The Callisto Protocol isn’t the greatest horror title ever, but it still has some wicked cool moments to witness. There are stutter issues with the frame rate on PC, the combat does get repetitive and the story is largely forgettable, but the general atmosphere and hand-crafted set pieces are worth experiencing.
Need for Speed Unbound is an average-at-best arcade experience. With the headlights firmly set on street racing, It’s hard to enjoy the action when the turning controls are just not quite there, but the focus on tailing, drifting and near-misses to gain NOS is highly engaging. Well, except when a random NPC driver casually rams your car out of nowhere. Still, there is an extensive amount of customisation and a few open-world activities to take part in like time-trial deliveries, speed gates and escaping cops, though not to the same extent and depth as Forza Horizon 5.
Soccer Story has some fun and varied gameplay to keep you occupied between binge-watching the World Cup. This title does follow along with Golf Story’s DNA, albeit it does just enough to keep the festivities distinct and fresh as the football-themed campaign progresses. Even though it can get annoying having to constantly scavenger hunt and backtrack for things in large areas, hence the lack of a fast-travel option is severely frustrating.
I can’t remember the last time I played a game that was as linear and repetitive as this, but Gungrave G.O.R.E really takes the boredom cake. Yes, there are some cool mechanics like reflecting rockets and using soldiers as meat shields, but unless you enjoy mindlessly shooting thugs for days, it’s best to steer clear.
The Devil in Me is a rock-solid entry in The Dark Pictures Anthology. Featuring some tense scenes of fear and paranoia, a disorienting dynamic mansion and a serial killer on the loose for good measure. Just don’t expect this game to be a SAW-inspired death trap fiesta.
Somerville left me with many more questions than answers, but the journey was well worth it in the end. Taking around 5-6 hours to complete, this puzzle adventure game revels in obscurity and almost completely forgoes dialogue, text and traditional HUD elements. The whole game is a tonne of fun to play and doesn’t hold your hand at all, making the tricky brain teasers mighty satisfying to conquer.
Even though this new remake contains some outdated RPG design elements and mechanics, the core gameplay is still as addictive and challenging as it was back in 1995. Almost every major battle is a true test of tactical prowess, and the new modernisations like stat buff cards, map rotation and trajectory prediction are simply the icing on the cake. Couple this with a fully remastered soundtrack and a great story full of political and personal intrigue, and you're in for an RPG experience that easily stands the test of time.
It’s been 5 years since the last mainline 3D Sonic game, and the wait has definitely been worth it. The open-world structure really plays into Sonic’s strengths and it only contains a couple of gameplay issues that have plagued the series’ past. It’s just so satisfying to jump and run around these massive playgrounds while not having to worry about suddenly switching gameplay styles (like in the Sonic Adventure series) or turning into a godforsaken werewolf.
This action-focused, survival horror take features a number of magical attacks, enemy-specific consumables and the balancing of mind, body and spirit to brave the storm. However, Jess’ story isn’t memorable in the slightest, while other main character arcs come and go faster than green grass through a goose. There are some enjoyable puzzles and music scattered throughout, and the fast-travel, bestiary guides and skill tree upgrades complement the game quite nicely. But overall, The Chant doesn’t offer anything spectacular. It’s still worth checking out, especially considering the game’s low price point. Although, the best practice should be to keep your expectations in check.
The Shadows of Rose DLC is a decent conclusion to the Winters family saga. Since you can finish this expansion in around 3 hours, Capcom packed the experience full of fresh puzzles, tight corridors and monsters that want to eat your face. Quite literally. Rose’s ability to freeze multiple enemies at once and counter their attacks is balanced very well. Making for some tense encounters and puzzle-solving moments where you need to freeze specific objects on the move. However, Rose’s story is quickly over before it ever gets off the ground, and the recycling of several assets and locations from Resident Evil Village may turn off some players. But for the low price this DLC is going for, it still may be worth checking out.
Signalis wears it’s survival horror badge proudly, with only a couple of gameplay and item-related issues that hold it back from nirvana. The anime and retro-styled presentation are a marvel to witness, and the story will definitely keep audiences intrigued. However, the narrative can seem a bit hazy at times and the focus is often placed on the sci-fi-themed lore of Signalis, rather than Elster’s personal journey. But if you can look past these concerns, this 15-hour trek through dark, desolate locales and eldritch-looking monstrosities is more than worth taking the plunge.
Creating a sequel to one of Telltale’s best games isn’t easy, but New Tales from the Borderlands gave it a red hot go. It’s characters are reminiscent of the original, while also being funny and likeable in their own unique way. The story is no slouch either, even though it does drop off in the latter half. Still, if you are a big fan of interactive movies and QTEs, then this new tale is certainly worth experiencing.
If you were ever on the fence about the original, now would be the best time to jump on board. The numerous updates to the formula expand Amicia’s toolkit in all sorts of fun and dynamic ways, making each encounter and puzzle to be solved an absolute treat. While the story and character development don’t leave too much of a mark, there are still some genuinely great scenes that bounce naturally between extreme tension and silly moments of levity. It isn’t every day you see such a tightly-focused stealth game like A Plague Tale: Requiem. So even if it’s only for the gameplay, this dense 18-20 hour journey should not be missed.
Kamiwaza: Way of the Thief should have stayed a Japanese exclusive. Multiple mechanics fall flat and the tedium of go-fetch quests quickly starts to stack up several hours in. Constantly spamming one button for a full minute to steal valuable items isn’t fun. Neither is repeating the same generic mission setup with extremely vague target instructions. Doesn’t help that the branching storylines and characters aren’t particularly interesting either, apart from a few interesting designs here and there. So if the wacky, over-the-top silliness can’t grab your attention, it’s hard to say what else will.
Valkyrie Elysium is a decent action RPG that’s rather short in length, but it’s combo-based combat grows stale hours before the credits roll. The game nails the melancholic, Norse-inspired atmosphere of the series, although the story, characters and side-quests that appear in these lands are anything but legendary. So if you don’t enjoy the combat, then there’s little else to latch onto.
FIFA 23’s gameplay feels so good to control, as EA has implemented a whole host of touch-ups within the presentation and mechanics for it’s final take on the series. The new inclusions to Career Mode like player personalities, transfer tips and being able to select a real-life manager really go a long way as well. While Volta Football still feels tacked on, the addition of full cross-play support for current and old-gen consoles makes it easier than ever for friends to jump into a match.
The DioField Chronicle effortlessly combines real-time strategy and tactical turn-based gameplay. Featuring a very approachable battle system that streamlines several elements of it’s presentation, so the focus always remains on combat. Albeit, the story is often too preoccupied with politics and plot-specific events that the audience probably won’t care too much about, along with a steep difficulty curve that forces players to complete optional content and AI that makes some rather silly decisions at times. If you can get past these issues however, the addictive hybrid gameplay should keep you hooked throughout.
Ex-Zodiac is the Star Fox game that fans have been dreaming of. It successfully replicates that beloved retro aesthetic without losing what made the original titles so engaging. Those precise flying controls, varied set-pieces and in-depth boss battles are all here, and the game will supposedly be doubled in length by the time Ex-Zodiac hits it’s full 1.0 launch. While the characters and story aren’t particularly interesting, here’s hoping they can pull it around for the next half of the adventure.
Yurukill: The Calumniation Games contains an addictive blend of escape room escapades and fast-paced bullet-hell segments that will keep players eagerly awaiting the next corner. The story and character presentation are great too, with only a few technical flaws that get in the way of an otherwise spectacular theme park ride.
Dolmen is a serviceable, sci-fi ARPG that sets players up against a gauntlet of strong enemies and varied bosses. Utilising the Metroidvania style approach to progression, the game aims to keep players on their toes with it’s striking visual design and level layout. It’s just a shame the story isn’t up to scratch and a few certain gameplay features are left wanting.