GGRecon's Reviews
Pine Hearts is a breath of fresh air, encouraging you to slow down and tend to your emotional roots. It doesn’t just simulate an adventure; it simulates peace, creativity, and community. Whether you’re revisiting childhood memories or simply seeking a tranquil escape, Pine Hearts offers a slice of serenity with no stress involved.
Hellblade 2 remains the most technically impressive experience I’ve ever played through. Through the chosen medium of games, Ninja Theory tells a compelling narrative that, if you can put up with some rather archaic gameplay, will leave you deeply satisfied - and maybe just a little traumatised.
Galacticare will have you reaching for the stars as you build your cosmic hospital up and treat the denizens of the furthest reaches of space. While it may be a little on the slow side to start with, putting in enough time into creating your optimal medical facility is incredibly satisfying, with a cast of characters that help make each of your spaces feel alive.
Ghost of Tsushima is perhaps Nixxes' most impressive work yet. In porting one of PlayStation’s best games to PC, it’s also created one of the best-optimised pieces of software you can find on the platform.
Paper Trail had set high expectations, and Newfangled Games meets and exceeds them, combining inspired puzzle design with gorgeous art and atmosphere to leave me very excited for what it turns its talent to next.
It would have been great to see some sort of career mode implemented where you can take control of real-world players, but for a revival from the dead, TopSpin 2K25 is pretty TopNotch.
Although the novelty of swiping wears off pretty quickly, Reigns: Beyond is an impressive game for its price point. For less than £5, it’s not a risky investment - and it's probably worth the entry fee just to experience the unique gameplay and hilarious script. It’s definitely more suited for short bursts on mobile, but if the Apple Arcade isn’t an option for you, then the Switch version is a nice alternative.
Stellar Blade is an exceptionally well-crafted game that has learned from its influences and honed their teachings to a highly polished standard that can only be commended.
The sweet heart of Toriyama beats here, but it alone can’t help to make Sand Land compelling for most.
Minor gripes with the linearity of its world can be forgiven when the gameplay that backs up the narrative is so enthralling. While I doubt I’ll go back for the collectables, the lessons that Tales of Kenzera: ZAU has to teach will stay with me long after I put down the controller.
Gigantic: Rampage Edition is a pleasure to play, if you can get a game, and even though it has a somewhat low ceiling, there’s no denying that Abstraction knocked this out of the park.
If a dark revenge fantasy tale of destroying an evil cult sounds like your kind of thing, then Children of the Sun is everything you could want.
From its banging soundtrack to its pixel-perfect paddling, C-Smash VRS is one of Meta Quest 3's most enjoyable titles, even a year on from its PSVR 2 launch. One more game, yeah?
If you’re looking for a new rogue-lite to sink your teeth into, Beat Slayer offers an excellent rendition of the genre, with the rhythm-based combat only elevating it further. I’d have liked to have seen a little more innovation in the game’s upgrade system, and the character work here falls a little sub-par of what I’d expect in a game like this. That said, I had a rollicking-good time smashing my way through the streets of Berlin, and would certainly recommend picking it up if you’re looking for some added musical spice with your combat.
This is quite easily one of the most gorgeous open worlds you’ll explore in a modern video game. With a stellar set of graphical customisation options and admirable performance on rigs that meet the recommended requirements, there’s currently no better place to experience Aloy’s journey.
Showtime embraces Peach's femininity and uses it to fuel her newfound heroics. Transforming into a graceful figure skater, a beautiful songstress or a cutesy chef is her way of saving those in need, and it's truly cathartic. On top of that, the levels are simply a whole lot of fun to play, despite how easy you might find them.
What’s unforgivable is that, at its core, South Park: Snow Day! isn’t remotely fun to play. Its combat and progression systems aren’t engaging, and only the most hardcore of South Park fans will find a glimmer of hope in the bulletproof humour that’s borrowed from the cartoon.
Accessible, fun, and full of ambition, Rise of the Ronin will have you hooked on its combat no matter what type of player you are - with an exciting story of engaging characters being bloodied icing on the cake. Sure, some of its RPG systems won’t be for everyone, but Team Ninja’s first open-world effort is almost everything you could want from an action-packed samurai game set in Japan.
Despite my reservations about the late game, Dragon's Dogma 2 remains an exceptional experience on almost all fronts and an adventure that you unequivocally won't want to miss.
The game certainly gets better as time goes on, and the story is well-told enough that it's worth experiencing for survival horror fans. However, it comes with the caveats that the overall gameplay leaves a lot to be desired, and its survival horror contemporaries just do a better job on nearly every front.