Sammy Barker's Reviews
At over two hours, Batman: The Enemy Within – Episode 1: The Enigma is meaty instalment which picks up as strongly as the previous season left off. As a self-contained story, the Riddler's unique brand of psychotic behaviour makes for a satisfying arc – but it's the bigger picture involving Bruce and the deranged John Doe that promises plenty for the remainder of this series, and we're excited to see where it goes.
Hellblade: Senua's Sacrifice is not going to appeal to all tastes, and nor does it try to. As a character action game, it has decent if underdeveloped combat and a mixture of some excellent and some overplayed puzzles. But it's the way that the title utilises the unique attributes of the medium to raise awareness of mental health that elevate this release beyond the sum of its parts.
Dino Frontier's fun for the few hours you'll wring out of it, but it could have been so much more. The game is bursting with brilliant ideas, but it never really evolves any of them, leaving an experience that expires long before the cold clutches of extinction have had an opportunity to arise. It's a shame because with a bit more time in the saloon this could have been a classic – but you may want to wait until it's half-price before pulling the trigger on this release.
CastleStorm crops up everywhere, so chances are you've already played this game before. To be fair, the PlayStation VR version improves on what's come before, by leveraging the technology to give you a better view of the battlefield before you. The game's still a little overcomplicated for our tastes, but those who like multitasking may enjoy that aspect. And if you do, then the addictive reward loop and customisable castles will probably keep you hooked longer than you anticipate.
Conga Master ensures pulling shapes on the PlayStation 4 is an entertaining past-time – even if you've got two left feet. Like any party this title eventually outstays its welcome, but while it's in full-swing it's hard not to get swept along.
Smashbox Arena's knockout gameplay is entertaining online – assuming you can find a match. While there is a small community on the servers right now, it's difficult to predict how long that will persist, and thus purchasing is a bit of a risk. Unless you can convince friends to pick up the package, then be warned that the single player content is thin, even if the core gameplay loop is undeniably fun. More work in the art department could have elevated the release enormously, so ultimately you're left with an ugly but enjoyable multiplayer game that will be defined by the number of people who stick with it beyond launch.
A mental genre mash-up that fuses the best of idle clickers with actual gameplay mechanics, Vostok Inc probably should come with a health warning. This may not be the best twin-stick shooter you'll play on the PlayStation 4, but by mixing and matching mechanics from different titles it unleashes a beast that's greater than the sum of its parts. Play responsibly – but most importantly, play.
Infinite Minigolf provides the tools needed to cultivate an endless arcade game – it just needs the algorithms required to ensure that its one you'll actually want to play forever. The core golf here is fun, and the pre-designed courses show that there's potential for some great puzzle-like levels. It's now down to the imagination of users to wield the title's intuitive Course Editor to create some high-quality stages – and the title itself to ensure that they get promoted ahead of the inevitable procession of low-effort Bogeys.
Ariadne wouldn't fall in love with Theseus in this state, but Forge Reply's virtual reality adaptation of a classic story isn't an unmitigated disaster. The combat and platforming disappoints and there's not enough meat on the release's bones, but it proves that third-person adventures can work with PlayStation VR – and it looks pretty nice to boot. It's a bit of a missed opportunity, then, as there is value in what's presented here – it's just far, far too expensive to recommend and isn't as fun as it should be to play.
Tiny Trax is a beautifully presented arcade racer which leverages PlayStation VR in an original and intelligent way. Clever use of layers gives the illusion of impressive depth to its dozen or so courses, and smart game design means that the title's extremely accessible but still challenging to master. Our only gripe is that we wished there was more of it, but the release is fairly priced and honestly a must-have if you want to experience something a little different in virtual reality.
SUPERHOT VR is one of the most inventive first-person shooters you'll find on any gaming system – let alone PlayStation VR. The title leverages the fledgling peripheral to intensely satisfying effect, but a reliance on repetition to pad its short running time and some unintuitive systems prevent it from being a bonafide classic. Moreover, by pushing Sony's virtual reality headset to its very limits it does hit a few technical snags, but when the stars align this is the very definition of a killer app. Quite literally.
A surprisingly strong adventure game with a plot that will push you through some of its more ambiguous puzzles, perhaps the biggest downside to Dead Synchronicity: Tomorrow Comes Today is that there needs to be more of it. This story ends just as it's getting started, but while it persists, you'll be pulled into its haunting landscape, where every person you encounter runs the risk of being reduced to a puddle of matter on the floor.
Tough as nails but just as tight as you remember, Crash Bandicoot N. Sane Trilogy is tasty trip down memory lane. The visual upgrade is nothing short of spectacular, and while the design of these iconic platformers are firmly fixed in the 90s, they're surprisingly playable today. This is a comprehensive compendium of a trilogy that set PlayStation on its way, and while not everyone will care for the old-school sensibilities, Vicarious Visions has pitched this package just right – doubters must now dine on Wumpa pie.
It's not hard to see why Arizona Sunshine comes so highly acclaimed: its undead slaughtering story mode is undoubtedly dated, but the novelty of virtual reality keeps it alive. Unfortunately, this PlayStation VR version toys with Sony's full roster of input options, and never really settles upon one that feels right. It's a shame because there is a lot to like here, from the vibrant visuals to the generous helping of solo and multiplayer content – but without a comfortable means of controlling any of it, your enthusiasm will very quickly cool.
A decent sequel that improves upon its predecessor in virtually every department, The Golf Club 2 strikes a good drive. But while the improvements to the simulation and course editor are appreciated, there's still work that needs to be done to the unifying Societies system, which represents a clever idea that's far too convoluted for its own good right now. A third stroke should see this series realise its very real potential – but in fairness, this entry is in regulation and well worth buying if you're a fan of the sport.
Nex Machina is everything that an arcade game should be: addictive and accessible yet bursting with hidden depth. Housemarque continues to be the master of the dual-joystick shooter with a sublime effort that harks back to the coin-op glory days of yesteryear. This is a near-perfect complement to the ridiculously good Resogun, and deserves to find a place among your PS4's hard drive space.
WipEout Omega Collection is an impressive remaster that shines at high speeds, though elements of this compilation are starting to show their age. Despite being boosted all the way up to 4K on the PS4 Pro, some of the tracks are returning for the fourth time, and while WipEout 2048's contemporary layouts look luxurious on the big screen, it can be hard to shake the feeling of familiarity on occasion. That said, if anti-grav is your bag, then there's nothing quite like the original – even with the number of inferior pretenders on the racing scene these days.
Clementine is The Walking Dead, and by showing her transition into womanhood A New Frontier is just about a must for fans. But while it lays the foundations for new regulars in Javi and Kate, the fact is that all of the season's other story threads come to an abrupt and unsatisfying end in Episode 5: From the Gallows. There have been many good moments over the course of the season, but the finale does little with them, and the journey feels like a waste of time as a consequence.
Danger Zone is about as barebones as arcade games get, and yet its explosive gameplay loop is so addictive that it's somehow passed our crash test relatively unscathed. The presentation may be offensively simplistic and the runtime a little on the short side, but once you've launched your Smashbreaker a few times, you'll feel like all is well in the world.
Farpoint leans on novelty to make up for its shortcomings elsewhere, but wielding the PlayStation VR Aim Controller is such a unique experience that it papers over some dated game design. The story is cheesy but has some nice moments, and the action really ramps up towards the tail of the campaign. With an arcade mode and co-op included, Impulse Gear's inaugural outing is a fulfilling offering, and while there are obvious improvements that could be made, there's enough here to prove that blockbuster first-person shooters could find a home on PlayStation VR yet.