Darryn Bonthuys's Reviews
Lightfall's new gameplay mechanics and evolved systems position it as a turning point for Destiny 2, but the expansion is let down by the poor narrative of its campaign.
Tiny Tina's Wonderlands retreads the same mechanical and narrative ground as Borderlands 3, ultimately creating a chapter in the franchise that's fun but forgettable.
We got hands-on with the closed network test for From Software's next game, and it felt both familiar and different in an exciting way.
Guilty Gear's latest chapter is its most accessible one yet, a righteous display of power and attitude that unleashes the sickest of heavy metal guitar licks and unrelenting style. Its online matchmaking may still need some work before it's ready for the main event, but Arc System Works has delivered a captivating display of coolness and action.
DC Super Hero Girls: Teen Power succeeds in not feeling like a simple cash-grab. Much like its source material, it has genuine heart, plenty of activities to take part in, and a cast of characters who are simply adorable. Some of its more social open-world gameplay may feel a touch slapdash, but its colourful and explosive action more than makes up for it by being a blast of addictive and easy-to-grasp fun.
Ninja Gaiden: The Master Collection is a fascinatingly violent time capsule that shows off the best and the worst of Koei Tecmo's fan favourite shinobi. It's as barebones a collection as can be, packing all three games together with a sprinkling of DLC, but it's still a fine showcase of brutal difficulty and white-knuckle thrill power that is inimitable by anything else on the market. Just don't expect anything more than that.
Boring narrative aside, Sniper Elite Ghost Warrior Contracts 2 is superb at delivering its bread and ballistics gameplay. Focused purely on the art of the kill, CI Games has crafted numerous detailed sandboxes to become the ultimate long-distance predator inside of, resulting in a game that forges ahead and doubles down on its own unique brand of hold-your-breath gunplay. Pure cathartic and exhilarating action with every squeeze of the trigger.
I think it's impossible to put down your controller once you finish Rift Apart for the first time, and not have a smile on your face. It's a game that's chicken soup for the soul, nourishing and positive content that's just incredibly wholesome to consume. Loud with its setpiece moments and surprisingly introspective with its emotional haymakers, all of its style and substance comes together to create not only a colourful, and wonderfully mad showcase for the PS5, but also the definitive Ratchet and Clank adventure for the next generation of gaming.
Knockout City is both easy to pick up and deviously simple in its design, hiding a layer of complexity behind more casual gameplay that fans will discover the more they become invested in it. There's some standard launch-month polishing left to be done still, but Knockout City lands more hits than misses with its high-stakes gameplay and cunning combat, resulting in a multiplayer experience that's both fun and intense at any given moment.
Ghosts 'n Goblins Resurrection is exactly what you'd expect a remake of Capcom's classic: It's painfully difficult to the point of parody, but it also features gorgeous visuals and imaginatively punishing design to create a beautiful knightmare.
Almost three dozen games, a trip into a bygone era, and plenty of reasons to have a pocket full of coins jangling away as you peruse the offerings. Depending on your fondness for the past, Capcom Arcade Stadium has a divisive collection of charming cult classic titles and time-wasting distractions, but it's all presented in a package that lures you in with bright lights, loud sounds, and plenty of nostalgia.
Miitopia still retains its charm as it hops from 3DS to Switch, as well as a decent upgrade in the visual department. It's no 100-hour epic, but it's a cute and quirky little RPG that makes for an adorable distraction when you need to let your brain rest for a bit.
Biomutant juggles a ton of balls at any given time, and while it might not be able to keep all of them in the air, it's still an ambitious open-world adventure that's hard to not fall in love with. Maybe it's coming at the right time as well, as its generally laid-back approach to storytelling, wonderfully silly crafting, and deep character customization more than makes up for the rough combat that could do with some more polish.
BioWare's finest hour, Mass Effect Legendary Edition is a package of passionate remasters and tweaking to create the definitive take on one of the best sci-fi adventures in gaming. I'm Commander Shepard, and this is my favourite remaster on the Citadel.
So what is this interactive story that I've been throwing my thumbs at, attempting to guide its fate while being exposed to cracks in the wall that separates its reality from mine? Is it an absurdly smart commentary of video games, a bonkers adventure to watch unfold, a slice of creativity rarely seen in the industry? Is it an experience that has to be felt to be understood, thanks to its talkative AI and whimsical approach? Whatever it is, one thing is for certain: There is no game.
Ireland is beautiful beyond words, the hidden secrets make exploring the Emerald Isle more fascinating than the paint by numbers main campaign, and if you're looking for plenty of familiar bang for your Hiberno-Norse coinage, Wrath of the Druids certainly has all that and more.
Buildings Have Feelings Too! has plenty of charm and character to go along with its fun puzzle game construction, but a few lopsided technical bricks results in an experience that has more than a few frustrating building code violations beneath its cheerful façade.
Returnal is an unrelenting and unforgiving challenge for the ages, but it still captures the magic of what makes Housemarque so special. It has a weirdly unique style and substance, every level is an unpredictable white-knuckle ride and it fully commits to its rogue-like influences. The end result isn't just a showcase title for what the PS5 is capable of, it's a thrilling mix of arcade bullet-hell gaming with precision thrill power.
New Pokemon Snap captures the magic of the original game without ever losing focus, expanding on that game with a vastly increased collection of Pokemon, colourful zones to explore, and a few other interesting developments behind the lens. It's a delightful adventure that imagines the world of Pokemon as a lively and cathartic safari.
Outriders is old school action that stands tall as a satisfying and vulgar display of power that's fast, frantic, and pure fun.