Recent reviews by Revo

Not even entertaining as a "what went wrong"-type game. The low budget and unmet potential aren't the issue. The game's greatest fault is that it reeks of low effort.

Spark 2 is a refreshing take on Sonic Adventure style gameplay. If you're like me, and found that the greatest strength in those games was of Sonic's movement, then you won't be disappointed. Spark 2 controls like a dream, with a dashing-based system that's reminiscent of, but distinct from the aforementioned SA games. It also takes an interesting approach to combat by adopting a spectacle fighter style, but without the polish and depth of, say, a PlatinumGames title. This works well in short bursts, as is intended in the level design. This means that the game's pacing remains mostly consistent, without any significant plodding moments. In that sense, it succeeds at building upon the better part of the Sonic Adventure games.

However, the game is not perfect. Later levels rely a bit too heavily on narrow curving paths that are hard to stay on, and boss fights generally resort to button-mashing with some well-timed parries. Of the major flaws, the first is that enemies can be mostly avoided unless you're going for a score attack. This ties into the second major problem, which is the game's length.

Spark 2 is 2-3 hours long. I don't like valuing a game based solely on its length, but with few challenges in the post-game, and for £15, it's noticeably short on content. Of course, if you're familiar with the Sonic series, you know that those games either boast high quality with short run-times, or are densely packed with slow filler content (werehog, treasure hunting, mandatory replays). Getting down to brass tacks, the value you receive from the game is dependent on how likely you are to replay levels. If, a few weeks or months after this review, I've played several playthroughs' worth of time, you’ll know I consider the game to be good value for money. For most people, I'd suggest waiting for a sale, unless you're certain you'll be replaying the game.

If you enjoy 3D platformers, Spark 2 is worth your time. With beautifully edgy dialogue, a brilliant soundtrack, and an appealing visual style, the game is a wholly satisfying package. The question then becomes how much money you consider it to be worth.

I've never watched the DuckTales TV show, nor played the original game... but as soon as I saw the trailers I was hyped. The game is a remaster of the NES game DuckTales, with a beautiful new stylised look in HD. Not only that, but it has new modern remixes of the older tunes which sound great. The new cutscenes that were added have full voice acting by the original cast, which is an impressive feat in itself. Alan Young as Scrooge McDuck is still as good as always, and it's a joy to hear his voice acting.

The gameplay itself is exactly the same as the original NES game, which isn't a bad thing. The controls are solid and never feel unresponsive. The game itself feels like a new game, especially to somebody like me with no experience of the original. I found myself loving every moment, and I really connected with the characters and the world they existed in, despite having no experience of DuckTales previously.

My only gripe is the game's length. Despite the new level at the start of the game, the main story is only 2.5 hours long. The good thing is that you can choose to unlock all sorts of concept art and sketches for the game using the money you gain by playing the levels. Replaying levels never gets old, and there's an option to turn off cutscenes automatically if you want to just play the game, and also an option to have the original 8-bit music in the levels. I feel like I'll get many more hours out of the game just for the fun of playing the game.

If you're a fan of the DuckTales TV show, or the video game, you must get the game now. If you've had no experience with it before, but are interested, I recommend that you wait for a sale and pick it up then, as the length may not be enough to satisfy. Personally, I'm glad to have the game in my library.