Unravel 2 ★★★★☆

‘Unravel’ was such an exciting and different game when it first came out in 2015 – free from crazed violence and fast-paced scenes like many other games it was focused more on being simply an enjoyable and emotionally charged side-scroller filled with brain-wracking puzzles that required discipline rather than reaction speed. The general reception for the game was very good, so it’s no surprise that ‘Unravel 2’ has also gained many a positive review already.

If you played the first one you’ll remember Yarny, the adorable little creature of string that you controlled through a series of puzzles and distressing events. This time around there are two Yarnys as ‘Unravel 2’ has been designed for two-player, and so both Yarnys must come together to make their way through many different challenges and obstacles. The game can still be played solo by controlling both Yarnys individually, however, I love what two-player has added to the game – there’s a really different dynamic and the addition of teamwork makes completing each puzzle somehow more satisfying. You really have to communicate and work together to get anywhere with it and the game is very good at allowing both players to find their strengths.

Like the first game it still has very similar mechanisms of swinging, trampolining, building bridges, and so on, but the movement feels more fluid now.  The two-player aspect is really the biggest change – I found the difficulty level to be similar, and the graphics are still just as beautiful. There seemed to be more variation in the background which was nice, from woozy forests to shadowy alleyways in the city. Once completed you can access some additional levels which add a little bit more frustration to your gameplay, and I’d certainly expect multiple attempts to be needed for these. I also appreciated the hint system, which I didn’t really need too much but is super useful for when you find yourself in a bit of a bind.

The one thing I wasn’t so big on was the backstory – it was interesting to watch of course, and I liked how the gameplay mirrored it, but I wasn’t sure quite what it was supposed to add. I found the narrative of the two Yarnys to be much more emotive and gripping… It’s hard not to connect with two ultra-adorable yarn creatures, especially when in dangerous situations.

‘Unravel 2’ is a short game at just four hours long and contains only seven levels, but the puzzles are challenging and require persistence and dedication if you want to reach the very end. Despite this, it’s still a good game for kids, and a lovely choice if you’re fed up of so many intense and mentally demanding alternatives that are so present in games nowadays. Step back from the mayhem and indulge instead in the simple yet intricate world of the two Yarnys.

★★★★☆

Hannah Read

Unravel 2 at CeX

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FF12: The Zodiac Age ★★★★★

Final Fantasy 12: The Zodiac Age Review Version Tested: Xbox One X Time doesn’t heal all wounds, but the years have been kind to Final Fantasy XII. Arguably the last great FF game, XII is the latest in the series to get an HD re-release, and it’s finally available on the Xbox One and the Switch. The original came hot on the heels of Final Fantasy X, widely regarded as one of the best RPG’s ever to grace the PlayStation 2. How could you improve on the FMV laden bonanza, packed with Chocobo’s and mini-games galore?

 Square decided to go in a completely different direction for FF12, in what they likely saw as a natural progression for their biggest franchise. Changes to the turn-based fighting system and general direction caused stalwart fans to complain, and everything from a lacklustre main character to the toned-down story were compared to its predecessor in a poor light. There’s no Blitzball, but The Zodiac Age does a lot of things better than FFX, and even the later Final Fantasy XIII. The game incorporates the job system from FF: Tactics, adding depth to Ivalice as you can split job roles, (and respective abilities) between characters to have more customisation than ever before. Your party members start off with basic stats and a sphere grid of your choosing, allowing you to dump points into almost any ability you want at your own pace. 

 The “Gambit” system is one of the best you’ll find in any strategic RPG, allowing you to sit back and relax while user-created scripts work to (Blind) any foe with (Under 50% health), along with healing anyone who takes the slightest bit of damage automatically. It takes some getting used to, but mastery will alleviate most headaches, and you’ll ease past the majority of difficulty spikes without needing to spend time levelling up. The re-release also has a number of quality of life improvements, with the best being the ability to speed up the game whenever you want. It’s a lifesaver if you want to farm enemies for materials, and it speeds up the story when you’re forced to backtrack during the beginning. The options are 2x and 4x speed, ensuring that it won’t take long to get back to a quest-giver located two towns away. You can still spend countless hours completing hunts, collecting items, and earning new stats and abilities through the job system.

 In hindsight, it’s easy to recognise a range of features that were carried over to FF XIII. Luckily, it’s nowhere near as linear, with large areas to explore that are packed with enemies and items to find, along with heaps of extra content. The story is reasonably intriguing if you can deal with political waffle, and it’s made easier to swallow since you can play at double speed. (The running animation is also hilarious when you’re moving twice as fast.) The HD remaster looks as good as you’d expect given its origin, but they still can’t get rid of all of the jankiness. The older tech is especially noticeable with some of the stilted animations and dialogue, but it’s still breathtaking when a giant boss launches a special attack towards you, or when you take in the scale of a city for the first time.

 FF12 is one of the best RPG’s you’ll find on the Switch, and there isn’t much like it on the Xbox One. The game isn’t built to be played in 10-minute increments, but it’s ideal if you’re looking for a meaty old-school experience.

★★★★★

James Millin-Ashmore

FF12: The Zodiac Age at CeX

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Archer: Danger Island ★★★★☆

Archer: Danger Island is the ninth season of the absurdist animation, taking place in the mind of the man himself. Archer’s coma dreams give creator Adam Reed a clean slate to change the setting and rejig the characters, retaining some of the humour despite a distinct genre shift. 

Archer (H. Jon Benjamin) imagines himself to be a seaplane pilot in 1938, wasting his days away in French Polynesia. He’s eventually dragged into an adventure to find a golden idol, although the story plays second fiddle to the many puns and constant jokes that have become a staple of the show. On the other hand, some things never change, and the gang spend the majority of their time trying to raise funds on The Danger Island.

A variety of familiar faces return, as Archer’s subconscious works overtime to make sense of his current state. He’ll never be able to escape from his mother, and he’s still under the thumb of Malory (Jessica Walter) despite being in the middle of nowhere. His former colleagues also appear although they’re muddled in Archer’s mind. For example, Lana Kane is reimagined as Princess Lanaluakalani, while Pam works with Archer as a mechanic on his seaplane. Cyril makes an appearance as the ‘suspicious German’ Siegbert Fuchs, while Krieger isn’t even human anymore. Swapping nationalities and even species allow for a new approach and rejigged conversations (as well as unexpected friendships), but most of the cast keep their personality intact to a degree. Archer is still Archer, just one who seems slightly more at peace with himself. 

The South Pacific setting hasn’t been to everyone’s liking, but the genre shift helps to breathe new life into the show. Just like Archer Vice, the series is a homage to the era, and everything from the new intro to the vibrant jungle backgrounds are great to look at. The animation is as rich and detailed as it’s ever been, and nine seasons of callbacks and in-jokes make it worth watching if you’ve kept up with the fun the writers have with “phrasing”. There’s a chance to learn a thing or two because of the cleverness of it all, and Archer’s never far from the danger zone. Stakes are inevitably raised despite the fictional setting, and there’s a volcano, nazis, and various problems to be solved during the short 8-episode run.

Online reviews suggest that a portion of the audience is growing tired with the animation, while Reed has seemingly confirmed that the next season of Archer will also be the last. If you’re more worried about present-day continuation, you’ll have to wait until the last LotR inspired episode of Danger Island to see where he ends up next. The journey is better than the destination, and it doesn’t really matter if it takes place in ‘reality’ or not. The lighter tone matches the source material, without spoiling the dialogue and surrealism that make the show so unique. 

★★★★☆

James Millin-Ashmore

Archer at CeX

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The Walking Dead: The Final Season ★★★★☆

People need closure. I need closure. When Telltale announced they were shutting up shop, it didn’t look good for The Walking Dead: The Final Season. The plodding nature of their releases should have been an indicator of their precarious position, and it meant there was a chance that the last two chapters would never see the light of day. Despite maintaining radio silence for a while, it was picked up by series creator Robert Kirkman’s Skybound Entertainment. It’s a welcome relief to know that we’ll get a conclusion to a story that began back in 2012, especially one that eclipses a show that can be hit-and-miss at the best of times.

Players are placed back in the shoes of Clementine, who continues to protect AJ years after we last saw her in The Walking Dead: A New Frontier. Her problems manifest when she meets up with former students from the Ericson Academy for Troubled Youth, who she decides to stick with for the time being. If you’ve been here since season 1, you’ll have the chance to reminisce about Lee, Kenny, and everyone else, while old enemies and previous experiences should be helpful as you have to decide who to trust when the going gets tough. 

“Broken Toys” is the third chapter which has just been released, with a fourth slated to be ready in time for March 2019. It continues to offer the typical batch of life-or-death choices, with consequences that do leave you attempting to read the future. If you do X, what happens to X? Everyone remembers everything, and it’s a familiar gameplay loop, but it’s still satisfying to get to know the characters, with the understanding that their safety generally depends on the choices you make. 

Despite growing up to be a 16-year-old single (adopted) mother in a wasteland full of crazy killers, Clementine is still sane, if a little hardened due to her past losses. She’s a great main character, and the focus on her relationship with AJ makes the story even more compelling.  You’ll spend a significant amount of time teaching AJ the ropes, shaping his personality as well as your own. It’s a nice touch, and you’ll always have to weigh the responsibilities of being a parent against the good of the group as a whole. He’s a brave little dude, but he’s only 5. Do you really want to give him a weapon?

I’m a bit tired of the format, but it shouldn’t be missed if the news of Telltale’s demise got you worried in the slightest. The core gameplay is pretty much the same, while graphically it’s a polished version of New Frontier. The story is always the selling point in the TWD game series, and it’s still as strong as the first season. For a time it felt like there might not be an ending, and it’s always a danger when a game is served up in a piecemeal fashion. Thankfully, we get an end to Clementine and AJ’s story, even if it’s in a slightly roundabout way. 

★★★★☆

James Millin-Ashmore

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