GAMES CENTRAL
JAMIE HARRIS reviews new releases Hidden Through Time, Totally Reliable Delivery Service, The Complex and No Way Home. Android, iOS Genre: Simulation Price: From £11.99
★★★
If you’re looking for something silly to take your mind off things, then look no further than Totally Reliable Delivery Service. Taking parcels from A to B on a map may seem like a simple feat, but it’s less so if you have rag-doll physics and need to go through extremely absurd methods such as going down a hand glider to get each mission done.
Playing alone is no fun, but adding three others locally or online takes the chaos to a new level, bringing out its true, slapstick, humoured self. However, getting stuck inside objects can be frustrating and leave you wondering if it’s deliberate or a game bug - we’re inclined to believe it’s the latter. Pop-in graphics (where elements suddenly appear as you move around the map) also fail to impress given the basic nature of the game, but the concept provides enough light entertainment to look over this. SKIP TO THE END: Slapstick silliness best played with others for optimal results, Totally Reliable Delivery Service is everything a courier wishes they could be - minus the bugs.
THE COMPLEX Platform: PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch, PC, Mac Genre: Interactive movie Price: £9.99
★★★★
So, The Complex is not strictly a game but it is a fine example of how the line between games and movies is continually blurring, leaving the gamer or viewer (you decide which you consider yourself) to make choices for the lead, Amy, in this sci-fi thriller. Comparing it to the big budget of Netflix’s Black Mirror: Bandersnatch might be unfair, despite their obvious similarities, but The Complex holds its ground with eight different endings and well-polished visuals, as well as seamless transitions between each scene.
Decisions can vary from deciding whether or not to take a phone call, to more drastic choices such as choosing who lives or dies. Gaming roots show in the relationship and personality screen, which details how you well - or not - you’re getting on with others. Acting was not always very convincing, making this a more solid game entry than a movie one.
SKIP TO THE END: A welcome addition to the interactive movie arena with real promise from the relationship and personality screen and a well-rounded storyline.
NO WAY HOME Platform: iOS
Genre: Adventure
Price: £4.99 per month on Apple Arcade
★★★
Sitting in an escape pod, appearing to be the only survivor of a tourist space cruise, No Way Home sets you on a journey through the galaxy to find civilisation. The principles are basic and nothing new - explore, encounter alien bad guys and strange objects, follow objectives and carry out tasks, as you go about the search for Earth. Going back and forth can be a bit tedious when completing activities but this is a minor setback. And despite your character being a little whiny, the banter between you and your robot companion fill what would otherwise be a very silent game. Visually, the cartoon artwork approach suits No Way Home perfectly but the repetitive nature of game play left us wanting regular breaks.
SKIP TO THE END: Easy controls, simplicity and beautiful cartoon visuals not enough to make up for unoriginal concept.
GAME CHART
1 Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 Resident Evil 3
3 Fifa 20
4 Animal Crossing: New Horizons 5 Persona Royal 5
6 Forza Horizon 4
7 Crash Bandicoot N.Sane Trilogy 8 Grand Theft Auto V
9 Stars Wars Jedi: Fallen Order 10 Minecraft: Xbox Edition Ukie Games Charts (c), compiled by GfK