VideoGamer.com Plays July 12, 2013

Tom Orry, Editorial Director – Mass Effect, Xbox 360

I sense I’m making slow progress in Mass Effect. Having rarely played squad-based RPGs like this I’m struggling a bit with the combat, constantly forgetting to give my team mates commands and forever ignoring their stat increases. I’ve also just experienced the Mako and that thing is pretty awkward to drive, giving me a few dicey moments near lava.

While I’ve just been through a pretty combat-heavy sequence, generally it’s quite refreshing to play a game that features a lot of wandering about and talking to people instead of blasting the heads off anything that moves. Hopefully the story will start to pick up soon as the scene-setting appears to be over and my squad is filling out, and I’ll see the Mass Effect that everyone raves about.

Simon Miller, Editor-In-Chief – Mario & Luigi: Dream Team Bros., 3DS

Only one game has been taking up my time this week and that’s Mario & Luigi: Dream Team Bros. I love the franchise more than is right for a human to love anything, and still believe that Superstar Saga is one of the best games available for any console. Partners In Time and Bowser’s Inside Story were both excellent additions, but they did feel slightly subpar to the mighty original. Thankfully, that’s all changed now.

While the fourth entry in the series would still come a close second if some maniac made me rank them in order – and let’s face it, weirder things have happened – it’s so damn funny and entertaining it’s worthy of anyone’s time. Unless you hate fun. All the usual systems and mechanics have been worked back in so it’s the standard RPG levelling and combat you’ve been doing for a decade now but, quite incredibly, it still holds up. The ‘dream world’ and shifts of perspective are a little gimmicky, but they’re well designed and don’t massively suck.

All-in-all, it’s one of the better games I’ve played this year. Read VideoGamer.com’s review right now.

David Scammell, Deputy News Editor – Rockstar Games presents Table Tennis, Xbox 360

The last time I got this angry with a game was… well, never actually. Forget Dark Souls or Super Meat Boy, Table Tennis is easily the hardest game this gen. It’s all about the spin, apparently, but when you’ve got superhuman AI predicting every move you make, it doesn’t matter how good your wrist action might be.

It’s unfair, then, but it’s still ruddy good fun and even better with a friend. A lot of people have overlooked it because of what it is (table tennis isn’t exactly the sexiest sport, is it?), but if you ever spot this tucked away on a pre-owned rack for 99p (which you almost certainly will), definitely pick it up. It’s Rockstar’s hidden gem.

Chris Bratt, Video Producer – Cube World, PC

The Cube World store has been under brutal siege this week, but I eventually managed to force my way inside* on Thursday morning. So after three days of repeatedly hammering F5, I was rewarded with that super-early alpha build that’s been dangled in front of us all over the last few weeks as an incentive for early adopters.

As you might imagine by the name, that’s not the only similarity shared with the indomitable Minecraft. That being said, this isn’t a game about digging holes and building castles: Cube World very much considers itself an RPG. It’s randomly generated and everything is made out of those delightfully colourful cubes, but in this game you’re an explorer, and not a builder.

And you know what? It’s one of the prettier games I’ve had the pleasure of exploring. There’s not much of a game here as of yet, but I’m really looking forward to continuing the Cube World Adventures of Matt and Bratt next week.

*Editor’s note: I do not know what Chris was actually doing with his time this week…