Hotline Miami is a top down, 2D shooter-come-melee game that overflows with style and ambience. Wrapped in an 80’s inspired pseudo-retro world, the game is filled with neon lighting, whirling electronic soundscapes and moments of extreme violence that combine the aesthetic with the disturbing.
One of the most stand-out features is the AI system. Admittedly the enemies' ability to detect the player is relatively basic, either through direct line of sight or the sound of a gunshot, which...

This review has been put off and put off until EA and DICE sort out the major game issues via a series of patches. Whilst there are still many niggles remaining, it has reached a state where it’s possible to enjoy the game without encountering too many off-putting bugs or crashing back to the dash every couple of rounds. New hardware was also introduced for the Naval Strike DLC pack to combat the massive rubber-banding that made it unplayable for a couple of weeks. Incredibly sad that it took...

Whereas Final Fantasy and Dragon Quest have always sat comfortably atop Japan's RPG roost, Shin Megami Tensei has always been a more modest success story. Whilst it's not been around quite as long as the big two, since a debut on the Super Famicom it's managed to land titles on most any format you could care to mention - although more often than not under the banner of one of the sub-series. These, such as Devil Summoner, Digital Devil Saga, or the most popular of the bunch - Persona - each have...

Kirby is no stranger to having multiple games throughout a systems lifespan, so it's something of a surprise to see the first entry for the pink blob on the 3DS come almost three years after its launch. Whereas the DS and Wii saw the likes of Mass Attack and Epic Yarn respectively – games that broke the mold in terms of what is expected of a Kirby title - Triple Deluxe is more traditional platforming fare. But how does the first stereoscopic 3D game hold up?
The story, for what it is wo...

Forza 5 has a tough act to follow. The mainstay is the tried and tested formula of simulation with seat-of-the-pants driving feel, honed throughout the series, along with various levels of driver assists making it accessible and fun for all abilities. This holds up various layers of customisation, social sharing and car porn, which together make for a distinctive and unique racing game. So how have Turn 10 made Forza 5 stand out?
Obviously there’s a visual improvement for the new gener...

The most anticipated Japanese 3DS release of 2013 and the latest in the series, Monster Hunter 4 is now out and stalking it's prey and taking a break from the usual avoidance of the number 4 in Japanese (being a homonym for "death"). The essential Monster Hunter formula had changed little since the original game debuted on the PlayStation 2 back in 2004.


The player assumes the role of the quintessential hunter-gatherer and must use what they carve from their fallen foes...

It is said that there is a fine line between genius and madness. It should also be said that there is a fine line between classic game design and the flawed genius of a broken idea. The defining characteristic of a good puzzle game is control. The player needs to be able to effectively manage and manipulate the tools given to them to succeed. The point at which the level of control slips from manageable into randomness is the point at which the puzzle game fails. Usually that point happens at the...

Puzzle Stones by Akies Games is an innovative take on the colour block matching genre. By throwing away several of the clichéd staples that you normally find in this sort of game, they have made it fresh and exciting.
So, read carefully. Random coloured blocks (or “Stones”) appear on a grid and it is your job to meet certain requirements to complete the level by matching and thus deleting three or more coloured Stones at a time. However, these Stones do not have to be next to each ...

Game Dev Story (GDS) is a sleeper hit in every sense of the word. Word of mouth quickly generated enough publicity to encourage potential purchasers to download a game about making games. On paper it is a premise that doesn’t initially seem to make sense. You start a videogame company and you make games. Right then. GDS takes this concept and fleshes it out to become one of the most complete experiences on the iDevice platforms and it is one that succeeds not only on the strength of its parody...

Batman had his Batcave, Superman had his Fortress of Solitude, Oscar had his rubbish bin... As if you out there haven't thought or fantastised about building your own secret base at some point in your life. That is what the Azito (azito/ajito ~ "secret base") series of games are all about, and with AZITO 3D Hamster brings one of the more heroic / villainous resource management games to not just the first of the series on the 3DS, but any Nintendo console.

Naturally, the constru...