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For anyone drawn to open-world shooters, survival games, or atmospheric horror, S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2 is an absolute must-play. It's tense, beautiful, and deeply immersive, with a world that feels alive and unpredictable. Challenge, exploration, and narrative are balanced with skill, delivering moments of genuine fear, discovery, and triumph. On PS5, the game runs smoothly and presents the Zone in all its haunting glory. After experiencing it firsthand, it's clear this is a major milestone for the series - a game that fully deserves attention and respect.
Where Winds Meet does a lot of great stuff that should be commended for its freedom of choice, characters interaction and fantastic combat. However, it also struggles with its Free-To-Play mechanics, resulting in a grindy and stalled progression system.
Much like its grizzled and long dormant protagonist, Outlaws + A Handful of Missions has been pulled out of the doldrums of retirement to lace up its boots, load up its guns and ride into the sunset. It's old, gruff, unapologetic and certainly not for everyone. For me however, the opportunity to replay one of my favourite cult PC shooters of the 1990s in arguably its definitive form, easily makes Outlaws + A Handful of Missions worth the price on its head. For everyone else, a snappy and surprisingly clever Wild West retro shooter beckons.
The Atelier Ryza Secret Trilogy is arguably the series of games that put Atelier on the map for a lot of players, and this remastered collection manages to do what it needs to do to sand down the edges to make for an approachable and digestible best-hits of what many consider the peak of the franchise. While I would have liked to see this collection go a bit further in their effort to bring all the games to the same standard, I can't really argue with what's been included here.
Despite the pleasantries Titans of the Tide offers that makes it easy breezy and a fair old hoot for SpongeBob fans, you would expect this latest entry to improve on The Cosmic Shake, rather than behaving like a slippery sidestep. Unfortunately, Titans of the Tide is out of its depths because it comes across as an unfinished game that has some sparkling ideas, but the execution is hamstrung by its terrible camera and banal combat, platforming and puzzles. If you want to delve into another SpongeBob game this one might do just fine, but for everybody else Titans of the Tide is a titanic case of meh.
If you want a new superhero episodic series with great dramatic moments and laughs, Dispatch is fantastic. However, if you want a game that plays as whimsically and enjoyably as it presents itself, then you may be disappointed. Give Dispatch a shot though because it's definitely an enjoyable ride you'll want to play repeatedly.
Much like its primary protagonist then, Rue Valley certainly has no shortage of faults or shortcomings and it's also practically impossible for Rue Valley to escape the vast, looming shadow of ZA/UM's epic adventure, Disco Elysium. Taking all of that into account however, Rue Valley's Disco Elysium meets Groundhog Day concept is a compelling one that finds itself ably anchored by a great art style, good writing and interesting characters and it's one that will surely tide over Disco Elysium fans looking for their next existential adventure fix.
Reach VR is a confident leap forward for nDreams and for virtual reality on PS5. Its tactile movement, convincing world, and expressive design make it one of the most engaging uses of the medium this year. There are moments when repetition and polish issues hold it back, but its highs easily outweigh the rough edges. This is the kind of game that reminds you why VR matters - not because it's a novelty, but because it makes the impossible feel real.
Suffices to say, If you haven't played Lumines before you're in for an exquisite audio/visual treat loaded with memorable and impacting vibes. Arise's soundtrack doesn't quite reach the majesty of Electronic Symphony on the Vita as the tunes can be too soft and not as emphatic, but in every other way Arise is the best Lumines game yet, and aptly bursts with life just as fervently as its new gameplay mechanic.
Possessor(s) brings a lot of success to the table: lots of boss fights, chunky and engaging combat, and a robust world to explore. Combine that with a strong narrative, and you have a recipe for success. The whip needs some optimization, and progressing the story can easily stagnate once the map opens up. Possessor(s) may not be able to contend with the titans of the genre, but it doesn't need to. It still provides a good experience for anyone interested in Metroidvanias.
Anno 117: Pax Roma delivers the same satisfying city-building loop as Anno 1800 but offers little innovation beyond a Roman skin. While still fun and deep for newcomers, veterans may find it more like a reskin. The PS5 version suffers from mediocre graphics, hard to navigate UI, and awkward controller support - but keyboard and mouse are supported. Good game, flawed console port.
Jurassic World Evolution 3 has the workings of a solid game, complete with options for newcomers and genre fans alike. The hardcore fans may not find enough here to satiate their sim appetites, but the appeal of dinosaurs is hard to resist. Even if this is a game, there aren't many consequences to your in-game actions; the big hurdle is learning to navigate the game's many menus while using a controller. Thankfully, you can pause the game and make choices, but even though it's a welcome option, this still feels more like a hotfix rather than a design choice. $60 isn't an attractive asking price right now, but it might be too much to ask for those on the fence, even if there are dinosaurs on the other side of said fence.
If you're craving the wholesale slaughtering of otherworldly beings, Painkiller has you covered despite a myriad of superior alternatives. You'll enjoy buddying up with co-operative pals and relish in the carnage of the game's meaty weaponry. However, if you're a veteran of the arena shooter or a learned observer, you'll find Painkiller is far too similar to the genre's juggernauts than can be comfortably accepted.
Another home run for those wizards at Digital Eclipse whom I hope will never stop weaving their game preservation magic, Mortal Kombat: Legacy Kollection isn't just a pitch-perfect trip down memory lane, it's a love letter, a tantalising peeling back of the curtain, a look behind the scenes of one of the most legendary and landmark videogame franchises ever made. If you have even the smallest modicum of fondness for gaming's original bad boy, then the Mortal Kombat: Legacy Kollection is as essential as essential can be.
Wreckreation takes a very specific direction. For what it's worth, it's still a fun time. Regardless, it still feels more like a reimagining of Need for Speed Most Wanted with elements of Burnout and Hot Wheels rather than a full-on open-world Burnout game. The game includes its fair share of issues, such as pacing, rules around crashing, and general oddities when interacting with objects in the world. Having said that, there's definitely fun to be had here; it perhaps just needs some extra attention that a ten-person development team may not have the resources to apply. $40 is a bit of a hard sell for what's on display here unless you are craving another Burnout Paradise or Need for Speed: Most Wanted clone.
It's another swing and a hit for Square Enix. Dragon Quest I & II HD-2D Remake upgrades the first two games in the legendary franchise with improved combat, refined writing, and a much-improved story across both games. Meanwhile, the incredible visuals and a fantastic soundtrack round out a package that should make any JRPG fan giddy with excitement.
Though Streets of Rage 4 remains the bar to pass, Double Dragon Revive even feels markedly less satisfying than the excellent Double Dragon: Rise of the Dragons which was released a little over two years ago. That said, while Double Dragon Revive does implement some neat mechanics which would serve future games well, the lackluster 3D character models and dull worlds act to its ultimate detriment, resulting in plodding combat that rarely satisfies or compels. If this was intended to be a true revival of Double Dragon, then someone forgot to bring along the soul because what we've ended up with is a hollow facsimile of what Double Dragon should be, rather than an evolved celebration of everything we loved about it in the first place.
A good sequel makes sure to keep all of its main components the same while enhancing what makes those components enjoyable. PowerWash Simulator 2 manages that in spades. Providing new equipment, changing how you use soap, and adding meaningful elements to the gameplay loop keep the formula fresh without dirtying up what makes the game a fan favorite. At $25, PowerWash Simulator 2 is a steal.
I can well imagine that when you're situated in a hydraulic miniature car attached to an arcade machine that is blaring out the audiovisual presentation of Fast & Furious: Arcade Edition at full tilt, that it's something of a compelling if not a mildly intoxicating quick fix of arcade racing goodness. At home however, and stripped of such performative trickery, Fast & Furious: Arcade Edition fails to impress and really needs much more meat wrapped around its bones to justify its existence away from the din of the arcade scene which birthed it.
The Outer Worlds 2 excels on almost all fronts, presenting you with an open RPG that lets you choose how you progress while still keeping you on a clear path. The in-game systems allow you to customize how you play and give you versatility in the choices you make along the way. Combine that with great writing, and you have a recipe for success. Equipment menus are a bit clunky, enemy encounters can be manipulated, and the act of looting takes some getting used to. Still, none of these issues will keep you from enjoying the game. The Outers Worlds 2 is worth every penny of the $70 it asks for.