Ask yourself this: did you play Outriders simply for its campaign and then drop it, or did you push yourself through its expeditions, going as far as you could go? For those in the former camp, Worldslayer probably isn’t for you. At least not at full price, anyway. You’ll blast through the campaign in 10 hours or less and then be left twiddling your thumbs. For those enamoured with Outriders‘ unique brand of high-octane combat seeking to max out their characters and optimise their builds, however, Worldslayer should be considered a must-have.
While the core gameplay of Redout 2 is solid, the difficulty spikes will suck much of the fun out of the experience for some. And while steadily developing your ship helps players adjust to the increase in speed over the course of the career, it’s a strange and unfortunate choice to not offer a range of starting craft, tuned to multiple play styles. With a bit of work, then, Redout 2 could really stand out in the anti-gravity racer genre. But until then, it’s hard to recommend to all but the brave and the hardcore.
While there’s nothing truly ground-breaking introduced in the Dominion Biosyn Expansion, it’s certainly worth picking up if you love Jurassic World Evolution 2. Some may find that the new campaign guides them a little too much, but the new dinosaurs and features hold your attention throughout. And the new dinosaur-wrangling system in the Chaos Theory scenario makes it stand out, too. But let’s face it, most people are buying this for the dinosaurs, and while there aren’t that many of them, they’re wonderfully recreated and rather unique.
Focusing on puzzles rather than action – most noteworthy encounters are delivered via quick time events – Oxide Room 104 may be rough around the edges but it has a certain something that elevates it above many of its competitors. It has a genuinely oppressive atmosphere, its puzzles are engaging, and its looping mechanic adds a exciting twist. If you’re a survival horror fan looking for something that will occupy an evening or two, this may just fit the bill.
Whether you’re a fighting game fan who remembers some of these classics from yesteryear, or someone new to the genre who’s open to digging into some past treasures, Capcom Fighting Collection is well worth picking up. Sure, it’s fairly Darkstalkers-heavy, and the lack of cross-platform play is unfortunate, but the hours of fun that can be had from this collection far outweigh such disappointments. Capcom has once again plundered its extensive back catalogue and come up with the goods.
Each Sonic game presented here in Sonic Origins has something that makes it stand out from the rest. But they all share a certain magic that means we return to them, time and time again, year after year; that’s why this collection exists, after all. And it’s thanks to this collection that yet more players, young and old, are going to be able to enjoy these classics. Hardcore Sonic fans will rue the music changes in Sonic 3, for sure, but everything else new or tweaked here is for the better. Sonic’s 3D offerings over the years have been sketchy at best, but as long as we can still enjoy his origins, we’ll love him regardless.
Horgihugh and Friends isn’t going to set anyone’s world on fire – it’s not spectacular in any way. Despite some issues, though, it’s a solid shoot ’em up, and thanks to Eterday mode the more you put into it the more you get out. Ultimately, it’s the fact that it’s got cute animals as central characters that’s going to draw you to it, and that feelgood factor wins out. With its grim backstory, you’ll be rooting for Hugh and Figaro every step of the way.
Final Vendetta isn’t a bad game, but in trying to ape the classics it loses sight of the true goal post: the games that currently rule the roost. Even then, we’d still rather play the original Final Fight or Streets of Rage than this middling effort that just simply doesn’t feel as welcoming or enjoyable. Ultimately, if you’re a huge fan of the genre and have a great deal of patience you might get some fun out if it, but it’s never going to be remembered as a classic.
Some will love the surprising amount of depth that Mario Strikers: Battle League Football offers, but those expecting something they can easily pick up and play perhaps won’t be as enamoured. It’s the lack of modes that’s the real kicker here, though. In addition to some other minor issues, it makes for a game that just doesn’t fulfil on its potential. Still, if you’re after a game that serves up a variation of football that is full of over the top action, there’s little in the way of competition.
As long as players know what they’re getting into With Neon White, chances are they’ll have a brilliant time. It’s got a clean visual style, a brilliant soundtrack, and gameplay that’s challenging but moreish. Add in a story that will keep you interested in uncovering the fate of Neon White and his acquaintances, and you have one of the most interesting releases of the year so far.
We expected Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Shredder’s Revenge to be good, but instead it’s absolutely outstanding. It’s got character, it’s got charm, and it’s got gameplay that puts up zero barriers. It’s just an absolute blast to play through from beginning to end, whether you’re alone or accompanied by friends. Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles fans will love it. Side-scrolling beat ’em fans will love it. And those who simply like fun will love it. Cowabunga indeed.
While Super Perils of Baking can feel a tad too generic at times, then, is has to lot to offer for its modest price. It evokes the spirit of 90s platformers that were never as popular as the big hitters – games like Zool, Cool Spot and Boogerman. And so for those who yearn for a new platforming experience that relishes in that old-school feel, it’ll go down a storm. Perhaps the worst thing about it is its soundtrack, but that can be easily remedied. Ultimately, it will never be remembered as a classic, but Super Perils of Baking can at least remind you of the golden days of the genre.
With a patch or two, Industria could be a game well worth investing in now that it’s available on consoles as well as PC. But at the moment, some frustrating issues mean only the most patient players might see it through, even through it’s not particularly long. Exploring a bleak parallel world is intriguing for sure, but when the controls feel like they’re fighting against you and the save system is overly punishing, much of your drive to proceed is lost.
Is The Quarry Supermassive Games’ best game yet? It’s bloody close. In many ways it outshines Until Dawn, but it’s a shame its final chapter doesn’t feel quite as eventful as we’d have liked. The visuals the great, the characters are brilliantly acted, and the horrors you face truly are terrifying. Combine that with impactful decisions to be made, which will encourage you to play through The Quarry multiple times, and you have a horror experience that’s not to be missed.
If you’re a fan of simulator-like games, and want something a little more different and fantastical, it’s well worth giving Hardspace: Shipbreaker a try. It can feel very much like work at times, but there’s also something strange therapeutic about it. After all, it’s rewarding doing a good job, right?
Still, They Always Run may have its issues, but the good outweighs the bad. The combat is exciting and the chase sequences exhilarating. The platforming bits in-between are fun for the most part, too, apart from the odd moment where the controls feel like they’re working against you. And while the story may be quite brief, it does keep you invested. So, if you’re interested in becoming a bounty hunter for a short while, They Always Run is worth your attention.
If you don’t mind forking out for a spooky experience that you’ll complete in an evening and then perhaps never think about again, you could do a lot worse than Insomnis. It is genuinely unnerving at times, and its puzzles are rewarding to solve. It’s just a shame there isn’t more to it.
As it is, Souldiers is a very enjoyable entry in the metroidavania genre – providing you have plenty of skill and/or patience. It doesn’t offer anything that’s genuinely new, but most of its components complement each other well. If only more thought had been given to the player experience, as for many it will simply prove to be too punishing at times. And on PS5, it could do with a little more polish.
Thanks to its moreish gameplay and wonderful visuals that combine solid black landmasses with pastel-coloured backdrops, Gravitar: Recharged is a must-have for those who enjoy arcade games with a lasting challenge. Revitalising a classic with gusto, the new Missions mode and co-op just bolster what’s already a very worthy addition to your game library.
Remote Life is very impressive, considering it’s made by just one person. But it does have some issues that will prevent it from being remembered as one of the classics. Still, shoot ’em up fans are likely to want to add this to their collection. Not only does it look great, but the twin-stick shooter element makes it unique. If only it didn’t have so many gates to wait around for.