Reviews by Cormac Murray

Reader PC

Crazy Taxi review

Though the game isn’t messed up and the underlying premise shines through, this port is a missed opportunity that could have been done better. The game is fun and addictive in short bursts, but it does get repetitive and the Crazy Box…

bigcj34 · October 31, 2014

Reader Genesis

Alien Storm review

Like many pre-16 bit conversions before, Alien Storm demonstrates how the arcades power isn’t always necessary to provide an arcade style blast.

bigcj34 · April 16, 2014

Staff PC

Vector review

Vector does a great job of providing an entertaining experience where only the arrow keys need be used.

Cormac Murray · January 13, 2014

Reader Mac

Portal 2 review

The many extra obstacles add plenty of freshness and the counterpointing speech of Wheatley and GlaDOS (plus Cave Johnson’s flamboyant tycoon-like persona) are highly entertaining themselves. However the cinematic blemish can unnecessarily…

bigcj34 · October 18, 2013

Reader Genesis

Road Rash II review

Racing games back then came at a disadvantage compared to other genres, as they try to emulate a real-life experience using what hardware was available. Their relevance greatly diminished when new hardware emerges, but Road Rash II still…

bigcj34 · August 22, 2013

Reader PC

Half-Life 2: Episode Two review

Just in case the conclusion to the Half-Life story doesn’t come into fruition whatsoever, it has at least quit while it’s ahead here. Much of the action that made Half-Life 2 enjoyable has been condensed into an intense adventure.

bigcj34 · June 21, 2013

Reader PC Review of the Week

Sonic the Hedgehog 4: Episode II review

Episode II is a good quality, smooth flowing platform game filled with new and retro elements fans will enjoy. It’s going to need to become more than a sum of its parts if it wants to compete in this modern gaming era though.

bigcj34 · June 10, 2013

Reader PC

Sonic the Hedgehog 4: Episode I review

Sonic's 'successor' to the Mega Drive series is certainly not fatally broken, and can be entertaining. It’s a smooth retro-style platformer to casually jump around in, with varied levels and little interesting twists. However the new…

bigcj34 · June 2, 2013

Reader PlayStation 2

Final Fantasy XII review

FFXII is robust from a technical standpoint, it's enjoyable after acquiring a working knowledge of the game mechanics, and there’s a plethora of monster and item hunts to embark on. FFXII at least deserves some respect for what it has…

bigcj34 · May 22, 2013

Reader PC

Grand Theft Auto: Vice City review

Vice City stands as the first game to dip its toes into a themed setting is a radical shift from its predecessor, with an ambitious and morally bankrupt protagonist in a game that glorifies crime in a city where it doesn't seem so emminent.

bigcj34 · March 6, 2013

Reader PC

Sonic Generations review

Generations is almost like two games tied by the storyline, but if a less pedantic way of implementing both of these can be found, then the blue hedgehog has a bright future ahead. For now, this is the return that Sonic needed.

bigcj34 · January 7, 2013

Reader Mac

Duke Nukem Forever review

No game can justify fourteen years of development and DNF is no different. If you see this game out for cheap in a Steam sale, it’s an entertaining singe-player game that, while often cringingly crude, is a respite from the more…

bigcj34 · November 13, 2012

Reader Game Boy

Pokemon Blue review

Pokémon Red and Blue started a huge franchise and helped prolong the Game Boy, getting many casual gamers on board like Tetris did ten years prior. Single-player trainer battles may be mostly mundane, but leveling up feels very rewarding…

bigcj34 · October 21, 2012

Reader PC

Portal review

Valve doesn’t just do original game-play. The game-play may make a game good, but the experience and overall package make it great. Valve have created a breath of fresh air using many ideas from Half-Life. The protagonist remains quiet and…

bigcj34 · July 4, 2011

Reader PC

OutRun 2006: Coast 2 Coast review

Realism is overrated. So many games strive to be realistic and claiming so is an exhausted marketing cliché. Arcades have decayed into an out of fashion commodity, where once an experience unseen in home consoles and arcade-quality…

bigcj34 · January 9, 2010

Reader Genesis

Mega Bomberman review

No game has portrayed bombs in a more novel fashion than Hudson’s Bomberman series. The balls on dynamite haven’t done any favours to my mental perception of a bomb, and they certainly don’t just send a blast in a four directions. The…

bigcj34 · September 17, 2009

Reader Game Boy Advance

Castlevania: Circle of the Moon review

You’re walking through a dark hallway. The antiquated stones look grim, its damp, and you’ve only got a whip at hand. The only form of light is from the small candles and the large moon gleaming outside, and there’s bats everywhere. Take a…

bigcj34 · September 10, 2009

Reader PlayStation 2

Grand Theft Auto III review

The next generation of Grand Theft Auto could’ve hardly arrived at a worse moment. Two months prior to its release the 9/11 attacks changed the face of the world forever. War was no longer just about fighting uniformed troops on a…

bigcj34 · August 25, 2009

Reader PlayStation 2

Black review

Come 2006, the Xbox 360 had just been released, the PlayStation 3 had been announced, and Sony fans are eagerly not waiting for one as it costs a billion quid to purchase it. So what’s the best way for Sony to drown the fans financial…

bigcj34 · July 10, 2009

Reader PlayStation 2

Robot Wars review

Friday evenings aren’t what they used to be on British national television. Years ago, the good old BBC brought us a double-dosage of The Simpsons followed by half an hour of the almighty Robot Wars. Nowadays we have to watch The Simpsons…

bigcj34 · June 28, 2009