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Tom Orry, Editorial Director – FIFA, 17, PS4
I may have been playing other things this week, but all that comes to mind at the moment is FIFA 17, mainly because I scored an absolute belter the other night. It’s slightly annoying that I didn’t save it for you all to watch, as it was a thing of beauty. Opposing team’s defender cleared the ball, it came out to Eriksen who controlled it well, took one step forward, one to the side and then curled it into the top corner from about 35 yards. It was special. Imagine it in your heads.
Alice Bell, Content Editor – The Elder Scrolls V: Skryim Special Edition, PS4
This week I have found the office to be very cold, so have been stalking the halls wrapped in a pink and white fluffy blanket. Playing Skyrim again has helped me to imagine it as some kind of fur cloak or other species of Nordic wrap. I played s***loads of Skyrim on PC at the original release so all the musical cues and so on give me the shivers.
The Skyrim Special Edition is fine. It’s Skyrim but looks a bit better. There are more mushrooms and ferns, also the grass is nicer. The lighting is the most noticeable, and probably the best, change. I’m loving those god rays, and the sky in general is lovely (especially at night, with the green and blue auroras setting it all on fire). It’s not really a huge improvement for a high end PC version, but if you played it on a last gen console you’ll see the difference.
I might have imagined it, but it does seem that the blues and yellows are a bit more saturated, and some sunsets make everything look like it’s been covered in honey. I’m reasonably sure I didn’t imagine it because there’s a mod on the PS4 version to make it less yellow. I’m still playing around with the mods in general. So far I am displeased because it doesn’t look like even the Xbox version has the mod that gives all the mudcrabs top hats and monocles, which means no matter how many improvements you give it the game is basically unplayable.
I also played some of the Battlefield 1 single-player, but it made me a bit sad, which I was not expecting, so I haven’t done much more of it.
Colm Ahern, Content Editor – Super Mario 3D World, Wii U
I hadn’t thought about the Wii U for ages, to be honest. But, as you all know by now, Nintendo recently announced their follow-up: Nintendo Switch. That got me thinking about the ill-fated console and a few of the genuinely terrific games that have been released on it. One of those was Super Mario 3D World. Yeah, it’s not the Galaxy 3 that many of us have been crying out for, for a very long time, but it’s still pure, unadulterated joy.
In a moment of boredom after this week’s episode of The Apprentice where they had to sell bags and scarves that were an astronomical amount of money, I decided to boot up the best Mario game to see the light of day on the system. Those scarves, though — they sold one that was about £795, or something. I like a good scarf, but Jesus Christ.
Within four seconds of jumping into the first level, I was reminded of this incredible Fresh Prince/Mario mash-up, and shortly after that, I remembered how good this game is. Legging it around this beautiful Saturday morning cartoon is still just as good now as it was three years ago, and even though I have my worries when it comes to the Switch, revisiting this has made me want a new 3D Mario game more than ever.
You get to put on a catsuit and climb up walls, for God’s sake. It’s just lovely.
Sam Riley, Junior Content Editor – Assassin’s Creed: Rogue, Xbox 360
I often find that I’m not so much on the cutting edge of tech as I am on its blunt backside. Case in point: Assassin’s Creed: Rogue, a now-two year old game boasting few new features and even fewer admirers. Now speaking as someone who was a big fan of Black Flag, I’d always wondered how Ubisoft had so badly bungled this effort. Critics who had earlier heralded AC IV as a sparkling return to form suddenly balked at the samey seafaring on offer here, even going so far as to award Rogue the (somewhat) lowly score of 72 via Metacritic.
And to that i say “balderdash!”, because iteration or no, AC: Rogue remains every bit the adventure that Black Flag proved itself to be. Hell, It even finds time to spin a nuanced and sympathetic tale of a *boo, hiss* Templar in the process. Oh sure, the lead character of Shay may sound like a man phoning in his laziest Irish accent, but that caveat alone shouldn’t be enough to scupper the ship. Yes, i’ll admit, I do miss playing as an actual pirate, but this tale of moral grey areas, and Neeson-esque payback deserves far more praise than it won. The lack of a 8th gen port may be an issue, but if you can get a hold of it for cheap (and enjoyed Black Flag before it) then don’t hesitate to give it a go.
