Recent reviews by Jono

One look at the trailer was enough to get me hooked on the thought of playing this game - as I'm a sucker for a great music game. The visuals of Hi-Fi Rush may bring back some nostalgic memories for some, because it did for me. It felt like I was watching a Nickelodeon cartoon show in the mid 2000's when they were at its best.

Hi-Fi Rush is spot on in its approach to rhythm. Players can move and jump freely, but every step is in time to the beat, as is every attack, dodge, and parry. Where other action games have a sort of rhythmic flow to combat, Hi-Fi Rush makes that explicit and ensures you're well aware of what to do, as there's plenty of opportunities for tutorials within the starting areas. This can become a bit too tiresome once you're just ready and eager to get on with the story line.

Along with its consistent rhythm, Hi-Fi Rush genuinely excels in its accessibility. Bonus points and damage are awarded when buttons are tapped exactly on the beat, but even if players are slightly off the animation still occurs in rhythm. Levels gradually add in new moves for an ensemble that's tough to master. Further options include an on-screen metronome, colour-blind indicators, and customisation of your pulsing cat companion.

Speaking of companions, this game does them the best. Everyone is a joy to be around and supports the main character in combat, and their dialogue given is exceptional. Every action is accompanied by a guitar lick, a cheer, a hand clap, or a shout. It's like I'm improvising over the soundtrack, alongside cartoon thuds and booms and explosive effects that had me so happy throughout the playthrough, I couldn't stop headbanging to certain songs it's that addicting.

The licensed track selection is top notch, and truly delivers some great boss battles in game. Bosses aren't so much about learning attack patterns but rhythmic patterns that require perfect parrying through call and response, testing memory and feel for syncopation. The OST though for Tango's selection are equally as good as the licensed tracks, and adds a great dynamic of fun to your gameplay.

I didn't get the chance to play this last year when it released in 2023, but now in 2024 I can confidently say that Hi-Fi Rush is my personal game of the year. Every aspect of this game excels to put a smile on my face, and you can really appreciate the story and love put into this by the developers.

It is a damn shame they won't be making a sequel due to what happened, however I can't stress enough that Hi-Fi Rush should be on your list of games to play, high up in the pecking order of your backlog.

I picked this game up in 2003 when I wasn't even 10 years old yet and I have such fond memories of replaying this game multiple times and never once got bored! There's a reason it sits in my top 5 games of all time simply because the enjoyment factor and multiplayer (at the time) was incredibly addicting.

If you're a fan of the first game in the series, chances are high you'll be a fan of the second one as well. Kyle Katarn's journey to a Jedi is a really fun one which lets you come across a variety of different characters in the Star Wars universe you may have already seen in the movies/shows.

The levels within this game are great, the soundtrack holds up strong and even the game itself runs well, I had no issues considering this game is well over 20+ years old. Super fun combat, I prefer this game over the first in terms of combat and story. If you're a fan of Star Wars in general, I can't recommend this game any higher, as it's forever a core staple in my childhood.

In general, I absolutely love horror games so I couldn't wait to start Resident Evil Village. The game continuously brings up the events from the previous game's entry, Biohazard, which if you haven't played yet, should definitely check it out if you want far greater context to the ongoing story.

The story is very captivating and I always feel so anxious walking around the map, waiting for something to pop out and startle me. Performance wise, the game runs great, just like previous entries of RE, optimization is very good and I've ran into zero issues with bugs or crashes. The gunplay is fun and you really need to depend on hitting your shots at a pretty high percentage as ammo can be quite limited upon the starting couple hours.

Puzzles are quite simple but don't overstay their welcome, and there is enough curveballs thrown around to keep you curious about what/where to head off next. Bosses are presented in high quality and the soundtrack keeps you on your toes as you find ways to use your guns are environment to take these creatures down.

For fans of the Horror genre, I would highly recommend you check this title out, as it's often on sale you can get a great deal.

To say that Shadow of the Erdtree is a "DLC" can be very debatable topic considering how vast and expansive this release is. With so many hours of content awaiting you, it could quite literally be classified as Elden Ring 2 like many others have done already.

My favorite DLC of all time is Witcher 3's Blood and Wine, and this was due to aspects such as the price, story and overall content you received, you could really appreciate the effort the developers gave. Similar to Blood and Wine, Shadow of the Erdtree encapsulates everything a DLC should be about, which is a great effort by developers to showcase a love letter to the playerbase.

There is so much in Shadow of the Erdtree to take in, - from new equipment, landscapes, dungeons and enemies, to stunning vistas, to an unparalleled showcase of lore for hardcore fans that bears the fingerprints of George R.R. Martin.
This DLC is very much full of surprises, whether it's an unexpected narration twist, or monster jumping out of the void to scare the living daylights out of you. Shadow of the Erdtree provides a fantastic mix of bosses that will test your skill and understanding of encounters, and many are jaw-dropping spectacles that show off just how great From Software are at making absurd and majestic creatures that make you feel fragile and want to break your devices once they 2 hit you out of thin air.

Unsurprisingly, conquering the DLC isn't easy, as advertised by the many negative reviews left by gamers. Even if you've completed the base game and have spent many hours exploring the Lands Between for weapons, spells, and items while leveling up your character, the Land of Shadow renews the sense of challenge by once again stacking the odds against you. Every battle in the DLC is incredibly hard-fought, with everything from fast paced mobs to bosses running circles around you whilst you fight for your life trying to keep up with all the camera changes!

Scadutree Fragments scattered around the Land of Shadow can be used at Sites of Grace to raise attack power and damage negation, while Revered Spirit Ash will do the same for Torrent, your lovely loyal horse, as well as your Spirit Ash summons. This is a unique set of stats that will only apply to your character while in the Land of Shadow. But through proper exploration you can gain the necessary strength to defeat the challenging bosses you will come across.

As far as performance goes, it isn't the best. However I understand that future performance patches will be brought to the game. I do get a bit of stuttering here and there on a 4070TI, but it's not game breaking, nor dose it detract from my overall thoughts about the DLC too negatively.

Overall, Shadow of the Erdtree more than deserves the extremely high praise from critics and the players. This was well worth the wait, and can be held at such a high standard for other future projects to follow. This is the measuring stick that all developers should be investing their passion into.

I love the feeling of jumping into a roguelike and it immediately hooks you in, and you can spend hours lost in the pixelated world. Games which showcase families are rather uncommon these days, but Children Of Morta is all about the family. It's a hack and slash Diablo type game however without the loot.

Instead of classes, you choose a member of the family to delve into the ISO standard monster cave underneath the family mansion. Each member has their own weapons and talents, and you will come across plenty of cut scenes about how they all come together to stop the evil purple goop coming down the mountain to devour everything!

Each dungeon is procedurally-generated, but the resulting maps are interesting and variety is kept a plenty. It helps that the special rooms keep cropping up randomly. Some of these are mini games which produce upgrades as rewards, which is a nice welcome change. Others contain merchants, a handful of small side quests, or simply serve to advance the family story.

The different characters make for genuinely different approaches to the play, and force a depth of tactics that adds welcome variety, because one complaint is that it becomes difficult to see how slowly or quickly you're making progress.

The soundtrack in this game can give you a moment of clarity before reminding you where you are, and quickly thrusts the sound towards a spiraling intense battle. I really enjoyed this soundtrack throughout.

Overall, I recommend Children of Morta to any fan of a good solid RPG/Roguelite. The game implements a strong difficulty setting, fun characters, includes a lovely soundtrack and solid story. Check this one out and see how you go!

I'm glad I picked this game up into my mid 20's compared to if I had played this as a teenager. Having matured a lot, this game will certainly test your patience and it allows you to go at your own pace to complete each level.

This game is really a masterpiece on so many levels and having been released back in 2018, is definitely a game that can stand the test of time for many years to come. The soundtrack is beautiful and really compliments and creates a form of suspense along your playthrough, even with great background piano music.

Indie games are typically showing out over the past number of years and Celeste is no different. The difficulty can be immense but is extremely rewarding to complete the levels you spend so much time stuck on. They have difficulty options implemented to help you at the start when you're new and figuring out the controls. You can keep these on, or turn them off as you gain a better understanding of the movement, which is what I did.

Each location you go to has a unique theme and then begins to add more gimmicks which keeps the game fresh over the course of ascending the mountaintops. With a relatively concise, but impactful story on the nature of anxiety and depression and how it affects a person. Memorable characters and hours of additional content indistinguishable in quality from the main game, Celeste is one of the best platformers you can get your hands on.

I can't recommend this game enough, so please give it a try!

+ PC Port is very well laid out and smoothly implemented
+ Soundtrack is amazing, true Japanese instrumentals, very authentic experience
+ Photo mode is incredibly well designed, allowing for quite possibly the best screenshot experience in any game thus far?
+ Cut scenes are voice acted very nicely, with options for English and Japanese audio for a proper experience
+ Lots of content, and the map is stunning with plenty of way points and points of interest for fans of completion

Initially I had my own doubts that the PC port for Spiderman Remastered would be received with high praise, but I was proven very wrong and I'm glad that was the case.

In this game, the version of New York City has all the trademark locations from the actual place. Fans of the MCU will be treated to places like the Avengers Tower. All this is woven together with a deft touch and the city is a joy to explore. In terms of size and design, this city is around one-fourth the scale of the actual city, with Central Park showing this difference the best. Gameplay wise, one of the side activities is in fact snapping pictures of famous landmarks, which is great for completionist players. As a player you 100% want to spend as much time in the air as possible compared to the streets, the visuals are just that much better.

As far as transportation goes, the way you traverse around New York is wonderful and is certainly one of the stand-out reasons to play this game. Holding swing does what it says, but it is when you release or boost that gives you control over your direction and trajectory. You can also run up or along buildings, zip to any point that is highlighted and so much more! The animation team also did a stellar job of making sure Spidey keeps moving, vaulting over low objects like cars or AC units on city roofs.

The game runs incredibly well on PC, I played with a 2060 Super for my initial playthrough, then recently with a 4070TI for the DLC content. Typically, port overs from different consoles are a hit or miss, but in this instance it was an excellent decision which you'll see many other players praise it for.

As you play through the game, the more suits unlock and these have been pulled from across the Spider-verse. You can even don the Iron Spider suit from the later MCU films for example, which looks so amazing and detailed. Most of these suits come with their own power that you can mix and match with your favourite suit. There are also three suit power slots that let you edit Spider-Mans strengths and weaknesses till your heart's content.

There are in fact a few main villains running around New York and on your first play through it is hard to know where things are heading. These boss encounters all come with their own challenges, so you will be impressed with the variety of enemies you will come across. Combat in Spider-Man is quite straightforward, but surprisingly challenging. You have a basic melee combo; a web-powered, enemy-tracking heavy attack; and a web projectile that stuns and incapacitates enemies. These are your core attacks, however you can unlock additional moves to expand your kit. Enemies don’t possess overly complex AI routines, but they make up for it with plenty and plenty of numbers, you will encounter loads of enemies!

There are also really fun side mission content atop rooftops and streets which you will be introduced to during your playthrough. Admittedly, these side missions may become repetitive after a while depending on the player. Stopping a robbery and preventing an assault are exciting the first few times you do them; they are fun diversions between story missions, for sure. However, these activities quickly become routine.

Marvel’s Spider-Man Remastered is a fantastic adventure game that features engaging combat, immersive environments with a superb traversal system, and a great comic-book-fueled storyline. The city is packed with crimes to intercept and items to collect, and the included DLC adds even more content, which can take anywhere from 1-2 hours to complete (There are 3). Sure, some of these elements wear on you by the time you get to the game's end, but these are relatively minor nitpicks. I strongly recommend this game, so get it at whatever best price you can and enjoy for yourself!

Red Dead Redemption 2, the magnum opus from Rockstar Games, it's damn near a masterpiece that you could ever wish for in a video game. From the majestic landscapes to the intricate details of its characters, this open-world western adventure sets an unparalleled standard for immersive storytelling.

The soundtrack is a symphony of the Old West, accentuating the emotional beats of the narrative and adding depth to the overall atmosphere. The voice acting is impeccable, with each character delivering performances that elevate the storytelling to cinematic heights, especially Dutch you can really feel his desperation as the game continues onwards.

Gameplay is a great bit of action, exploration, and survival elements. The gun-play is incredibly satisfying, showing closeup visuals of headshots, and the hand-to-hand combat is visceral. The horse mechanics are a standout feature, the best in any open world game, creating a bond between the player and their many choices of trusty steed. The open-world design encourages exploration, with hidden treasures and intriguing encounters.

The graphics still hold up amazingly well, if not much better than many games released since 2018! Rockstar have done a stellar job with the setting of RDR2, and if you have a strong enough PC, then you will be rewarded, as there are many opportunities to nab some beautiful screenshots in game.

The NPCS generally act in a normal fashion and live out the days of those who lived in that time, which creates an amazing environment that fits the given time period it was set in, you can interact with anyone on the street and create conversations and build a reputation with individuals in the town, for better OR for worse!

In conclusion, Red Dead Redemption 2 is a triumph in every sense. Rockstar Games has set a new standard for open-world gaming, and Red Dead Redemption 2 stands as a testament to the limitless potential of storytelling in the interactive space. This game is worth full price, although you won't find it at that stage anymore, so consider yourselves very lucky for whatever deal you can get this game on!

Bring on GTA 6 Rockstar!

After an extremely backlash filled release in late 2020, CDPR has done their best to convert the entire game to what players were expecting to it be released as. In summary, they have done that!

Over the years, CDPR have focused immensely on bug and glitch fixes that moved it from a broken buggy mess to something distinctly playable, with that wonderful open world experience we all wanted to immerse ourselves in.

I’m very impressed with what they’ve managed to achieve with this revision to the game and I believe it is finally living up to its full potential. With the DLC released, this brought fresh eyes to the game and allowed players of old to come back and experience a new play through of the game without those game breaking bugs they were so used to seeing previously.
I believe the game is just a lot more FUN to play. It was great because of its storytelling and design before but now it’s just better in every possible way.

Considered one of the biggest changes, is the fact that you can now engage in vehicle combat with things like car chases, shooting out tires, and shooting at each other. It’s something that was strongly needed in the game and makes the massive number of vehicles actually useful now. The various criminals and opponents in Night City are no longer nearly as limited as they used to be. This again, helps with the challenge and makes encounters things that players are going to want to take slowly.

You can double-jump, slow time, use quick hacks and use all manner of meaningful abilities to cut your enemies into literal strands of ribbons. Fast travel points are everywhere in the large map, and dialogue can be skipped with the press of a button that visually fast-forwards time. The game has NPCs that are relatable and universally well-written, cut scenes that are engaging, and a host of great soundtrack options to accompany your playthrough. Combat is excellent and offers a wide choices of ways to take down your enemies in Night City, so you can always find a suitable way that you prefer to play.

As far as 2024 goes, having completed the main game and the DLC, Cyberpunk is a game I would replay in a heartbeat! Highly recommended to anyone who's looking to lose a bunch of hours in an immersive open world RPG.