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Mouthwashing is an engrossing psychological horror experience that kept me completely hooked in thanks to its captivating storytelling. I simply HAD to see how each thread of the tale would play out, and with the switch between time periods leaving me guessing and the brilliantly-written characters proving unpredictable, I loved every moment of it. The storytelling does take centre stage (and it’s best described as a walking sim), but with plenty of moments of interactivity as well as a few simple puzzles to spice things up, Mouthwashing certainly stands out as a horror hit that you won’t want to miss out on.
Reynatis has some interesting ideas, but the lack of variety and depth in combat can make it feel a little dull the longer you play. It’s a shame too, because I really liked the storytelling, whilst the balance between taking a Liberated or Suppressed approach (both in combat and when exploring) certainly gave the game a unique spin. Unfortunately, it just got a little repetitive to play, and whilst nothing is outright bad in the game, it does lack that special something to make it easy to an easy RPG to recommend.
I absolutely adore Worlds of Aria, with its unpredictable Dungeons and Dragons-style gameplay loop making for a genuinely brilliant experience to share with friends. Each of the game’s acts is packed with charming and quirky situations where your choices will affect where the story will go, whilst each skill check you face will leave you on the edge of your seat as you eagerly anticipate your success (or failure)… I loved it. The game just really resonated with me, and with it easily accessible for additional players through the Friend Pass, it has been one of the best multiplayer experiences I’ve shared with friends. I have no doubt that the RNG decision making won’t be for everyone, but if you’ve ever enjoyed Dungeons and Dragons in the past, you simply HAVE to play Worlds of Aria.
Castlevania Dominus Collection offers a fantastic collection of titles that still stand out as some of the best in the Castlevania series. The gameplay of Castlevania: Dawn of Sorrow, Castlevania: Portrait of Ruin, and Castlevania: Order of Ecclesia has stood the test of time with their enthralling adventures, whilst the unique features found across each ensures they feel fresh to play. Add to that the cool bonus of Haunted Castle (even if the original release is on the poor side) and it’ll be easy to see that this is another brilliant collection of classics from the team at Konami.
Beyond Galaxyland is a real treat to play, with its gorgeous world, clever storytelling, and rewarding combat making for a really fun RPG experience. It has plenty of cool little systems in place to keep the roughly twelve-hour campaign engaging until the very end, whilst simply exploring each locale, taking in the mesmerising sights, and seeing the charming sci-fi story unfold kept me completely absorbed in the experience. It can be a bit easy and it does have a few small missteps with its platforming, but Beyond Galaxyland still stands out as a wonderfully creative RPG that’ll certainly put a smile on the faces of fans of the genre.
Bloomtown: A Different Story is a charming RPG that kept me utterly engrossed with its gorgeous world, enjoyable combat, and clever storytelling. I loved being able to shape the events of the narrative with my choices (even IF they weren’t always successful), whilst completing tasks across Bloomtown, battling enemies, or recruiting new demons to my cause was always satisfying. And sure, it might wear its inspirations like a big badge of honour, but when it pulls the ideas that inspired it together so effectively, it’s hard not to find yourself completely hooked in. It does have some flaws, most notably with some instances of combat dragging out and the overwhelming nature of the quests, but Bloomtown: A Different Story still stands out as an impressive RPG that fans of Persona are sure to love.
Shadows of Doubt is simply brilliant, with its sleuthing gameplay loop proving clever, creative, and unpredictable in design to ensure that each case you solve will keep you fully immersed in its fascinating world. I was constantly amazed at how deep each case would go, and with cities on offer that are packed with citizens to interrogate and locales to explore, it’s hard not to feel blown away by the scale of it all. I haven’t played anything quite like it before, and whilst it does have some imperfections and some cases can leave you flummoxed for a little longer than I’d have liked, Shadows of Doubt offers the best representation of ‘solving a murder’ that I’ve EVER seen in gaming.
Dead Rising Deluxe Remaster is a fanatic remaster of one of Capcom’s best games, with the improvements complementing the sublime zombie-killing gameplay loop. With its more intuitive controls, smarter survivor AI, gorgeous visuals, and more accessible save system, this really is the best that Dead Rising has ever felt to play – both for veterans and those new to the series. Here’s hoping Capcom give Dead Rising 2 the same treatment, because it really has felt special getting to experience one of my favourite games of all time in this wonderfully revamped form.
Dragon Quest Monsters: The Dark Prince has been a real treat to play, with the monster collecting and synthesis keeping me hooked in for hours on end. I’ve really enjoyed exploring its world, collecting all of the monsters than I can, building them up in power, and then synthesising them into more formidable monsters, whilst progressing through the story and completing tournaments was equally rewarding. I’ll admit, I’ve ended up enjoying the game a lot more than I expected, so much so that I’m still playing through post-completion to try and collect every monster in the game… it really has been THAT addictive. It’s great to see that the PC release doesn’t suffer from some of the technical issues of the Nintendo Switch version of the game too, and whilst the visuals still might not really be all that impressive, this is easily the best way to experience Dragon Quest Monsters: The Dark Prince.
Broken Sword – Shadow of the Templars: Reforged is a wonderful remaster that really does spark new life in a point-and-click classic. The visuals are gorgeous, the gameplay is more intuitive than before, whilst the additional Story Mode goes a long way in making the experience more accessible for newcomers to the genre. Add to that the excellent puzzling and storytelling from the original that has certainly stood the test of time, and you’ll quicky find that this is one remastered release you won’t want to miss out on.
The Plucky Squire is a joy to play, with the varied gameplay, delightful world, and constant surprises ensuring that it stands out as one of 2024’s best indie hits. It just feels so good to play, with so many clever ideas on show throughout the adventure that ensure Jot’s journey is fresh and engaging from start to end. And sure, it might be a little bit on the easy side, but with so many cool challenges to face and fun puzzles to complete, it’s hard not to fall in love with The Plucky Squire.
Caravan SandWitch is a wonderful, easy-going experience that will keep players wrapped up in its world thanks to the satisfying pacing and enjoyable exploration mechanics. Simply exploring Cigalo and uncovering each area was always a treat, whilst upgrading the van, completing side quests, and learning more about the narrative kept me invested until the very end. It looks very pretty too, with Cigalo offering a lot of gorgeous sights to see as you venture further afield. It might be a bit too easy for some and the lack of death or challenge won’t be for everyone, but personally? I loved my time with Caravan SandWitch and found it an utter delight to play.
The Mortuary Assistant is a unique and disturbing horror experience that’ll keep players on the edge of their seat as they try to unravel the demonic threat. I haven’t played anything quite like it before, and, even as a long-time horror fan, I found myself constantly on edge as I dealt with the expertly executed scares that the game threw my way. It’s really fun to play, and when you do succeed? You’ll feel like you worked hard for it. It’s just a shame that the controls of the console port aren’t quite perfect, whilst it could be guilty of being a little repetitive over repeat playthroughs. But hey, with scares aplenty and a satisfying gameplay loop to be found, The Mortuary Assistant should certainly be on your radar with the Halloween season approaching.
Hollowbody is an engrossing horror experience that’ll keep players on the edge of their seat thanks to its sinister world design and harrowing storytelling. I absolutely loved exploring each eerie locale, whilst the clever puzzle design and enjoyable combat ensure it gets all of the basic elements of the survival horror genre right. Sure, the melee combat could be a bit clunky, but it’s a small issue in what is otherwise a thrilling old school-inspired horror adventure.
Astro Bot isn’t only the best game on the PlayStation 5, but it’s also one of the best platformers of all time. It might seem like hyperbole, but it really is THAT good. Team Asobi have whipped up something super special here with the wonderfully creative level design, gorgeous visuals, and throwbacks to all things PlayStation making this one of the easiest perfect scores we’ve ever handed out.
Visions of Mana is a wonderful RPG that really shows just how special the Mana series can be (and that it deserves more new entries). Whilst the story can be guilty of being a bit predictable, the combat is exciting, the diversity of classes gives players plenty of cool ways to experiment, whilst the world looks gorgeous and brings with it an array of astounding things to discover on your journey. It is guilty of playing things a bit too safe at times and it’s a shame that it doesn’t do more with its puzzles across the world, but these are small issues in what is otherwise an enthralling experience. I really, really hope it sells well, because I’d love to see what future adventures Square Enix could bring to the Mana series.
Ultimately, I found Demon’s Mirror to be a compelling and addictive experience – even if it could be a bit tough in places. Its clever blend of deck building and match-three mechanics feels refreshing and unique for the genre, which does it a lot of favours given how oversaturated it can be. Demon’s Mirror does enough to stand out though, and despite the occasional stressful moments, it has that “just one more try” appeal that kept me coming back for more.
Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine 2 is a wonderful third-person shooting escapade that’ll keep players thrilled from start to end. The campaign is a blast to play through thanks to the overwhelming nature of the enemy threat, whilst the fact that you’re perfectly-armed to deal with it makes for some exciting encounters that’ll keep players on the edge of their seats. Then you’ve got the Operations, which don’t only flesh out the experience, but bring with it some strategically-focused variety… it’s a blast. I really enjoyed the first game so my expectations were high going in, but honestly? Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine 2 has completely exceeded them, with it easily the best third-person shooter that I’ve played this year.
Star Wars Outlaws offers an engrossing, action-packed adventure that’s only really let down by a few technical hitches. I loved uncovering Kay’s story, switching up between the rival criminal syndicates, facing off with foes in action-packed shootouts, and exploring each wonderful locale, whilst the game never seems to run out of ideas in its world design. I’d be lying if I said that the stealth didn’t get a little underwhelming later on in the game, but when everything else is so wonderfully executed, it’s easy to forgive. It just needs a little bit of extra work right now to iron out some of the technical issues, and whilst I didn’t encounter anything game-breaking, I did need to re-load my save on a few occasions to fix a problem. Was it the end of the world? No, but it was the only thing stopping me from giving the game a 9 out of 10.
Dustborn isn’t perfect, but its engaging storytelling, wonderful visuals, and variety of gameplay mechanics ensure that it still makes for one heck of a memorable road trip. You’ll constantly feel like you’re doing something different, and whilst it does miss the mark at times (most notably with its combat and lack of challenge), it has plenty of little surprises to keep a smile on your face when playing.