Games of the week – King of Seas, An Airport for Aliens Currently Run by Dogs, Capcom Arcade Stadium and Outbreak: Endless Nightmares
Capcom Arcade Stadium
Platform: Xbox, PlayStation, Nintendo Switch, PC
Genre: Arcade
Price: £32.99
Age rating: 16+
Bringing back the glory days of arcade gaming
Japanese gaming giant Capcom has a slew of classics dating back to the '80s and given a recent surge in nostalgia gaming, now is the right time to re-release them. Beautifully restored for today’s consoles, players can get some 32 games, including big names such as Street Fighter II and Dynasty Wars. Most are fighting games or shooters, while others you probably will have never heard of. The base game is free with 1943 – The Battle of Midway included, while the rest are sold in three different packs. The entire package is £32.99. You can slow down titles, rewind and save progress. No multiplayer online seems like a missed opportunity, with only local co-op available, though each game does have online leaderboard rankings.
Skip to the end: Retro gaming bliss, though narrowing down to 32 games was never going to be an easy task, so be sure to check out the full list of titles, as some of your personal favourites may be missing.
Score: 8/10
King of Seas
Platform: Xbox, PlayStation, Switch, PC
Genre: Action RPG
Price: £19.99
Age rating: 7+
Plain sailing
All hands on deck for King of Seas, a naval-based action role-playing game, which puts you in the place of a prince or princess – you choose – who falls from grace and is forced into the pirate’s life, which starts as a pretty interesting story. For the most part, gameplay centres around your ship in a bird’s eye view-like set-up, as you take down foes who stand in your way. Instead of the usual pirate defences, magic is key, with new spells to discover and progressively confront stronger enemies. Some spells are pretty fun, like sending a load of sharks to attack another ship. Eventually you can takeover entire towns. Despite side quests, it does become a bit repetitive half way through, with no real sense of variety.
Skip to the end: King of Seas sets sail in the right direction but struggles to make a splash as the game progresses.
Score: 6/10
An Airport for Aliens Currently Run by Dogs
Platform: Xbox, PC
Genre: Comedy adventure
Price: £16.74
Age rating: 7+
Barking mad
The long, odd title should really give a glimpse of what is ahead. You and your girlfriend are the last two humans in the universe, which is now dominated by dogs – specifically stock photos of dogs – though you will discover the odd cat lurking about too. This comedic title sees you separated and trying to find one and other again, speaking – and of course, petting – dogs in open world airports and trying to decipher the alien language. It is the epitome of a wild gooseberry chase, as you are sent on all sorts of weird tasks to make your flight happen. It certainly doesn't take itself too seriously, and you will enjoy it more if you embrace the paw-some weirdness of it all.
Skip to the end: The sheer oddness of this game will keep you hooked like a dog with a bone.
Score: 7/10
Outbreak: Endless Nightmares
Platform: Xbox, PlayStation, Switch, PC
Genre: Horror RPG
Price: From £15.99
Age rating: 18+
Bit of a horror
Set after the events of 2018’s Outbreak: The Nightmare Chronicles, you find yourself trapped inside Arzt Memorial Hospital with all the horrors that come with it. Unfortunately, the real horror is the game itself, with clunky controls, uninspiring gameplay that sees you searching for supplies and battling the undead, as well as dated graphics, despite offering optimised versions for PS5 and Xbox Series X. The ability for two people to play locally is a small saving grace.
Skip to the end: Frustratingly awkward controls make it hard to enjoy.
Score: 4/10
