Sammy Barker's Reviews
Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart is the best game in the series since Ratchet & Clank: A Crack in Time, which franchise fans will recognise as high praise. The familiar combat is elevated by outstanding DualSense implementation, while Insomniac Games' imaginative gameplay design keeps each planet interesting and engaging. It's not a particularly challenging platformer, nor is it necessarily all that original – but it doesn't need to be. This is one of those games that's just really, really good.
This is a surprisingly tactical title overall, though, and it does bring something different to the genre. If you’re looking for a different kind of sports game, this could be worth shaving your legs for.
Rust Console Edition is punishing and a real test of your resolve. The game's persistent online world – which continues to exist even when you're offline – paired with its rewarding survival loop make it hard to get out of your head, however. The ephemeral nature of your progress means it's oddly unique, and the human interactions you'll encounter along the way give the title limitless replayability and unpredictability. Yes, it looks like garbage and is clearly in need of a patch or 10,000 – but even now, as we write this, we can't help but wonder whether someone's blown the door off our base and is rifling through our belongings.
Hood: Outlaws & Legends should be applauded for doing something different. In a just world, this release would steal players from larger brands and establish itself as a unique online alternative – but right now, its community is small. Assuming you can find a match, the stealth-based competitive gameplay is refreshing, and while it's not without its drawbacks, it can be seriously satisfying when you work as a team to achieve your objectives unnoticed. There's huge potential here, Sumo Newcastle just needs to find a way to keep its playerbase engaged.
Not everyone will warm up to Subnautica: Below Zero, but it's an unquestionably rewarding release once you begin to get a foothold into the frigid foray. The game's constantly tantalising you with new, exciting equipment, and its otherworldly ocean is an immersive environment in which to spend your time. A lack of landmarks mean that it can be a little too easy to get lost, and the story is light and largely uninteresting – but if the act of building an underwater base appeals to you, then this PS5 sequel unquestionably has strong foundations.
MLB The Show 21 swings-and-misses in a few areas, with the well-intentioned Ballplayer system diminishing Road to the Show. Despite being stingier, though, Diamond Dynasty is still the best card collecting mode available, and the series' tried and trusted gameplay has been further enhanced with the addition of Pinpoint Pitching and new fielding animations. Sony San Diego hasn't quite hit a home run this year, but this is a strong lead-off double for baseball on PS5.
Debuts don't get much stronger than Horizon Zero Dawn. Guerrilla Games' latest borrows liberally from a variety of different sources, and yet it leverages these fundamentals to forge an experience that's daringly unique. The main quest tires a little towards the end, and the writing never hits the same highs as The Witcher 3 – but the tactical action stands leagues ahead of what we've come to expect from the genre, and the presentation is quite simply unmatched.
Horizon Zero Dawn delivers a timely reminder of why it should be a Game of the Year candidate with The Frozen Wilds. This sizeable selection of snowy quests expands upon an already excellent campaign with a decent new storyline and plenty of fresh exposition. While it is, by its very nature, more of the same, it's hard to complain when the foundations are already so strong.
There will be case studies written about this release in the years to come, because it should have been a sure-fire slam dunk, and yet it feels like a missed opportunity. Make no mistake, the title has got better – and with the announcement of Black Panther, developer Crystal Dynamics remains committed to iterating on it for the foreseeable future – but as we alluded to in our Marvel’s Avengers PS4 review, there’s a disconnect between the promise of this product and what it actually offers right now.
Little Nightmares II is worth experiencing for its art direction alone, although its hand cramping controls can be an obstacle at times. The title relies far too heavily on trial and error, which frustrates, but many of its encounters will live with you long after the credits roll, and so it's successful at creating a lasting impression. It's a stiff and rigid release, but its puzzles are constantly reinventing themselves, and each frame draws you in with its surreal and unsettling imagery.
All in all, Habroxia 2 knows it’s not reinventing the wheel, but it settles for a fulfilling campaign that will hold your attention from beginning through New Game Plus. With a rewarding upgrade system and sturdy presentation, this is gaming comfort food for those who grew up in the arcade era, and it comes recommended if you’re looking for an old-school shooter to blast through in a few sittings.
On its own, Hitman 3 is a moody conclusion to a generation-defining trilogy, but when taken as a complete compilation, it's the ultimate stealth sandbox. IO Interactive has honed its gameplay formula to perfection, and it's on top form here
In terms of presentation, the package leaves a lot to be desired, but this is all about assembling the ultimate team and watching your bank balance bulge – the visuals are secondary to the ever-increasing numbers. Controls could be better optimised, and it’s perhaps a little too easy – but a separate challenge mode, where you’re put into increasingly tough situations, adds some much-needed difficulty to the standard sandbox option
NBA 2K21 is an impressive overhaul of an already excellent basketball simulation. There are times where it over-extends; The City, for example, is an awesome idea in principle, but its sheer scale can leave it feeling deserted. Still, while we have legitimate gripes with the game's implementation of VC, there's no denying that next-gen hooping feels fantastic. And with so many modes and features, as well as industry-leading presentation, there's no doubt that 2K Sports is starting this generation off strong.
The layout is different on each level, but you’ll mostly be relying on luck rather than skill. Still, this has a weird moreish appeal to it, and it’s got our claws into us again. Obviously, this type of title is best suited to smartphones or handhelds, but it’s so easy to zone out with it that we can see ourselves returning to it a lot over the coming weeks. Odd, indeed.
If you enjoy business management simulations, then we recommend purchasing a ticket for Planet Coaster: Console Edition. While the coaster creation controls can be unwieldy, Frontier's done a generally decent job of mapping a very complicated title to the DualSense controller. The title allows for a ton of creativity, but time-strapped entrepreneurs can also have fun with the many pre-made assets available. It's the kind of game where, once you begin building a park, you're basically pledging the next 30 hours of your life to doing it properly – but once you start seeing those profits rolling, you may find it difficult to quit.
There's a lot of love been poured into Sackboy: A Big Adventure, and thus it's hard not to love it back. This is a brilliant platformer with tons of imaginative ideas and a strong sense of style. The lack of online multiplayer at launch is a bit disappointing, but it's coming as a free update before the end of the year, so we can forgive the developer that. If you're looking for something bright and breezy to begin your PS5 journey, then this is a near-flawless romp when it's at its pomp.
Slide Stars is actually not all that bad, it’s just hard as nails. The gameplay sees you precariously balancing your rider, and depending on whether you’re piloting an oversized coin or a baby turtle, every vehicle controls slightly differently. The social media superstars each have different specialties, whether it’s gaming, fashion, or travel, and thus can inexplicably open up different paths in the stages, unlocking secrets and shortcuts along the way.
Marvel's Spider-Man: Miles Morales is effortlessly cool. The overall gameplay structure may prove samey for those who failed to fall in love with Insomniac Games' previous effort, but everyone else will have a blast with this generous spin-off story. Great characters, tons of activities, and some epic set-piece moments round out a must play superhero romp – and with the developer on this kind of form, we can't wait to see more of the full-scale sequel that it's inevitably cooking up.
Astro's Playroom is deserving of every single superlative you're likely to hear associated with it. As a platformer, it's a varied and entertaining experience that's constantly introducing new and exciting ideas over the course of its campaign. And as a DualSense tech demo, it's similarly effective at showcasing the power and potential of Sony's new hardware. But perhaps above all, this is a love letter to the legacy of PlayStation, and it feels fitting that as we enter an exciting new chapter from an undeniably iconic gaming brand, we take a moment to remember the milestones that got us to this point.