Games of the week: Crash Bandicoot 4: It’s About Time, The Walking Dead Onslaught, Serious Sam 4 and Slash Quest
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Jamie Harris tries Crash Bandicoot 4: It’s About Time, The Walking Dead Onslaught, Serious Sam 4 and Slash Quest.
Crash Bandicoot 4: It’s About Time
Platform: PlayStation 4, Xbox One
Genre: Platformer
Price: £59.99
Crash landing back onto screens
Crash is back on form with this new entry to the franchise, which perfectly blends what fans love about the original games with newer elements to freshen things up. It’s About Time acts as a direct sequel to Crash Bandicoot Warped, where Neo Cortex and N. Tropy escape from prison, leaving Crash and Coco to find four Quantum Masks which will provide them with special abilities (these vary from gliding through air, to slowing down time). Levels will get harder and more challenging as you progress, and there’s an interesting choice of modes too. A retro mode plays out in the traditional sense, collecting Wumpa fruit for extra lives but starting over when you run out. The modern mode gives players the chance to restart from checkpoints after every death, instead opting for a death counter.
Skip to the end: Developers successfully stay true to Crash’s legacy while spicing things up with new features, characters and plenty of replayability.
Score: 9/10
The Walking Dead Onslaught
Platform: PSVR, Oculus Home and Steam VR
Genre: Survival
Price: £32.99
VR zombie mayhem
Zombies are always good fun – and certainly made more so in virtual reality – and what better place to get a zombie scare than from The Walking Dead? This title is based heavily on the TV series, using voice actors for Daryl, Eugine and Carol – unfortunately others are not, notably Andrew Lincoln’s voice is absent for Rick. The game sees you battle for survival, carrying out scavenger runs and finding supplies as walker herds approach. The story is not all that inspiring and levels can feel repetitive, but the VR is really well produced, adding to the excitement of the experience.
Skip to the end: VR fun as you confront zombies before your very eyes with some familiar voices from the TV series.
Score: 7/10
Serious Sam 4
Platform: Google Stadia, PC
Genre: First person shooter
Price: £29.99
Far from serious
The obvious irony with Serious Sam is that, actually, with ridiculous hordes of enemies, ranging from vampires to lizardmen, this isn’t all that serious. That is something the franchise has always owned and continues in this fourth outing. It all boils down to mindless shooting – and the selection of weapons is not even that exciting. However, there is the bonus of co-op play to have a go with friends instead.
Skip to the end: Serious Sam 4 is confident in its absurd nature, with the main focus on mindless shooting and no real goal beyond that.
Score: 6/10
Slash Quest
Platform: iOS
Genre: Adventure
Price: From £4.99 per month with Apple Arcade
Talking swords
Slash Quest is a friendly yet slightly silly tale about a talking sword that goes missing. As a shepherd, who stumbles across this nattering royal weapon, it is up to you to return it to the queen. The story and gameplay is straightforward enough, as you confront various puzzles and rescue people along your journey – there are some great side-quests from every person you rescue, with an opportunity to buy different outfits and upgrade skills. The sword also grows as you progress. Some witty writing, easy-going music and beautiful graphics round Slash Quest off nicely.
Skip to the end: Easy to pick up mobile game, with silly yet quirky narrative suitable for all.
Score: 7/10
