Echo: Ex-Hitman devs bring machine learning to stealth games
“How do you interact with your own play style? That’s the core of our gameplay.”
John Robertson
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John Robertson
Based out of London, England, John is a freelance writer specialising in video games and popular culture. When not locked in front of a computer he's glued to the viewfinder of his camera. Canon only.
Recent stories by
John Robertson
FIFA 18: Football for the many, not the few
“There is no stereotypical FIFA user,” says EA—and that makes development hard.
John Robertson
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Is Final Fantasy 12: The Zodiac Age the blueprint for renovating old games?
More than a visual update, The Zodiac Age makes meaningful changes to a classic RPG.
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Agents of Mayhem: The Saturday morning cartoon of open-world shooters
Volition’s spiritual successor to Saints Row is as loony as you think it is.
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Mass Effect: Andromeda and the illusion of freedom
Mass Effect: Andromeda‘s lack of player trust limits its psychological impact.
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Yooka-Laylee: “We’ve always tried to put style over technical brilliance”
As April 11 nears, we find out if the pressure of Kickstarter has gotten to Playtonic.
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Steep review: A fresh take on extreme sports—but not a good one
Despite the glorious setting, Steep doesn’t live up to its open-world promises.
John Robertson
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Lethal VR: A potent VR shooter from the creators of Burnout
This fancy shooting gallery has the high-score hallmarks of a Criterion classic.
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Most Read
PS4 Pro with HDR and 4K: “The biggest improvement since B&W went colour”
Devs talk PS4 Pro HDR and 4K upgrades for GT Sport, Nioh, and For Honor.
John Robertson
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Football Manager 2017 review: Thanks to Brexit, it’s the deepest game yet
This is a game that doesn’t just entertain, but makes a political statement too.
John Robertson
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World of Final Fantasy review: Fluffy fan service done right
This is a game that’s heavy on the nostalgia, but with a some neat RPG twists.
John Robertson
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Dishonored 2: Forget Corvo—Emily is the real star
The new protagonist’s fun and fantastical powers match very smart level design.
John Robertson
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FIFA 17 review: Big on spectacle, weak on soccer
A new story mode and fancy visuals can’t hide a lack of invention on the pitch.
John Robertson
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Unwrap VR, co-op, and zombies in new Tomb Raider DLC for Lara’s 20th
Exploring Croft Manor in VR is fun; blasting zombies with a shotgun is even better.
John Robertson
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Pro Evolution Soccer 2017 review: The finest soccer game ever made
Highly technical, thoughtful, and thoroughly engrossing soccer at its best.
John Robertson
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Worlds Adrift: The future of MMOs or an improbable tech dream?
A procedural world, small indie dev, and mysterious gameplay loop. Sounds familiar.
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89
Nier Automata: Is Platinum Games enough to save a franchise?
Slick, colorful combat is a good start, but questions remain over longevity.
John Robertson
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Dawn of War 3: The most promising take on Warhammer 40K yet
A beautiful game that delivers a morosely charming blend of grief, rage, and fanaticism.
John Robertson
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Battlefield 1: “If BF4 was like Formula 1, this is more like rally”
Use of older military tech makes for a refreshing first-person shooter sworder.
John Robertson
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Little Nightmares might be the most impressive game at Gamescom
Simple platforming mechanics disguise a dark horror seen through a child’s eyes.
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Space Hulk: Deathwing is an FPS dungeon crawler in spaaaace
A Warhammer 40K game for those not obsessed with Warhammer 40K.
John Robertson
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Gears of War 4 looks the part but doesn’t feel like it
Good games have come from so-so demos before—let’s just hope Gears 4 is one of them.
John Robertson
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Why Bioshock still has, and will always have, something to say
Nearly a decade later, Bioshock‘s ambitious objectivist themes are just as impactful.
John Robertson
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Wembley’s new AR SmartGuide app could be the tour guide of the future
The “Home of Football” is packing 360-degree video, AR, QR, and NFC into its shiny new tour.
John Robertson
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Kick Off Revival review: Why does this game even exist?
Awful visuals, bugs, and a complete disregard for modern gamers make this a chore to play.
John Robertson
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Four years since Candy Crush, King is still making the same game
Farm Heroes Super Saga hits app stores, but how long can the match-three boom last?
John Robertson
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The Turing Test: A puzzle game that asks if machines can think
The game’s Portal-like puzzles are supposedly impossible for a computer to solve.
John Robertson
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Halo Wars 2 beta shows there’s work left to do
Microsoft chips away at the console RTS; bringing PC players in hasn’t helped.
John Robertson
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I Am Setsuna is everything great from the PlayStation-era RPG
Square Enix combines nostalgic visuals and turn-based battles with slick modern touches.
John Robertson
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FIFA 17’s “The Journey” brings story, cut-scenes to single-player career
EA’s bringing the drama of the beautiful game off the pitch, but it’s not convincing just yet.
John Robertson
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PES 2017: Soccer simulation, not soccer game
After the success of PES 16 Konami continues its push towards thrilling realism.
John Robertson
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GT Sport: This is not the racing game you’ve been waiting for
Ability to earn a real-world racing license from in-game driving, not much else.
John Robertson
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Star Ocean 5: An impenetrable RPG chasing mainstream success
Japan didn’t like it; will streamlined mechanics be enough for success in the west?
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Cliff Bleszinski’s LawBreakers: A shooter inspired by sports, not video games
“Boston sports fans are very passionate, to the point of being insufferable.”
John Robertson
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After 15 years of disappointment, can Final Fantasy be great again?
Square Enix: “We’ve finally woken up from the dream that was Final Fantasy VII.”
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Hitman is a “platform,” not an episodic game
For a studio with no real history of post-release updates, Hitman is brave move.
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