Ben Fellows
SiN Reloaded finally delivers the polished experience Ritual Entertainment envisioned back in 1998. Nightdive Studios rescues this cult shooter with sharp 4K visuals, updated controls, and rich bonus content across both the base game and expansion. Confusing level navigation and dated enemy AI occasionally derail the momentum, but thunderous gunplay and cheesy action movie charm make this remaster a genuine treat for retro FPS fans.
Valheim is a generational survival crafting masterpiece that sets a staggering new high bar for the genre on PS5. Iron Gate's inverted survival philosophy, glorious low-poly aesthetic, and rewarding base building make every hour spent in Norse purgatory an absolute joy. While late-game difficulty spikes and minor terrain combat quirks introduce slight pacing stalls, its unparalleled sense of discovery, cozy homesteading, and epic co-op sailing make it an essential, defining title.
Dynasty Warriors 3: Complete Edition Remastered brings a PS2 legend to modern hardware with a complete technical overhaul, rock-solid frame rates, and its iconic cheesy voice acting left completely intact. While old-school map pacing and brutal archers show the game's age, optional modern dodge controls and deep co-op gameplay make it an absolute blast for nostalgia seekers.
SPRAWL zero is a thrilling Y2K throwback that captures the raw, unadulterated soul of the PS2 era without inheriting its clunky controls. By pairing a fast-paced "shoot-yeet-repeat" combat loop, pristine modern movement controls, and heavy, bass-rich audio design with razor-sharp momentum, it delivers a genuinely authentic retro experience. While shielded heavies create annoying pacing speedbumps and repetitive corridor environments occasionally apply the brakes in the middle chapters, the sheer joy of its physics-driven gunplay makes it an absolute must-play for action fans.
Supported by sharp combat, deep day-night synergy, a fantastic score, and a lived-in world, the game delivers on its ambitious promises. Minor hiccups like stiff facial animations or initial calendar anxiety do nothing to diminish what Rebel Wolves has achieved here. The Blood of Dawnwalker isn't just an outstanding RPG; it is a landmark statement in game design that proves restraint, atmosphere, and meaningful player agency beat mindless scale every single time. An absolute, brilliantly executed dark fantasy masterpiece.
Hell Let Loose: Vietnam has all the ingredients of a fantastic large-scale mil-sim, and when they come together, it's one of the most tense and satisfying shooters on PS5. It's brutal, slow, unforgiving and demanding, but that's exactly what makes getting good at it so rewarding. Unfortunately, technical issues currently get in the way too often, leaving a great game in need of some serious polish. For now, despite all these issues, I still think it's a blast to play.
Halo: Campaign Evolved succeeds because it understands what needed to evolve and what needed to stay untouched. The new additions help modernise the experience, but the heart of Halo remains exactly where it should be. Playing through Master Chief's first mission on PS5 is a significant moment, but the reason it works is much simpler. Halo is still a brilliant shooter, and experiencing it with a friend reminded me why we need more games willing to deliver this kind of focused, memorable campaign.
Hollowbody succeeds thanks to its awesome atmosphere, spooky audio design, and rewarding exploration. Although repetitive encounters and clunky combat prevent it from reaching the heights of the genre's best, its strengths comfortably outweigh its flaws. Headware Games has delivered a memorable experience that captures the spirit of classic survival horror without feeling trapped by nostalgia. For fans craving an old-school horror experience on PS5, this unsettling adventure is easy to recommend.
A stylish, systems-driven sci-fi action game that blends intense combat, strong traversal mechanics and atmospheric world design into a cohesive whole. Held back slightly by combat readability issues and occasional visual softness, but Luna Abyss still delivers a highly engaging experience overall.
John Carpenter's Toxic Commando delivers pure co-op chaos with confidence and flair. Massive hordes, satisfying weapon variety, inventive vehicles, and clever salvage/defense mechanics create consistently thrilling missions. Class progression, skill trees, and temporary heavy weapons encourage experimentation and strategic play. Performance dips are minor in comparison to the spectacle, and while the game doesn't reinvent the genre, it refines a familiar formula in ways that feel fresh, especially with friends. Overall, it's a high-energy, replayable co-op experience that shines brightest in teamwork-driven chaos.
Avowed on PS5 is a focused, polished RPG that thrives on combat variety, skill depth, and companion-driven encounters. Expanded progression systems and gear upgrades make your chosen playstyle feel consistently rewarding, while companions add tactical and narrative depth to every fight. Though Obsidian has kept some story beats and familiar design elements safe, the meaningful tweaks and updates bring more out of your experience, making exploration, combat, and progression more engaging than ever. Limited enemy variety remains a minor restraint, but overall, the PS5 version feels complete, confident, and satisfying from start to finish.
Nioh 3 represents the series at its most refined and confident. Combat is precise, expressive, and endlessly rewarding, while open-field design gives the world room to breathe without sacrificing focus. Crucibles deliver punishing, carefully balanced challenges that reward preparation and mastery in equal measure.
Thief VR: Legacy of Shadow on PSVR2 is modest in ambition but confident in its chosen identity. It doesn't offer the sprawling systemic depth of its ancestors, nor does it push stealth AI into new territory, yet the tactile VR experience elevates what could have been forgettable into something surprisingly satisfying. The repetition, the shallow enemy behaviour, and the occasional technical hiccup undeniably pull the game down, but the undeniable charm of physically inhabiting the shadows pushes it back up. What's left is a VR stealth experience that works because it leans into the strengths of the medium, even if it can't fully escape its weaknesses.
Plenty of players feared Black Ops 7 might fall into the same expansion-like pattern that Modern Warfare 3 did after Modern Warfare 2, and for some that concern may feel justified once the campaign's uneven execution becomes clear. The story has flashes of ambition, but its pacing and structure stop it from reaching the impact it aims for, leaving it feeling more serviceable than essential. Multiplayer steadies the ship with the sharpest and most rewarding action in the package, delivering the consistency and momentum the rest of the game struggles to match. Zombies offers a decent run with enjoyable pockets of tension, yet it also settles into familiar rhythms, creating an overall experience that lands solidly but never pushes the series forward in the way fans hoped.
For anyone drawn to open-world shooters, survival games, or atmospheric horror, S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2 is an absolute must-play. It's tense, beautiful, and deeply immersive, with a world that feels alive and unpredictable. Challenge, exploration, and narrative are balanced with skill, delivering moments of genuine fear, discovery, and triumph. On PS5, the game runs smoothly and presents the Zone in all its haunting glory. After experiencing it firsthand, it's clear this is a major milestone for the series - a game that fully deserves attention and respect.
Reach VR is a confident leap forward for nDreams and for virtual reality on PS5. Its tactile movement, convincing world, and expressive design make it one of the most engaging uses of the medium this year. There are moments when repetition and polish issues hold it back, but its highs easily outweigh the rough edges. This is the kind of game that reminds you why VR matters - not because it's a novelty, but because it makes the impossible feel real.
Borderlands 4 doesn't reinvent the Vault-it just rebuilds it stronger. The writing occasionally misfires, and the performance hitches are unacceptable in a AAA series like this. Still, the moment-to-moment thrill of firing absurdly designed weapons at even more absurd enemies carries the experience. It's messy, noisy, and entirely too much at times-but that's Borderlands at its most honest. Gearbox hasn't made a flawless sequel, but it's made a hell of a fun one.
Baby Steps won't click with everyone, but if you have the patience, it delivers one of the most memorable and oddly inspiring platformers in years. Every laugh comes with frustration, every fall makes the next step sweeter, and the whole thing somehow feels worth it. It's clumsy and challenging, but also one of the most charmingly human games you'll play this generation.
Bad Cheese isn't perfect, but it's clever and creative. Its campaign may be brief, its puzzles uneven, and its controls a bit rough, but its art and sound make it linger in your mind long after the credits roll.
From its nerve-wracking combat to its dense puzzles, from grotesque enemy designs to quiet moments of reflection, it's a consistently engaging experience. Silent Hill f proves the franchise still has the power to unsettle and surprise. It's a brilliant return that respects its roots while boldly moving forward.