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Helldivers 2 is a riotous affair, offering up best-in-class gunplay, a truly epic and often cinematic experience, mixed in with one of the best co-op gameplay romps currently available. Its present matchmaking issues hold it back from true glory, but when it works it really works, forcing you to feel a sense of patriotism for Super Earth as the score swells and bullets fly. Helldivers 2 is a hell of a lot of fun, and is the best laugh you and your mates will have on PS5.
Tomb Raider 1-3 Remastered Starring Lara Croft is a lovingly crafted compilation which may set a new standard for PS1 re-releases moving forward. Based on the original source code, this trilogy flawlessly reframes three iconic PS1 puzzle platformers as you remember them – warts and all. While you will need patience to navigate this trilogy of globe-trotting escapades, the upgraded art style sticks closely to Core Design's intended vision and it's a genuine pleasure to experience these 90s classics on all-new hardware. It's comprehensive, too, with each game's expansion pack included – and an enormous list of Trophies to unlock.
Ultros boasts a visual identity that deserves real recognition, a stunning vision of alien colour with design ideas that live long in the memory. Its platforming and combat can't quite match that vigorous success, sadly. Still, if you're on the hunt for a unique-looking Metroidvania game that comes bursting with ideas and a modest 10-hour runtime with the option of more if you love it, few games can match it for style.
Banishers: Ghosts of New Eden sees developer DON'T NOD reach a new development peak, as it marries an excellent narrative with engaging and enjoyable gameplay. Poor enemy variety and technical flaws hold it back from true greatness, but its excellent, story-focused side quests on the other side make a few drab combat encounters worth pushing through. The studio's best game to date, Banishers: Ghosts of New Eden is a new IP we hope is here to stay.
Jujutsu Kaisen: Cursed Clash is unfortunately cursed trash. Its shallow, unsatisfying combat system fails to capture the balletic brilliance of the anime and manga's striking skirmishes, and its disjointed single player campaign is unlikely to be enjoyed by franchise faithfuls or prospective new fans. Given the enormous popularity of Gege Aktusami's series, it's frankly unfathomable how badly Bandai Namco has dropped the ball here.
Foamstars is a colourful, unique, and entertaining shooter. The modes and characters on offer at launch are fun twists on genre staples, and the central foam mechanic is a playful addition with some potential for strategy. It's lighthearted, fast-paced fun with plenty of style. While the steep microtransactions and the so-so co-op missions keep it from being squeaky clean, there's a lot to like about this bubbly multiplayer title.
Incredibly bland gameplay and some overly frustrating chase sequences make Silent Hill: The Short Message a chore to play much of the time. While there are some intriguing full-motion cutscenes and heavy story details, they're not worth pushing through the dull sequences in between to experience them. Silent Hill: The Short Message is completely free, though, so all it's asking for is 90 minutes of your time to see if you enjoy it more than us.
Suicide Squad: Kill The Justice League is a complicated game. It's tough not to think about what could have been if Rocksteady opted for another traditional single player title - especially since the split personalities at this game's heart stop it from reaching the heights of the developer's previous works. That said, despite all of our complaints, we can't deny that the game's fun. The story lacks the payoff but remains engaging throughout, the traversal-tinged combat is genuinely fantastic, it's a blast to play with friends, it's one of the best looking games on PS5, it runs like an absolute dream, and, as far as live-service games go, it's shaping up to be a meaty and generous offering. There is a bittersweet feeling surrounding Suicide Squad, and that sentiment will remain for a lot of players, but it's hard to say that Rocksteady entirely missed the mark with this big gamble.
Granblue Fantasy: Relink is one of the PS5's best action RPGs - but you need to know what you're getting into. The story campaign is excellent, but its relatively short length means that most of your time will be spent with the game's optional quests, which rarely reach the same heights. Still, whether you're playing alone or in co-op, there's a real thrill to Relink's combat system, which combines precise hacking and slashing with underlying RPG stats and mechanics. If you can embrace the grind, a fantastic character roster and some amazing boss battles await.
Big Ape Productions' presentation is lovingly respectful to its film source with deliberate details, and glorious John Williams' music compositions, including dialogue choices through a mix of original and a replacement voice cast that affect minor gameplay events. A distant camera depicts Otoh Gunga and outdoor Coruscant in a more favourable light, but close-up chunky models and uncanny valley CGI have been hit with the 32-bit ugly stick.
Persona 3 Reload is a brilliant remake. In terms of gameplay, it's easily the best incarnation of a classic RPG, boasting countless quality of life and mechanical adjustments that place it alongside the outstanding Persona 5 Royal. Storytelling enhancements make the plot even more impactful, and the remade visuals are a joy to behold. Reload is borderline essential if you're yet to experience Persona 3, while also providing a near perfect way for existing fans to relive a seminal release.
In summary, Ghostbusters: Rise of the Ghost Lord encapsulates what it feels like to be a Ghostbuster but seems to be aimed at the younger audience, and may therefore feel a little underwhelming to hardcore gamers. Having said that, it's still a fantastic addition to the wider franchise, and with updates just around the corner, things could become even more interesting.
As much as this engages as a sobering alternative to the likes of Two Point Hospital, a large chunk of it just sees you cycling through familiar motions. The rich atmosphere and worthy setting are compromised by a narrow vision.
Tekken 8 is a modern fighting game masterclass. It doesn't skimp on single-player modes, its online offering is robust, and it's a serious visual spectacle. But most importantly, the battles are brilliant; accessible yet deeply technical, and supremely satisfying to be a part of - perhaps more so than ever before. There's no fighting game series quite like Tekken, and Tekken 8 is the franchise at its bombastic best.
It sounds ridiculous, but as we got sucked into Immortality's tangled web, there were times we forgot the movies we were watching weren't real. It's an astonishing accomplishment, really, and one we can't recommend highly enough.
Like a Dragon fans will turn up in their droves for a new Yakuza story regardless of overall quality, but never has one been as utterly essential as Infinite Wealth.
It's very hard not to love Ace Attorney, and that trend happily continues with the Apollo Justice trilogy. The games themselves are steeped in charm thanks to well-written, melodramatic stories and a great ensemble cast. They've been treated with respect, too, with lovely visual improvements and an enjoyable array of extras. While some weak spots here and there are inevitable, and some of the series' flaws are still present, overall there's little to object to.
It makes for an experience maybe just half a step above average. You have played many games just like The Cub before, but you've never played one that looks or sounds like it.
Looking upon the whole package, The Last of Us Part 2 Remastered is an excellent upgrade. In many ways it's a sublime treat for fans of the series, with behind-the-scenes content that we lapped up, a survival mode worth the purchase price on its own, and small, albeit present visual and performative upgrades to one of the best games to come out of the PS4 generation.
All told, though, Toy Trains delivers a satisfying experience that'll appeal to players of all ages. If you're after a nostalgic and relaxing VR title, you could do far worse than choo-choo-choose this pleasant little game.