Joe Apsey's Reviews
Kojima’s unique and captivating journey across America on PS5 feels like it achieves what it couldn’t on PS4, due to excellent DualSense enhancement and meaningful updates.
Far Cry 6 makes some meaningful narrative improvements, helped by a fantastic performance by Esposito. However, repetitive and familiar gameplay, combined with a restrictive progression system, means changes are needed in the future if Ubisoft wants the series to continue.
Twin Mirror has one of Dontnod's most engrossing stories with a conclusion that reflects the moral ambiguity of living in a small community. However, this narrative and its characters are hurt by a frustrating Mind Palace gameplay mechanic that isn't utilised to its full potential until the end of the game. Twin Mirror has its strengths but the game staring back at you through the reflection of the screen isn't always reaching its full potential.
Spirit of the North Enhanced Edition may look great at 4K and run smoother at 60 FPS, but with no gameplay changes, barely any meaningful use of the DualSense, and a lack of gameplay improvements the indie-adventure doesn't offer much of a reason to play. This enhanced edition isn't bad by any means, but it just doesn't offer much of a reason to check it out for new or returning players, especially given the price increase.
Relicta tries to strike a balance between narrative and gameplay, but that balance ends up hurting the final experience by making the game a slog to go through and puzzles becoming infuriatingly complex in the second half. The story and excellent voice acting are a nice differentiator and the level of detail in the environments is impressive, but Relicta is a game that is hard to stick with in its second half if you don't have a guide.
Remnant: From The Ashes' Swamps of Corsus DLC redesigns an area of the game to be the best-looking location in it. But, a lack of changes to outdoor environments on Corsus, bugs and issues that are still present ten months on, and a general feeling that there isn't much meat on Swamps of Corsus' bones left me underwhelmed with what is here. Fans looking for a more substantial offering should wait for the final DLC in August.
Offering a better experience than the Homecoming tie-in, the Far From Home Virtual Reality Experience is exciting and fulfils the 'I am Spider-Man' dream by allowing you to swing around New York as much as you want. Although it doesn't have much replay value, it is free and offers a fun twenty minutes of fantasy fulfilment in its Story Mode.
Hyper Jam's core gameplay is engaging and fun with friends and against random opponents. Its style is bold and vibrant giving the game a memorable vibe. However, a lack of progression and variety means this is a game I will only break out for 30 minutes of fun when I have friends over.
Whilst the opening hours suffer from a lack of communication, SnowRunner is an excellent and rewarding vehicle simulation.
Sniper Ghost Warrior Contracts 2 is a step up for CI Games and the franchise. Running much better than its predecessor and finding the right gameplay formula, the experience is a fun one that allows you to turn your brain off and just let loose, sniping some fools from a cliffside. Whilst not amazing, I am hopeful for the future of the franchise and where CI Games takes it.
Technically Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart is a PS5 showstopper, offering stunning graphics and set pieces that make use of the PS5's SSD, while also looking like the best animated movie we have ever seen. But, although combat is fun, the narrative of Rift Apart really drags down the experience, not treating its characters with respect and not meaningfully progressing the story for long time fans and leaving newcomers confused. Rift Apart is a fun ride, but ultimately not one you will be talking about for years to come.
Days Gone on PC is an impressive technical upgrade from the PS4 version, running flawlessly and looking gorgeous, thanks to the increased detail. The game still has major flaws and is largely uninteresting and bland, but the tick-box formula and amount to do will grab some people. That said, don't expect PlayStation and Sony's typical great narrative and gameplay the brand is known for.
Judgement is a fine and serviceable port of the PS4 game, but apart from enhanced visuals and 60 FPS gameplay, the overall experience doesn't feel that much more enhanced than what you saw on PS4. This is definitely the way to play for newcomers but those who have already seen Yagami's journey through shouldn't worry about missing much here.
We Were Here feels like a first outing but its unique co-op puzzle-solving gameplay immediately gets its hooks into you and offers an experience unlike anything else on the market. A few blemishes from a restricted budget show themselves every now and again, but the gameplay is most important and We Were Here is a solid launching bed for the two sequels.
Just Dance 2021 contains one of the best tracklists the franchise has ever had and makes meaningful improvements to the World Dance Floor and communicating players' performance to them while they dance. However, some childish maps and poor choreographies bring this tracklist down slightly. The core gameplay here is still good and I hope next year Ubisoft is able to fix some of the key issues this game clearly had being developed under COVID-19 restrictions.
Whilst the environments of Reisum and the bosses in the Subject 2923 DLC are some of the best in the game, the opening of the DLC and the overall package doesn't feel like a satisfying end to Remannt's story, making it a fine add-on for hardcore players, but not offering much reason for lapsed players to come back.
Etherborn is a great and unique puzzle-platformer with some smart level design and gorgeous views, thanks to its colourful, yet simple art style. It is a tad short and I would have liked to see a little bit more experimentation; however, Etherborn is clearly one of the better, more rewarding puzzle games in recent memory and well worth a playthrough.
Gunfire Games have created a deep looter shooter, with meaningful rewards and tough bosses, combined with a fascinating world packed with lore and story reveals that are worth experiencing. Remnant is a replayable, bitesize adventure that I will be hopping back into again and again. However, the PS4 version at launch is marred by frame rate drops, crashes, and a few fights that feel broken and unbalanced.
A short and satisfying dungeon crawler with a litany of skins and crazy weapon designs to unlock and slash at a variety of enemies with. Co-op makes it a great family game when you combine it with how easy the game is. It may be a little long for how simple it is, but there is still a great five-to-eight hour experience here.
Sniper Elite V2 Remastered is a solid remaster that allows you to experience the campaign, DLC levels, and visceral, satisfying shooting the game is known for again in 2019. Some aspects of the game have not seen much of an upgrade if any upgrade at all, with the game's AI and the audio system showing its age. Despite that, the game is an enjoyable way to hop back into Rebellion's classic franchise.