Coming as a surprise to absolutely no one, The Last of Us Part II is on track to become one of the highest rated games of this year, if not the entire console generation.
God is a Geek, Push Square, IGN, Game Informer and at least a dozen other outlets dished out top marks, praising its storytelling while finding very little to complain about.
In fact, few gaming sites doled out a review score lower than 9/10. This makes GameSpot’s 8/10 stick out somewhat, no doubt infuriating the Naughty Dog hardcore. “By the time I finished The Last of Us Part II, I wasn’t sure if I liked it. It’s a hard game to stomach, in part because so much of who Ellie is and what she does is beyond your control. She is deeply complicated and flawed, and her selfishness hurts a lot of people,†they said regarding the game’s penchant for ultra-violence.
If you were expecting publishers and developers to clear their schedule for such a landmark release, you’re very much mistaken as a few other big-name titles are due.
Disintegration is a sci-fi shooter gunning for Halo and Destiny, reviews of which are now live. Scores are somewhat middling, mostly clocking in at 6/10. VGC opted for 3/5. “Those looking for a more solid FPS might want to look elsewhere, but it’s otherwise a fine alternative to the team shooter, where you can have the camaraderie without the people,†they said.
Slant Magazine felt it was distinctly average, meanwhile. “The more you play Disintegration, the less it has to offer, at least throughout its single-player campaign,†was their verdict.
THQ’s Desperados III has received far more positive reviews. In fact, it has yet to receive a review score lower than 7/10. The cowpokes at PlayStation Country, in particular, were smitten by the tactical cowboy shooter. “Desperados III is very similar to Shadow Tactics: Blades of the Shogun but that game was so good I don’t mind. The new character’s abilities are very unique and there is plenty of content and replayability. Fans of stealth and strategy need these games in their lives,†they said before handing out a lofty 9/10.
Push Square went with 7/10: “Desperados III’s Wild West setting makes for a charming backdrop, and the well-balanced, varied cast of bounty hunters means that each mission can be seen off in multiple, equally rewarding ways. But while the blend of refined real-time strategy mechanics and ever-escalating challenge will surely appeal to fans of the genre, novices could be perplexed by the often unforgiving difficulty and occasionally finicky rules.”
Colt Canyon is another cowboy game arriving this week, this being an indie release with pixel art visuals. It’s a Roguelike with hidden areas, AI controlled companions, permadeath and boss battles. The trailer is below.
The monochrome Radio Squid is another intriguing indie, likewise, being a shooter where enemies must be killed to the beat of the music. Expect plenty of chiptunes.
It’s a decent week for retro fans too. Two 8-bit (NES/Famicom) Namco collections arrive on Thursday – featuring such games as Pac-Man, Pac-Land, Rolling Thunder and Splatterhouse: Wanpaku Graffiti – while Tuesday sees the digital release of Darius Cozmic Collection Console and Darius Cozmic Collection Arcade on PS4 and Switch. The console version features 9 games, while the arcade iteration – which is slightly cheaper – includes 7 games.
Realistic skateboarding sim Session also arrives on Xbox One as a Game Preview release, while Dead by Daylight receives new Silent Hill DLC. The Switch also gets belated conversions of Railway Empire and EA’s Burnout Paradise Remastered.
Ion Fury’s retail release should be with us too, just in time for the shops reopening.
New release showcase
The Last of Us Part II
Disintegration
Railway Empire
Colt Canyon
Desperados III
Darius Cozmic Collection Arcade
Namco Museum Archives
Session
Radio Squid
New multiformat releases
- Desperados III
- Disintegration
- Colt Canyon
- Dead by Daylight: Silent Hill
- Namco Museum Archives Vol. 1
- Namco Museum Archives Vol. 2
- Radio Squid
- Edna & Harvey: The Breakout – 10th Anniversary Edition
New on PSN
- The Last of Us Part II
- Descenders
- Darius Cozmic Collection: Console
- Darius Cozmic Collection: Arcade Edition
- Ys: Memories of Celceta
New on Xbox One Store
- The Bard’s Tale: ARPG
- Session. (Xbox Game Preview)
- Timberman VS
- Waking
- Hard West Ultimate Edition
New Switch retail releases
- Burnout Paradise Remastered
- Ion Fury
- Railway Empire
- Kingdom Majestic
Next week: Spongebob SquarePants: Battle for Bikini Bottom – Rehydrated, Journey To The Savage Planet (Nintendo Switch), Little Town Hero Big Idea Edition, MEGA PARTY: A Tootuff Adventure, Night Call, Hunting Simulator 2, Assetto Corsa Competizione, Tower of time, Yes, Your Grace, and The Coma 2: Vicious Sisters.