(PS4, Sony Computer Entertainment, cert: 16)
★★★
Games in the “walking simulator” genre – with an emphasis on exploration and light puzzle-solving – are somewhat divisive. Ever since they emerged in the past few years, there have been some that suggest that they shouldn’t be considered games at all. Sci-fi mystery Everybody’s Gone to the Rapture, for good or ill, adds considerable weight to this argument.
Wandering the lifeless roads of a beautifully realised English village and uncovering the story of its departed residents can be moving, intriguing and quietly horrifying, but the question of why it is told this way is never really answered. There is practically no agency to the role of the player as the things unfold, and by the conclusion a lack of having had anything to actually do can leave a bitter aftertaste.
By no standard could it be considered a bad narrative, but for a better example of how walking simulators can also be interesting games, most would be better off with something like Journey or Grow Home. SR
Resident Evil: Revelations 2
(PS Vita, Capcom, cert: 18)
★★
A bid to recapture the atmosphere and glory of the Resident Evil games of yore,Revelations 2 has a familiar set-up – a mysterious island surrounded by zombie-like monsters –returning characters (heroes Claire Redfield and Barry Burton) and the trademark hammy dialogue.
Fans will enjoy the classic feel, and it has a compelling story – albeit an inconsistent one – that switches between the unnerving and the unintentionally hilarious. Outside of that 10-hour story is Raid mode, which is a series of run-and-gun challenges. It’s the best thing in the game, particularly when played cooperatively.
Unfortunately, however, this Vita version is not on par with the console editions released in March. Although all the modes are present, the visuals have been significantly downgraded, loading times are painfully long, the frame rate often grinds to a halt and the controls are a little unwieldy, particularly in using the touch screen to crouch. Capcom have produced a solid horror game in Revelations 2 akin to early iterations, but it is really best enjoyed on other platforms. CD
BeatBuddy: Tale of the Guardians
BeatBuddy: Tale of the Guardians
(Wii U, Threaks, cert: 7)
★★★
A Wii U update for the PC adventure, BeatBuddy aims to make interaction with its soundtrack an integral part of play, as you take on the role of a blank-eyed alien charged with rescuing planet Symphonia’s music. There’s a lot to enjoy during the quest. The hand-drawn visual style invites investigation, as does the discovery of a fantastic musical ecosystem, where bouncing off bass drums, hi-hat crabs and other enemies adds pleasing flourishes to the soundtrack, which has been written by a different composer for each of the six levels.
Their work is successful, as the game engages the senses at each turn as levels unfold in complexity and depth. However, this novel exterior isn’t matched by the gameplay, which reverts to more familiar platform puzzles and light brawling, while things are further hampered by occasional glitches and visual slow-down. Still, the exploration is rewarding and each level hides 10 “beatpoints” that unlock a well-written development diary.
(PS Vita, Capcom, cert: 18)
★★
A bid to recapture the atmosphere and glory of the Resident Evil games of yore,Revelations 2 has a familiar set-up – a mysterious island surrounded by zombie-like monsters –returning characters (heroes Claire Redfield and Barry Burton) and the trademark hammy dialogue.
Fans will enjoy the classic feel, and it has a compelling story – albeit an inconsistent one – that switches between the unnerving and the unintentionally hilarious. Outside of that 10-hour story is Raid mode, which is a series of run-and-gun challenges. It’s the best thing in the game, particularly when played cooperatively.
Unfortunately, however, this Vita version is not on par with the console editions released in March. Although all the modes are present, the visuals have been significantly downgraded, loading times are painfully long, the frame rate often grinds to a halt and the controls are a little unwieldy, particularly in using the touch screen to crouch. Capcom have produced a solid horror game in Revelations 2 akin to early iterations, but it is really best enjoyed on other platforms. CD
BeatBuddy: Tale of the Guardians
BeatBuddy: Tale of the Guardians
(Wii U, Threaks, cert: 7)
★★★
A Wii U update for the PC adventure, BeatBuddy aims to make interaction with its soundtrack an integral part of play, as you take on the role of a blank-eyed alien charged with rescuing planet Symphonia’s music. There’s a lot to enjoy during the quest. The hand-drawn visual style invites investigation, as does the discovery of a fantastic musical ecosystem, where bouncing off bass drums, hi-hat crabs and other enemies adds pleasing flourishes to the soundtrack, which has been written by a different composer for each of the six levels.
Their work is successful, as the game engages the senses at each turn as levels unfold in complexity and depth. However, this novel exterior isn’t matched by the gameplay, which reverts to more familiar platform puzzles and light brawling, while things are further hampered by occasional glitches and visual slow-down. Still, the exploration is rewarding and each level hides 10 “beatpoints” that unlock a well-written development diary.
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