Games of the Week – Mario Kart Live: Home Circuit, Watch Dogs: Legion, Transformers: Battlegrounds and South of the Circle
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Mario Kart Live: Home Circuit
Platform: Nintendo Switch
Genre: Racing / Augmented reality
Price: £99.99
Its’a me in augmented reality
Mario Kart Live: Home Circuit combines a downloadable game with a physical toy kart and cardboard gates, to create a mixed reality experience where players have Mario or Luigi driving around the room in front of them, while they play Mario Kart in all its glory on their Nintendo Switch screen. The result is brilliant fun; all the joys of traditional Mario Kart take on new life, as players swerve under their own coffee table. There are also plenty of game modes, including a Grand Prix and a Time Trial mode for single players, as well as multiplayer options, with up to four physical karts able to race against one another locally.
Skip to the end: The price seems a little high, although the impressive technology behind it and the experience it offers once playing will appease some.
Score: 9/10
Watch Dogs: Legion
Platform: PS4, Xbox One, PC, Stadia (Soon: PS5, Xbox Series X/S)
Genre: Action adventure
Price: £59.99
Hacking around London
London is barely used as the main location in games but Watch Dogs: Legion does so with slick precision, albeit in a dystopian not-so-distant future, skies filled with drones. The country has turned into a surveillance state after several terrorist attacks, with do-gooding hackers DedSec blamed. Your job is to find the real culprits, but it won’t be easy with a private security firm in control of law enforcement and the Clan Kelly gang causing havoc. It’s hard not to be in awe of the open world London on offer – and be prepared to hear some very rude British insults.
Skip to the end: An insatiably fun open-world of London that provides plenty of variety and intrigue to maintain the action.
Score: 8/10
Transformers: Battlegrounds
Platform: PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch, PC
Genre: Strategy
Price: From £34.99
The battle continues
Transformers goes for the turn-based tactical strategy genre in Battlegrounds, which largely follows the formula of others before it – you take turns against the computer. It’s a no thrills affair – meaning slow – but that’s OK for this type of game. For fans of this long-running franchise all that matters is the presence of the Autobots and Decepticons. Each Autobot has three Action Points, used to move or cast abilities. It’s only possible to attack once with each per turn – unless you have generated sufficient Energon to use the ultimate abilities.
Skip to the end: Transformers: Battlegrounds offers little fresh to turn-based tactical gaming but that won’t stop it being a must among die hard fans.
Score: 7/10
South of the Circle
Platform: iOS
Genre: Narrative adventure
Price: £4.99 per month with Apple Arcade
A story of survival
South of the Circle is better described as one of those interactive movies, purely because of its alluring visuals and gripping story. Players find themselves in the chilly role of Peter, a Cambridge academic fighting for survival on Antarctica, attempting to reach the safety of a base. The well-crafted storytelling coupled with an excellent voice cast make South of the Circle a great adventure title to follow.
Skip to the end: South of the Circle is simple and easy-going in nature yet intriguing and engaging in story.
Score: 8/10
