Shuffle – Retro Games review by Harrison
Available from all good retailers (8 Years +) 4.5 Stars
Youth #Gottit View:
Whether you were there in the 80s for these classic movies/shows or you’re a new fan, only just discovering these iconic titles – the Retro Games are really good fun. A great gifting idea!!!
PlayStation 5 – Resident Evil Village
Being my first entry into the resident Evil franchise, ‘Village’ was both a treat and a mystery to me. I had previously perceived the resident evil games as mass shoot ’em ups but was presently surprised when I was greeted to a much more puzzle/adventure game as Ethan Winters (protagonist of the previous game, Resident Evil 7: Biohazard) is once again thrust into the supernatural world in search of his infant daughter, Rose.
The game begins some 3 years after the events of RE 7, with Ethan desperately attempting to live a normal life with his wife Mia and their newborn daughter, however, as you could probably expect with the Resident Evil games, all does not stay normal for long as Ethan finds himself waking up in the middle of a Romanian forest with no understanding of why he is there. After traversing through many a dead, strung-up crow and several decapitated goat heads, he finds himself faced with a middle ages-esque castle and a seemingly abandoned town to match. After some minor exploration and an attack from what seemed like hundreds of Lycans (werewolves for those who aren’t horror buffs), Ethan uncovers the villager’s weird cult-like obsession with the mysterious ‘Mother Miranda’ as it becomes clear his daughter’s kidnapping is part of a much deeper ploy.
Right off the bat, the game’s settings are beautiful and engaging, taking place in predominantly the castle and village with a couple of other areas sprinkled in for good measure. The beginning is relatively quick, throwing you into the action almost instantly. Many eery characters are introduced, being explored individually later in the game.
The characters are memorable and creepy, with interactions with the 4 lords, especially, being a highlight of the play through. These Lords make up the bosses of the game, with fights feeling unique, keeping me jumping out of my seat constantly. Lady Dimitrescu , the first boss of the game, is by far the best of the 4 Lords, with all 9 foot 6 of her Vampirical maliciousness shining through as Ethan tries to escape her castle. Unfortunately, the game’s highest point is this section with its start being one of the best I have ever played yet proceeds being of slightly less quality. This is a minor criticism, however, with its highs (of which there are many) being incredibly high and its lows being only ‘very good’.
Ethan is an engaging MC and Mother Miranda’s aura alone provides ample reason to fear her. The game is filled with twists and turns with major shocks throughout. There is an abundance of jumpscares, and just enough gunplay to satisfy anything a Resident Evil fan could want. With a playing time of 8 to 10 hours and a new addition of side quests which aren’t usually present within RE games, there is ample content to justify its £50 price tag.
Overall, this may be the best horror game I have ever played!!!
Available on PlayStation 5 7/5/21 (PEGI 18) 5 Stars
Youth #Gottit View:
It’s classic Resident Evil for the modern gamer. Full of Jumpy moments, Big Scares, Weird Creatures and Lots and Lots of Gore. Highly Recommended!!!
PlayStation 5 review by Harrison and Con CLICK HERE!!!
PlayStation 5 – Returnal review by Harrison
Available on PlayStation 5 30/4/21 (PEGI 16) 4 Stars
Youth #Gottit View:
There’s something very unique yet classic about the gameplay for Returnal. Definitely one for gamers that like a challenge and it looks incredible on the PlayStation 5!!!
PlayStation 5 review by Harrison and Con CLICK HERE!!!
PlayStation 5 – Oddworld Soulstorm review by Con
Available on PlayStation 5 6/4/21 (PEGI 16) 5 Stars
Youth #Gottit View:
It’s Oddworld and the lovable alien Abe looking better than ever. This game is incredible and our Abe is as adorable as he’s always been. Highly Recommended!!!
PlayStation 5 review by Harrison and Con CLICK HERE!!!
Bandai – Cyberpunk 2077 Collectible Figures review by Harrison
Available from Zavvi (14 Years +) 4.5 Stars
Youth #Gottit View:
This game is a PEGI 18 so these are perfect for gaming fans that want to enjoy the Cyberpunk franchise but can’t play the game yet. But if you are over 18 and loving the game – these are a must own!!!!
Cyberpunk 2077 game review CLICK HERE!!!
Tactic – 15 Minutes To Self-Destruct review by Sophie
’15 Minutes to Self-Sestruct’ by Tactic is a intense and exhilarating board game that focuses on teamwork, communication and a throw of the dice.
The game is set on the SS Nebula, a space ship that is set to self district after a meteor impact. The basics of the game is to move through the board, opening doors and turning on all of the switches, to reach the escape pods before your 15 minute countdown runs out.
Inside the box you get the game board, 4 game characters, 24 door tiles, 13 switch tiles, one plastic control module, four nonslip stickers, a phone raising board, 2 dice and the rules/instructions. You can download the free app from the AppStore or Googleplay.
I personally love the fact that this game has focused on the aspect of teamwork, unlike your typical board game. It’s a fast and frantic game with just the right amount of building pressure as the counter ticks down. I think the app is a fantastic idea as it really creates a tense and panicked atmosphere which really adds to the whole aspect of the game.
I like this game and would give it 5 stars as it is very good for entertaining guests and passing time with others.
Available from all good retailers (8 years +) 5 Stars
Youth #Gottit View:
This is a High energy, Fast paced game for anyone who likes a challenge. Very exciting – Highly Recommended!!!
Little Nightmares II
After about 2 years the ‘freak fest’ that is Little Nightmares has returned, looking more devilish than ever. However, unlike the last game it does not solely follow Six’s story it depicts a greater story.
Unlike the last game you control a new character named Mono who travels along with 6. Mono finds Six in a house trapped and befriends her and together they travel through areas trying to outmaneuver and trick enemies so the can eventually escape from hungry inhabitants.
What I find interesting about games like this is that they are very much up for interpretation, as it seems like the lore is a mystery. When we find Six she has already escaped and taken down the Maw with her powers and yet in this second game we see nothing of it against the bosses. I like this aspect of the game as it almost serves as dramatic irony. We know about the devastating power that Six and yet Mono is unaware. Overall I believe this ties a nice bow around how the game is played and really helps with the mystery aspect.
In this game the controls are incredibly simple, but what makes it hard is that they must be done in combination. This involves the new swinging mechanic that can be done to take down smaller enemies and destroy weak doors. This mechanic is good fun to use and becomes very fluid upon getting used to it. This becomes very useful as it gives you a sense of control over the enemies and entrances which the other game restricted you in. Also with the help of Six you are now able to get up onto higher places using her boost or you can move heavy objects or open heavy hatches using the strength of Six and Mono combined which also lets the control be in your hands. And a final thing that comes with the duo game (aside from the solo game) is unique challenges that can only be cleared in Six specific areas so she can turn nozzles or grab objects.
Unlike other releases on the market the Little Nightmares games play like a ‘LAIKA’ movie style ‘Little Big Planet’. In this way the game is set out so you continuously travel through the world and challenges instead of having a level select. I really like this format as it means that it has a flow that helps with constant fear instead of breaking it up into separate parts.
Most of the areas play out by completing challenges whilst either hitting smaller enemies or hiding from the large ones and getting to safety. This is a great dynamic as it means that the control it gives with the new swinging mechanic doesn’t make the game too easy and it still requires patience and precise actions.
I like ‘Little Nightmares II’ a lot due to its diversity against other games in the market and how unlike most horror titles which require fear in the unknown this game can make you be fearful whilst knowing exactly where enemies are. Which is a hard thing to do – but they pulled it off especially well.
I also like the art style which reminds me of Plasticine and it helps the textured design of the monsters and bosses can really be exaggerated. This really helps it become quite a fearsome game whilst still being incredibly casual and not leaving you terrified that at any moment you could be jump scared which keeps me coming back for more every day. For these reasons I believe (unlike many others games of this genre) this can be enjoyed by even the less hardened horror fans.
In conclusion I believe Little Nightmares II is a 5 star game as it’s very entertaining and the right level of difficult. You will always want to beat the game even if you get slightly creeped out by the characters.
Available on PlayStation 4, Nintendo Switch, XBox One and PC 11/2/21 (PEGI 16) 5 Stars (PS5 and XBOX Series X Coming soon)
Youth #Gottit View:
Perfectly fits into the Little Nightmares world and a must own for any horror gaming/movie fans!!!
PlayStation 5 – Control Ultimate Edition review by Harrison
Available on PlayStation + Now for PlayStation 5 (PEGI 16) 4.5 Stars
Youth #Gottit View:
You’ll spend most of you game playing time wondering what the hell is going on – but you’ll love every minute!!!
PlayStation 5 – The Nioh Collection
Set in 1600’s Japan, ‘The Nioh Collection’ follow the adventures of William Adams as he pursues the sorcerer Edward Kelley.
Both games are action packed with lots of blood, gore and a multitude of Monsters to defeat as you navigate through the various levels.
Graphically this newly updated version of the two ‘Nioh’ games look beautiful – but both are very challenging to conquer.
Personally I really enjoyed the games – but found them very hard. This is definitely a game for the die hard fans of the franchise and any gaming ‘Completionists’ that like to play everything on the hardest level.
Available on PlayStation 5 5/2/21 (PEGI 18) 4 Stars
Youth #Gottit View:
If you like your games tough but fun – this is definitely one for you. The new remastered version of the ‘The Nioh’ games look stunning on PlasyStation 5!!!
PlayStation 5 review by Harrison and Con CLICK HERE!!!
Turrican Flashback review by Harrison
Available on Nintendo Switch and PlayStation 4 29/1/21 (PEGI 7) 4 Stars
Youth #Gottit View:
Turrican may be a bit tough for some gamers, but if you love retro games and like a challenge – you get 4 games for the price of one!!!
