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A unique and finely crafted take on the musical rhythm genre, with lovely animated pixel-art stills and a truly excellent soundtrack telling the achingly heartfelt tale of a group of poor but talented musicians striving for success on their first tour. It's a brief experience and the lo-fi indie sensibilities may not be for everyone, but if you err towards left-field art and music, it's highly recommended.
Gunborg: Dark Matters excels with engaging gameplay, approachable difficulty buildup, and a wonderful visual style. The game is unfortunately all too brief and doesn't get the kind of time it deserves to truly bloom. Equally so, Gunborg places itself well high in the chaff of the side-scrolling genre, even though it doesn't quite reach the same full excellence as the greats.
Though Gran Turismo 7 certainly carries the baggage of some of the weaker elements from previous games, a steadfast return to the generous single-player campaign offerings of old, together with a significantly upgraded visual presentation and most importantly a deeply felt love for cars that bleeds through every aspect of the game all ensures that one single statement is true - Gran Turismo is back.
Faultless presentation, an absolute raft of superb vehicles across 9 categories, 130 brilliantly rendered circuits in 22 international locations and a 6 hour story mode alongside a huge career and promising online play. But there's nothing here that hasn't been done before and there's a soulless tedium involved as a result which begs the question - why?
Elden Ring took the best parts of previous FromSoftware games and expanded them across a living open-world with endless discovery, excitement, and danger. It's not lost the edge of previous titles, but it is the most approachable FromSoftware game yet, and is an excellent point for players to jump in on if they've not tried previous titles. While its technical issues can be annoying, even they can't dampen the experience of playing Elden Ring. FromSoftware's latest is an artistic, innovative and cultural achievement like nothing before it.
Elex 2 asks a lot of you and only gives so much in return. The game provides several special concepts and attempts, but the team's resources limit their potential the entire way. As long as you know what Elex 2 has in store, you might find something there for you.
The highest compliment I can give any game is when I have to force myself to put the controller down to put my thoughts in a review. Destiny 2: The Witch Queen is that game. Somehow Bungie took a game that I play daily, for hours a week, and made me want to play it more. It's always good getting new content with seasons and past expansions, and I have loved all Destiny 2 additions. However, The Witch Queen feels like we have entered a new age. The Witch Queen has proven that no one is better than Bungie at what they do. The Witch Queen takes every aspect of Destiny and improves on it, and then some. While Destiny is always getting better, The Witch Queen is the best piece of Destiny content ever created.
Something of a welcome throwback to when games revelled in creativity and developers weren't afraid to combine deeper, more profound themes with some smart genre blending, Oddworld: Stranger's Wrath ascends beyond its mish-mash of platforming shootery to create a memorable effort that a whole new generation of gamers can finally enjoy in its best form. Oddworld: Stranger's Wrath might not be perfect, but it is delightfully odd, full of charm and laden with surprise and that, in 2022, still remains more than enough to make it irresistible.
Atelier Sophie 2 does a lot of things well, keeping pace moving forward at a relatively good pace. At the same time, it leaves plenty of opportunities to grow as there are some franchise issues that remain in place.
It's not every day that you get to play through a game that leaves a mark with its disturbing and tragic story, but Martha Dead was able to achieve something that got me thinking from start to finish. The game's incredible soundtrack and sound design are harrowing, and the visuals push the genre forward. It's just a shame that some technical issues and hit and miss tutorials hold the game back from true greatness.
A gentle and meditative story which combines simple platforming puzzles and some basic steam engineering to great effect. Beautifully illustrated and scored, FAR Changing Tides is a joyful experience for patient players who are happy to jump aboard this serene cruise through a flooded but gorgeously bleak post-climate changed world.
Ultimately then, PowerSlave: Exhumed is a throwback to an earlier era - that much is true. However, while it clearly and proudly wears its retro design sensibilities on its digital sleeves, so too does its satisfying blend of frantic shooter action and Metroidvania design provide us with a bittersweet reminder that so few others have seen to follow in its largely forgotten footsteps.
Monark has many great ideas, and some of them are executed well, but the game falters when it requires you to grind for hours just to stand a chance against the next story battle. The exploration and puzzle-solving keep things exciting, and the use of the Seven Deadly Sins for character personalities is a unique way to develop your characters. All in all, though, Monark may have been a better adventure or visual novel game than an RPG.
Bolstered by the absolutely stellar and largely transformative remaster work that Nightdive Studios has put into the game, Shadow Man Remastered represents an interesting curio for those who have yet to sample its esoteric delights, while eager fans crusty enough to remember Shadow Man's third-person horror adventure escapades from the PSOne days should probably add another point or so to the review score.
In every way that it can be, Horizon Forbidden West is Horizon Zero Dawn 2.0 and while I might crave some more variety in its open-world activities, Guerrilla Games has nonetheless crafted a triumphant sequel that earns its place among the very best that PlayStation Studios has to offer.
If Dynasty Warriors 9 was the volatile reboot the series desperately needed to endure, the Empires is proof the mixture isn't quite settled yet. What Empires adds in terms of being an engrossing strategy sim, it loses in paring back its open world warfare to something that feels far too much like the series back at its worst. Persevere with its shortcomings, though, and Empires can bring you riches.
Even though it was initially difficult and with very basic combat, Infernax wooed me with its comical gore, beautiful music and simple art style. Infernax will not be everyone's cup of tea but if you have a bit of time and want to play something a little different, I can recommend it. Just beware, you initially may need to navigate a bit of a skill wall of sorts to progress.
SNK has finally delivered another King Of Fighters worthy of the modern era. Not only have they rectified past errors, they have refined the experience to be the most functional and accessible that King Of Fighters has been for years. With a polished graphical presentation, generous amount of content, and online play that works at the standard required, fans of the series can be very happy with this offering. In many ways, King Of Fighters XV is merely a tidier version of its predecessor, and whilst there's nothing wrong with that, you could still argue the series still has some ground to make up in the fighting scene. However, it is certainly a big step in the right direction, and a great Fighter for fans to sink their teeth into.
Edge of Eternity comes with more than its fair share of technical issues. That does not stop this game from offering up engaging combat and interesting stat management. Combine that with an easygoing world to explore, and you find yourself enjoying the experience and shrugging off the tech issues. Edge of Eternity won't shake the ground in its wake, but it provides more than enough for any RPG fan to enjoy.
Rise of The Third Power brings a lot to the table, streamlining the old charm by adding modern nuances to make something quite special. Invigorating combat meets intriguing writing, which makes for a perfect RPG combination. Some design choices may not sit well with everyone, but Rise of The Third Power still stands as a fantastic RPG more than worth anyone's time.