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Tormented Souls creates an environment that's a blast to explore, and the puzzles it provides help to enhance the engagement the locations provide. However, too many shortcomings get in the way of what could be a solid nod to classics horror games. A handful of bad things can be ignored, but having voice work, enemy integrity, and an underdeveloped main character are too much to overlook. There's an appeal here, but it lacks refinement.
When comparing it to other 3D Sonic titles, Sonic Colours is easily one of the better entries in the storied annals of the spiny speedster. It's an audiovisual delight, and more often than not, calls upon the spirit of speed that made this a household name. Unfortunately, it still carries plenty of the baggage from older 3D Sonic games in terms of unnecessary difficulty spikes, and inconsistent switching between 3D and 2.5D.
Witty, charming and full of character, Psychonauts 2 manages to keep what made the original so memorable, and add worthwhile additions to improve the experience. It tackles dark subjects with tact, humour and is like nothing else on the market. There are not enough of these types of games these days and Psychonauts 2 stands tall, proud, and nearly alone in its field.
As a metroidvania, Recompile succeeds in bringing the genre typical hallmarks into a marvellous minimalistic world, full of curiosity and poignancy. Where it fails is in its core gameplay. Between a lacklustre implementation of core mechanics, and some glaring oversights, Recompile feels it is not all that it could be. Flaws aside, there are moments in this game, both visually, audibly and narratively, that you won't soon forget. Beyond doubt, this is a stunning game in a few respects that needs to be seen. It is just a shame that the artistic vision had to be delivered at the cost of getting some of the basics right.
The Lonely Assassins is the best Doctor Who game to date. It's terrifying at points and leverages the franchise to the best of its abilities. The writing is top-notch and rivals the show on many levels. The exclusion of the actual Doctor may upset some fans but I found the story worked better and felt a little more personal without the Doctor's direct involvement.
Sniper Ghost Warriors Contracts 2 makes its mark on PS5 with greatly improved visuals, better loading, additional content and DualSense feedback - all of which combine to make it not only the definitive version of CI Games latest effort, but also one of the better sniper offerings on the market.
Whilst Aliens: Fireteam Elite is lacking in some areas, and is not without its frustrations, it is a solid third-person survival shooter. The story won't pull you in, but the core gameplay is satisfying, fun, and addictive and that is what will ultimately keep you coming back. There is something here for fans of third-person shooters and Alien fans alike.
Though King's Bounty II's presentation is certainly crumbly in ways that would only be endearing to folks partial to PS3 level jank, there still remains a compelling RPG and turn based strategy hybrid here. Bolstered by non-linear storytelling, deceptively deep world building and the sort of accessible strategy that embraces genre newcomers and stalwarts alike, King's Bounty II is a deeply appealing effort that does ample justice to its namesake.
Madden is a billion dollar franchise that has grown content. Thanks to its exclusivity deals, EA takes zero risks and fumbles each year providing us rehashed versions of previous entries. Madden NFL 22 is no different. Meager improvements are outweighed by series fatigue. Instead of focusing on giving us polished gameplay mechanics and an improved Franchise Mode, EA's focus is divided into unwelcome modes like Face The Franchise and The Yard leading to an overall incomplete and broken experience.
Arguably the modern template for so many self-styled retro shooters, Quake has returned in stunning form. A stellar remaster, Quake not only maintains the essence of id Software's classic 1996 shooter, but it meaningfully iterates upon it too with all new additional content, mod support and crossplay. At a super budget price point, there is no reason to dive into one of the very best 3D shooters of all time.
So far, Ghost of Tsushima: Director's Cut is this year's pinnacle of Open World Games. Iki Island is stunningly beautiful and the technical upgrades make it even more enjoyable. Ghost of Tsushima: Director's Cut grandly stakes its status as one of the very best open world games on PS5 that proudly stands alongside the best games on the platform. If you've been holding off playing Ghost of Tsushima, now is the time to get playing.
Yuoni takes the hide-and-seek formula and adds a few new concepts to it. Not everything works as well as the others, particularly the design of some of the common enemies and their movements. However, it makes some thoughtful creative choices and takes chances with them to make something that at least horror fans should try out. Yuoni is far from perfect, but it still holds its own merit.
Morris may be dead, but there's no denying that Annapurna Interactive's knack for publishing charming video games with unique gameplay is alive and kicking. Beyond its unique flavour of puzzle, there's a vibrant world full of characters who can't wait to share their stories. If you have the patience to do so, it's well worth hearing them out.
Simply one of the most enchanting art-styles you'll experience on an indie game. The hand-drawn characters and backgrounds are magical in motion, and contribute to a potently heart-warming playthrough. Whereas the game's simultaneous character control, puzzles, and individual character skills can be highly enjoyable at the right moments, those moments sadly don't come enough to completely satisfy. Nevertheless, Greak: Azur is worth a go for the aesthetic charm alone, and has some great puzzles for fans of that inclination.
Antab Studio provides living proof that style should not come before substance in an eye-catching albeit below average shooter which would've felt at home on the PlayStation 2.
The Siege of Paris is a step down from the first DLC, offering only half the content.
Hades is an absolutely stellar experience that will keep you hooked in from the beginning, with a beautiful visual design and score, not to mention an excellent narrative and intricate gameplay that will keep you coming back again and again for just one more run.
If you have any interest in puzzle-platformers, don't let Omno pass you by. It's one of the most heartwarming adventures you can experience on PlayStation 4 with a level of charm seldom found in the medium.
The Falconeer: Warrior Edition is largely the same game that I already enjoyed when it first launched, but experiencing it on PS5 has made all the difference. The DualSense's features are well implemented, and the gameplay flows in such a way that you never want to put the controller down. Despite issues with the UI, and how certain aspects of the game work, you can just get around them, and can avoid them altogether once you've moved into the endgame.
An enjoyable blend of genres and gameplay systems gives Tribes of Midgard a unique feel. While not being revolutionary, it manages to create a pleasant online experience rarely seen on a PlayStation platform. It looks clean, feels fresh and has enough content to keep you going for a long time. While I am not a massive fan of the Fortnite-style progression system, I loved the rewards tied to your Trophies. Tribes of Midgard is great, especially if you have friends to quest with.