Games of the week – TT Isle of Man: Ride on the Edge 2, My Hero One's Justice 2, Roundguard and Spyder
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TT Isle of Man: Ride on the Edge 2
Platform: PlayStation 4, Xbox One, PC
Genre: Racing
Price: £49.99
Zooms ahead of its predecessor
Sadly, the Isle of Man TT annual motorcycle sport event has been cancelled this year due to the pandemic, but that doesn't mean the video game can't go ahead. Two years after its first outing, developers have turned to experienced competitors to refine its offering – and it has paid off. Players can choose to embark on the career mode or simply free-roam. There's also a tutorial that eases you in gently before the real speed kicks in. Don't expect to jump straight into the main Tourist Trophy event; you'll have to gain your place by riding for a team first and earning signatures. While we welcome perks and upgrade system, it could do with some refinements. The controls are simple enough but can be twitchy to handle, as well as tricky getting around corners smoothly.
Skip to the end: The career mode packs plenty of substance to keep you racing and invested while free roaming lets you ride and explore the Isle of Man's streets.
Score: 8/10
Spyder
Platform: iOS
Genre: Adventure / Puzzle
Price: £4.99 per month on Apple Arcade
Spy gaming from an alternative perspective
Most espionage games focus on you being a spy, but Spyder creatively tips the genre on its head, tasking you as one of the spy's hi-tech gadgets instead, a mini spider-like robot known as Agent 8. The aim is simple yet satisfying, find clues using the gadgets at your disposal to uncover the plans of SIN, an organisation which intends to destroy the world. This title gently eases you into the more challenging tasks – and the controls are incredibly easy to get your head around. The animation is also pretty impressive for a smartphone game.
Skip to the end: An easy-going title filled with plenty of challenges and an intriguing character that you'll quickly become attached to.
Score: 8/10
My Hero One's Justice 2
Platform: PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch, PC
Genre: Fighting
Price: £45.99
Another fun but forgettable anime fighter
Based on My Hero Academia manga series, My Hero One's Justice 2 takes you through recent events, sticking to the same artistic style. Though we're admittedly not familiar with the source material, fans can at least try to play things out as a villain for a different perspective rather than a rehash of what they already know. The controls can be difficult to the point of frustration, leaving you simply button mashing. There is a training mode to help you improve your fighting skills, but this didn't make us fight any more intelligently. Though the game is fun to play, it lacks enough substance to keep us fully engaged.
Skip to the end: Repetitive gameplay and frustrating controls make this remake a hard sell but those familiar with the manga series will undoubtedly love it regardless.
Score: 6/10
Roundguard
Platform: iOS
Genre: Puzzle
Price: £4.99 per month on Apple Arcade
Yawn-worthy puzzle gaming
Roundguard has a pinball vibe to it, as you shoot a bouncy crawler across dungeons to hit monsters and pick up bundles of loot along the way. The game unashamedly takes on the Peggle formula. Each dungeon is randomised to keep things fresh, but the concept still feels quite repetitive after a short while. It's also a shame developers don't make better use of the screen space – we found it a bit weird to tap on the left of the screen as a move, when there's a menu there.
Skip to the end: Simple but repetitive format leaves a lot to be desired and won't be remembered as one of Apple Arcade's better titles.
Score: 5/10
