Author: Matthew Arcari

Matthew Arcari is the games and technology editor at The AU Review. You can find him on X at @sirchunkee, or at the Dagobah System, chilling with Luke and Yoda.

NBA 2K21 Preview: Small Steps Forward

With the next generation of consoles looming, developer Visual Concepts has decided to shed some light on the current generation’s version of NBA 2K21, highlighting some new and improved features, updated modes and revamped locations. While much of the next-gen version is still under wraps, our sneak peak has given us a positive feeling about…

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Samurai Jack: Battle Through Time Review: All Hail the Traveller’s Tale

Samurai Jack’s fifth and final season capped off a magnificent 16 year run, of which many other Cartoon Network shows would have envied over. Being a huge fan of the series, I flinched a little when I saw the reveal of Samurai Jack: Battle Through Time, yet another tie in game that I thought would…

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PGA Tour 2K21 Review: A Par is Born

Upon seeing PGA Tour 2K21’s reveal, I immediately thought back to all the great memories I had playing golfing games; a sport which I admittedly don’t care that much for. Be it Microsoft Golf, Tiger Woods’ PGA Tour, or even Outlaw Golf, (I bet you forgot that existed) there was something so satisfying about measuring…

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Marvel’s Avengers Closed Beta Preview: Shouldering a heavy load

With the way Marvel’s MCU has come to dominate the movie landscape, and AAA superhero games such as Marvel’s Spider-Man breaking sales records, there’s been a lot of interest in Square Enix’s take on Marvel’s Avengers. We got our hands on roughly three hours of gameplay in this week’s Closed Beta, and while there’s plenty…

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Skater XL Review: Tricks, Trucks and Tumbles

If this generation has been missing a particular genre of note, it’s most definitely skateboarding games. You might find it hard to believe, but there was a time when these games ruled supreme, and Tony Hawk was a household name. The Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater series has remained dormant as of late (we don’t speak…

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Razer Blade

Razer Blade 15.6″ Review: Pretty and Powerful

The Razer Blade has returned to the wonderful world of gaming laptops, providing some of the most impressive and top shelf goods you can find in a machine like this; that is, if you’re willing to pay the price. Having reviewed last year’s efforts myself, I was pleased to check out Razer’s latest offerings. Compared…

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F1: 2020 Review: Back on the Podium

If my time spent playing countless racing games has taught me anything, it’s that they always have more to give. Whether it’s added modes, tighter controls, improved visuals and refined sound design, it seems as though there is always something to build towards. And much like the legends that have dominated the sport until now,…

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SpongeBob SquarePants: Battle for Bikini Bottom Rehydrated Review: New Soap, Old Sponge

Upon its reveal, SpongeBob SquarePants: Battle for Bikini Bottom stood out in a sea of remakes and remasters. Here, among so many others, was one to look forward to, for the reason anyone looks forward to any remake: I have many fond memories of the original PS2/Xbox version. That said, SpongeBob SquarePants: Battle for Bikini…

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Deadly Premonition 2 Review: A Charming Mess

Deadly Premonition 2. It’s finally here. If you’ve played the original Deadly Premonition, you likely have fond memories of of a laughable game. Its larger-than-life characters, terrible voice acting, stiff gameplay and dull visuals made it perfect fodder for Twitch streamers looking for a game to make fun of. What they didn’t expect was that,…

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Borderlands: Legendary Collection Review: A Worthy Return to Pandora

Borderlands remains one of the most important staples in recent gaming memory, as the granddaddy of looter shooters. Sure, many have learned, but none have quite mastered this unique blend of first-person gunplay, humour and exploration in the same way that Borderlands does. By now, most of us scavenged the land of Pandora, in search…

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Predator: Hunting Grounds Review: I ain’t got time to bleed

If it bleeds, we can kill iT — unless it’s a beloved IP that bleeds money, in which case we can plumb it for nostalgia value. This has been the recent fate of the Predator franchise, which has enjoyed a recent resurgence 2018’s The Predator. Given the renewed interest, a video game tie-in makes a…

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Final Fantasy VII Remake

Final Fantasy VII Remake Review: One For The Ages

In a media landscape full of remakes and remasters, it takes a masterpiece to stand out. Such is the case with Final Fantasy VII Remake, a modern take on an RPG considered one of the greatest of all time. Here it takes on another accolade — it’s also one of the greatest examples of how to…

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Resident Evil 3 Review: Short, fast, loud

A remake of Resident Evil 3 was only a matter of time. After Resident Evil 2′s critical and commercial success, it made sense for Capcom to continue their hot streak. And so, only a year later, it’s here. Resident Evil 3 proves the franchise is alive and thriving, creatively reimagining and modernising older titles in its…

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The Division 2: Warlords of New York: Back to Where it All Began

The Division 2 launched to critical acclaim, and for good reason. Everything had been altered, lifted and improved, and as a result, held me in its grasp for longer than I’d like to admit. But a few months later, I had left The Division 2 behind. Small incremental updates failed to shake up the formula…

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MLB The Show 20 Review: Bases Loaded

MLB The Show has stood for many years as Sony’s simulated answer to America’s pass time. It is with MLB The Show 20 that developer SIE San Diego Studio has lived up to this statement once again, producing one of the most accurate, thorough and varied iterations of the franchise to date. While baseball isn’t necessarily…

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My Week With Call of Duty: Warzone

If 2019’s Call of Duty: Modern Warfare brought things back to basics with boots on the ground combat, Call of Duty: Warzone brings things back into the mainstream, following the trend of recent battle royale experiences. Merging the fast and fluid gunplay of Modern Warfare with the more tactical drawn out nature of a battle…

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One-Punch Man

One-Punch Man: A Hero Nobody Knows Review: A Fair Fight

I remember the first time I saw the trailer for One-Punch Man: A Hero Nobody Knows. How is this ever going to work as a video game? I thought. Surely a game that features a hero able to defeat any enemy with a single punch would make for a pretty boring game. For the most…

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Hunt: Showdown

Hunt: Showdown Review: Monstrous Fun

My first experience with Hunt: Showdown sent shivers up my spine. Navigating a Louisiana bayou in search of a giant spider, the trail led me to an abandoned factory. Upon entering, it was clear; I had found my target. Cobwebs covered the walls and walkways, crunching underfoot as I scoured every inch of the place….

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Dreams

Dreams Review: Creativity Prevails

It’s safe to say Media Molecule took its time while it worked on its latest creative extravaganza, Dreams. After a reveal that seems like forever ago now, Dreams was long in incubation. Following a lengthy beta period, Dreams is finally available. Boy was it worth the wait. So much of the conversation around Dreams centered…

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Yakuza Remastered Collection Review: Triple Threat

The Yakuza Remastered Collection is a watershed moment for Japan’s favourite video game crime drama. 15 years ago, you might never have heard of the Yakuza series. Today, it is beloved. The series has enjoyed a recent resurgence — a prequel in Yakuza Zero, remakes in Yakuza Kiwami and Yakuza Kiwami 2, a new game…

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Journey to the Savage Planet Review: Space oddity

In Journey to the Savage Planet, you are an explorer employed by Kindred Aerospace, the galaxy’s the 4th best interstellar exploration company. Your task is to explore the unknown planet ARY-26 in the hope that it can sustain human life. Theoretically, the job is a milk run. In practice, not that simple. A Sudden Stop…

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Need For Speed: Heat Review: The Heat is on

The Need for Speed franchise is much as a staple of the racing genre as any other. From the high octane thrills of Hot Pursuit, to the halcyon days of Underground, and the epic, white-knuckle police chases of the highly regarded Most Wanted. A few rocky and undercooked entries have plagued the series in recent…

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Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order Review: The Force is Strong with This One

Like the galaxy, the library of Star Wars video games is incredibly vast. As a huge Star Wars fan, every new experience becomes an automatic purchase, the hope that each new title will be better than the last. A true digital representation of the Star Wars universe in the palm of my hands. While some…

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Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Games Tokyo 2020 Review: Third on the Podium

How on earth has been four years since the last Olympic Games? Mario and Sonic can’t believe it either apparently, reigniting their generations-long blood fued in Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Games Tokyo 2020. Previous titles in this series have been enjoyable, if forgettable, party games, a series of mini-games based on numerous Olympic…

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Call of Duty: Modern Warfare Review: Welcome Back, Old Friend

12 years after its original release, Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare is still considered by many to be the best entry in the series. Developer Infinity Ward has grappled with its legacy ever since, trying to recapture the aspects of the game that made it a hit. In 2019, the roundabout of Call of Duty developers has…

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Ghostbusters: The Video Game Remastered Review: Bustin’ Makes Me Feel Okay

Ghostbusters: The Video Game launched in 2009 to great commercial and critical success, a rarity for a licensed game. It boasted an in-canon story following the events of Ghostbusters 2 and the entire original cast — Dan Aykroyd, Bill Murray, Ernie Hudson and the late, great Harold Ramis — reprised their iconic roles. In today’s…

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The 5 biggest games we played at PAX 2019

After a barrage of impressive indie titles, I simply had to make another top 5 to round out the rest. So without further ado, let me bring to you the top 5 overall games from the PAX Aus 2019 floor. Keep in mind, we only got to see or play brief moments of the final…

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PAX AUS 2019: Hands-on with Marvel’s Avengers

It’s no secret that Marvel’s Avengers appearance at PAX Aus 2019 was one of the biggest, if not the biggest title on the show floor; so you just know we had to hit it up. My 20 minutes with Marvel’s Avengers was an eye opening experience to say the least, as I had shared some…

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Concrete Genie Review: Colour, Creativity and Charm

With this current generation of consoles coming to a close, you would be hard-pressed to find a platform with as many consistent, quality exclusive titles. But the Playstation 4 proves unready to buck this trend, with developer Pixelopus releasing one of the most visually gorgeous and prolific experiences of its kind. Concrete Genie does a bunch…

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The 5 best indie games we played at PAX Aus 2019

PAX Rising has always satisfied my craving for new and inventive experiences, and this year is no different. So once again, I decided to roam the floor and dive into as many indie titles as I can, picking out my top 5 indie titles from PAX Aus 2019. Keep in mind, these are not reviews…

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