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Warhammer 40,000: Darktide is a fantastic co-op shooter that occasionally struggles under strain. The human character models don't exactly look great, but the game delivers what matters: strong gameplay and an excellent atmosphere that's a blast to play with friends.
Lorelei and the Laser Eyes is an intricate ball of puzzles that's very pleasing to untangle. If you love a brain teaser and being challenged to think in new ways, there are few other games that'll scratch that itch quite like this one.
Nine Sols will test you, but the atmosphere is stunning, the combat is thrilling, and the story is a fascinating mix of mysticism and sci-fi — so you'll meet the challenge happily. This is the best Metroidvania out there right now. Don't miss it.
Trombone Champ: Unflattened is a great conversion to VR, and a natural fit for the tech, adding yet another strong rhythm game in PSVR2's collection.
Really, it's 8-Bit Adventures 2's straightforward, but tidily balanced gameplay that ties the package together. Turn-based combat is, of course, the order of the day, with each party member bringing their own unique abilities to the fray.
LEGO Horizon Adventures has left us feeling somewhat torn. On the one hand, this is a charming, kid-friendly take on Sony's popular series that successfully translates the story, characters, and combat into the LEGO realm - and with real visual polish to boot. On the other, once the novelty wears off, level design feels vacant and repetitive, almost never engaging you with the sort of platforming or puzzle solving you might expect. There's absolutely fun to be had here, especially the combat, but some fundamental design decisions let the side down.
That eternal Dragon Quest charm is especially potent in Dragon Quest 3 HD-2D Remake - a thoughtful repackaging of a classic RPG. With its quality of life additions and delightful 3D visuals, it's easy to argue that this is the adventure's definitive form - even if some of its structural weaknesses remain in place.
Second is Tetris Time Warp, a new title that sends players through each era of the franchise via special warp blocks. This 2024 version should be played after absorbing all this collection has to offer; only then can you fully appreciate where the Time Warp Tetriminos will take you.
From the moment it was announced Metal Slug Tactics was a winner in our eyes. Marrying the SNK classic with the turn-based tactics genre is a golden idea on paper. Hearing it’s a roguelike in the vein of Into the Breach was the coup de grâce for this game being anything but a banger. And we’re happy to say it lives up to those lofty expectations.
We're sorry that we ever doubted that Vertigo could pull off a Metro VR game. The Dutch devs have masterfully captured the essence of this cult series, and amplified its best traits with myriad VR specific mechanics. While we had some issues with its story and would have liked a tad more setting variety, its highs are so high we'd happily go through it all again. With the visuals, the atmosphere, and the controls all melting into the experience, Metro Awakening is easily one of the most immersive VR games we've ever played.
Frustrating at times but fearlessly inventive, Slitterhead is an absolute must-play if you're looking for an original take on the survival horror genre. Serving as a spiritual successor to fan favourites like Siren, Gravity Rush, and Soul Sacrifice, this haunting tale about a body-hopping spirit – who uses humans as fodder to put a stop to the eponymous enemy – is a scintillating albeit occasionally undercooked debut from Bokeh Game Studios. Repetition and an overall lack of refinement do bring it down, but you'll be hard-pushed to find a more imaginative experience this year.
It can't decide if it wants to be an RTS or a platformer, so both areas feel like they're not achieving their full potential. The presentation is gorgeous and it's enjoyable thinking about the smaller creatures in our world differently, but Empire of the Ants tries to be too much at once. The multiplayer is fun for a time, but lacks the depth seasoned strategy players want. A focus on either the story or RTS would have helped a lot.
Redacted has all the addictive core elements of an enjoyable roguelike: a good variety of weapons, abilities, and synergies with a well-polished presentation. The racing rivals and random events keep runs feeling fresh, although its comparatively short runtime and relatively lackluster melee combat prevent it from being one of the greatest.
Planet Coaster 2 is a worthy sequel to the original and it seems Frontier has really listened to fan feedback and delivered what fans have been longing for. If you liked the original then you'll love this follow-up, but genre newcomers could find the sheer spectrum of options here a touch overwhelming.
Following the launch woes of Modern Warfare 3, the FPS heavyweight series marks a very strong and impressive return to form in Call of Duty: Black Ops 6. Its single player campaign is one of the franchise's best-ever efforts, the multiplayer is jam-packed with engaging content, and the Zombies mode seems just as good as it always is when Treyarch is leading things. It never really went away, but Black Ops 6 feels like Call of Duty back at its modern peak.
Horizon Zero Dawn is very much one of Sony's standout projects of the past ten years, and this superb remaster by Nixxes puts it among the best looking games on the PS5. While the side-quests and supporting content don't quite match up to sequel Forbidden West, the more focused story is arguably better than its successor, and it's presented almost flawlessly in this remastered format.
Phasmophobia is a highly replayable co-op experience that expertly manages to blend friendly fun with deathly scares. There's a complexity to its ghost hunting as you gather evidence and test your nerves, and it's made all the better as you bicker, debate, and scream with your friends. A slow levelling system stalls that sense of progression, and finicky controls mean the PSVR2 version of the game is a bit of a letdown. However, if you're looking for a unique kind of co-op experience for you and your friends, Phasmophobia is one of a kind.
Romancing SaGa 2 boasts an expansive 3D world to explore, gorgeous character models and equipment, and compelling enemy designs. You can even choose between the original and a remastered orchestral score full of earworms from the glory days of the '90s. A remake of a classic JRPG many Western fans have missed, even three decades later, Romancing SaGa 2: Revenge of the Seven's inventive mechanics make it a worthwhile experience.
Dragon Age: The Veilguard isn't quite BioWare back to its absolute best, but it is the most cohesive and emotionally engaging RPG that the studio has delivered since Mass Effect 3. Its shift to crunchy action combat is an improvement over Inquisition's middle-of-the-road approach, and although the game feels a little light on meaningful player choice, the storytelling pulls no punches when it actually matters. This is a gorgeous and gripping adventure, backed by a cast of endearing heroes and deliciously devious villains.
If it seems like we're dogging on this latest outing for the series, it's only because we know just how unique and entertaining it can be. Double Exposure isn't a bad game, it's just not the series at its best. It loses some of that inviting atmosphere with Caledon paling in comparison to Haven Springs or Arcadia Bay, and its narrative suffers from an overreliance on the supernatural. But we'd be lying if we said it wasn't great to see Max Caulfield return and we still think it's worth checking out if you're a fan of the series.