Stephen Tailby's Reviews
Ultimately, Ruffy and the Riverside is a game we wanted to like, but despite its attractive visual style and unique ideas, it never really comes together in a satisfying way. While there's some fun to be had running around in the semi-open world, it never evolves beyond that.
Rematch is very close to being a brilliant online sports title, and we're confident it can reach its full potential with the right updates and post-launch support. The gameplay has depth, and successful team play is super rewarding. Once it gets past its early teething issues, this has real potential to take off.
There's a fair amount of depth to Star Trucker if you have the patience for it, and it's all presented with pleasant visuals and Americana stylings that lend it a fun atmosphere. There are some potentially frustrating elements and it's tougher than you might expect, but there's a fulfilling and novel game here for sim fans.
EA Sports F1 25 is overall another rock solid entry in the annual franchise. The driving is reliably good fun and impressively flexible, and the return of Braking Point is a welcome one, even if it's not the best story ever told. A robust set of modes means there's something for everyone, and it looks and sounds great on the whole. One or two career mode changes might ruffle some feathers, and navigating the game can feel slow, but by and large it's a podium finish for this F1 racer.
Forza Horizon 5 might be a few years old, but its vast amount of activities, robust feature set, and superb driving model mean it's still out in front. It isn't perfect - it can feel bloated and overwhelming, the AI is frustrating at times, and the characters and dialogue are a constant weakness. However, behind the wheel, tackling its myriad events and exploring the beautiful open world, it's hard to not be convinced by its optimistic personality and sense of fun. Despite its late arrival on PS5, it still feels showroom fresh.
So dense with puzzles, secrets, and lore is Blue Prince that it rarely leaves you empty-handed, even if it can feel that way sometimes. Again, if you have the drive to see the game through on its terms, you'll be handsomely rewarded, but the journey getting to that point may be too inconsistent for some.
Despite its disparate elements you've probably seen before, you've never played a game quite like Promise Mascot Agency, a game that smashes together a crime drama story, management sim mechanics, and open world exploration. While there are some rough edges and repetitive aspects, this hangs together thanks to an engrossing story, compelling progression, and unusual but likeable characters. Greater than the sum of its parts, this unique game has cult hit written all over it.
While the game itself inevitably shows its age with its simplistic design, Croc: Legend of the Gobbos remains an adorable and fun platformer in this remaster. The revamped visuals pop while staying true to its old school look, and the analog control provides a much smoother way to play. The Crocipedia fleshes things out, providing lots of detail about the making of this pioneering 3D title.
It's a clever mix of genre and story, because it provides a cosy space to immerse yourself in while also highlighting the reasons why people play things like this in the first place — to unwind, to take a break with something relaxing.
Split Fiction is Hazelight Studios' best game yet, and stands out as one of the most accomplished and fun co-op titles on PS5 to date. Its peerless variety means there's never a dull moment, and all of its different mechanics are consistently well-executed. There are one or two minor complaints you can throw at this, but they all fade into the background when the game is constantly showing you new ideas and almost never pausing for breath. This is proof, if more was needed, that Josef Fares and his team has found a really special formula, one that allows them to explore an incredible range of gameplay that's only enhanced by its singular co-op vision.
The writing is genuinely amusing, the story rather sweet, and the slapstick physics plenty of fun to engage with. Only some minor technical hiccups interrupt the otherwise smooth gameplay, and while finding the last remaining collectibles can be difficult (even aided by a special Junk-detecting hat), the game succeeds due to its brevity and playful tone.
There's absolutely fun to be had here, and the more you delve into it, the more potential strategies you'll discover.
The main thrust of gathering a motley crew and exploring a small slice of the game's universe is great, and with various classes and upgrades to choose from, there's plenty of reason to replay too.
Overall, you have a game that doubles down on what fans loved about Tails of Iron while expanding in smart ways. There are some rough edges, but it's ultimately a superior sequel and a fun, challenging adventure.
Mighty Morphin Power Rangers: Rita's Rewind ultimately succeeds in delivering a nostalgic dose of fun that fans of the franchise are going to love.
Lorelei and the Laser Eyes is an intricate ball of puzzles that's very pleasing to untangle. If you love a brain teaser and being challenged to think in new ways, there are few other games that'll scratch that itch quite like this one.
Trombone Champ: Unflattened is a great conversion to VR, and a natural fit for the tech, adding yet another strong rhythm game in PSVR2's collection.
LEGO Horizon Adventures has left us feeling somewhat torn. On the one hand, this is a charming, kid-friendly take on Sony's popular series that successfully translates the story, characters, and combat into the LEGO realm - and with real visual polish to boot. On the other, once the novelty wears off, level design feels vacant and repetitive, almost never engaging you with the sort of platforming or puzzle solving you might expect. There's absolutely fun to be had here, especially the combat, but some fundamental design decisions let the side down.
Sonic X Shadow Generations is a great two-for-one deal, but for us, the antihero's half of the package steals the show. While the remaster of the 13-year-old platformer is perfectly fine, Shadow's brand new campaign outshines it with much improved gameplay and level design. The older game definitely shows its age in some regards, but bundling together one of the most beloved Sonic titles with one of the best 3D entries in recent memory makes for a compelling double feature.
With four difficulty levels to overcome, lots of equipment to change up your play style, and five levels to master, Kill Knight is pretty fleshed out for what it is. On top of that, the controls feel very responsive, and it's all presented with a harsh, grainy aesthetic and appropriately punchy music