Author: Matthew Parker

I’ve had a hard time trying to justify buying Nintendo’s new console. For a start I’ve still got tons of games to get through on my PS4 – there’s no way I’m turning my back on the library of titles that I’ve got sat underneath my TV right now and the last thing I really want to do is add another console to the pile. But… I travel a fair bit, spend plenty of time commuting and also enjoy playing games in bed. A quick 30 minutes of Monster Hunter or Hohokum often sends me right to sleep. On top…

We’re into the month of the year already and, yet again, we have a total bevvy of new games to check out. 2017, you’re being far too generous! In fact, it’s not just new games you want to be looking out for this month because March sees the launch of new hardware. The Nintendo Switch is here this month and it looks… interesting. It’d be pretty incredible if it performs worse than the Wii U but I also don’t see it capturing the public’s imagination quite like the original Wii did. We’ll see. Anyway, enough blathering, let’s get to looking…

Times sure have changed since the launch of Red Dead Redemption. Rockstar have gone from strength to strength since the launch of the critically acclaimed Western-themed open world title. The 360 and PS3 have been replaced and in their stead are the more powerful PS4 and Xbox One. Rockstar have also had huge success with GTA V, which continues to top charts, bring in huge amounts of money and is still a favourite among YouTube viewers. It’s this success that kind of has me worried for Red Dead Redemption 2. If Rockstar think they can turn Read Dead Redemption 2…

Well everyone, it’s that weird moment of the year where it’s not quite a ‘new’ year but it’s also just ‘new’ enough that we’re still sore about those resolutions we just broke. It’s cool though, I’ll go to the gym tomorrow. Or maybe I won’t. Maybe I’ll spend even more time indoors in front of my favourite video game console (or PC, or phone, whatever). The fact is, February sees the year 2017 AD continue its upward trajectory in terms of game releases (and little else). So without further ado, let’s have a look at what February has in store…

With the announcement of a new console, I always try and be positive. When a new piece of hardware launches and it’s a success, this is a positive for everyone. People who make games and people who play them are better off thanks to healthy competition and more choice. So it’s with this mindset that I started to think about the Nintendo Switch. Putting on my Positivity Hat I sat down and pondered on what impact I think the Switch is likely to have and whether I think it’s going to be a game changer, like the Wii, or an…

I’ll have to admit that when I first saw screenshots of Stardew Valley last year and heard tales of how it’s a game all about farming, I had a few questions. They were; how the heck is that fun? What’s the appeal? How did this get so popular? So it was with some trepidation that I got my hands on the PS4 version of the game and set about trying to make the most of my time in the Valley. The game opens with you creating a character and witnessing your grandfather pass away. Cut to you in a dead-end…

It’s always great to see people enjoying a game, especially when the game is an entry in a series that’s been on something of a down curve. So, with the launch of FFXV, it’s safe to say that a lot of gamers are washing the taste of FFXIII out of their mouths. Good for them. On top of this there’s plans to provide some serious support too. A season pass is on sale and there’s talk of all sorts of new content coming out. So, what’s the problem? Sadly, the very first post-launch patch for the game looks to not…

With recent confirmation that production of the Wii U is to stop and the fact that everyone’s waiting for the Nintendo Switch to launch, now seems like a good time to take stock on the Wii U’s life. Sure, it didn’t set the world alight in terms of sales or in the number of games released on the platform, but I’ll be damned if I hear people say it ‘didn’t have any games’. Here is my list of 10 (and a bit) games that were essential to Wii U owners. Maybe now that the Wii U is relegated to the…

The Nintendo Switch has finally been revealed and whilst there are tons of questions, we do know a couple of things about Nintendo’s newest console. Firstly, it’ll be a dockable machine meaning that when you’re at home it sits in its cradle and outputs images to the TV and when you want to take it with you, the device itself has a screen. The situation with the controllers is a little more complicated as it seems the Switch will come with two mini Wii Remote looking devices. There’s no mention of them being motion controls but they can be used…

Last week it was Eurogamer’s flagship expo, EGX, taking place in Birmingham’s NEC Arena. I think Arena is an understatement as it’s more like the size of a small town. A small town full of expensive drink, pricey food and costly everything else. Still, I wasn’t there just to go into my overdraft, I was there to see videogames. Which is exactly what I did. I saw many videogames. In fact, I saw too many videogames to list, which is why I’ve decided to only talk about my favourite 10. Luckily, 10 games is the perfect number for a list,…

It’s getting harder and harder to avoid the term ‘e-sports’ nowadays. Heck, you’re reading an article about the subject right now. Over the last 4 years or so e-sports has exploded in popularity and all of the glitz, glamour, money and scandal that follows ‘real’ sports is making its way into the electronic variety too. This has given the e-sports scene an air of legitimacy once thought impossible. ESPN, proud broadcasters of mainstream sports, has leaned hard into covering competitive video game playing. The ESPN website now has an entire section dedicated to covering e-sports and its broadcast a number…

Well, it’s happened again. An early access game has managed to upset people and I figure now’s as good a time as any to take a look at just what happened and why this outrage keeps happening. I know what you’re thinking – the developers have run away with everyone’s money, they’ve missed deadlines, they’ve thrown in a bunch of in-app purchases, etc. Actually, what’s got everyone riled up this time is quite new. The game in question is ARK: Survival Evolved. It’s currently in early access and is doing quite well for itself. There’s a ton of people playing…

Whilst everyone’s getting excited about the mere idea of Virtual Reality headsets making their way into our living rooms, it’s important to realise that you’re going to need some actual games to play. Luckily for us, not only is PS VR shaping up to be a great piece of hardware but there’s also a good looking bunch of VR games on the horizon too. Here’s our top 10 Playstation VR games that we’re looking forward to. Resident Evil 7 With VR headsets making games more immersive than ever, why do we immediately want to immerse ourselves in world filled with…

If you’re looking for something to buy this coming month you need look no further than the following suggestions. September sees a bunch of old classics making a welcome return as well as some new franchises that you might not have heard of before. As the nights begin to get noticeably darker,here we see some excitement for XBOX One fans, whilst PS4 owners will probably want to skip towards October, yet there is something that everyone can enjoy on all platforms. Let’s take a look at at the highlights of September, 2016. Dead Rising Remastered Platforms: PS4, XBOX One Release Date:…

You may have seen that a little known game called No Man’s Sky was launched recently. You may have also seen that it wasn’t quite everything people had hoped for. This is to be expected, there were some lofty targets being set and a good 24 months of hype to contend with. It was always going to be tough. However – one piece of criticism really caught my eye and the eyes of a couple of hundred Twitter and Reddit users. It was this; I guess this illustrates a serious problem with how gamers see game development effort :/ #NoMansSky…

Over the last few months it looks as if Sony and Microsoft’s R&D departments are about as leak-proof as a sieve. Detail after detail has emerged about both the Playstation 4 NEO and Project Scorpio though none of the important details, such as what, why and how have emerged yet. So it’s with that in mind that we’ll take a quick look at just what these new consoles mean for you and take our best educated guesses as to what’s going on here. Firstly, what are they? Well the NEO and Project Scorpio are Sony and Microsoft’s attempts at selling…