JETT: The Far Shore has moments of brilliance, but they're buried under an overload of mechanics that aren't enjoyable and a general lack of polish. Similarly any philosophical value in its narrative ideas is ruined by needlessly obfuscated dialogue. There's something to be discovered here, but it's just not worth the trip.
As an indie effort and a debut game, Kena: Bridge of Spirits makes a good impression. It balances simplicity and challenge while weaving a neatly-paced story into something that can be played over a chill couple of days. Despite fantastic production values it's still far from a AAA title – so it's important to keep expectations in check, but anyone looking to lose themselves in a charming, gorgeous world ripe for exploration should look no further. It's exactly what I needed right now – perfect cozy weekend entertainment.
Lost Judgment rectifies a lot of the shortcomings of its predecessor while repeating a few of them. A compelling murder mystery coupled with intoxicating side content and sumptuous visuals make this another solid Ryu ga Gotoku title even if franchise fatigue threatens to take off some of that shine. It succeeds by expanding on what made Judgment great while offering the best real-time combat experience yet. Plus, you can skateboard and solve crimes with a Shiba Inu – I don't think I need to say much more than that.
Gothic fairytale stylings and unique mish-mash of systems come together into yet another great example of Zoink's boundless creativity and game design chops. Fans of Burton-esque worlds and tabletop tropes would do well to get Lost in Random.
The Artful Escape is a brash, bold and beautiful musical journey with a simplistic gameplay hook and all the interdimensional jellyfish deities you can shake a quantum-powered space guitar at. It's the next-best way to spend an afternoon indoors to dropping acid.
The best Life is Strange game yet. Through the concept of empathy, True Colors manages to drive video game storytelling to new heights. An expanded scope, hugely impressive production values and new, bingeable format make this a must-play for fans of narrative adventures.
F.I.S.T.: Forged in Shadow is a very competent, very good-looking foray into the Metroidvania genre with solid platforming and exciting, demanding arcade combat. Torch City is a wonderfully-grim place to get lost in and it's rendered gorgeously, despite some awkward signposting at times. Most of all, it nails the sense of exploration and steady progress that's a hallmark of the genre and it does all of that with a kick-arse rabbit in a mech suit for a protagonist. If this is the level of quality that studios backed by the China Hero Project are going to deliver then the program has more than made a case for itself.
Psychonauts 2 is exactly what I was hoping for in a follow-up. Double Fine has smartly refined its unique brand of platforming adventure while greatly expanding its narrative qualities. Plus, it's an absolute treat for the eyes and ears. This is how you do a sequel.
Ghost of Tsushima Director's Cut and in particular the Iki Island expansion does a great job at giving players more of what made the game's original release special. The brisk new adventure takes Jin Sakai on a journey of reflection and reconciliation that contains plenty of beautiful, memorable moments and some very cool new gear to play with. The updates made for its native PS5 release do feel a touch slim given that they come at an added cost, but they do go a long way to refining and enhancing the experience. A great game made better, then, and a fantastic excuse to spend dozens more hours in Photo Mode.
Button City gets a lot right in its attempt to mesh late 90s low-poly style with narrative adventure gameplay and a heartfelt story full of great characters, but it's undone by numerous and often game-breaking bugs and a tad too much backtracking.
The Great Ace Attorney Chronicles' one-two punch of newly-translated ports is a fantastic package for both newcomers and long time fans, even if it falls prey to longstanding pitfalls.
A simple control scheme concession elevates this new version of Skyward Sword from simple HD remaster to essential playing for anyone that dismissed the original for its love affair with waggle. Here's a top-tier 3D Zelda, freed of its shake-to-win shackles and ready to be appreciated anew for its timeless tale and awesome adventuring.
Mario Golf Super Rush is competent, and it shows flashes of creativity in its Speed Golf and Battle Golf modes, but the package ultimately loses momentum a little too quickly. Still, with friends it's a blast, so if you've got a good group of friends that're ready to don some plaid plumber's overalls you're in luck.
As part of the Final Fantasy VII Remake Intergrade package or at a small cost on top of the free base game upgrade, the Yuffie-centric EPISODE INTERmission is a nice chunk of compelling new content to keep fans going in the absence of the next big title. It's not a radical departure, and it would've been nice to get a proper glimpse of some new locales, but what's here is still largely entertaining. Impressively, it manages to squeeze a nicely-paced and climactic experience out of its abridged RPG format. Plus, Yuffie is just too entertaining and likeable to not deserve a bit of the spotlight.
Alex Kidd in Miracle World DX is a fine enough remaster if you have fond memories of the original. It looks and sounds great, but stumbles in its translation and will likely do more to frustrate newcomers than convince them the Master System classic was any good.
Some minor missed opportunities aside this Ratchet & Clank Rift Apart is an unforgettable, unbelievably gorgeous and downright addictive game and easily the best entry in the fan-favourite franchise. For all of its jaw-dropping visuals, industry-leading design and writing packed with heart and humour it succeeds on first and foremost being a really good time. Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart is the most fun I've had with a DualSense in my hand and it stands as the best current reason to own a PS5.
Biomutant's weird and wonderful world is a treat to take in, even when its diverse gameplay elements don't always hit the mark. If you're looking for a fresh and furry take on open-world RPGs and don't mind a little jank, this might be just the ticket.
Judgment on the new generation of consoles might not be a must-play for anyone who already enjoyed it on the PS4, but it's absolutely the best way to play the game and still represents a fantastic jumping off point for anyone keen to dip their toes into the Yakuza franchise. Playing as Yagami feels better than ever at 60FPS, and Kamurocho and its many faces come alive with improved detail and a fantastic new lighting treatment. There's no argument here: Judgment is a winner, case closed.
It's probably not going to win over haters of the original, but for returning fans or those who jumped in at Automata this is a fantastic update to a cult classic game that also happens to bring with it some very exciting new surprises.
Oddworld: Soulstorm is a big, beautiful puzzle platformer with the spirit of Abe's adventures intact and some interesting new ideas, but it's all very quickly undone by imprecise controls, tedious level design and a shocking lack of polish. Oddworld fans will definitely want to check it out, but they may be better off waiting for a few more updates before investing their time, and even then might come away just a tad disappointed.