Simon Fitzgerald
JYDGE is an enjoyable twin-stick shooter that has a fun and destructive core mechanic and a lot of replay value. If you're a huge fan of twin-stick shooters it'd be a crime not to give this one a try and judge it for yourself.
Blasters of the Universe is an absolute blast to play with silky smooth motion control and headset tracking that allows for precise shots to be pulled off with ease. The 80s cartoon style visuals, combined with the trance music, create a charmingly frantic environment for a bullet hell shooter to be set. Although its runtime is short lived, the quality of its gameplay makes Blasters of the Universe a very worthwhile venture.
Sparc is a good PlayStation VR game with all the core mechanics to be a sleeper hit; the gameplay is enjoyable and requires a lot of skill. Unfortunately, with very little single player content, the title is pinning all of its success on its small but active online community – and it's hard to predict how long the release's servers will remain occupied.
Cat Quest is a decent little game that we'd definitely recommend, with a charmingly cute presentation and a solid combat system that together form an overall enjoyable experience. Although you will definitely feel the pangs of repetition, there's just about enough here to keep you engaged until you reach the title's satisfying conclusion. If you're a big RPG fan or you're a cat purr-son, then Cat Quest is going to be right up your alley.
Korix is a good strategy, tower defence title for PlayStation VR with solid gameplay, bright and vibrant visuals, and outstanding motion control tracking. Unfortunately, there are some issues with guidance for new players, and only having a small online community means the multiplayer component may go underutilised. Still, this title is definitely worth picking up if you have a few friends who you want to nuke.
Bridge Constructor is a simplistic physics puzzle game that will keep you busy for more than a few hours. Its simple presentation, controls, and accurate physics make the release an enjoyably addictive experience. If you enjoy physics or have ever stopped on a bridge and marvelled at its sturdiness before, then this game is definitely worth a go – even if it's just to cross a gap between bigger releases.
The Playroom VR is a good collection of couch co-op mini-games that demonstrate the capabilities of the VR headset superbly. Although a few of the games you'll play once and never touch again, Robots Rescue is a standout experience that you'll wish was a fully-fledged game in itself.
LEGO Star Wars: The Force Awakens is quite possibly the best LEGO game yet – but it still has a smattering of old issues. Its compelling story cinematics, laugh out loud humour and perfectly balanced mix of conundrums and combat make it an absolute blast to play. However, it still suffers from the occasional AI hiccup and could do with the character abilities being refreshed.
Baseball Riot is a bright, colourful, physics puzzle game that will appeal to a wide audience with its simplistic gameplay, pick-up-and-play controls, and low price tag. It's very obvious similarities to Tennis in the Face prevent it from hitting a home run, but it comfortably makes it to third base. [If only we all had the same luck, eh? – Ed]
Assault Android Cactus is a very well-polished, entertaining arcade twin-stick shooter. Its only prickles come in the form of some poor level design, occasional difficulty spikes, and a little too much repetition. If you cast these issues aside, what you're left with is a short but sweet experience that's perfect for some competitive couch co-op with your friends.
Forma.8 is an aesthetically pleasing, exploration title with a great variety of environments and enemies to discover. Its presentation is wonderfully abstract, with ambient noise and a sense of loneliness creating a mysteriously enjoyable game that we recommend.
LEGO Marvel's Avengers assembles the building blocks of a good LEGO game adequately, delivering decent puzzles, comical cut-scenes, and some feel-good fiction for the whole family. However, the formula's definitely starting to wear thin, and it has some niggles that could do with being Iron Man-ed out.
LEGO Dimensions has made a confident first step into the toys-to-life category, with its real-world models incorporated imaginatively during gameplay. It doesn't stray massively from the series' established formula, but it's a lot of fun as long as you know what you're getting into. And this is the biggest downside: the game's going to cost you a lot of money to get the most out of it. As such, you may want to check the price tag before passing through this particular portal.
Peggle 2 is a good little game that's worth a go if you're new to the property or are a big fan of its predecessor. While addictive, though, the core gameplay can get repetitive at times, and this isn't helped by some samey level design and a general lack of fresh ideas. Indeed, the experience here is largely comparable to the original, but it does at least manage to mix things up with new characters and special abilities. These, sadly, aren't enough to make the title feel brand new – but it's at least working with some strong existing blueprints.
Color Guardians is a charming little title that will be appreciated by endless runner fans. The inconsistent difficulty is a problem, and its lack of variety means that it's best played in short bursts – but if you want something simple to brighten up your day, then this will do the job adequately.
Hot Wheels Unleashed 2: Turbocharged is a highly polished, fast-paced, fun, and robust racing sequel that builds upon its predecessor in all the right ways. Addressing almost all our criticisms of the previous title by adding impressive core mechanic modifications in the form of jumps, dashes, and new terrains, removing loot boxes, and adding obstacle immunity skills, Milestone has created a fantastic follow-up arcade racer to be reckoned with.
Chants of Sennaar has a terrifically unique focus on translation, portraying the differences between various cultures’ languages excellently through its enjoyable puzzle-solving. With no other game quite like it, we’d highly recommend getting lost in translation here.
The game takes the familiar formula of the series, featuring compelling puzzles, chaotic combat, and perfect presentation, and sticks by it. With a whole new campaign and a wide variety of fresh and familiar abilities, Trine 5 appeals to series fans both new and old.
Nock is a super addictive bow-and-arrow soccer title with accurate physics, on-point hand tracking, and impressively satisfying traversal that’s almost impossible to put down. The few niggles here — similar arenas and lack of visual environments — aren’t enough to detract from the core gameplay. Nock virtually hits the bullseye, and we’d recommend you give it a shot.
Walkabout Mini Golf is an enjoyably easy to pickup and play virtual reality golfing experience with superb physics, a wide array of courses, and the delightful inclusion of treasure hunts and collectibles — a whole-in-one experience. We’d highly recommend you round up some friends and join the club.