It’s Christmas, sort of, and while the wonder that is two weeks off work is inching ever closer, the guilt I feel for not writing about certain games is weighing me down. To lift that from my shoulders and not at all to fill a content gap on this website, here are a bunch of games I wanted to write about but didn’t get round to (definitely not because I played the Gears 5 Hivebusters DLC instead). Enjoy.
The Falconeer
Released alongside the Xbox Series X and S, but also on PC, the hour or so I played during a rare moment of Q4 calmness was both a lovely throwback to games from yesterday (Crimson Skies and the like) and a gorgeous example of when less is more when it comes to visuals. It’s a neat game that has been well received, and rather different to what else released this year. I liked it, and I find birds a bit creepy, to be honest.
Overcooked: All You Can Eat
I never thought I needed a next-gen remaster of all Overcooked content released to date, but now it’s here in the form of All You Can Eat, I’m very glad it exists. There’s nothing that spreads Christmas cheer worse than playing Overcooked with family members, and I firmly blame it for my son learning some new swear words. 100 percent recommended for brilliant multiplayer shenanigans and arguments.
Marvel’s Spider-Man Remastered on PS5
I’d never played Spider-Man on PS4 despite buying it earlier in the year (why do I keep buying games and then not play them?), so it was great to swing into the revamped PS5 edition to experience it in its most impressive form. In short, it’s good fun. I think on balance I prefer Miles to Peter, so Miles Morales has been more fun to play through, but if you are yet to sample Sony’s sales juggernaut I still highly recommend it.
FIFA 21 on PS5 and Xbox Series X
It’s no secret that the intro to FIFA 21 on next-gen rubbed me the wrong way, but in terms of the game itself, I’m feeling rather shrug emoji. On Series X FIFA 21 looks fine, plays fine, and is generally fine. I guess I’m just a little done with FIFA for a while. On next-gen you get some better player likenesses (although Harry Kane looks awful), and the load times are superb, but the game didn’t really give me the next-gen spark of excitement I was hoping for. I also miss The Journey despite knowing it’s a bit naff, and hope it makes a return in the future. Maybe it could focus on a footballer who wants more money for being in Ultimate Team.
Immortals Fenyx Rising
I’m early days with this, but so far it’s ticking a lot of boxes for what I want in an open-world action game. It doesn’t take itself too seriously, it’s colourful, and looks lovely. I’m not sure if its “Assassin’s Creed for kids” pre-release image did it any favours, as it’s really a lot better than that and doesn’t feel like a watered-down spin-off or anything like that. Kids will no doubt enjoy this, but I’m a very serious fully-grown adult who has a mortgage and think it’s great. It’s also a game I have a realistic chance of finishing, which doesn’t seem likely for Valhalla.
NBA 2K21 on PS5 and Xbox Series X
I don’t know much about basketball other than how many points you score for a basket in and outside of the sort-of-semicircle, but I do know that NBA 2K21 on next-gen looks brilliant. It’s the kind of next-gen wow I wanted from FIFA but didn’t get. I still think that the animations let things down a little, with players sliding around a little, instantly breaking the immersion, but it’s a great start for the franchise on the new consoles. That’s it, I think. No doubt I’ll wake on Christmas morning filled with the excitement only a soon to be eaten warm pain au chocolat can bring a person, only for a tinge of sadness to descend as I remember the other games I forgot about. I’m sorry, other games.
