And so, the end is near… and we face… the finaaall cuurrtaainn…
Okay, so the year isn’t quite over yet, but here at GameSpew HQ we’re beginning to wind down for the Christmas and New Year period already. It’s a time to reflect over the games of the year, assess our piles of shame and backlogs, and think about all the good (and bad) games we’ve played.
Expect a lot of lists and end of year content from us next week, but until then, here are the games that we’ve been busy with this week. Have a great weekend!
Rich: This week’s games have been a varied bunch. Just Cause 4 has given me many, many laughs; I’ve still been having fun tethering pedestrians to random objects before making them fly in weird and wonderful ways. Earth Defence Force 5 has also been immensely entertaining me with its corny dialogue and insane action. It’s just a shame that it doesn’t look a bit nicer.
It’s not all been fun, though; while I’ve enjoyed playing Spintires: MudRunner – American Wilds on Switch, it does feel like taking on an additional job at times. Whereas Jagged Allience: Rage! eventually felt like a chore to play and never really recovered.
And how could I forget that I’ve also been having a whale of a time with Super Smash Bros. Ultimate, the first Super Smash Bros. game that I’ve played. I’m finding it quite a hoot so far.
Kim: I played Gris this week. It’s beautiful, but frustrating in parts – but overall it was a worthwhile experience. I’m a sucker for great artwork, and that game certainly delivered. I’ve also played a bit more Katamari Damacy REROLL after purchasing it on Switch. Definitely the best medium to play it on – Katamari’ing on the go is the way forward, let me tell you.
I’ve also just started Rollercoaster Tycoon Adventures. I’m super excited about getting to build my own theme part on Switch. It’s not quite Theme Park World but I’m hoping it’ll scratch a similar itch. On Xbox, I’ve fired up the LEGO Harry Potter Collection a little. I may be generally getting a bit fed up of LEGO games, but I’ve always got room in my life for my favourite blocky wizards.
Becca: This week, Dead by Daylight got a new killer and survivor so of course I had to give them a try. The killer, called Legion, is tricky as they’re able to see when two survivors are working together on generators as well as when survivors have been hiding in lockers. The more that people get used to the new killer, the more that the dynamic of the game will definitely be changing. The new survivor, Jeff, has some helpful perks, like being able to see anyone that you’ve released from hooks, or has released you from hooks. It means even if you get separated from them, you can make your way back to other survivors.
I also had the pleasure of playing Battle Princess Madelyn, a 2D side-scrolling retro platformer. While the story mode may have been a little too difficult for my taste, I really enjoyed the arcade mode where you’re able to bash baddies endlessly. Finally, I played through Achtung! Cthulhu Tactics, a turn-based strategy game based in the world created by H.P Lovecraft. The game is slow moving at the beginning but redeems itself closer to the end of the game.
Stan: I’m currently writing this from the other side of the Football Manager vortex. I’ve been here all week playing Football Manager 2019 Touch on the Switch, and I’ve not even got through half a season yet. The amount of differences between the Switch version and the IOS/Android version is incredible. I think I may well be spending the rest of my life playing Football Manager 2019 Touch, until next season’s game releases anyway.
I’ve also tried out Trouserheart on the Switch. It’s a strange story about a King getting his trousers stolen. It’s a simple game that is completed pretty easily, but I enjoyed the visuals: it took me back to the peak days of fun Rare platformers. It also took me back to that dream I had when I was younger. I was writing on my computer, then everyone started laughing at me. I realised I wasn’t wearing trousers. That’s why, to this day, I make sure I remember to never wear trousers, so no one can laugh at my mistake. Er… be sure to look out for my Trouserheart review next week!
Chris: I’ve been continuing my journey through Red Dead Redemption 2, watching Dutch van der Linde’s stupidity get people killed. He’s gone from a suave idealist to a thundering moron, though Arthur’s partly to blame, having no sense of pattern recognition. What’s the worst that could happen? We could get kicked out of town, like the last seventeen times that his machinations nearly got us killed.
I’ve also been punching robots through skyscrapers in Override: Mech City Brawl, which I reviewed, and also roaming the wasteland in Mutant Year Zero. I’ve been tackling the latter even though I’ve finished my review; it’s not easy going, the game having just pitted me against a giant ED209 knock-off, but it’s a real blast.
Jack: It’s happening! This weekend I’ll be in the FUT Champions Weekend League and I’m really looking forward to going 0 wins and 30 losses. I’ve made some good progress on my team this week, and some progress in my overall skill level. Still a long way to go before I’m able to feel confident on my FIFA 19 online abilities; I need to continue to play to feel more confident, and I also need better players.
