Rock, Paper, Shotgun's Reviews
Square Enix's gorgeous JRPG returns for a second outing, but bar a couple of very minor evolutions, this is effectively the same Octopath Traveler as before.
An 1800s action-adventure that's sure to both delight longtime Yakuza fans and make for a perfect entry point into the series for newcomers.
Pharaoh might be a little out of date in 2023, but A New Era is the definitive way to play an absolute classic city builder that nails the fundamentals
As long as your PC is up to the job, this is top-notch conversion of one PlayStation 5's finest, combining razor-sharp shooting with dense atmosphere and a captivating story.
Wanted: Dead has the briefest, briefest glimpses of good, but this third-person action game is a frustrating mess in almost every regard.
Blanc's adventure about a fawn and wolf cub duo has a heartfelt start with moments of fun puzzle antics, but a weak second half really lets this gorgeous co-op game down.
An original and beautiful hybrid of builder, management, and RTS games whose design just doesn't work well.
A brilliant combination of rhythmic motions and a deep action-packed battle system make for a compelling adventure. Hi-Fi Rush is only let down by its writing and character development, or lack thereof.
A thoughtful exploration of humanity's will to survive, Deliver Us Mars marries big, planet-sized problems with gripping, interpersonal drama - and pleasingly tactile platforming. The only disappointment is its rather rote puzzles.
Squeenix's epic-ish isekai game has cool magical combat, but it's far too big for its own good, and that scale leaves it feeling empty and disappointing.
A gorgeous cycling road trip about documenting your travels through a melancholy post-war world that'll soon be washed away in a great flood. An adventure with a poetic outlook and deliberately slow pace, Season keeps pulling you in deeper and deeper.
This is the Dead Space you remember but with a brilliant new sheen, luxuriously improved in small but considered ways. Comfortably familiar, but excellent nonetheless.
Mahokenshi has some good moments of spontaneous creativity, but this Japanese mythology-themed deckbuilder is more gruelling than it is great.
Mojiken's supernatural high school romance surprises in all the best ways. A Space For The Unbound's world-ending coming-of-age adventure holds incredible weight while also being sentimental and heartfelt.
Farlanders is a strange, ultimately disappointing beast. Strong storytelling isn't enough to hold up this turn-based city builder with flawed city building.
This wavepunk survival game offers a serene sketch of life in a post-automation deep sea society. Unfortunately, it takes the concept of "automation" a little too far. Aquatico is so straightforward it basically plays itself.
Lil Gator Game is a short but sweet adventure set on a cosy island, with a loveable bunch of characters that had me laughing throughout.
Fatshark's bone-crunching co-op is deliciously gory and grim, but an uninspiring progression system and short, repetitive missions hold this Vermintide successor back from reaching peak rampage.
A straightforward remaster of the 2007 PSP original, Crisis Core is a perfectly fine action game that's received a handsome glow-up for 2022, but its story adds little to the wider FF7 plotline.
A weird meme turned survival horror game with a compelling elevator pitch, Choo-Choo Charles sees you stalked by a half-spider, half-train monster.