A Plague Tale: Requiem outdoes its predecessor in many ways. Its story, for example, manages to be even more engaging and touching, while numerous gameplay enhancements make it a deeper, more varied affair. It’s just a shame that its first quarter isn’t better paced, relying too much on you manipulating rats with light, and that its combat sections just aren’t fun at all. Add in a myriad of performance issues and bugs, and you have a game that somewhat squanders its phenomenal potential, but is still very much worth playing.
Being fans of LEGO and puzzle games, we wanted to love LEGO Bricktales. We’ve found it very hard to do so, however. Crashes are one thing, but when the gameplay itself is hampered by fiddly controls and the feeling of repetition, there’s not a great deal of fun to be had.
Everything considered, No More Heroes 3 is an absolute treat on PS5. With the performance issues found in the Switch version a thing of the past, the visuals tidied up, and less waiting around for loading screens, you’re free to simply enjoy the zany story and wild action of Travis Touchdown’s latest caper. And what a rollercoaster of an experience it is. It won’t be for everyone, but if you have any love for the No More Heroes series or enjoy action games that are filled with silly humour and outrageous characters, this is for you.
Still, VC issues aside, which aren’t anything new, NBA 2K23 is undoubtedly the best entry in the series for some years. Jordan Challenge is a great addition that can eat up many hours of your time, while MyCareer is more engrossing than ever thanks to its entertaining story. But ultimately, it’s the gameplay changes that make NBA 2K23 worth picking up. Playing basketball from the comfort of your couch has never looked or felt so good.
All in all, then, while not a revolution, EA hasn’t rested on its laurels when it comes to FIFA 23. From meaningful tweaks and additions to modes, to a noticeably improved on-pitch experience, it’s simply bigger and better than its predecessors in every single way. And so the FIFA series, at least with EA at the helm, is going out with a bang rather than a whimper. But if EA Sports FC is to truly impress, it’s going to have to deliver something fresh.
Dakar Desert Rally is a game full of peaks and troughs. Your heart will be racing when you’re hurtling through a desert during a sandstorm in a rally car, but when just a little too much throttle causes you to spin your bike and move from first to last in the middle of a snowy battle, you’ll be beyond frustrated. Still, it captures the essence of the controversial rally pretty well. And those willing to put in the time to master it will find it very rewarding.
Ultimately, whether or not you should pick up Let’s Sing ABBA unsurprisingly depends on how much you love the band’s music. The game itself is presented well, as ever, and there’s a decent range of modes. But the only things that are genuinely new here are the music tracks and the avatars. And so, if you want to sing your heart out with hits such as Knowing Me, Knowing You or Money, Money, Money, you can’t go wrong. But if not, why are you even reading this review?
Make no mistake, there’s not as much depth here as there is in most other Soulslikes. Mechanically it’s not particularly impressive, either. But the art style of Watcher Chronicles truly makes it stand out, and it’s perhaps one of the most forgiving entries in the genre, making it an ideal starting point. This is a solid, accessible Soulslike, then. Fun to play, at least until repetitiveness possibly sets in, but rather forgettable once you’re done with it.
If you have a Switch and haven’t played NieR Automata yet, you should jump in immediately if you have any love for the action RPG or character action genres. The End of YoRHa Edition is such an accomplished port that ardent fans wishing to play the game on the move might want to dive into it too. It might not look or play quite as good as it does elsewhere, but it’s impressive in its own right.
Essentially a character action game, Valkyrie Elysium does little to worry the heavy hitters in the genre such as Devil May Cry or Bayonetta. But while many of its components are simply adequate, its frenetic combat elevates it from mediocrity. There’s great fun to be had here, summoning Einherjar, using your Soul Chain to zip around the battlefield and making use of more advanced skills to decimate your opponents. Ultimately, it’s not going to set anyone’s world on fire, but it’s definitely worth spending some time with.
Whether you’re into challenging Soulslikes or sprawling Metroidvanias, there’s a lot to like about Moonscars. Its atmosphere is thick thanks to its moody visuals and soundtrack, while its moment-to-moment gameplay is utterly engrossing once it has its hooks in you. If you’re up to the task and can accept that the experience won’t always feel fair, this is a game well worth sinking some time into.
Everything adds up to make NeverAwake one of the most inventive and interesting twin-stick shooters we’ve played in some time. From its meticulously-created enemies to its responsive controls, everything here has been tuned for your enjoyment. And so once you’ve started playing, chances are you’ll have a hard time pulling yourself away from it. If you’re a fan of twin-stick shooters, make sure you check this out.
The DioField Chronicle has proved to be quite the surprise. Its story isn’t the most riveting out there, but it is interesting, with a cast of characters whose motives aren’t always clear. But what carries it are its battles, which are enjoyably deep but not bogged down in complexity or length. They’re fun and engaging, challenging you to think and act fast while making use of the skills available to you. Everything comes together to create one of Square Enix’s most enjoyable RPGs in some time, with a combat system that we hope we haven’t seen the last of.
With its gameplay backed up with stylish pixelated visuals and a banging soundtrack, there’s a lot to like about Akane. It’s a game that’s easy to pick up but hard to master, fun to jump into for just a few minutes of fast-paced action whenever the urge arises. Play it for much longer, and the feeling of repetition is sure to creep in. But thanks to its budget price, you’re guaranteed to not feel short changed by what’s on offer.
All this is to say that Soulstice is enjoyable for the most part, even though it has its annoyances. Being available on next-gen consoles and PC only, it looks fantastic at times and has a great sense of scale. Its boss fights are exhilarating too, and there are some other hair-raising scenes that try to provide a little variety. Factor in multiple difficulty levels and many secret challenges to be found, and you have an action adventure game that you can really sink your teeth into.
With vocals from the likes of Trivium’s Matt Heafy and System of a Down’s Serj Tankian, the music of Metal: Hellsinger will go down a treat with metal fans. The fact that it’s married with gameplay that is equally impressive, then, should speak volumes. This is a unique first-person shooter that not only uses music to drive the action, but also uses it as a reward. And with both music and gameplay of such a high standard, only those who absolutely abhor metal need not jump in.
Released at a budget price, River City Girls Zero will undoubtedly find an audience. And retro fans are likely to lap it up, savouring its old-fashioned gameplay. Those who have spent the last few years playing fantastic modern beat ’em ups such as River City Girls and Streets of Rage 4, however, should probably view this as a curio and nothing more. It’s nice that it’s finally available in the west, but its gameplay is definitely showing its age.
As far as motorsport management games go, F1 Manager 22 is a cracking first effort from Frontier Developments with just some minor issues that will hopefully be addressed in future updates. There’s a lot to get your head around, but for those who put in the time and effort to learn every aspect, this will be wondrously rewarding.
Overall, Steelrising is a commendable stab at the Soulslike genre by Spiders. It’s visually appealing, and Aegis’ unique abilities eventually make exploration feel more rewarding while also enhancing the combat. Those jumping in should be aware that combat isn’t quite as tight at that found in the likes of Dark Souls though, and Steelrising is a bit rough around the edges in general. Still, there’s a lot to like here for those seeking out a challenge within a new setting.
If you’re in the market for a new challenging roguelike and appreciate colourful pixelated visuals, Chenso Club might be worth checking out. It’s likely to frustrate from time to time though, thanks to one reason or another. And so while you might gleam some fun out of it, it’s hard to whole-heartedly recommend.