GameSpew's Reviews
If starting all over again drives you up the wall, then Lone Ruin probably isn’t for you. For everyone else, it’s a frenetic, fun and highly replayable outing that’ll have you coming back for more. But if you do find a strange meteor in your backyard, do the sensible thing and toss it in next door’s wheelie bin.
Dwarf Fortress is, initially, a little daunting. Not because it’s inaccessible, but because you just know that it’s going to turn into a real time-sink. Is it the prettiest game around? No, but it’s wonderfully, ridiculously deep and a sheer joy to play. If you’re prepared to put the time in, Dwarf Fortress will drag you into its depths and you won’t regret it for one second.
Edengate: The Edge of Life is a well-presented title, with decent visuals, a nice soundtrack and solid voice acting. It’s just a shame that as a game driven by its narrative, the tale being told here doesn’t quite hit the mark. And with the gameplay also being extremely basic, there’s little here to truly warrant a recommendation. Still, if you’re after something easy to play with an unoriginal but interesting premise, you can do worse for its budget price.
It’s safe to say that if you were a fan of River City Girls, you’re going to love River City Girls 2. But with that, there’s nothing here that is likely to draw in new fans. It’s very much an incremental improvement and expansion of the first. There are more characters, more moves, more locations, more… everything. And with the series’ typically strong presentation, those who get absorbed in the adventure on offer here will have an absolute blast whether they play alone or in co-op.
If you can forgive the odd technical issue and you’re happy to sink into a rhythm of somewhat repetitive missions, Wavetale offers up an enjoyable five or six hours of laid-back gameplay. Its stylish and smooth traversal remains an absolute joy from start to finish: whether you’re skating along the water’s surface or jumping through wind tunnels, you’re going to have a smile on your face.
Aside from one or two overly frustrating encounters, we’ve truly enjoyed our time with The Callisto Protocol. And over time, we’re sure it’s going to get better. This is a mighty debut for Striking Distance Studios, and we can’t wait to get our hands on an improved sequel or something entirely new from the studio in the future. We wholeheartedly recommended The Callisto Protocol to horror fans open to brutal close-combat encounters, but some might want to wait until features such as New Game Plus have been added and certain issues have perhaps been ironed out. With a solid update or two, it will be essential.
We applaud Adventure Academia: The Fractured Continent for trying to do something different. Unfortunately, it doesn’t quite pay off. Its battle system is chaotic at best and downright infuriating at worst. And with a story that couldn’t quite hold our attention, there are much better RPGs out there. If you fancy trying something out of the ordinary, grab this in a sale. Otherwise, you’re not going to miss out on anything.
It’s thanks to DualSense support and the other subtle improvements found here that Neon White is better than ever before on PS5. The speed-running nature of the game means it might not appeal or be suitable for everyone, but those who can hack it will be utterly enamoured with its charms. This is one seriously slick adventure, in terms of both gameplay and storytelling. And the more you put into it, the more you get out.
It’s not going to redefine what it means to be a 3D platformer, but Kukoos: Lost Pets is a pleasant enough addition that fans of the genre will enjoy. Bright and colourful, and with a nice mixture of collecting, platforming and puzzles, there’s plenty here to keep you invested. It’s just a shame that co-op is held back by some technical issues and its visuals aren’t quite as sharp as they ought to be.
It might not be your usual Dragon Quest adventure, but it’s well worth your time.
For fighting game fans, The Rumble Fish 2 is worth a try at its budget price. It has a varied roster of characters, multiple single player modes including arcade, time track and survival, and online multiplayer with rollback. It’s an interesting but dated curio that’s not going to take the gaming world by storm, but some will appreciate it nonetheless.
If you love arcade-styled games that challenge your skills and draw you in time and time again in order to set a new high-score, Swordship is very much worth playing. It’s a simple concept but one that’s been executed rather well. And it is somewhat fun outwitting your enemies and making them destroy each other as you vie to collect valuable cargo.
Criterion has certainly made its mark with this latest entry in the Need for Speed series, injecting a bit more fun and polish into the template created by Ghost Games. The result is an arcade racer that truly stands out from the crowd thanks to its visual flair and thrilling police chases. Providing you take the time to tweak the handling to your preferences, and you don’t mind the hip hop-driven soundtrack, Need for Speed Unbound is likely to be the most entertaining racing game you’ll play this year.
As HD remasters go, Crisis Core: Final Fantasy VII Reunion goes above and beyond what’s expected in many regards.
But if you’ve played Saints & Sinners, and can forgive the Quest 2 version’s occasional graphical shortcomings, you’ll be in zombie-wrangling heaven with this follow-up. Being knee deep in the dead has rarely been this much fun.
Beautifully presented and with thoroughly enjoyable puzzles that will challenge even the most astute of minds, there’s a lot to love about Railbound. While they start off nice and easy, its puzzles soon get fiendish, and solving them is so very rewarding. This is the perfect game to cosy up with this winter, particularly if you like giving your noggin a workout.
The Knight Witch is a game that has a lot to offer both fans of twin-stick shooters and Metroidvanias. Its moment-to-moment action is enjoyable and exciting as you avoid enemy bullets and try to counter them with your own attacks, and there’s a great sense of exploration. It’s a shame that some systems perhaps don’t quite hit the mark as they should, but anyone who can appreciate a game that takes some risks will very much enjoy this quirky adventure.
Overall, there’s nothing particularly impressive about Last Days of Lazarus. Its story is perhaps the main reason to play it: it lacks real impact, but it’s so corny and unhinged that you can’t help but get drawn into it. Outside of that, the gameplay is mildly entertaining but not really clever or challenging. Add in its middling presentation, and you have a game that can be enjoyed for a few hours but is utterly forgettable.
Whether you’re a fan of strategy games or the Marvel universe, Marvel’s Midnight Suns should be considered a must-have. Even more so if you’re a fan of both. This is an ambitious title that offers dozens of hours of engrossing gameplay, full of battles that will have you on the edge of your seat, and party building that will have you carefully weighing up your options. One of the best superhero games ever made, Marvel’s Midnight Suns will grip you from the outset with its unpredictable story, and its gameplay makes you feel like the one with all the power.
Is Iron Man VR the best VR superhero game out there? No – that honour has to go to Megaton Rainfall. But it’s still up there, and thanks to the Quest 2’s superior tracking, this is a much better experience than it was on PSVR. And so, you’re a Meta Quest 2-owning Marvel fan, you won’t regret stepping into Tony Stark’s iron underpants.