Expansive's Reviews
Date Everything is a funny, mostly well-written, date sim that really manages to present you 100 different characters in unique ways. You’ll want to meet them all, each expertly voice acted, and learn more about the wacky narrative, though will find not every character is as interesting as others and some narrative beats are a bit inconsistent. Well worth a play!
Ninja Gaiden: Ragebound is one of the most visually impressive, mechanically solid and competent retro-re-styled platformers I’ve ever played. It not only nails the tone and authenticity of the classic Ninja Gaiden games, as well as maintains the style set in the modern games, it encapsulates the feeling of a classic 80s platformer and successfully modernises it in a way that anyone can and will find a way to enjoy it. With gorgeous pixel art, a banging soundtrack and a strong variety of gameplay with some epic boss battles, Ragebound is a truly remarkable return to the franchise to its roots and a delightful challenge that keeps you entertained throughout. Sensational!
Wheel World gets a lot of things right and presents a very interesting, fulfilling take on an open world that is aesthetically pleasing, narratively intriguing and content rich. Despite suffering from some minor performance issues and a few QoL features that would have made it even greater, the DualSense really adds something to the experience on PS5 and I was constantly trying to better myself with every race and fulfil as many objectives as I could to maximise my time with the game. A real delight with a refreshing tone.
RoboCop: Rogue City – Unfinished Business is a fun, thrilling and generally exciting follow-on from the 2023 shooter. In addition to the new story, it adds just enough different elements from Rogue City to make it worth playing, and has an engaging variety between the flashbacks and mission flow. There’s a general jank to the game that makes it a little dicey on occasion, but it’s never overly frustrating or a majorly painful experience, beyond some surprising hard crashes. Its still as authentic a RoboCop experience as I’ve ever played in a game and I really struggled to put this one down during its duration. This one is mostly the right kind of….trouble.
Demon Slayer – Kimetsu no Yaiba – The Hinokami Chronicles 2 is a thrilling, adrenaline-inducing fighter with lots of modes, options and depth, with plenty to unlock and a whole plethora of fan service. Equally, it’s a fantastic jumping on point for series’ newcomers with the Path of the Demon Slayer Mode as well as the Memory Fragments in story illustrating many of the key points. The free-roaming battles are a welcome change from what we’re used to in the genre and the stylish art is just mesmerising to watch in action. Slight limitations with story and some frustration with tutorialisation aside, this is a fantastic fighter you shouldn’t overlook.
Achilles Survivor is a fantastic addition to the horde survivor genre with its focus on risk vs reward, brains and brawn and stunning visuals. The loop is solid, the variety is great and it all contributes to a title you can spend many hours on. The run length does drag on a bit at times and there is a sense of repetition in the battles that can be tedious at times, but for the price, value and quality on offer, you’d be hard-pressed to pass on this one.
Killing Floor 3 has a decent and enjoyable loop that you and your friends will quickly slip into and appreciate for a few hours at a time, mindlessly blasting zeds while also trying to find the right build and class to suit your playstyle. Aesthetically, the high tempo you expect from the series is ever present and the promise for the future seems bright for the game, but for right now, there’s definitely limitations and in such a competitive market for the genre, that makes it a trickier sell. You hope Tripwire will get the chance to fulfil some of their lofty ambitions, the question is how long will it be before those come to fruition. A feat by which these live service titles live….and unfortunately, might die.
The Wandering Village is a stunning colony sim that is at once approachable for any player but at the same time offers some complex challenges to contemplate and consider. Limited by just its story mode, as well as a finite space which to build and some frustrations in the game’s core systems, it’s not a flawless game, but it is one with heart, with life, and with an enjoyable loop that you will long remember after finishing.
My Friendly Neighbourhood is a surprisingly enjoyable romp with a beautiful style, good comic humor, sensible puzzles and design and engaging narrative. Its combat can be a bit hit and miss and there is a sense of back-tracking and auto-piloting that happens as you play, causing you to disconnect from the experience at times. But if you’re looking for something a little different in the vein of Poppy Playtime and the Bendy series, you’re going to have a great time with these puppets.
Wuchang: Fallen Feathers is one of the boldest, most interesting and enjoyable Souls-likes I’ve played outside of a From Software game. Its approach to the traditional style offers some neat tweaks and adjustments to keep it fresh, while still maintaining what makes these games enjoyable, engaging and difficult to put down. Despite some screen tearing and some issues with balance and progression, Wuchang is a beautiful game that really brings out the best of modern platforms across its diverse and varied environments and pits you against memorable, menacing enemies that match your movements with ferocity and fire.
Shadow Labyrinth is often experimental, surprisingly expansive, and intriguingly designed with easter eggs and secrets deeply buried and coded into its DNA. The game is often at its best when it takes a more linear approach and does come a bit unstuck by its ambition when it tries to take on too much. Despite its challenging difficulty, and some control frustration, there’s a lot to unpack and enjoy with Shadow Labyrinth that makes it a must if you’ve been a long-term fan of the yellow dot and Bandai Namco games, or you’re just looking for an interesting new Metroidvania that tries to do things a little bit differently.
Patapon 1+2 Replay is a fantastic recreation of the PSP classics, given a glorious new lick of paint and sound, sometimes to its own fault with the game feeling a bit dated and bare bones at points. Patapon’s charm, vibrance and catchiness helps keep the experience compelling and enjoyable despite some frustration and it’s still a wonderfully smart rhythm strategy game that everyone should make the time to play at least once.
Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 3+4 is the perfect summer game, whether you want the full blown 4K TV experience or something to take with you to the parks and jam with. This game is a delight that continues to thrill with a kick-ass soundtrack, fun-filled objectives, fantastic environmental variety and a deep roster with compelling cross-platform multiplayer. Removal of some beloved songs and THPS 4 Career Mode may upset some folks, but what’s been added here is an awesome package that will suit series newcomers as much as vets who have been craving a bit of something old with something new
Kulebra and the Souls of Limbo is a kind-hearted, warm and fulfilling adventure with a lovely papercraft aesthetic, stunning sound and a really enjoyable gameplay loop with a clean UI and satisfying puzzles and storytelling. The words are simply beautiful and the messaging around it really stuck with me long after it ended. 2025’s truly surprise treasure.
Islanders: New Shores takes everything that was good about the first game and smartly builds upon it so that it’s never too overwhelming or doesn’t become tedious or frustrating. The same zen, relaxing vibe that was present before is still very active here but slightly more gameified to add longevity and extended interest. All with the added promise of an extended roadmap. If you loved the first, you’ll adore this. And if you need something extra and chill to break up your patterns, this is a perfect palette cleanser.
Nobunaga’s Ambition Awakening Complete Edition is the best edition of arguably the best instalment in the series to date. With Switch 2’s JoyCon Mouse 2 support and the extra processing power and visual output, you now have the best way to play a very deep and complex strategy classic. If you want a really challenging, intricate and involved scenario based campaign, this is definitely one of the most interesting games for Switch 2 out there.
GEX Trilogy is a very faithful restoration of each of the classic games through the Carbon Engine. Each one shows the development and evolution of the franchise through iteration and the references, themes and humour are a massive product of their times. That often makes this one difficult to love as the genre has moved on enormously since but the presentation of this package, the options, and the nostalgia of it all mean this is the absolute best way to experience these games. And in terms of preservation, it cannot be overstated that games this good should never be lost to time, even if their essence is so deeply rooted in it.
Rematch is the most interesting football game to come along in years and plays with the rules in a fast and loose way that creates an enjoyable, easy to dive into and tricky to master loop. As an online only experience with no cross-play for right now and some hiccups, there’s definitely some challenges, especially as the core of the game is played with others and relying on them, depending on the teammates you end up with. But the long term potential is vast and we’re excited to see how each season unfolds.
Rune Factory: Guardians of Azuma is such a wonderfully pure, energising game that has good, ecological messages and a cozy vibe, while also giving you plenty of action and layers of mechanics to sink your teeth into. With the management system of the villagers allowing automation to happen in the background, a rich story and cast with vast worlds to explore, there’s hours of enjoyable content here, whether you’re on the go or sat on your sofa. It’s found the perfect home on Switch 2.
Fantasy Life i: The Girl Who Steals Time is just a delight from start to finish! It boasts a charming world with cool characters, surprisingly enjoyable story, solid mechanics to keep building the world the way you want it and offering variety in the ways you play. Some jobs do feel a little similar with their mini-games and quests and to really get the full feel of the game you do have to progress quite far into the story, so if you’re coming into this just wanting a life and building sim out of the gate, you’ve got quite a way to progress. But considering how good the story is and how charming the world and its characters are, this was never a problem for me and hours later, I can honestly say Level 5 have made one of the must-play games of 2025!