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.
The effort made in reimagining this oddball classic is impressive, but Crypto may have lost his currency
A charming puzzler that makes up for some occasionally awkward design with a simple yet intensely personal and emotional narrative
Calling it a simulator is a stretch, but this relaxed and friendly adventure does a great job at showcasing just how great bees are
The Adventure Pals is a great-looking, quirky and irreverent platforming RPG that unfortunately falls a bit flat thanks to levels that lack excitement and outstay their welcome
Okami makes yet another return to modern platforms, now supporting up to 4K resolution, but does little else to justify another purchase for long-time fans
Behold, the choice-driven narrative serial killer crime drama party game genre is born
Sony brings a cult classic to a wider audience but does so with little fanfare or consideration
Infinitely charming and unnaturally adorable, Yonder suffers from tedious gameplay but makes up for it with a bold sense of whimsy
Ultimate Chicken Horse is an addictive and surprisingly nuanced competitive platformer that shines in skilled online play, but fails as a couch multiplayer game thanks to a combination of a lack of coaching and confusing menu systems that will try the patience of casual players in a party setting. If creating Super Meat Boy-esque levels on the fly to screw over people on the internet sounds like your bag though, this might be the game for you.
Planet Zoo is a fantastic zoo management sim with a heap of depth and flexibility, along with some welcome incorporation of important conservationist messaging. It's also packed with gorgeous-looking animals to fawn over. The Console Edition's long-awaited arrival isn't without some frustrating quirks, mostly when it comes to controls, but the overall experience is mostly intact and still very enjoyable over a chill weekend.
Tales of Arise: Beyond the Dawn is a great way to come back to the excellent 2021 RPG, giving fans the chance to revisit familiar places and faces while also taking a good look at a side of the classic world-saving hero story we don't alway see. It treads a lot of familiar ground, and it's somewhat awkwardly implemented, but it's well worth seeking out for franchise fans and anyone that enjoyed the main game.
Fae Farm throws a ton of great ideas into its melting pot of cosy life simming and tense adventuring, and while its various ingredients don't always mix together as well as they should it's got enough unique hooks and wholesome vibes to make it worth a look in for genre fans.
Toss! is a pretty basic, sometimes frustrating arcade-like VR experience, but when it works it's quite exhilarating and immensely satisfying. In case my debilitatingly-sore arms weren't already an indication – this is the closest I'll ever come to being a high-flying gymnast and I'm perfectly happy with that. If you want a VR workout that's got old-school arcade charm and a great view, look no further.
The Cosmic Shake really does feel like a direct sequel to Battle for Bikini Bottom, taking advantage of nostalgia for both that era of 3D platformers and of course the source material of the show. A cavalcade of jokes and references delivered through inoffensive, if uninspired, game design, it's sure to land nicely with the right audience even if it doesn't seek to have its genre peers shaking like jelly.
There's a lot that I wanted to like about Snack World. Lite-dungeon crawling, a deep loot system, colourful visuals, quirky 'meta' humour – all the right ingredients are here for a staple dish in my personal video game cuisine. While it all looked great on the menu, though, what has eventually been plated and served is more like fast food than fine dining. It's still enjoyable, but it hasn't been made with the same love and care and can make you feel a bit uneasy.
Despite its awkward pacing, one-note combat and tedious open world collectible hunting, Ghostwire: Tokyo is as unique and atmospheric as they come. Side-stepping its horror roots, Tango Gameworks delves into the depths of Japanese folklore and urban myth through the lens of the modern world and the results are as refreshingly charming as they are routinely unnerving.
While it's not overly surprising to see PlayStation migrate two of its biggest last gen titles to the PS5 and slap a new entry fee on the front, it's also not an overly exciting end product. There's merit in playing these beloved and bombastic blockbuster hits in an eye-searing new fidelity but the weight of this package isn't quite worth the gold.
Mario Party Superstars offers a great package of classic boards and minigames that looks and plays great, but it's also a little too safe and comes with some annoying structural decisions.
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.