With new characters, items, game modes and customisation options, the Mr. X Nightmare has made Streets Of Rage 4 feel like a brand new game again. Survival mode is one hell of a random trip that you'll be going another round at again and again. The new characters are exactly what you would want them to be, but the options for customising move sets and aesthetics mean that you can tailor your fighting preferences even further. The randomness in survival mode can be hard to take at times, but it's never swallowed without a smile. The Mr.X Nightmare is outstanding fun all the way, and the best sidescrolling brawler in town just got even better.
Death's Door is everything you hope to get get out of an indie game. An addictive challenge, an intriguing little tale and enough content to keep you going back. Unhindered by budgetary restrictions, Death's Door delivers on all fronts. The gameplay feedback from combat is implemented so well that you forget just how simple it is. Better still, it's made all the more excellent by the DualSense controller. Fans of Action RPG's will not want to miss this indy treasure on PS5.
Subnautica: Below Zero is a sublimely addictive timesink and an exemplary survival adventure game that transcends the genre. The improvements to the formula of the original game are minimal but impactful. Fans of the franchise will certainly have plenty to get into, and the appeal is broad enough to welcome many more newcomers to the experience. Whilst there is little ground broken in terms of visuals, Subnautica: Below Zero more than compensates with an all-round stellar experience that rivals that of bigger budget productions.
Guilty Gear Strive is a simply stunning anime fighter with an astonishing depth of competitive gameplay. It does all it can to welcome newcomers with an extensive training mode and streamlined fighting mechanics, but it is still very much the beloved Guilty Gear niche experience, and rightly so. You can't have too much of a good thing, and Guilty Gear is certainly a good thing, so it's a slight shame that there isn't more content to sink our teeth into. Nevertheless, as a competitive fighting experience, it is still a fantastic entry that fans of the series will adore.
Kena: Bridge of Spirits is stunning spectacle full of heart and unbelievable charm. If you aren't carefully selecting hats for your Rot companions by the end, then you're probably made of stone. In the event that your soul is inhospitably frosty, Kena can be deceivingly challenging, throwing boss fights at you that will make those on Demon Souls look like a cake walk. A few minor issues stop Kena from being a showstopper, but there is no doubt that this a great game, and an amazing debut for a 15-person strong team.
SNK has finally delivered another King Of Fighters worthy of the modern era. Not only have they rectified past errors, they have refined the experience to be the most functional and accessible that King Of Fighters has been for years. With a polished graphical presentation, generous amount of content, and online play that works at the standard required, fans of the series can be very happy with this offering. In many ways, King Of Fighters XV is merely a tidier version of its predecessor, and whilst there's nothing wrong with that, you could still argue the series still has some ground to make up in the fighting scene. However, it is certainly a big step in the right direction, and a great Fighter for fans to sink their teeth into.
Amnesia: Rebirth may not have the wow factor of modern AAA visuals, but it offers so much in its direction, effects and sound that it has an unbelievably immersive draw. What it lacks in raw gameplay mechanics it makes up for with a consistently engaging series of scenes, puzzles and set pieces. Amnesia: Rebirth is a terrifying cosmic thriller that is accessible enough for all types of players, but certainly should be a welcome addition in the library of any Horror fan.
Shady Part Of Me is a stunning indie platformer puzzler that is a treat for both the mind and the eyes. There are some gorgeously original puzzles, although there is perhaps an over reliance on the same type of "box shadow" puzzles throughout. That isn't to say there is any feeling of repetitiveness, and the mechanics are reliably satisfying that you'll always be up for the next puzzle. Shady Part Of Me demonstrates a lot of thoughtfulness and heart. Indeed this title is an excellent debut for the French developers.
A collection of two of the finest co-operative games on Playstation, and it's almost as fine on PS4 as it is on PS5. Overcooked! All You Can Eat adds very little in regards to new content, but now with online cross-play, you've got everything you need to form a party of manic chefs and enjoy Overcooked! at its absolute best.
Oddworld: Soulstorm in many ways is the peak of the Oddworld franchise. Oddworld Inhabitants have taken the hallmarked difficulty and dark humour and revamped it with innovative, new gameplay features and some really cool physics. It's only slightly held back by its overall presentation at launch, but despite this, it largely remains a stellar experience with lots of replayability and challenge for those who are Glukkon for punishment.
Don't be fooled by the unassuming presentation of this indie title; Dysmantle is a monster that will have you in its grasp in no time. With an addictive destroy and craft loop, and a big open world full of intrigue and challenge, you'll be bargaining with yourself for just one last scavenger run every time. Elements such as combat, camera and graphics have obvious room for improvement, but there's no shortcoming that detract from just how involved you become with this game. Anyone looking to scratch that RPG itch with a new time sink seriously needs to consider purchasing Dysmantle soon.
What 9 Monkeys of Shaolin lacks in typical beat 'em up fashion it more than makes up for with a dynamite combat system. The 5 hour campaign may feel a bit short, but replay-ability and co-op modes offer good value for the purchase. 9 Monkeys of Shaolin is a great pick fans of the genre, or anyone wanting to get the best gameplay simulation of 70's Kung Fu movies. Don't let the terrible name put you off!
Worms Rumble proves that worms don't need to take turns to sentence one another to a sheepy death. Not only that, but Worms Rumble succeeds in giving us an accessibly fun shooter with a decent amount of nuance for the competitive to wrestle with. The real-time combat and traversal work very well, and with speedy matchmaking, you'll always be up for one more game. The levels are well designed for a fun experience, although we would hope for more options in the future.
Shing! is a fun and innovative co-op beat 'em up that has had its potential unleashed on PS5. While most elements remain the same, the upgrade in resolution and general technical fixes, make the game a significantly more immersive experience than the PS4 version. Certainly, the PS5 version is the more recommendable for those looking for a good co-op game full of wise-cracking ninja fun.
Only being lacking in some technical adjustment and editing stops this title from being truly great. Nevertheless, Projection: First Light immerses you in a forgotten culture for a visual and narrative treat that will no doubt prove to be a memorable experience.
A nice but brutal little stealth game with an enjoyable multi-ending story. Classic Metal Gear fans especially will get some joy out of sneaking around Robocop-style biped robots in this title. The core gameplay and narrative are strong, but an absence of variety makes Disjunction just short of a home run.
While Subnautica remains a brilliantly immersive and addictive survival adventure, the PS5 upgrade delivers less than we expected. Technically, the game is very similar to its successor, Subnautica: Below Zero, and yet falls short on both performance and visual quality in comparison. A free upgrade is always welcome, but perhaps Subnautica PS5 has automatically been made redundant by its superior sequel. Existing Subnautica players with a PS5 get a nice facelift, but there's little to justify this edition for newcomers.
Simply one of the most enchanting art-styles you'll experience on an indie game. The hand-drawn characters and backgrounds are magical in motion, and contribute to a potently heart-warming playthrough. Whereas the game's simultaneous character control, puzzles, and individual character skills can be highly enjoyable at the right moments, those moments sadly don't come enough to completely satisfy. Nevertheless, Greak: Azur is worth a go for the aesthetic charm alone, and has some great puzzles for fans of that inclination.
As a metroidvania, Recompile succeeds in bringing the genre typical hallmarks into a marvellous minimalistic world, full of curiosity and poignancy. Where it fails is in its core gameplay. Between a lacklustre implementation of core mechanics, and some glaring oversights, Recompile feels it is not all that it could be. Flaws aside, there are moments in this game, both visually, audibly and narratively, that you won't soon forget. Beyond doubt, this is a stunning game in a few respects that needs to be seen. It is just a shame that the artistic vision had to be delivered at the cost of getting some of the basics right.
Certianly it's great to see an all time classic enshrined and restored for modern day use. Additionally it opens up the game to exclusively console players that never played the original Diablo 2 on PC. There's no denying its significance in gaming history, and looks wonderfully sharp in 4k, but the age of the source code is evident. Diablo faithfuls will get a great nostalgic kick on the clunky ever-grind that is Diablo 2: Resurrected, but it would be a difficult recommendation for any series newcomers.