Due to its launch proximity to Elden Ring and the sheer quality of AAA Soulslikes, I suspect Asterigos may be unfairly overlooked. Nonetheless, it is a resoundingly enjoyable experience that I would recommend to any Soulslike fan.
If you played RollerCoaster Tycoon back in the day, you’ll no doubt love Planet Coaster. It takes the same concept and brings it into the current generation. And despite some console limitations, it’s a thoroughly enjoyable package and an absolute steal as a PlayStaion Plus freebie.
If you can master it, Sifu is every wannabe martial artist’s dream. However, its brutal difficulty can impact the fun factor and will likely force many to give up.
Best of all though is the experience of playing as our cat hero. In that regard, Stray really is a game like no other. And the team at BlueTwelve Studio have done a tremendous job at realising the feline fantasy. Even though it’s disappointingly short, Stray is a must-play game this summer.
Death Stranding Director’s Cut is a refined experienced. From the memorable sound design to the meticulously detailed open world, it has stuck with me – even more so than when I played the original back in 2019. If that was Hideo Kojima’s intention with this re-release then bravo. Mission accomplished.
Horizon Forbidden West is a phenomenal game. It does everything it aims to do to a very high standard. However, it does very little to expand upon Zero Dawn outside of refining the formula.
This sequel is a significantly better game than its predecessor owing, in part, to the fact that it knows exactly what it wants to be. It is a true survival horror experience from start to finish. Alan Wake II is one of this year’s best games and cements Remedy and its creative director, Sam Lake, at the top of the industry.
Returnal is the game the PlayStation 5 needed. It demonstrates every aspect of the new console’s technical prowess and sets the standard for future games. On top of that, it packs in a thoroughly enticing story with fantastically fluid gameplay.