Buy or Skip? Helldivers 2, Skull and Bones, Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth

February has been a massive month for gaming, already delivering some huge name sequels and interesting new IPs to the gaming landscape for 2024. We’ve reviewed the ultra-popular Helldivers 2, Ubisoft’s long-in-development Skull and Bones, and Sega’s continuation of the Like a Dragon franchise to see if any of these are worth your hard-earned money.

Helldivers 2

Is it any good? There has been so much buzz about co-op shooter Helldivers 2, and while online hype doesn’t necessarily translate to a good game, in this case, it does. The sequel to the small hit that was Helldivers has upped the production value, mechanics, fun, and ambition, and the team at Arrowhead Game Studios has delivered a punchy, interesting, and dynamic shooter that is constantly changing on the fly and keeps its tongue firmly planted in its cheek. Its soldiers vs. aliens set-up harks back to the satirical humour and spirit of Starship Troopers, but brings with it some gorgeous visuals, meaty gunfire combat, and a simple-yet-tactical gameplay loop that’ll see you fighting your way out of some absolutely chaotic situations. If Earth Defence Force and Dead Space had a grotesque but beautiful baby, it would be Helldivers 2, and we’re on board.

Skull and Bones

Is it any good? Skull and Bones flaunts the pirate lifestyle front-and-centre, but the reality is that Ubisoft’s new open-world game allows you to be a pirate ship, not a pirate. There is very little to do when on foot, as you basically just navigate small hub areas and retrieve mission objectives, with 95% of the remainder of the game being naval combat, fetching items in your ship, or defending certain areas. Those elements work well and customising the different weapons and perks of your ship is great, but after sinking a lot of hours into it, it’s unfortunate to say that that’s all their kind of is. If you want more of Assassin’s Creed 4‘s sea-surfing naval combat, then there’s something to enjoy, but it’s definitely no Uncharted-esque swashbuckling adventure to get too excited about.

Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth

Is it any good? The Yakuza spin-off series Like a Dragon has almost become a genre in itself, blending beat-’em-up combat, exploration, tons of mini-games, a deep narrative, and some truly bonkers moments where you’ll go from beating up gangsters to riding a dolphin. There truly is nothing like it, and its latest entry, Infinite Wealth, is an interesting twist, bringing a turn-based RPG approach to the action. Following beloved franchise characters Ichi and Kiryu, you head to Hawaii which provides a tropical and colourful backdrop to the equally bizarre scenarios. The combat is fun and theatrical as you’d expect, and if you’re a fan of the series’ trademark twisty-turny narrative, this is developer Ryu Ga Gotoku Studio with the reins completely let go of.

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