Hayden Nelson's Reviews
Overall, Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024 on the PS5 delivers an impressive and ambitious experience that brings the full scale of the simulator under control in a way that’s both exciting and visually breathtaking. The DualSense features add a surprising amount of immersion, the audio work is spot-on, and the sheer scope of the world is something you can sink hours into exploring. However, the game’s PC-first design shows through, with clunky menus, slow loading times, and random performance hiccups holding the experience back from being as smooth as it could be on console.
Project Motor Racing sets out to create a true-to-life racing experience, and for the most part, it absolutely nails it. The combination of razor-sharp handling, cinematic visuals, and a deep, rewarding career mode has made it the most immersive racing experience I have played on console to date. When everything clicks, the tyre wear, the realistic physics, the interior details and the intensity of the race weekends, it delivers an experience that had me hooked.
Overall, KAKU: Ancient Seal is a solid and engaging open-world action-adventure that successfully blends exploration, puzzle-solving, and dynamic combat into a cohesive experience. The game shines in its challenging boss fights, fluid controls and rewarding gameplay. The game is not without its shortcomings: a lack of voice acting, sometimes underwhelming character models, and cutscenes that don’t match the quality of the gameplay. Despite these minor issues, KAKU: Ancient Seal offers a unique and satisfying experience.
Truck Driver: The Dutch Connection is a charming, sometimes clunky, but ultimately heartfelt step forward in the franchise. It blends classic truck driving gameplay with a more narrative-driven approach, giving players a genuine reason to care about the journey. The relationship between Lucas and Felix brings a surprising warmth to the experience, even if the story takes a little bit to get moving.
RENNSPORT lays a strong foundation for what could become a major player in the sim racing community, but it’s clear the game still needs to find its footing. The core driving experience is largely solid, and the realism is evident, with always potential for growth in today’s gaming landscape.
Ultimately, Call of Duty: Black Ops 7 is a mixed bag that attempts to accomplish multiple tasks simultaneously. The campaign is ambitious and chaotic, blending high-octane action with psychological twists and cooperative gameplay. Still, it often feels messy and disjointed, leaving players questioning whether the experiment was worthwhile.
Anno 117: Pax Romana stands out as a confident and compelling evolution of the franchise, successfully transporting the series into the Roman era without losing the economic depth and city-building sophistication that define Anno. Ubisoft Mainz has delivered an experience that is both familiar to long-time fans and inviting to newcomers. The PS5 version demonstrates how well a traditionally PC-focused title can adapt to console without compromising on its complexity or control.
Hot Wheels Let’s Race: Ultimate Speed is a vibrant, family-friendly racer that perfectly captures the energy and imagination of the Hot Wheels brand. It’s not trying to reinvent the wheel; it’s here to deliver pure, pickup and play fun, and in that sense it succeeds.
Fast & Furious: Arcade Edition had the potential to be a fun, over-the-top racer that embraced the chaos and flair from the film series it’s known for. Unfortunately, what we get instead feels like a mobile port with a coat of paint. While the car lineups and locations are a solid nod, everything else, from the controls to the sounds and visuals, feels rushed and unrefined.
The Outer Worlds 2 is a worthy successor that expands on the first game in almost every aspect. With its sharp writing, engaging choices, deep RPG mechanics, and vibrant, fully realised world, it captures the humour, charm and moral complexity that made the original a hit.
Battlefield 6 isn’t just another entry into the franchise; it’s a full-scale evolution of everything we love about the series. From the moment you load into the campaign or jump online, it’s clear the developers have poured their hearts and souls into this game with every detail, and the result is something beautiful.
Overall, Little Nightmares III is a worthy continuation of the series known for its chilling atmosphere and inventive storytelling. The game shines with its cinematic visuals, haunting sound design, and the fresh dynamic that online co-op brings, making the Spiral feel alive. The attention to detail in the character and creature models, combined with the eerie environments and inventive puzzles, reinforces the series’ signature mix of innocence and terror.
Overall, Pac-Man World 2 Re-PAC is a faithful and polished return to one of Pac-Man’s most underrated adventures. It manages to stay true to its 2002 roots while upgrading the experience with sharper visuals, cleaner sound designs, and smoother gameplay that feels right at home on the PlayStation 5. The fast-paced levels are easy to jump into, while the tougher boss fights provide a welcome layer of challenge.
Skygard Arena offers a solid and engaging turn-based tactical experience that balances strategy, team customisation, and accessibility. The game rewards careful planning, smart positioning, and clever use of abilities. The vibrant visuals, dynamic camera controls, and satisfying audio help immerse you in this game.
FC 26 feels like a true step forward for the series, finally striking the right balance between competitive sharpness and authentic realism. From the overhauled gameplay fundamentals to the smarter Career Mode features, refined Archetypes, and a deeper FUT experience, EA has clearly been listening to the community. The presentation is slick, the sound is immersive, and the controls are fine-tuned for both newcomers and veterans.
Overall, Mars Attracts is a charming, darkly comedic twist on the park-building genre that manages to be both approachable and engaging. It balances humour, strategy and management in a way that keeps you invested in wanting to play the game and become the biggest park on Mars.
skate. is a revival that doesn’t just live off nostalgia; it reimagines what skateboarding can be in 2025. Full Circle have kept the heart of the series intact, with the beloved “Flick-It” system, free-flowing gameplay, and a world that encourages you to create your own fun. The shift to a more stylised, cartoonish look gives it personality and separates it from the hyper-realistic titles we normally see, while the sound design and killer soundtrack capture the skate culture perfectly. After years of waiting, the series has returned and, for the most part, sticks the landing.
Supercar Collection Simulator is a charming little management game that captures the addictive thrill of collecting and selling, wrapped up in a store-sim setting. The core loop of opening surprise boxes, building collections and customising the shop is genuinely fun, and there is enough side content to keep you amused for hours. It nails the relaxing, casual nature of simulators but comes with some rough edges that could use some polishing.
Cronos: The New Dawn is a thrilling, high-stakes survival horror experience that pushes the Nintendo Switch 2 to deliver on every front, story, gameplay, visuals and sounds. Bloober Team have crafted a game that demands strategy, patience and adaptability, rewarding players with tense, cinematic moments and satisfying combat.
Truck Driving on Nintendo Switch feels like a bare-minimum effort that doesn’t really justify its place on the platform. Between the outdated graphics, lack of audio design, and mobile-style gameplay, there’s very little here to recommend unless you’re looking for the most basic truck-driving experience possible.