( after a drinking binge) destroyed the universe or something like that. And you playing as his son has to put it all back together – Actually I don’t really think the story counts. Just know that’s it’s as bonkers as the rest of the game and go with it. Soon you will be given your ball. A magic ball to help you on your quest. Your quest to pick up everything. Everything and anything. For example a level could have you starting out with your ball looking quite small, small enough to only pick up the tiniest of objects but as you pick up these objects they won’t be swallowed by the ball but become stuck to it making the ball bigger and as the ball grows larger in size you can pick up bigger things. A levels that starts with you collecting flowers will end with you collecting people, cows and even houses and as you go you can see all of the these different items pocking out of your ball in some sort of random order. If you fancy playing this little game of chaos a remake is out now on the Switch and PS4

Proteus A surrealist exploration game is something you don’t come across everyday but, today is that day and Proteus is that game. There are no goals in this game. The game’s only purpose is for you to wonder. Wonder around this magical island, watching the islands flora and fauna coming to life emitting dynamic shifts in audio as they go all based entirely on where you are, what your surroundings are and what season the game is currently in. it’s a lovely little experience, completion coming in about an hour. Currently available on most platforms

Journey I tried to not make this a thatgamecompany love in. But they make games that are so good, so relaxing and such fun to play I couldn’t leave this one out. Journey is game about discovery, about finding yourself and maybe even saving yourself and a game that I must admit I completely bounced of the first time I played it. I just didn’t get it. It wasn’t until maybe a year later when, on a whim I decided to reinstall it. to see if I could say what all the fuss was about, and I was so glad I did. For this time the game just clicked, it became more than a sand simulator. I suddenly didn’t want to rush to the end. Now I wanted to explore the land to see what was hidden just beneath the surface and there looking around me I stumbled across another play doing the same as me – just stumbling along enjoying their walk across the sand. Soon we walked to one another are separate walks became one, we fell into step. We couldn’t talk to each other. Journey doesn’t allow in-game communication. Until you complete the game you can’t even see the other players name, all it allows is for the player to make a small ”cheep” to get the other players attention but in that cheep we both found a way of connecting of somehow gathering together our shared experience of the game. The end goal became something for a later time what mattered to us was the Journey.

I still don’t know who the other player was and in some strange way I hope I never do. We have had all the time we needed to spend together.

Anything I have missed? I am sure there are loads 🙂

I beat the Phalanx Demon, can I go home now?

Dear reader,

I just did something I didn’t think I would ever do. Something so out of character that if me from the future had popped in for a cuppa and told me what I did – I wouldn’t believe it. Let me tell you what I did and still, even as I type these words can’t quite believe

I KILLED A DEMON IN DARK SOULS!

I know, crazy right? It’s not something I ever thought I would do. I am just not a Soulsbourne kind of guy. If I’m honest, I am not even sure why I bought the game. But there it was staring at me from under the TV, silently mocking me. Telling me I couldn’t do it. Couldn’t play with the ”Big boys”

Until one day. The games, silent, relentless, completely imagined torment became too much and I said to myself ” I am going to do it, ”I am going to complete this game”

So I started my quest.

I moved very, very slowly. Even though I play the game as the royal class. A class that can shoot magic projectiles from it’s arms and one-shot kill most of the basic enemies, I was afraid. I had read about the game, I knew what to expect. I expected to be killed over and over again and then again. But I wasn’t dying, I wasn’t even in danger.

I put this down to two things. Neither of which have anything to do with my ability to play the game

The first is the notes that other players have left for you. Now I know what you’re thinking ” Soulsbourne” players being helpful” and yes I too was worried about following other players advice, I expected to simply follow the advice and die. Nothing more but, I was stuck I didn’t know what to, there seemed to enemies around every corner and I couldn’t seem to move forward so I took a chance, started to read their advice and wow, it’s really helpful. The game started to change for me. Notes like two enemies round the next corner, really helped my game. I could start taking chances, take more risks and really started to enjoy the game – well as much as you can enjoy a Soulsbourne title

The second was watching how previous players had died. Now bear with me, it’s not quite as morbid as it sounds. You see by selecting to view a blood stain on the ground you can see how a previous player has met their grisly end and these windows into another players world are really handy by seeing how another player has died you can try and avoid the same fait, either by not walking on that dodgy floor board, avoiding that falling boulder or just stay alive by not running into a group of enemies with your sword swinging as some people have a tendency to do. Its a great view and a great way to plan your attack

As I somehow made my way through the level I stumbled across the Phalanx Demon the areas big boss. I began my attack. Well it was more like it was attacking me for all I could do was roll, roll for my life. There was nothing else I could do wave after wave of the demons small shielded entities attached me. Basically small, aggressive blobs carrying shields and I couldn’t, for all the magic I throw at them, make a dent in their numbers.

Fire. Then I remembered a note I had read earlier in the game. It simply said ”FIRE” I frantically pulled up my inventory, searching for any kind of flammable objects, I came across the firebombs and hastily equipped them. Then started to throw them, panicking my first few missed the main bulk of the enemy but, luckily hit a bunch on the outside and as I wildly threw a few more bombs I realised that the ones I had killed hadn’t been replaced and now for a few seconds at least there was a chance, a small chance to get straight to the boss. I took my chance I ran towards the boss, wildly throwing bombs as I went, I hit home the Phalanx’s enormous health bar now only half full. I got cocky, I attacked and now took a hit my precious health bar slipped lower, I panicked throwing bombs for all I was worth. I took another hit and expected to die but, somehow I didn’t I looked up to the screen to see the Demon dissolve into nothing

Then the Adrenaline kicked in. I jumped from my sofa shouting for all I was worth. I had done it.

I had beaten a Demon Souls boss

All photo rights to Sony

The PS5 fever

It got me. I didn’t think it would but, somehow, somewhere deep in the back of my mind a nagging thought had started to bite into my subconscious. A thought that said ” you should buy a PS5 you need a PS5 you want a PS5”.

I didn’t think I needed/ should get one yet, but, as my backlog grew ever smaller and the messages from friends, asking if they should get one ”for their children” grew more frequent. I started to want one. My resolve began to crack. I Started to check the PS5 twitter accounts more frequently. I checked Ebay and laughed at the price. But still the fever grew ever stronger. I didn’t want one I told myself. There is nothing to play I told myself. Yet, still the need grew until one day. Without too much effort on my part,

I got one

Not this actual one

Yes dear reader. In the space of a week I went from I don’t need one to I MUST have one. I didn’t mean too. It just happened. I stumbled across the GAME website (of all places, GAME) one morning and there they were, waving at me across the internet, all available, all ready to pre-order so I picked one – just at random, more of an experiment really. Yes, a scientific experiment just to see how far I could get towards paying for the thing before the inevitable website crash and sorry out of stock notice.

It didn’t come.

Well the website was very slow but, it didn’t crash and so in the name of science, I left the window open and got on with my day, I started to do a workout checking every time I had a break to see how far the website had loaded. Not very far was the answer. Still I left it, satisfied that I wouldn’t get one but amused to see how long the website would let this go on for. Eventually, I got through, clicked on the payment screen and asked to enter my details. I started to enter my credit card details and just as I was about to enter the final few digits the inevitable happened.

The website crashed. It gave up and so did I. We both moved on.

For about twenty five minutes. I logged back on. More eager to see how quickly the bundles had gone that see if anything was left. Of course I cast an eye over my basket just to see if GAME had tried to sell me anything else and I noticed that it still had one item in the basket. I ignored it, expecting it to be the second controller I had added to my order. I moved around the website, I could see the PlayStations had gone but, I didn’t know how quickly they had been sold. In my frustration at not being able to find this out and now being unable to complete my experiment I went to close the browser but, decided first to clear my basket – I didn’t want to accidently add an extra controller or whatever goodies GAME decided had decided to leave me with to my next order. So I opened my basket and with wide-eyed disbelief I saw it. There sitting as happy as could be was a PS5 staring right back. I grabbed for my wallet – the PS5 fever momentarily taking over my senses (and my money) I quickly typed in my credit card details. Card declined! No, check the numbers – it’s okay incorrect digit. Quickly type again. The fever must have momentarily cleared for this time fingers that normally typed with the agility and skill of raw sausages made quick and nimble darts across the keys. This time – they were correct. My digits had done their job and now here I sit with a PS5.

It was even delivered three days early!

It’s not even that big.

Batman: Soul of the Dragon

Dear Readers, Batman: Soul of the Dragon has the distinction in not only being the 40th movie in the DC Universe Animated Original Movies line ( try saying that fast) but it is also an original movie not based on any comic.

It’s also a strange beast of a film. It starts as you may expect a James Bond film too. There is a spy taking on the character of a waiter all to steal the fingerprints of a big-bad villain, so the spy can then break into the said villain’s super sleek apartment (including very cool hidden safe) and sneak a look at some super secret data, only to find…something he didn’t expect to see.. something that shocks him. Of course at this very moment the villain’s henchmen burst through the door and as you would expect, this quickly escalates into a massive cartoon fight. Which explodes in front of our eyes and I mean explodes. This is a film that doesn’t shy away from an overblown set piece. It’s as if the director Sam Liu aided by executive director Bruce Timm looked back over every fight scene and asked themselves ”it’s good but, what can we make explode?”. As it turns out you can make a lot of things explode, if you just try hard enough and try hard they did I watched in ore as hotel rooms explode, cars explode and buildings explode. It’s as if everything in Gotham is made with a small amount of TNT entwined into it’s DNA just waiting for the right moment to explode into life. Then after a dramatic escape for our hero which includes both a parachute and a speed boat. Then films then cuts to a very James Bond style opening and I settle down to what I expected to be a very silly take on a James Bond movie.

Of course this is where the movie has other ideas. It now changes tack, As the film’s opening credits end. This is where the film shows it’s hand. The film isn’t set in the normal Batman years of somewhere in the 40’s. This film is set in the 70’s. The 70’s we know. The 70’s of disco, big shoes and even bigger hair. The 70’s of Kung Fuu movies and this is where the film throws us a curve ball. No longer is it simply a cliched Bond, This is now a 70’s Kung Fu movie with liberal inspiration taken from Enter the Dragon and other Kung Fu classics.

where thrown back to our friendly spy. who is now on a mission. A mission to get the gang back together, a gang that met and were trained at that most 70’s of Kung Fu movie clichés the mountain hideaway, the Shangri-La hidden deep in the alps one that can only be found by the most dedicated and driven of fighters. Six are currently being trained and are a six that just so happens to include; Lady Shiva, Bronze Tiger and of course a Batman. A Batman that is not yet at the peak of his powers a Batman still learning his trade. Still wanting to find a way to cure all of the worlds ills. It’s without saying that our spy manages to bring the team back (but not without a couple of brilliant fight scenes) and somehow manages to loose the most important thing in the entire movie. The very weapon that will release the evil snake God from his eternal prison.

And so our band of merry warriors must venture forward on their quest to save the World from this evil God. A God that has, through their minions managed to create an entire cult around it’s self. A cult that seems to train its followers in Kung Fu as much as it does in the art of their religion. For when our heros descend on the secret Island intent on saving the world, they have too in wonderful Kung Fu tradition defeat which seems to be an absolute army of the green clad warriors before the final showdown with the end of movie boss. Or should I say our heroes ex-mentor as the demon has taken over his form, after he sacrificed himself some years before in order to save the world. After what is a fantastic fight, with excellent scenes, with broken bones and blood filling the screen, including Batman doing what feels like a cruel finishing move with his cape, we come to victory and entry to the Demons own territory where the movie cuts and finishes.

It’s safe to say I enjoyed this movie. It is very tongue in check. Very violent, but somehow gets away it all with a rough kind of charm.

Star Wars: Squadrons First Impressions

Afternoon all, from a Galaxy, far, far way and welcome to my first impressions for Star Wars: Squadrons.

What a first impression the game gives. It is a delight to play in VR, so much of a delight that I have not even played the game without the headset on. It just feels so right. If you have a VR headset and have any positive feelings for the Star Wars universe or just love flying games in general. I would hunt this game out. It really feels as if you are on the rebel or imperial pilot in the given mission. The cockpit layout’s are outstanding in their detail and more than once I lifted my hand up to touch the roof of the X-Wing as it closed above me.Feeling rather silly as my brain suddenly realised that there wasn’t actually a lid too close above me. It is clear that an incredible level of detail has gone into making the various ships feel alive.

Motive have to be applauded for really bringing our daydream’s of flying an X-Wing to life.It really does feel that good to ”fly” the ships. They feel weighty and solid in the universe and are lovely to look at. Plus and, this is very important to me, the ships don’t seem to explode if you happen to collide with another ship, friendly or otherwise. This is great news for me as I am a terrible pilot who has only managed to play through the opening few levels but, also gives hope that the multi-player component won’t have people screaming at me as I completely fail to spot a large Star Destroyer on the horizon and continue to fly absent mindlessly straight into it, exploding and getting shouted at by the rest of my team. This can only be a good thing. Yes it can be strange to bang into another ship, to have your pilot scream out in fear, only for your ship to be slightly damaged in the process but, leads to less stupid deaths and more time having fun

Fun is the most important thing.

The game is a great time. It want’s you to sit back relax and have a good time, the levels are short and at the moment don’t feel too taxing with a nice emphasis on you being the new hot-shot into the team. A hot-shot who is instantly well liked and one your squad seem to want to do well. It’s a nice game that seems to want to make you happy and at the moment it’s doing a good job.

Donut County

The gaming backlog. Sometimes it, can be a beast a cruel mistress, as you plunge deep into its darkest corners you will come across a game that you should never have bought in the first place, a game so different to your usual tastes the fact is you can’t even remember why you did buy it in the first place. No, no sale price is ever lower enough for some of the games that litter the bottom of my pile of shame.

However, sometimes you, the trepid explorer are rewarded, the mistress of the backlog looks kindly upon you, digging as you are among the debris and detritus of your passed gaming fascinations and your enquiring hands are rewarded with a little nugget of gaming gold and that my friends is how I stumbled across the wonderfully strange Donut County

What brought this game to attention originally was it strange cartoonish art style and it’s even wackier soundtrack, coupled with the fact that it was on sale ( I am a sucker for a sale) and on the Nintendo Switch. A console I am almost always about to play before, something else invariably pops up. I bought the game with all of the best of intentions and yet it still sat on my Nintendo Switch un-played and unloved for the next six months. In fact I forgot I had it until my wife wanted to use the PlayStation to watch Netflix and kicked me unceremoniously out of the living room and with my house only containing the one TV and me still being in a gaming mood, I decided to give the Switch some much needed love and attention ( the battery on these things never seems to die) and so I turned on the console, flipped through the few games I have for it and decided on a quick game of:

Donut County

It’s a strange old beast this Donut County, it is, I guess a puzzle game, a puzzle game where you play as a hole, Yep a tiny little hole. A hole that get’s bigger as you manage to get ever larger items to fall into it. You start of maybe being able to get a cone to fall into your hole but, as you progress your hole with become ever larger with it being so big as to enable you to get entire houses to fall into you. Its an interesting mix of very tiny, puzzle scenarios. Puzzles that wouldn’t give a very young child too much of a headache but, with some added elements like being able to set your hole on fire or being able to hold water in the hole without it falling through and you will see that this is quite a clever little puzzle game, With no time limits and no death. Just remember that the hole must be fed, always think about how to get everything on screen into the hole and you will be fine

it has a story, one that I won’t go into much here as I think it would run into deep spoilers here. So let me just say that it works fine and keeps you involved in the game for the few hours of its run time

The soundtrack is brilliant. I really like it but, it won’t be for everyone. Donut County is a game full of charm and wants to make you smile. If that’s not the mood your in right now, that’s okay. Come back to it. I think the silliness of it’s ideas, the cartoonish presentation and very short run time. The hole game can be finished in a few hours are a bonus. It’s a great game and one I really enjoyed spending time with and I know my Switch loved the attention as well.

Thanks for reading

The Gardens Between

Today in the UK at least, it is January the 1st and that means the start of 2019!! whoop whoop but, let me stop you for a second. The parties were last and today is a day for rest and reflection a look back on all the good you achieved last year and how you can do even better this year. Wait, what, you don’t think so? Were in the UK oh, yeah I forgot today is not for a reflective look back at the past 12 months. No, my dear friends today is for breaking of New Years Resolutions made only a few hours before and suffering from the biggest hangover you have suffered since Boxing Day oh yes, my friends you still didn’t learn your lesson. This is still one of those hangovers that makes you utter the immortal line – I am never drinking again. Yes its on of those days, wasted as you wrestle with a thirst that just won’t go away no matter how much water you drink a horrible nagging feeling in the back of your mind that you did, something really stupid last night and not for the first time either.

Wait what will help with the Hangover of all Hangovers? Video Games that what.

As I didn’t go out last night, I find myself as the only person in the house that is awake and as I realised I could have a lovely day of Premiership Football and Video Games I decided to watch the football and play the games quietly – we wouldn’t want to wake anybody up unnecessarily would we 🙂 so as I had the Xbox on, downloading Celeste I decided the have a look at the games available with the games pass subscription for something quite and contemplative and I think I found it as I found…

The Gardens  Between.

The Gardens Between is a small indie puzzle game made by the Voxel agents with music by Tim Shiel and is perfect for a day like today, The Puzzles (apart from a few at the end) are perfectly judged. You don’t control either character directly but interact with them as they traverse through the worlds the only thing the play has complete control over Is the ability to reverse time, some puzzles, you are only able to complete by using this mechanic, such as moving one of the characters onto a piece of the map that they can interact with. The characters themselves Arina and Frendt are travelling through the memories that make up their friendship and as each level is completed that memory will shoot of into the nights sky to make a part of a constellation. The game is designed as a contemplative and relaxing experience and at a run time of about 2 and a half hours I think the designers of the game will be more than happy with what they made. All in, this is a great game for today, When all we want to do is relax and get ready for the year ahead

Dear Esther

Normally after finishing a game I like to wait at least a night before writing any type of thoughts about it. A nights sleep can help you see a bad game in a whole new light, it can shine a whole new perspective on a game you were declaring the Next Best Thing only hours before but, dear reader, after starting Dear Esther and completing it only an hour or so later I can’t seem to wait the words must tumble out of me, my fingers are not my own. I can only watch as they dart across the keyboard, typing words I hadn’t even though of yet. I feel I must fight back to give some sort of back-story to my time with the game you see the game is short but, I have a long history with it, the trailer hitting me so hard on its initial Steam release I watched it again each time disappearing further into the Rabbit whole of what is this game, what is about and who is the narrator. Plus the piece of music played in the trailer might be the saddest thing I have ever heard it hits me, hard every time I hear it. Still I did not buy after watching the trailer again I did a little research only to discover that it was a walking simulator. This was before we knew what they were so I put it of, marked it down in the ”wait for a sale” part of my brain and left it at that. It was only on perusing the latest PSN sale did I spot the game and its low price point did I finally take the plunge .

Why did I wait? Its one of those games that will stay with me for a while. It isn’t just a walking simulator it might be the walking simulator. The main character alone on his deserted island is given over to the players control so completely that you feel you could be walking along beside him, sharing his grief. Trying to help him comfort his pain. You can do none of this of course as all you can do is walk him down his path as if his life is already marked out and he is as much as you following the line as there is nothing else for him to do.

It’s a game I don’t wan to spoil so I will try to not go too far but, the fact that I am sitting here now listening to the excellent soundtrack still trying to let the game sink in. Emotions are still raw and I don’t know how to feel.

If you are on the fence about this game or have played I would love to know your thoughts on it?

The Games of 2018

Well, this is it. Time is almost up for 2018. A year filled to the brim with most of people in charge making absolutely absurd decisions for their respective countries and the people who leave within them but, fear not dear reader because there is still a glimmer of hope of hope on the horizon in the shape of VIDEO GAMES. Yes our favourite past time is now not only filling our spare time with wild and wonderous things to do, taking us to far of places ripe for exploration It could also be somehow, maybe even be helping to save the World somehow because some of the games releases in 2018 are filled with so much magic and wonder there must be some good left in humanity and so on we plod with the best games that the Games and Stuff chaps and chapettes have played in 2018 that were released onto the system played on in 2018. That’s just to end an argument as most of us are still playing stuff from 2016 and before.

1 Astro Bot: Rescue Mission.

Yes, the little Bot that could. I have written a few articles on just how good Astro Bot is so I won’t go too far into it too deeply here, suffice to say that we almost created a separate list just for VR games but we realised that so many of them are too good to leave of a general list now, yes the price of entry is still quite high but if you have a VR headset or no someone that has one. Astro Bot Rescue Mission is an absolute must play. Plus there is also a demo available on the PS Store for everyone who got the VR headset for Christmas

Forza Horizon 4

Its an XBOX game. I know, I don’t give my XBOX much love. I still care about it a lot. It may be a bit of a guilty pleasure console but it has some fantastic games and my favourite of those from this year is, Forza Horizon 4. Yes Forza a name that no one can pronounce but, its a wonderful game filled or wonderous cars to drive including a Hovercraft!. Plus it looks beautiful, the seasons add a fantastic variety to the races, the change through the seasons is really well done. Plus all this is from someone who can’t drive in real life. So if just got an XBOX this year grab the Games Pass and get driving around a fictional Scotland. Just remember you don’t have to pay for the damage. Find the 10 cars in the video below as a little challenge

 

God of War

Excuse me while I get this out of my system….Boy, Boy, Boy, Boy, Boy…BOY

Sorry about that God of War is one of those games I have been trying to write about for a long time now and I just can’t seem to do it justice. Its a master piece of semi-open world design, filled with a quest that will make you care and will push you to complete it. How the development team managed to get the player to care about a character that has only ever been a slab of murderous rock I will never know. Kratos has gone from being a one dimensional revenge machine into a genuine full blooded character with a personality. Plus that that Axe you throw it, you call it back. Sounds simple, but there is something about the feel of the axe, when it returns to Kratos is simply a stunning piece of game design, The weight of it is perfectly balanced. See told you I couldn’t do it justice.

 

Beat Saber

The Light Saber simulator is here. finally. Yes after a long wait Beat Saber finally made its way over to PSVR and wow was it worth the wait. Its now my go to game to show people who are on the fence about VR, as it looks fantastic on the TV but utterly incredible in VR. Plus you get to pretend that your a Jedi/Ninja. Yes your foes maybe coloured blocks of light instead of evil doers, but when those blocks are flying at your face you won’t care what they are as long as you make it out alive. Plus it looks like with a couple of songs added after release the developers still have an interest in making this an even bigger hit

Spider-man

Spider-Man, Spider-Man. Does what ever a Spider can. And also saves the city a whole bunch of times. Yes Spider-Man the Sony owned character lent to Marvel for free so Sony could get gauge public interest in a character it was already committed to making a game about, I think. Just web-swings its way onto our list at number five. Its a fantastic achievement a reinvention of a character that no one has wanted to make a game about since the PS2 days as no body could get the web swinging just right. Guess what in this game its perfect. The Web swing is so perfect that you can easily convince your friends/ wife that you are pulling of all those web swining combos using a very difficult to remember series of button combos when in fact you are pressing x. Not that I am complaining as pressing x has never felt better as you swoop. swipe, glide and soar above New York City. Yes in parts it may look like a PS2 game, I’m still wondering why I collected all those damn packs but when the story is this good and the boss fights a really good excuse for Spider-Man just to show off and show how good he really is. Its worth a play. Yes the side missions may just be an excuse to pad out the game but, its also a lot of people’s first Platinum. So it must be doing something right, Even the stealth bits aren’t that bad really. Plus it ”borrows” really heavily from the Arkham games so if you are missing playing as the big old Bat maybe you can just slip into a bright read and blue suite this time and become Spider-Cop