Guitar Hero Live
(Wii U, PS3, PS4, Xbox 360, Xbox One)
Reviewer: Jack Turner
This recreates the festival experience, with on-stage footage dynamically changing as you play. Hit bum notes, and the crowd and band mates will voice their disdain. A new, sixth button on the guitar controller adds depth, increasing note combinations.
Online, the game offers new songs via Spotify-like streaming. It’s more in line with how we consume music now, but you can’t buy and keep your favourite tracks. Overall, it’s a notable departure from the series, with the twists breathing much-needed life into the genre, reclaiming the pure dumb fun of wielding a plastic guitar.
Sid Meier’s Civilization: Beyond Earth – Rising Tide
(PC, Mac)
Reviewer: David Hughes
As the name suggests, Rising Tide is centred on exploiting the oceans. The expansion adds a smattering of new factions and biomes to Sid Meier’s flawed second foray into space, and the new moveable, floating cities are well executed.
Where it excels, though, is the subtler way it addresses its parent game’s shortcomings. A mix-and-match approach makes the rigid Affinities system more fluid, while balancing Fear and Respect adds depth to insipid diplomacy. A far more nuanced and satisfying experience.
WRC 5
(PS4, Xbox One, PC)
Reviewer: Jack De Menezes
The fifth full instalment from BigBen Interactive proves to be a tricky beast to master – as rallying should be. A short trip to the Rally School will give you the basic skills needed to compete in the Junior Rally Championship, because that’s where you are heading before playing with the big boys.
The most challenging aspect comes in managing your car. The game play is realistic, but then that’s always WRC’s strong point. – Independent