It’s safe to say that if you were a fan of River City Girls, you’re going to love River City Girls 2. But with that, there’s nothing here that is likely to draw in new fans. It’s very much an incremental improvement and expansion of the first. There are more characters, more moves, more locations, more… everything. And with the series’ typically strong presentation, those who get absorbed in the adventure on offer here will have an absolute blast whether they play alone or in co-op.
Aside from one or two overly frustrating encounters, we’ve truly enjoyed our time with The Callisto Protocol. And over time, we’re sure it’s going to get better. This is a mighty debut for Striking Distance Studios, and we can’t wait to get our hands on an improved sequel or something entirely new from the studio in the future. We wholeheartedly recommended The Callisto Protocol to horror fans open to brutal close-combat encounters, but some might want to wait until features such as New Game Plus have been added and certain issues have perhaps been ironed out. With a solid update or two, it will be essential.
It’s thanks to DualSense support and the other subtle improvements found here that Neon White is better than ever before on PS5. The speed-running nature of the game means it might not appeal or be suitable for everyone, but those who can hack it will be utterly enamoured with its charms. This is one seriously slick adventure, in terms of both gameplay and storytelling. And the more you put into it, the more you get out.
For fighting game fans, The Rumble Fish 2 is worth a try at its budget price. It has a varied roster of characters, multiple single player modes including arcade, time track and survival, and online multiplayer with rollback. It’s an interesting but dated curio that’s not going to take the gaming world by storm, but some will appreciate it nonetheless.
If you love arcade-styled games that challenge your skills and draw you in time and time again in order to set a new high-score, Swordship is very much worth playing. It’s a simple concept but one that’s been executed rather well. And it is somewhat fun outwitting your enemies and making them destroy each other as you vie to collect valuable cargo.
Criterion has certainly made its mark with this latest entry in the Need for Speed series, injecting a bit more fun and polish into the template created by Ghost Games. The result is an arcade racer that truly stands out from the crowd thanks to its visual flair and thrilling police chases. Providing you take the time to tweak the handling to your preferences, and you don’t mind the hip hop-driven soundtrack, Need for Speed Unbound is likely to be the most entertaining racing game you’ll play this year.
As HD remasters go, Crisis Core: Final Fantasy VII Reunion goes above and beyond what’s expected in many regards.
The Knight Witch is a game that has a lot to offer both fans of twin-stick shooters and Metroidvanias. Its moment-to-moment action is enjoyable and exciting as you avoid enemy bullets and try to counter them with your own attacks, and there’s a great sense of exploration. It’s a shame that some systems perhaps don’t quite hit the mark as they should, but anyone who can appreciate a game that takes some risks will very much enjoy this quirky adventure.
Overall, there’s nothing particularly impressive about Last Days of Lazarus. Its story is perhaps the main reason to play it: it lacks real impact, but it’s so corny and unhinged that you can’t help but get drawn into it. Outside of that, the gameplay is mildly entertaining but not really clever or challenging. Add in its middling presentation, and you have a game that can be enjoyed for a few hours but is utterly forgettable.
Whether you’re a fan of strategy games or the Marvel universe, Marvel’s Midnight Suns should be considered a must-have. Even more so if you’re a fan of both. This is an ambitious title that offers dozens of hours of engrossing gameplay, full of battles that will have you on the edge of your seat, and party building that will have you carefully weighing up your options. One of the best superhero games ever made, Marvel’s Midnight Suns will grip you from the outset with its unpredictable story, and its gameplay makes you feel like the one with all the power.
Succubus With Guns is a terrible game with terrible controls and terrible design. We would have given this a 1/10, but on our scale, that denotes a game that is broken to the point of being unplayable. Unfortunately for all involved, you can play Succubus With Guns. But you absolutely, definitely should not.
It’s debateable whether most players will have the patience and persistence to see Do Not Open through until its end. It’s a shame, because the premise here is interesting, and the puzzles themselves are mostly clever and fun to solve. The entity is its downfall, an ill-conceived obstacle that’s relentless and a little bit broken. Rather than make Do Not Open scary, it makes it needlessly frustrating.
If you’re a fan of the series and you can hack constantly pulling the right trigger as you slowly push forward through linear environments, there’s some fun to be found in Gungrave G.O.R.E, for sure. But for most, it’ll prove to be too repetitive. There’s simply not enough variety to be found in this action-packed third-person shooter. Eventually it begins to feel like a test of your endurance rather than your gaming skills.
With the combat being the heart and soul of Evil West, it’s a relief that it’s so engaging and enjoyable throughout. It’s just a shame that a better balance hasn’t been struck between performance and visuals, as neither mode is particularly ideal. It’s still very much worth digging into Evil West, however: if you can look past the blurry visuals at 1080p, there’s a lot of fun to be had in this old-fashioned action-adventure – and you can even bring a friend along for the ride.
Marvel’s Spider-Man: Miles Morales was a brilliant game when it launched in 2020, and it remains so now. Its origins as a standalone expansion means it’s noticeably shorter than Marvel’s Spider-Man Remastered, but it has a more enjoyable story and improved gameplay. It makes swinging through the streets of New York City, combating crime as you go, an utter delight. And this PC port is pretty much flawless.
If you’re an RWBY fan, there’s a good chance you’ll enjoy RWBY: Arrowfell on the whole, despite some frustrations. We’d say it’s even accessible to newcomers, too, though they might be a little less enamoured with it due to not being familiar with the characters and the world they inhabit. It’s not a bad game by any means, but it soon gets repetitive – and oversights, like no minimap being available, introduce unnecessary frustration.
Inertial Drift: Twilight Rivals Edition has all the same issues we had with the original release, such as poor options for those who want to race online, but thanks to the addition of another campaign and a selection of cars and tracks, those who loved it before are likely to love it even more. It’s those who have not yet played Inertial Drift that will perhaps get the most out of this new PS5 edition, however. A host of improvements mean it has never looked or played better on console.
Still, while Pentiment doesn’t make the best first impression, and the lack of music robs it of atmosphere and character, it’s well worth digging into if you’re a fan of well-written narrative adventures or games that require you to conduct investigations. You’ll soon come to love – or loathe – its cast of characters, and with plenty of fun puzzles to solve, minigames to engage in and meaningful choices to make, it’s rewarding in ways that other games in the same genre space rarely ever manage.
Like any retro game collection, how much you get out of Atari 50: The Anniversary Celebration is largely limited by your appreciation of its games. There are a lot here, and it’s safe to say that the majority of them didn’t really hold our interest. There are some classics that remain very playable though, and some were worth returning to just for a hit of nostalgia. The real reason to pick this up, though, is its wealth of museum-like content, as well as its new, reimagined takes on some popular titles. They make this a retro collection like no other.
Bloody Ties isn’t likely to wow you in any way. As DLC goes, it’s very much inessential. But for just £7.99/$9.99, those wanting an excuse to return to Dying Light 2 might at least find it entertaining. The challenges will test your skills, while the cosmetics will allow you to further make Aiden your own. It’s just a shame that it very much feels like an extended side-quest, and that your hard-earned equipment is mostly rendered useless.