David Houghton

David Houghton

Long-time GR+ writer Dave has been gaming with immense dedication ever since he failed dismally at some '80s arcade racer on a childhood day at the seaside (due to being too small to reach the controls without help). These days he's an enigmatic blend of beard-stroking narrative discussion and hard-hitting Psycho Crushers.

Articles by: David Houghton

By trading power and responsibility for failure and immaturity, Spider-Man: Homecoming delivers a perfect (origin-free) origin story

By David Houghton published

Opinion The MCU's latest doesn't need to show its hero's backstory. His present-day struggles tell us more than enough.

LawBreakers is like a megamix of every arena shooter you've ever loved, but it makes them all feel brand new

By David Houghton published

Feature

Destiny: Xur weapons, gear, and location, July 7 - 9. Hawkmoon, Monte Carlo, and Zhalo Supercell!

By David Houghton published

Xur

State of Decay 2 is a dynamic, zombie survival sim, where the most dangerous thing is your own decisions

By David Houghton published

Feature

Destiny: Xur weapons, gear, and location, June 23 - 25. Monte Carlo and Red Death!

By David Houghton published

Xur

Life is Strange: Before the Storm ditches the time powers for pure story, but remains as quietly affecting as ever

By David Houghton published

Feature

7 things we learned about God of War at E3 2017: Father/son co-operation, original trilogy links, and the Zelda factor

By David Houghton published

Feature

I've played Wolfenstein 2: The New Colossus and... oh god, you can crush Nazi skulls with wheelchair wheels

By David Houghton published

Hands On

Super Mario Odyssey hands-on: "My face is still making those involuntary happy shapes"

By David Houghton published

Hands On Playing is believing, and Nintendo's Super Mario reinvention radiates invention, much like Zelda: Breath of the Wild

Middle-earth: Shadow of War isn’t just a stunning siege simulator - it’s also a damn creepy, quietly terrifying horror game

By David Houghton published

Feature

Star Wars: Battlefront 2 multiplayer hands-on: Still accessible, still spectacular, but this time there’s a dash of real, Battlefield depth to go with it

By David Houghton published

Hands-On

Sony’s E3 2017 press conference was another classy, confident show, but thanks to over-familiar games, not a truly exciting one

By David Houghton published

Opinion

Monster Hunter World debuts the series on PS4, as a high-action, slightly western-feeling beauty

By David Houghton published

News

Beyond Good and Evil 2’s big changes point to a perfectly authentic sequel, and a profoundly grown-up one at that

By David Houghton published

Opinion

Star Wars Battlefront 2: I've played the single-player campaign. Here are 8 reasons it was worth the wait

By David Houghton published

Hands On We go hands-on with the all-new campaign mode at E3 2017

Sonic Mania: Hands-on with the new Chemical Plant Zone reveals the witty, creative (but authentic) reinvention you hoped for

By David Houghton published

Feature

Total War: Warhammer 2’s Lizardmen are a brutal blast to play, while the campaign offers a different kind of scale

By David Houghton published

Feature

Destiny 2’s Crucible PvP is going to be very different to the multiplayer you know now. Here are 6 big ways it will change

By David Houghton published

Feature

The most ludicrously impractical RPG weapons

By David Houghton, Zoe Delahunty-Light published

Feature

Destiny: Xur weapons, gear, and location, May 26 - 28. Hereafter, Monte Carlo, and Truth!

By David Houghton published

Xur

Far Cry 5 seems to be tangling with bold, contemporary issues, but I’m not sure how seriously it takes them

By David Houghton published

Opinion Far Cry is travelling into the troubled heart of modern America but it's too early to tell if developer Ubisoft is committed to the journey

Destiny 2 story: Enemies might become friends, leaders will fall, and new powers (and Darkness) may take their place

By David Houghton published

Feature

Middle-earth: Shadow of War is a thrilling, chaotic sandbox where every bloody beheading is your own damn fault

By David Houghton published

Feature

I’ve played Destiny 2: here are the 6 things you need to know (and how they change everything)

By David Houghton published

Feature

8 questions I have after watching Alien: Covenant

By David Houghton published

Feature Spoilers ahead, as we address the movie's biggest logic gaps, plot ambiguities and where the series goes next