Even when I'm not playing TopSpin 2K25, I'm thinking about playing TopSpin 2K25. I'm obsessed with its gameplay, despite its online play being held back by some inconsistencies. TopSpin is a clear contender for the best sports game of 2024.
In a nutshell, Stellar Blade is just that – a game with exceptionally stylish combat that is both challenging and accessible. The narrative and characterization won't land with every audience, but developer Shift Up has made a noteworthy console debut.
Planet of Lana is a joy to behold, having been crafted with aplomb by a team of artistic and musical virtuosos. The gameplay itself is nothing you haven't seen from other side-scrolling puzzlers, but it gives a wide berth to the stunning art and musical score that reach Disney levels of quality.
Planet Zoo: Console Edition does not completely pull off the PC-to-console transition from a control standpoint, leading to bouts of frustration. But it has enough charm and depth that will make it difficult for genre fans to ignore.
Taxi Life: A City Driving Simulator proves that not every occupation can become a worthwhile video game simulation. It's infested with bugs and soulless gameplay, making it more of a mundane taxi than a crazy one.
Despite its AA veneer, Outcast – A New Beginning is a solid open-world RPG. The combat doesn't carry its weight, but the quirky characters, fun traversal, and open quest system are the real heavy lifters. It feels like a game from a bygone era and in this instance it works.
Hex Gambit: Respawned tries to view chess and checkers through the lens of a modern video game. It succeeds in some ways, but falls well short of taking down the kings.
Pacific Drive is an intriguing blend of science fiction storytelling and simulator gameplay mechanics. If you typically shy away from roguelikes, this might be the one that finally nestles its way into your psyche as you tell yourself "Just one more run".
D-Day Enhanced offers fun gunplay that only sporadically functions 100% correctly, in addition to myriad bugs and a paltry player base. The bugs can be squashed in the weeks ahead, but the lack of players and subsequently poor AI make this one a tough sell.
Banishers: Ghosts of New Eden is a deeply emotional collection of human stories, of both the protagonists, but also the settlers of New Eden. The combat is nothing great, but the stories within certainly are. You'll be surprised at how easily you can empathize with late 17th century colonials, which is the magic of developer Don't Nod.
Regardless of if you're experiencing the story for the first time, or returning for the $10 upgrade, this is the definitive version of one of the finest video games ever made. It's worth playing for the story alone, but the No Return mode is an intense and fun addition that might keep you around longer than you expect.
A sci-fi shooter with a strong reputation, Vertigo 2 doesn't move the needle strongly one way or the other. It's a lengthy outing by VR standards, so there is some bang for your buck, but it simply doesn't do enough to standout on PS VR2.
Towers and Powers is an excellent example of how virtual reality can enhance certain genres. I've played tower defense games before, but what I didn't know until now is that VR is the definitive way to enjoy them. Towers and Powers convinced me of that, making it an easy game to recommend on PS VR2.
Jusant is one of my favorite gaming experiences of 2023. The rock-climbing gameplay is simple yet extremely satisfying to play, and it's masterfully interwoven with the narrative and lore of the world. It's a surprisingly quaint, emotional story that packs a punch despite having zero spoken dialogue, which is a testament to the narrative chops of Don't Nod. I still find myself thinking about Jusant days after staring a meditative hole through its ending credits.
Mirage is the ultimate Assassin's Creed comfort food for those who've been longing for a return to the classic stealth formula. It's not going to blow you away, but it's well done, and the nostalgia you'll feel playing it will remind you of why you enjoy the series in the first place. Ultimately, Basim and Baghdad coalesce to create a tantalizing vision of what the future of Assassin's Creed could be – a reincarnation of what it once was.
Cyberpunk 2077: Phantom Liberty proves once again that CD Projekt Red are the undefeated champions of DLC. At $29.99 it offers supreme value, with a compelling new story, location, and hours of content that outclasses many other full-blown AAA titles. After a few rough years, both Cyberpunk 2077 and CD Projekt Red have regained their footing rather triumphantly.
NBA 2K24 delivers the most authentic on-court gameplay in the series' history thanks to the new ProPLAY technology. Gameplay feels less scripted, animations feel less canned, and modern players perform closer to their real counterparts than ever before. Some modes and features still feel largely untouched from years past, while MyCAREER caters to veteran and pay-to-win players, but I guess we can't have it all.
Is it the system-seller that PS VR2 fans were hoping for? Not exactly, but there is plenty to like about Firewall Ultra. It's an extremely comfortable VR shooter with fun tactical gameplay that uses the headset's features in an interesting way, though it does take some getting used to. Sluggish progression and minor bugs need to be addressed, but First Contact Entertainment has been updating the game rapidly since launch.
Farworld Pioneers had a promising premise, mashing together ideas from other sci-fi survival favorites, but it simply doesn't fulfill that promise in any way. Unintuitive controls, poor AI, and a lack of show-and-tell for the game's various systems are likely to frustrate, rather than entertain you.
EA was smart to snatch up the rights to Immortals of Aveum. It's an impressive debut from Ascendant Studio, featuring a refreshing take on FPS combat, a great fantasy story with loads of interesting lore, and an endearing cast of characters. Bottom line – I can't wait to see what Ascendant does next.