PlayStation Universe
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Strange Scaffold has crafted another memorable shooter that knows how to get under your skin and pull you back in for just one more run. For players who love to push their skills to the limit, this one's an easy recommendation.
If you're in the mood for some solid multiplayer football, REMATCH is certainly a good effort that you'll be happy to attempt to master thanks to intricate controls, and the bite-sized sessions that throw the rule book away for the sake of fluidity and fun.
FBC: Firebreak has plenty of potential, but feels like early access in its current state. Remedy's patented surrealism, the core gameplay, and class synergy are high notes in particular; however the game is let down by a lack of content and technical issues. Hopefully, over time, FBC Firebreak can live up to its potential.
Unlike other seemingly similar efforts that want to tempt players down 3D platformer memory lane for a concentrated hit of nostalgia and leave it at that, Ruffy and the Riverside doesn't just take that well-worn idea and repackages it, but instead adds something refreshingly compelling to the formula. Though some minor flaws and polish issues do abound, they aren't enough to take the shine away from one of the most charming and thoughtful 3D platformers in ages.
Death Stranding 2: On The Beach is a triumph in what it sets out to achieve. This isn't a game interested in converting willing consumers into fans, it's a game that takes bold steps in order to succeed what came before it. If you needed proof that Hideo Kojima is still the titan of the industry that he's hailed as, this game is that proof. I was left truly speechless by the end, and I have a feeling that many others will too.
The Alters is a unique narrative experience all its own, asking you to survive by manipulating your own history to create clones and escape from a fiery fate. As far as the genre goes, The Alters makes for a very accessible survival experience. With that said, hardcore fans of the genre may see gameplay in The Alters as far too simplistic. The other potential issue is that the Sun's looming danger isn't quite as looming as it initially feels, with most of the game progressing naturally without much actual danger. Either way, the combination of strong narrative and accessible gameplay makes this the perfect game for anyone who even remotely interested in trying survival-builder games. The Alters is a definite recommend title, even at its $40 launch price.
Raidou Remastered: The Mystery of the Soulless Army is another solid update to Atlus's long-running Shin Megami Tensei franchise. Raidou Remastered overhauls the combat system for modern players and includes plenty of quality of life upgrades. It's a nice addition for those looking for a more supernatural detective story set in the Tensei universe.
Tron: Catalyst did a great job of making me feel I was part of the Tron Universe, but it did a poor job of keeping me engaged. The characters, music, and voice work were great, but the combat became repetitive in the first hour, and the exploration didn't offer anything engaging to look forward to. For Tron fans, Catalyst is a no-brainer. For everyone else, it won't make you love or hate Tron more or less than you do now.
to a T has one of the most earnest cores of any game that I think I've ever played. It's positive, it's cozy and does a damn good job in trying to situate us in the position of a disabled person without revelling in the misery of its own characters. At the same time, I feel like to a T maybe goes a bit too far into the weird and whacky to be a truly grounded exploration of the subject matter. Which is sad, because I really did enjoy myself for the most part.
Though your fondness for the subject matter may vary, the Gex Trilogy is an easy recommendation for those pining to hear an outdated quip or two from a forgotten mainstay of the mascot era on modern consoles.
With excellent addictive and responsive gameplay, a compelling narrative, glorious sound and stellar voice acting, Lost In Random: The Eternal Die is a game dying to kill you with its charm. An indie gem you should grab with both hands.
Zombie Army VR then isn't going to set the VR landscape alight and neither is it going to bring untold masses into the sweet bosom of VR adoption. What it will do however is give you a nice, fetid and appropriately rotting slice of zombie meat cake to devour and you'll do it with a grin on your face as you chase high score multipliers and all the unlocks in one of the more surprisingly effective arcade style VR blasters to come along in a good while.
For a three-hour adventure title, Copycat has something meaningful to say about mental health and relationships, yet it can be too often undercut by its rigid design, story happenings that don't make sense, and the overarching feeling that with more time, polish and backing there's an even greater game trying to burst out here. It's a pleasant and fine game for how short it is in spite of its gratuitous repetition, and deserves kudos for being adequately designed by two people, it's also in need of some significant refinement.
Considering how revered the Castle of Illusion and World of Illusion games were from the 16-bit era for their mastery and level design, there is still absolutely oodles of potential for a contemporary genre effort to hit those highs, while still retaining the roundly attractive visual presentation that we see here. That game however, isn't Disney Illusion Island. Then again, if your age has yet to hit double digits and the idea of watching live-action Disney remakes and suchlike make you giddy rather than making your eyeballs roll into the back of your skull, or you're just in the mood for a super relaxing, breezy and zero stress platformer, then by all means feel free to add another point or so to the score seen below.
Subtle improvements and the amalgamation of ways F1 25 engages players aren't enough to stave off the fact there's no bold step forward with this latest series offering. It's another year and another entry, and while you'll still want to return if you've been dedicated to F1 games for years, there's not enough here to justify F1 25 as a must-buy.
Whether you are a seasoned souls-like pro or a newcomer to the genre, Mandragora has a lot to offer. An ability to tweak the gameplay to your liking by ramping up/down the challenge gives broad appeal to differing skill levels. With a gorgeously crafted fantasy world full of atmosphere to get engrossed in, deep character progression and a tonne of replayability, this is one certainly not to be missed.
From blistering fast and satisfying FPS action through to a thoughtfully layered series Roguelite mechanics that always manage to entice you to have another go, everything works in harmony to create one of the best FPS Roguelites money can buy. Roboquest gets so much absolutely right that this is really just about everything you could want from a Roguelite FPS and one of the easiest recommendations of the year.
Taking the game as a whole, it's hard not to be massively impressed by what Pipistrello manages to do with the toolkit it gives itself. Every piece works together to make for a distinctive adventure game that will grab you from the very first minute and refuse to let go. While I might take some convincing on the "Yoyovania" as a genre, it's clear that there's an unparalleled creative vision here that should be admired.
Not every idea in Nightreign lands cleanly, but its willingness to push Elden Ring's mechanics into unfamiliar territory is admirable. It's a game made for a specific kind of player-those who crave a punishingly difficult challenge. If that's you, this detour is worth the journey.
A welcome surprise, Tainted Grail: The Fall of Avalon really clicked with me. The Euro indie Skyrim that could, Tainted Grail: The Fall of Avalon might not be as technically sound as other genre efforts, but across its 60-80 hour playtime there's a lot to enjoy here, while its inventive take on Arthurian legends and surprisingly effective writing all add up to make it a compelling prospect for RPG fans everywhere that don't want to wait 89 years for the next mainline Elder Scrolls title to drop.