Games of the week – Animal Crossing: New Horizons, Call of Duty: Warzone, MLB The Show 20 and Doom Eternal
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Animal Crossing: New Horizons
Platform: Nintendo Switch
Genre: Simulation
Price: £49.99
The mellow gaming we all need right now
A fresh instalment of Animal Crossing really could not come at a better time. Almost seven years after its last outing on Nintendo 3DS, players are swept off their feet onto an island with more control than before and HD graphics for the first time in the game's history, bringing greater detail to the experience. The low-pressure approach means you are in total control of how much time and effort you put into collecting items and building up your island, which is the kind of care-free escapism everyone needs right now. The construction process is even better than before and there are daily announcements to keep you in the loop of what is happening. Nintendo has also promised to run special time sensitive events, such as fishing tournaments, throughout the year.
Skip to the end: Animal Crossing: New Horizons steps in to save the day with its easy-going gaming, putting players in total control of pace.
Score: 9/10
MLB The Show 20
Platform: PlayStation 4
Genre: Sport
Price: £44.99
Another home run for this established franchise
The long-running baseball franchise knows what it's doing these days, and this is a polished simulation for any level of baseball fan out there. Firstly it looks great, with outfielders in particular being very realistic in their movement and animations. The gameplay options are broad too, from a full season where every team and business decision is yours down to single games and the Diamond Dynasty card collection game where you build your fantasy team. Gameplay itself is perhaps the best part though, with multiple control options for pitching, batting, throwing and fielding so players can find a set-up that suits them, even if they're new to the sport.
Skip to the end: Realistic movement and animation, along with well developed gameplay, make this a gaming catch.
Score: 8/10
Doom Eternal
Platform: PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Google Stadia, Nintendo Switch, PC
Genre: First-person shooter
Price: £49.99
Hell never looked so good
Everything you would want from a Doom game and more. Doom Eternal is the sequel fans have been hoping for in that it continues the breathless pace, heavy weapons and outright gore of the previous instalment from 2016. This is a relentless first-person shooter, but if you find a moment to look around, you can appreciate how good the demons and the hellish setting actually is. There's enough combat variants too, both in enemies and their size, with some epic boss battles included of course. The early tutorials do kill the initial pace as the game tries to get you up to speed with everything, but overall this is a brilliant, bloody romp through an amazing universe.
Skip to the end: Fast-paced first-person shooter entertainment.
Score: 9/10
Call of Duty: Warzone
Platform: PlayStation 4, Xbox One, PC
Genre: Battle royale
Price: Free
New battle royale contender
With yet another stab at the rapidly saturated battle royale genre, Call of Duty finds new ways to freshen things up. Like most, you can choose to play solo, in a duo or with two others. The map on Warzone is truly huge, giving plenty of space for the maximum of 150 players which each game can host. Getting eliminated initially isn't game over, as with most battle royale titles. Instead, killed players are imprisoned in one of the Gulags, where they can wait to fight an opponent one-on-one for a chance of returning to the main map. It's a particularly good way to maintain interest when playing as part of a team, meaning you aren't sitting there watching teammates for the rest of the session. Despite some early bugs, it's hard to complain when Call of Duty: Warzone is free to play.
Skip to the end: Vast map and fresh take on battle royale gives players more reason to be invested in the game, even when they've been killed.
Score: 8/10
