God of War III Remastered
PS4, Sony, cert: 18
Has vengeance ever looked so good? God of War III is all about scale and spectacle, opening with the towering titans laying siege to Mount Olympus and going on from there. Kratos, the gore-slicked Spartan warrior, rips his way through a menagerie of mythological monsters in a quest to take revenge on Zeus, king of the gods. Kratos is an unpleasant figure, brutal and totally amoral, and his quest seems to do more harm than good. You might wonder who to root for.
The 2010 original was a real jaw-dropper, maybe the best-looking title of the generation, but this upscaling is patchy. Most work seems to have gone on Kratos himself, adding a shining and smooth quality to his skin. Other areas look to have been missed, leaving several characters looking strange and plastic. Controls feel a little slower, slightly mis-translated, though the combat’s core is still solid and visceral. But without any new content, this might be a better title for those who haven’t played the original. PH
Rare Replay
Xbox One, Microsoft, cert: 16
A UK development institution that is responsible for some of the greatest games ever produced, Rare is quite rightly receiving a much-deserved career retrospective in this outstanding package. Thirty of its games are given a new lease of life here on Xbox One as a celebration of the studio’s 30th birthday.
Replay boasts some remarkable and varied titles, such as inventive shooter Perfect Dark, ludicrously funny Conker’s Bad Fur Day, the tricky Battletoads, and Banjo Kazooie, the closest any game has come to aping Super Mario. But beyond the classics, there are some forgotten gems, too, such as Jet Force Gemini, Viva Piñata and Blast Corps. As an extra treat for fans, there’s also a challenge mode featuring scenes from classic Rare games, alongside documentaries and even some footage and artwork from cancelled games.
There are notable absentees. Two of Rare’s best games, Donkey Kong Country and GoldenEye 007, are missing for licensing reasons; but despite this, for £20, it’s hard to imagine any package as generous, charming and enticing as this beautifully constructed box set. CD
King’s Quest
PS4/PS3/Xbox One/Xbox 360/PC, Sierra Entertainment, cert: 12
King’s Quest originally helped pioneer the point-and-click adventure genre, serving as many players’ introduction to interactive storytelling. Here, 31 years later, it’s time for an update, something that this episodic reimagining does spectacularly well. Players follow Graham, an aspiring knight in the land of Daventry. Although we know his ultimate fate – the game is told retrospectively by an aged King Graham, a bedtime fable to his grand-daughter – the charm and wit involved in the telling pull you fully into his early, bumbling adventures.
While the series’s trademark dreadful puns remain, everything else gets an overhaul. Graham now moves freely around the world, action set pieces break up puzzle-solving, while a cel-shaded art style and beautiful environments are absolute treats. The biggest departure is one of choice; similar to the likes of The Walking Dead, decisions made at key moments will have an impact on later episodes as they’re released. Although some puzzles are perhaps too simple, the strong storytelling and gorgeous visuals will draw anyone into this particular quest. MK
Star ratings (out of five): God of War III Remastered ****, Rare Replay ***, King’s Quest ****
