Posts By Mat Growcott

Last week I asked where the hype for Redfall was. Then the reviews were released. It has not fared well, and that’s not good news for Xbox. The Metacritic score currently sits at 64 on Xbox Series X and 62 on PC. Commentary on the game is, to say the least, mixed. Multiple outlets are talking about failed experiments, trying to venture into the wrong genre and Arkane ignoring their own design principles to bring in a multiplayer element. There…

Is the merger between Microsoft and Activision dead? The short answer might just be yes, but things are never that simple. There’s always been one major threat to this purchase, which has been going on nearly 18 months now. That was the UK’s CMA finding a reason to block it. Well, the CMA found a reason to block it. The CMA cannot really be challenged. At best Microsoft might get them to look at it again, and the same conclusion…

It seems we’ve been really quiet about the upcoming Redfall here at GamesReviews and we’re not alone. It doesn’t seem like it’s getting the hype of other big games. There’s a lot of reasons that might be. Starfield was the next big Bethesda release, until it wasn’t. And now Redfall seems to be being compared to that, in terms of its “place” within the Xbox release schedule. That’s a lot of pressure to put ...

It’s not always about the amount of risk and biggest reward. Sometimes you just want to enjoy it without the massive cost. Thankfully, there are countless low minimum deposit games to enjoy throughout the internet. Unlike traditional casinos where you’re locked into the costs of wherever you happen to be, playing online allows you to pick and choose your gambling destinations. That means you can always get the right price – no matter what you ...

Microsoft are having a busy year so far, but the ghost of all those long-announced but distant games still massively linger. Perfect Dark, State of Decay 3 and, yes, Fable. Well, good news for those who are waiting for information on the latter. Fable has hit its ‘flighting’ phase. Considering rumours not that long ago that there was barely any game, the fact that tests are going ahead is good news. A LinkedIn update revealed the news, as shared ...

The discussion on DLC is always a bit biased, and it’s been the same for the announcement of Elvish-language DLC for the upcoming Lord of the Rings: Gollum game. I think it’s pretty cool. Elves in the game speak a bit of their own language, Sindarin. Well, purchasing this DLC adds more of it to the game, which is due at the end of May. It’s optional, included in the special edition and beats a random costume or digital art…

There are a million poker games on the internet. What makes one stand out over the other? It’s all about vibe. Let’s take a look at Prominence Poker. It’s a poker game. You play poker. You do poker-related things. And yet by giving it an adult look, and letting you create your own characters, it makes it stand out in a market of green table tops and little else. It has an edge that has obviously worked for its fans…

Perhaps it was inevitable. Maybe it’s down to personal choice. Whatever the reason, the result is the same. I have stopped playing Overwatch 2. And there’s not much that could bring me back. It’s not unusual to burn out on a game, especially one you’ve played for hundreds of hours. And across the two iterations of this franchise, I have put in a lot of time. And it’s still, fundamentally, a fantastic experience. Once a game ...

Ghostwire: Tokyo became almost more noteworthy for where it was than what it was. The last PlayStation exclusive from Xbox following the Bethesda deal, it seems to have came and went. That is a real shame. Now, a year on, Xbox can finally release Ghostwire: Tokyo on their own platforms, including Game Pass. Is it worth the leap in? A mix of Ubisoft’s blend of exploration with a heavy dose of Japanese culture, Ghostwire: Tokyo is a horror game that…

If there was an icon of the early noughties, Jet Set Radio seems to be a contender. It had the music, the feel, the unique look and gameplay. SEGA had a winning formula. And then they just stopped. Until now. The original game was popular enough, and the sequel on Xbox seems to have a decent following as well. But, like Shenmue, it just kind of dropped off the planet. Which is a shame, because unique colourful games were sorely…