Overall, Red Matter 2 is a great sequel that builds on the strengths of the first entry and further improves upon the visuals and gameplay. It simply looks and runs phenomenal on the Quest 2, with mostly captivating puzzles and an interesting mystery to solve at its core. It's not perfect and still exhibits some bugs, and I probably could've done without the shooting sections, but that's a small price to pay when the rest come together as well as this. If you own a quest, this is a six-hour adventure you don't want to miss.
All in all, Thymesia is a mixed bag, but it scores where it counts. The tactical combat is a fun mix of BloodBorne and Sekiro that stumbles in several places. It's not distinct in its appearance, and it doesn't do as well in level and boss designs compared to other games of its genre. If you can look past that, Thymesia provides about 10 hours of content that won't shake up the genre but can entertain the right players.
Evil Dead: The Game is clunky but loveable. It's a very good movie-to-video game adaptation, and it's likely as close as we're going to get to a proper and decent "Evil Dead" video game. I had a good deal of fun with it, both as a fan of the movies and as a gamer. It twists a familiar game concept just enough and bolsters it with additional mechanics so that it feels fresh again. Longevity is definitely a concern in terms of content, but at least console cross-play ensures that its player base will stay healthy for a little while.
Lost Recipes isn't a very long game, but it has undeniable charm throughout its runtime. Clearly geared more toward VR novices, it provides good-looking interactive environments and some interesting recipes to cook, but it doesn't offer a lot of content or challenge to be captivating beyond the first playthrough.
Windjammers 2 is an addictive 1v1 arcade game that is perfect for esports or your own little rivalries. The tight gameplay and controls expand on the original, and if you find an opponent close to your own level, you'll experience a ton of great matches. There isn't much that you can do outside of some bot matches and local play. Online features are available, but during our testing period, it was almost impossible to find an opponent, much less one who wouldn't immediately obliterate us. That doesn't make Windjammers 2 less good, but it does limit how much of that goodness you can experience. If you have a few capable friends or want to try it on another console, Windjammers 2 is the perfect 1v1 game to play and obsess over in a friendly rivalry.
Mario Strikers: Battle League is a bare-bones experience that facilitates tense competition but leaves behind casual players. The limited selection of game modes, stadiums and characters further limits its potential, leaving the title with good gameplay but almost no interesting ways to engage with it. The hope is that Nintendo has more to add via DLC, but what, when and how is still a mystery. As with previous Nintendo sports titles, you're better off waiting for the additional content to make a more informed purchase decision. In its current state, Battle League is fun and great to play, but it's hardly worth the full price tag.
Green Hell VR on Quest 2 is an audio-visual showcase that sets a high bar for future Quest 2 titles and ports. It does so by making smart adjustments to the original game without compromising its core experience and gameplay. The streamlining of open spaces makes the experience easier, especially for those familiar with the title, but the gameplay is immersive yet unforgiving. It's not entirely smooth sailing, with some annoying bugs and frame rate stutters and some inherently frustrating gameplay moments that can take some wind out of its sails. As far as survival games on the Quest 2 go, Green Hell VR is the most immersive of all, and it's a great pick for survival fans who want to experience some rainforest survival training in virtual reality.
The Quarry isn't quite what I had hoped it would be, but it's in the ballpark. Performance, animation, and dialog are usually perfectly executed, but some elements don't meet this high bar, and as a result, the experience can feel slightly disjointed. I didn't like the execution of some of the main baddies, both in a story context and on a technical level, and the story was sometimes too straightforward. Choices have interesting impacts, but the overall story beats remain largely the same - with the exception that a few protagonists are missing. What remains is a largely entertaining choice-based horror narrative that doesn't stray too far from Supermassive's tried-and-true formula.
I hate to be this negative and scolding in this review, but in its current state, Babylon's Fall should not exist, especially not with such a hefty price tag. It's a live service game that's hell-bent on monetizing everything, but it's uninterested in being engaging, rewarding, or nice to look at. There are plenty of glimpses of the familiar Platinum Games talent involved, teasing the game that could have been, but it ultimately fails to make an effort except for microtransactions. Even hardcore fans of the genre or Platinum Games should likely avoid this title.
Ghostrunner: Project Hel is a bit of a double-edged sword. Its challenging combat is as satisfying as ever, but one can't help but be disappointed at the execution. The gameplay feels like a step back rather than forward in many regards. Hel is quicker on her feet, but the overall gameplay is less varied and focuses more on combat rather than platforming, with two boss encounters that are rather bland. It's a safe way to spend some additional time in this universe and adds about three hours of additional content. Fans will likely enjoy the added content but should probably keep their expectations in check.
Ultrawings 2 is a surprisingly well-realized sequel. A decent variety of planes, environments, and missions make the game the ultimate VR flight simulator for those who want the sensation of darting through the air in a plane without the baggage of actually controlling one. If you love that idea and have an iron stomach, Ultrawings 2 provides hours of lofty entertainment in VR that is currently unparalleled.
Uncharted: Legacy of Thieves Collection is a no-frills, straight-to-PS5 port that checks all of the required boxes, and that's about it. A couple of performance modes support up to 120fps, there's a rudimentary DualSense implementation, and the great loading times make experiencing these games more enjoyable than ever, but it's hardly a phenomenal upgrade even at the lower price point - both for those upgrading from a PS4 copy and those buying into the franchise for the first time. While the Uncharted gameplay formula has become slightly predictable, both Uncharted 4 and The Lost Legacy are enjoyable because of the stories they tell and their highly polished production values.
The parts that comprise God of War may not all be equally well-crafted, but they build a great cohesive experience and a noteworthy PC port. The soundtrack, visuals, story, combat, and the world come together so well that it amounts to something greater than the sum of its parts, and that is still true on PC almost four years removed from its original release on a last-gen console. That's all you need to know, so go and finally experience this gem for yourself.
I've struggled to properly rate Sherlock Holmes Chapter One. On the one hand, it does some great things in terms of the cases and the provided tools to solve those cases. I enjoyed that it never gave me an answer, and I had to arrive at my own conclusions given the evidence I'd found. On the other hand, the game is in a rough technical state with frequent frame rate issues on the PS5, basic animations that feel robotic, an empty open world, and voice acting that can pull you out of the experience at times. Fans of Sherlock Holmes or adventure games can check out Chapter One, simply for everything that it does right.
I thoroughly enjoyed After the Fall for what it is: a VR Left 4 Dead clone with satisfying gameplay and some cool social VR settings that lay a solid foundation for the future. However, we don't know what that future looks like yet since we don't know how much content Vertigo will release in the coming years - and at what price. The included content is the bare minimum, and the game has a few issues to iron out before I can recommend it. That said, if you've been itching for co-op fun with some friends in VR regardless of the platform, AtF is a good choice if you can see pasts its numerous minor shortcomings at launch.
Eye of the Temple is a rare VR gem that caught me by surprise. Its natural and immersive room-scale movement system, rewarding puzzle sections, and overall scale are excellent. If you own a VR headset and have enough room to play, Eye of the Temple successfully proves the potential of VR.
Lucky's Tale hasn't aged perfectly since its 2016 release, but that's its only offense. It was - and still is - an excellent introductory VR title that offers a relaxed environment to get accustomed to VR within a family-friendly format that oozes charm. It's a great title for all age brackets and gaming abilities, but some may be put off by its short length, dated game design, and simple VR integration. Lucky's Tale may feel generic, but the enjoyable, colorful VR title delivers short bursts of happiness.
I cannot currently recommend Grand Theft Auto: The Trilogy - The Definitive Edition on the PC, and a lot has to happen until I do. The truth is that I've had a decent amount of fun with this remaster; part of it is based on nostalgia, and part of it is based on some ridiculous, unavoidable bugs that weren't as frequent as I'd feared. Given all of these issues and the abysmal performance of the three games on the PC, I'd stay away from the trilogy until several major updates have been released. Even then, this remaster may not be for everyone.
Overall, Warhammer: Age of Sigmar - Tempestfall feels a bit rough around the edges. Technical issues and a shallow and repetitive combat system keep it from being a standout VR title. Tempestfall's visuals and environments are often breathtaking and a joy to explore, especially if you are a fan of the franchise. It feels like Tempestfall could have used another year of development time to iron out some of its technical difficulties and to make combat more engaging and deeper to carry the experience.
Call of Duty: Vanguard drops the ball on two fronts. The campaign is a short, disjointed, and shallow affair, and its Zombies mode is solid but too bare-bones and devoid of content to recommend at the moment. Regular multiplayer matches are where Vanguard shines the brightest, but a lot of that is due to leaning heavily into familiar territory. Vanguard struggles to make meaningful additions to the formula, and apart from new battle pacing options and a generous selection of maps, Vanguard sits comfortably on the achievements of its predecessors. That's not a bad thing, and I enjoyed the online components throughout this review, but it's also not a great look for a yearly release. If you haven't played a Call of Duty title in a few years and don't care for its single-player campaign, Vanguard is a fun and solid entry in the series.