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There are some parts that don't quite work. A fatigue system discourages you from prolonged excursions and can make things tricky, and the limited number of cards means you're rarely fully prepared to speak with everyone. Overall, though, we'd say it's a successful experiment, and a breath of fresh air among all the usual noise.
The maps are huge, and have points of interest to discover littered throughout. Really the only obstacle for enjoyment is your own patience and just how much time you’re willing to spend doing all the less-than-thrilling activities.
There's quite a bit to take in here, but the bottom line is Star Renegades is a solid rogue-lite adventure. It might struggle to concisely convey all its systems, but give it some time and there's a deep, challenging game to sink your teeth into.
For PS5, Monster Truck Championship’s improvements are technical, offering a 4K resolution upgrade and 60 frames-per-second gameplay. Unfortunately, there’s no DualSense support and previous PS4 owners don’t have a free upgrade. When backwards compatibility exists, we can’t recommend double dipping, but new players will find much to enjoy. This is the definitive edition, and if you enjoy monster truck racing, then this naturally comes recommended.
Mortal Shell: Enhanced Edition is undeniably inspired by the likes of Dark Souls, but that isn’t necessarily a bad thing. While the upgrade doesn’t fix every technical problem the original had, the PS5 enhancements are enough to make this version the definitive version of the game. If Demon's Souls didn’t scratch your Souls-like itch, Mortal Shell: Enhanced Edition is worth a try.
The biggest problem with the game is its length. If you storm through the eight main levels, you can breeze through in about five hours. With that said, there’s a selection of unlockables, mini-quests, and even a secret final level. It also offers the ability to replay past levels with new equipment. It’s a fleeting experience that stands out from the web with its humour, excellent sound design, and genuine laughs, frights, and thrills.
If all you want is a facsimile of Crazy Taxi that you can play without dusting off your old Dreamcast then Taxi Chaos just about fits the bill. But that's all it does. For anybody coming into this without the benefits of nostalgia or more money than sense, Taxi Chaos is just a dull arcade driver with precious little to offer other than the dubious pleasure of chasing a high score. Send this one to scrap yard.
Maquette is a fascinating puzzle game with a unique central mechanic. This leads to some super clever puzzles that will really test your grey matter. However, we can't help but feel that the concept's potential isn't quite fulfilled. Similarly, the story is pretty unique among games, but the execution just isn't quite there. Overall, it's an enjoyable experience that puzzle lovers should sample - just don't expect it to change the world.
While it's great to see The Sinking City return to PlayStation consoles, the PS5 version does little to make this worth an additional purchase for existing owners. DualSense support and shorter load times are nice additions, but performance and gameplay are still on the rough side. For newcomers, the lack of direction in particular can turn the engaging story into a backtracking slog very quickly. There's a great and engaging detective game buried here, but there are much better offerings out there to scratch your itch.
While Neptune and her friends are just as enthusiastic and charming as ever, both the gameplay and story feels a little stale. It’s great that the developer has managed to seamlessly blend together real V-tubers with the ladies from Gamesindustri, but it’s a real shame that there’s nothing else that lifts this game above average.
While the campaign is reasonably fun — and houses a few really great set-pieces — the standout mode in the game is time attack, where you are tasked with completing a series of 20 obstacle courses as quickly as possible. Perfecting run after run in this mode is a standout of the game, and honestly, the price of entry is worth it for time attack on its own.
This is a challenging game. Despite enemies telegraphing attacks, their numbers can get the better of you. Combined with arena traps, hazards, and a lack of light sources, it can be rather difficult. However, with a parry, dodge roll, and your set of weapons, you're given plenty of opportunity to defend yourself. Combat really keeps you on your toes, and gives the game a quick pace that makes runs that much more addictive. If you want a dungeon crawler with satisfying gameplay and some unique ideas, this is far from a curse.
Persona 5 Strikers is a fantastic follow up to a beloved JRPG, carving out its own identity with an excellent action-based combat system. It presents the perfect excuse to hang out with the Phantom Thieves one last time, and does a great job of building upon the established characters and themes of its predecessor. While we doubt that Strikers will be remembered anywhere near as fondly as Persona 5, the game goes beyond expectations to provide a classy companion piece. A must-buy for existing fans.
Little Nightmares II is worth experiencing for its art direction alone, although its hand cramping controls can be an obstacle at times. The title relies far too heavily on trial and error, which frustrates, but many of its encounters will live with you long after the credits roll, and so it's successful at creating a lasting impression. It's a stiff and rigid release, but its puzzles are constantly reinventing themselves, and each frame draws you in with its surreal and unsettling imagery.
The Nioh Collection crams two great games and six story expansions into one complete, content-stuffed package. Despite its extensiveness, the lack of exclusive content or noteworthy new features make it a hard sell in its entirety. It gives Ninja Theory a good excuse to try and grab some more attention for some legitimately great games, but calling these remasters is perhaps a bit of an embellishment.
If you're coming at this from the perspective of a Trophy hunter rather than seeking out a unique experience, Arrog will serve you well, too. You can attain a super simple Platinum comfortably inside an hour, if that's what you're after. However, that feels a little reductive given the game's tone. If you're looking for a truly one-of-a-kind adventure, don't mind a short runtime, and want to meet some ethereal capybaras, this ticks all those very specific boxes.
You can see Cyanide Studios had good ideas for Werewolf: The Apocalypse - Earthblood, so it is a shame to see that potential wasted. Tearing through enemies is undeniably satisfying and Earthblood's stealth mechanics feel rewarding but with poor visuals, a short campaign, and disappointing story, you can't ignore these pressing flaws. Cyanide has faithfully integrated Werewolf's lore here – even if that is a little bare – so tabletop series fans will likely enjoy it, but anyone else would best approach with caution.
Destruction AllStars can be a brilliantly frantic multiplayer game, with fun characters and cars, great DualSense feedback, and entertaining modes. However, it can ring a little hollow at times when the action dips. Lacklustre customisation options and mictrotransaction-locked content doesn't help matters, but when everything is playing out smoothly, this is more than capable of giving you a good time. Currently free to PS Plus members, it's well worth taking for a spin.
Control: Ultimate Edition represents a great achievement. Between its already impressive gameplay and a robust number of performance upgrades, Control both looks and feels like a next-gen title. Sussing out secrets and uncovering the myriad mysteries and suspicious happenings tied to one of gaming's most unique and interesting places are better than ever. For anyone who had been holding off on playing the game, there's never been a better time to give it a shot.
With four games as a showcase of the exploratory level design of early 1990s European-style run-and-gun titles, Turrican Flashback's ex-Factor 5 games had an undeniable x-factor, and the first two Amiga Turrican releases are noteworthy as some of the best 16-bit computer games. Alongside the console bedazzlement of Super Turrican and Mega Turrican, there's plenty of platforming fun to be found, and the 2D visuals are well presented through varied display options. Yet, the gameplay becomes repetitive when bouncing between four titles, and Turrican Flashback feels incomplete as a collection representing the scope of the series. Still, retro gamers might not dwell on the modest number of games included, as soon as they hear Chris Huelsbeck's sublime soundtracks booming once again.