Push Square
HomepagePush Square's Reviews
Wizard of Legend is an enjoyable roguelike dungeon crawler with fun, fast-paced combat, beautifully crafted music, and pleasant pixel visuals that come together to form a fantastic fictional setting. Although the difficulty is steep and there is the occasional balancing issue, the available co-op modes are an excellent addition that help negate those problems.
Conan Exiles is a surprisingly good open world survival game that does a good job of blending genre mechanics with the harsh world of Conan the Barbarian. It's seriously addictive stuff despite general jankiness and a strange obsession with nudity, but the multiplayer is the real highlight. If you're looking for something new to play with your friends for a bit, look no further.
When you find yourself in the zone, Laser League is a joy to play. Controls are as straightforward as they come and the game's rules are easy to follow, meaning anyone can pick up a pad and join in. However, the depth that comes with the various character classes, their abilities, and power ups is surprising. This is classic "easy to learn, difficult to master" territory, in other words, and whether you're playing online or offline, it can be excellent fun with a few friends. Ultimately, this is the sort of game that lives or dies on the strength of its player count, and we sincerely hope it remains healthy. Aside from the occasional bout of lag, fairly limited content, and one or two disappointing omissions, this is a unique multiplayer title that deserves your attention.
Like its predecessors, Destiny 2: Warmind struggles to justify its price tag thanks to a throwaway campaign and some incredibly tired mission design. The quality of Destiny's core gameplay is still clear to see and the expansion as a whole is dotted with a handful of high points, but it ultimately just feels like the game is purposefully treading water until September's big arrival -- and that's simply not good enough.
Forgotton Anne has thrilled us in every possible way. Its story is packed to the rafters with charm, amazement, tension, and doubt. The gameplay satisfies in every key area with challenging puzzles and skilful platforming, and it's these mechanics that get to accommodate a gorgeous art style which will live on long in our hearts. You need to experience Forgotton Anne for yourself, because the package as a whole is really quite special.
With Gone Home representing a key moment in gaming, Tacoma had plenty of potential to suffer from so called "second album syndrome". While it never manages to hit the same emotional highs – or lows – as its predecessor, it still stands out from the crowd, mainly through the implementation of some nicely interactive AR scenes to deliver its key story moments. While there are certainly other complaints you could level at Tacoma – such as its rigid linearity and how it occasionally falls into genre clichés – these can be easily forgotten as developer Fullbright once again proves where its strengths lie: with down-to-earth characters and thought-provoking storytelling.
2MD VR Football works so well because it has the best throwing mechanic we've experienced with PlayStation VR to date. The game's relatively simplistic, tasking you with executing a series of successful two-minute drills, but the ability to design your own playbook paired with the implementation of recognised NFL rules mean that there's some strategy to this arcade affair. The art style's not going to appeal to everyone and it's unlikely to keep you occupied forever, but fans of American football are sure to have a blast doing their best Tom Brady impression in virtual reality.
AO International Tennis went wide with its first service, and double faults at second attempt.
The pricing will seem somewhat steep if you've already poured countless hours into the original Dragon's Crown, but that doesn't take anything away from what is still one of the best, most memorable beat-'em-ups on the market. Topped off with some incredibly addictive RPG elements, it's difficult not to fall in love with Vanillaware's stellar sidescroller all over again. Dragon's Crown Pro continues the legacy of a modern classic, and if you haven't tried it before, now's your chance.
CoolPaintrVR is a fine alternative to Tilt Brush for PlayStation VR, although the limitations of Sony's technology mean that it never really hits the same highs. We would have appreciated a larger palette of objects and effects, but budding artists should find more than enough to make a masterpiece with here.
Some performance issues aside, this remains an engaging, and rather different, racing game that just about overcomes its problems to offer some good old fashioned fun.
Super Mega Baseball 2 looks like a straightforward arcade game and it can be if you want it to be – but there's a surprising amount of depth to this colourful sequel that will keep you coming back. The game's vibrant presentation and frenetic flow set it apart from MLB The Show, and its raft of customisation options mean that you can tailor it to your tastes. Some cumbersome controls can grate, but if you're looking for a baseball game a little less serious than Sony's, then this is a great alternative.
A fun first-person action game this may be, Killing Floor: Incursion rarely serves as anything other than just that. Its fluid play style and control scheme make decent use of being able to draw, aim, and holster your weapons with realism and ease, though it's 4-5 hour campaign is often repetitive and lacks a little inspiration. If you're looking to slash and shoot your way through countless enemies or buddy up with a friend for a few hours for co-operative and competitive fun, Incursion is here and ready to serve, though we're not convinced it's current £24.99 price tag is a true reflection of what's on offer here.
City of Brass is a fantastic starting point for newcomers to the roguelike genre, but those that know a thing or two may leave feeling a little short-changed. The core gameplay loop at its heart is very satisfying, thanks to its experimental nature, and with the genies' perk selection, there's a decent amount of variety when you're in the thick of it, but there just isn't enough here to keep you coming back past your first couple of completed runs. There's definitely fun to be had here for a few hours, but it's nothing you'll remember with a great deal of affection in six month's time.
Guns of Icarus Alliance is a bold new addition to the PlayStation multiplayer roster. If you're in the mood to invest some time in becoming the best of the best as a team, there is much airborne fun to be had on board your shiny steampunk airship.
To Leave is certainly a competent 2D platformer, but its brutal difficulty is sure to stop the majority of its players from even finishing the game. Fortunately, its story and visuals are keen to excite to the point where they may just about be worth your frustration.
Home Run Derby VR makes the act of slugging entertaining, thanks to good PlayStation Move motion tracking and a strong balance between arcade and simulation gameplay. But the price of entry is far too high for a title that only includes three stadiums and one game type – even if it is ultimately rather entertaining to play.
The Swords of Ditto is a great little indie adventure, perfect for quick stints of surprisingly tense gameplay. Although some slight technical issues are a bit of a pain, they're not enough to detract from what is otherwise a delightfully charming experience. Tight and tidy, this is an addictive time sink that's well worth a look -- especially if you bring someone along for the ride.
There is an extremely interesting world on display in Impact Winter and there are traces of greatness scattered throughout. Unfortunately, there are far too many examples of cumbersome, clumsy, and frustrating execution that end up melting away the game's frosty facade. With such a heavy emphasis on multiple playthroughs, most players would be lucky to stomach their first 30 days of survival.
If trudging around a nice-looking hell is what you're after then there may be a little merit in investing in Infernium, but for anyone after a decent gaming experience – be it horror, puzzle, or walking simulator – then this just doesn't cut it.