Sammy Barker's Reviews
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.
Little Nightmares is like a fledgling chef's interpretation of a gourmet dish: it looks the part and hits the spot – but it won't live too long in the memory once you've greedily gobbled it up. Outstanding presentation is paired with some forgettable puzzles and a slightly fragmented fiction, leaving a feast that will satisfy without ever really forcing your tastebuds to explode.
It's hard to imagine the PS4 getting a better puzzle game than Puyo Puyo Tetris. SEGA's brilliant blend of brick building and blob busting makes for a frantically fun multiplayer experience, but it's got enough depth beyond its surface simplicity to keep you occupied for a long, long time.
The weakest episode in The Walking Dead: A New Frontier thus far, Thicker Than Water is paced awkwardly and doesn't spend enough time exploring the relationships that really matter. A good conclusion sets up the finale well, and there are some standout scenes over the course of the instalment. But an underdeveloped villain and some hard to believe exchanges make this a forgettable episode overall.
Outlast II significantly ups the ante in the production values stakes, but its biggest sin is relying a little too heavily on trial and error in the gameplay department. There's an unsettling story here that wanders into some quite shocking territory, but the writing doesn't always sing from the same hymn sheet, and some murderous moments are delivered a little too frantically for the fiction to fully marinate. Despite that, there's more than enough good on offer here to tempt you back to church. Pull up a pew and prepare for a psychological onslaught.
StarBlood Arena is a likeable PlayStation VR shooter that's well-presented and pretty fun to play. The problem is that there simply aren't enough people playing it, and with the online experience being far-and-away the biggest selling point here, that's a problem. If you can convince your friends to pick it up then there's fun to be had here, but with very little single player content it's a risk entering this minefield on your own.
Drawn to Death's juvenile presentation belies a nuanced shooter that's frankly a breath of fresh air. The title fuses fighting games with frenetic on-foot action that feels quite unlike anything you'll ever have played before. Quality game modes and an imaginative roster of weapons are only let-down by the lingering microtransactions that have seemingly survived the title's business model change unscathed. Other than that, though, it's f*cking awesome.
It's colourful, there are collectibles, and it's got a rotten camera: Yooka-Laylee is a 90s platformer to a tee. Unfortunately, rather than a rose-tinted look at the titles of yore, this game falls into all of the same pitfalls as its predecessors: it's rough around the edges, often annoying, and at times even a chore. And yet for all of its flaws it's still packing the most important ingredient of all: the compulsion to collect everything is strong here – and it'll remain even when you're grinding your teeth.
The Walking Dead: A New Frontier - Episode 3: Above the Law is simmering. Javier Garcia is a great character, and aside from some cartoonish bit-parts, the cast that he's surrounding himself with is equally intriguing. Clem's inclusion feels a little forced at this point, but it's good to have her around all the same. An unsatisfying conclusion lets this instalment down, but we're still very much enjoying the ride.
Everything is not for everyone, and thus it's a hard game to score. This existential experience is not quite as pretentious as it appears to be, but it will still leave you mindful of your worth to the world – and the universe as a whole. Honestly, if you've ever found yourself enchanted by the sheer scale of space itself, then this game does an incredible job of communicating that through rudimentary interactivity alone.