Ever wanted to take control an absolute prick of a goose, collect a bazillion guns or play a Studio Ghibli movie? Well this month you can do all three…
Untitled Goose Game (Switch, PC)
Some games toil with moral complexities and tough decisions. Others present you with deep, realistic mechanics. Untitled Goose Game, on the other hand, lets you be an absolute asshat, and it’s bloody wonderful.
Made locally by Melbourne development studio House House, the premise is simple: take control of a honking, up-to-no-good goose and cause pure chaos to unassuming British villagers.
In one instance that might involve stealing a gardener’s rake and dragging it into the nearby river. In another, you’ll be chasing a terrified child around with maniacal glee – honking till your heart’s content.
Your tasks will constantly vary as you move from area to area, but the quirky humour thankfully remains intact throughout the short adventure. To reveal too much more would ruin the surprising gem’s charm – so don’t be a goose and just play it already.
FIFA 20 (PS4, XBO, PC)
Thanks to the annualised nature of the FIFA series, it’s always a valid question as to what EA is actually changing year on year. To the football fanatic, a reworked passing game or increased simulation are major selling points. For the casual player – slightly less so.
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That conversation is much less prominent with FIFA 20, and that’s largely thanks to the introduction of Volta mode. After listening to fan feedback, Volta essentially acts as the modern-day FIFA Street series injected into the mainline title.
Matches can range from 3 v 3 to a more traditional futsal approach, but regardless of what you choose, the mode thankfully possess a much faster pace and place a greater emphasis on showmanship and skill.
The narrative attached to the mode is hardly a selling point, but does well enough to keep you trucking along when you don’t have any friends to face off against.
Career mode, on the other hand, is in some serious need of TLC, but Volta makes this year’s entry a worthwhile investment all the same.
Borderlands 3 (PS4, XBO, PC)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Av5Eyx3bGtM
With Borderlands 3 developer Gearbox had a tough tightrope to walk. Present a game that offers some fresh new changes, but changes that ultimately didn’t alienate the large fanbase that has been waiting on a new entry for seven years.
It’s no surprise then that this threequel feels strikingly similar to its predecessor. In many ways that’s great – the action is always chaotic fun, the guns plentiful and each new character actually feels uniquely different from one another. In others it’s a little disappointing, especially with an outdated UI that is miles behind the times.
We still had an absolute blast returning to Pandora and building up our team of vault hunters (especially with friends thanks to updated and more friendly co-op options), and there’s plenty of content to sink your teeth into. Just don’t expect any major reinventions.
The Legend of Zelda: Link’s Awakening (Switch)
As the Nintendo faithful now wait patiently for the eventual Breath of the Wild sequel, there’s still plenty of Zelda action to enjoy thanks to this truly impressive remake of the 26-year-old Game Boy original. And it should be stressed how major this revamp is – completely transforming the screen-to-screen gameplay into an open, charmingly beautiful experience.
The unique tiny plastic diorama-styled look never gets old and constantly puts a smile on your face. Quality of life updates – like being able to control multiple items at once – also helps bring the classic back up to the standards of modern gaming.
Perhaps the most disappointing element is also the most surprising: performance. Whether you’re exiting out of your menu, or entering an enemy-heavy area, there is noticeable slowdown at play here. It’s hardly going to ruin your experience, or even impact it too drastically, but it can be a little distracting.
That said, it’s a small complaint in what is otherwise an excellent package for those wishing to brush up on their Zelda lore.
Ni no Kuni: Wrath of the White Witch Remastered (PS4, PC)
When the original Ni no Kuni launched back in 2013, the unexpected collaboration between Japanese studio Level-5 and anime royalty Studio Ghibli created a truly magical product that wowed critics and gamers alike. It was also a massive tear-jerker of a tale, following a young boy attempting to deal with a pretty gigantic loss.
This new remaster offers improved visuals and a steadier frame rate, but aside from that, things play out largely the same way they did six years ago – operating like a strange-yet-satisfying blend between Final Fantasy and Pokémon. Fans returning to the series have less reason to reinvest, especially considering how lengthy the whole adventure is, but for newcomers, this is the best way to play one of the finest RPGS of the last generation. Just pick up a box of tissues as well.
Switch owners are also able to get in on the action, however that version is a strict port of the original with no visual improvements.
