GameSpew's Reviews
In terms of gameplay mechanics, there are undoubtedly better rhythm games out there than Kingdom Hearts: Melody of Memory. Being able to use any of three buttons just feels a bit slapdash. And as fantastic as the Kingdom Hearts’ soundtrack is, much of it doesn’t feel particularly suited to rhythm play. As such, you should probably think twice before jumping in if you’re simply after a new rhythm game. But if you’re a fan of the Kingdom Hearts franchise, its issues are easily overlooked, making it much more of an interesting prospect.
It’s a shame that Warhammer: Chaosbane hasn’t simply been given the Smart Delivery treatment on Xbox, or the equivalent on PS5, but if you haven’t yet added it to your library, the Slayer Edition is definitely the way to go. Performance has been dramatically improved despite the visuals also being markedly upgraded, and all the included content added since launch makes for an expansive affair that can easily eat up thirty-plus hours of your time. It’s not quite Diablo, but Warhammer: Chaosbane Slayer Edition makes for a worthy stand-in if you’ve exhausted everything there is to do in Sanctuary.
Sakuna: Of Rice and Ruin is more complex than one might expect, which is a pleasant surprise. The delicate and relaxing art of rice farming juxtaposed against the smooth and fast-paced combat makes this a unique but wholly engaging adventure. While combat can be a bit of slog until Sakuna has more abilities up her sleeve, it’s worth persevering with, because the result is a side-scrolling action title unlike no other.
Having been in possession of the game for just over 24 hours at the time of writing, we’ve still got a lot to see and do in Sackboy: A Big Adventure – we’ve only reached the second of its worlds so far. At this point though, we can safely say that we’ve thoroughly enjoyed every single minute of it – it’s gone above and beyond our expectations. It appears to be an immaculately made 3D platformer with huge amounts of charm. We’ll follow up with a full review once we’ve put considerably more time into it, but we think it’s safe to say that if you’re picking it up alongside your PS5, you’re going to be in for a very good time.
Perhaps I’ve been dismissive of Spider-Man: Miles Morales in calling it a standalone expansion, because while it may indeed be shorter than Insomniac’s first Spider-Man outing, it’s not just a simple continuation of the story designed to wring out a bit more moolah from your wallet. Think of it as a more focused sequel instead, as that’s what it actually feels like. It’s free of story bloat, and the gameplay has most definitely been expanded upon and improved. Plus, since when has an expansion looked so much nicer than the game it’s building upon? This is a timely release that demonstrates the power of the PS5 with style, and if you aren’t picking it up alongside your console, you’re simply doing things wrong.
If you’re a roller coaster aficionado, theme park sims don’t come much better than this. An incredible amount of work has gone into making Planet Coaster feel at home on console, and Frontier has done a commendable job of doing so without making sacrifices. It looks fantastic, performs admirably, and designing the park of your dreams has never been more enjoyable.
It’s a lovely looking game, but The Falconeer just doesn’t entertain like it should. From its repetitive missions to its story that you’ll quickly stop caring about, it fails to capture your attention in the long term, while occasional frustration in combat puts a bit of a downer on the gameplay.
Bugsnax is a joyful, lovely experience from start to finish.
Devil May Cry 5 Special Edition is the ultimate version of Devil May Cry 5. Including all of the additional content released for the original version and more, it makes a great game even better, it’s as simple as that. It’s a shame that ray tracing comes at such a cost when playing at 4K, but it still looks glorious without it, and if you want to make use of Turbo or Legendary Dark Knight Modes they can’t be used in conjunction with it anyway. The real draw for most, though, will be the chance to once again take control of Vergil, and he doesn’t disappoint. If you’ve been itching for more of the high-octane action that only the Devil May Cry series provides, you’d be mad to let Devil May Cry 5 Special Edition pass you by.
If you fondly remember Need for Speed: Hot Pursuit from back in the day and fancy another crack at it, this remaster won’t disappoint one bit.
If you’re a music lover, there’s a lot to love here. FUSER looks great, its track list has something for everyone, and its gameplay is a hell of a lot of fun. I guarantee you will not be able to keep your feet still as you drop your mixes together.
So, if you’re looking for an engaging but relaxing puzzle game that you can unwind with, you can’t go far wrong with TENS!. It packs in plenty of single-player content, and its multiplayer offering is a lot of fun if you have someone to play it with. It looks great too, brought to life with bright colours and cute characters. A game that we can while away the hours with, without ever getting frustrated, is something we all need in our lives right now.
There’s a lot to love about Chicken Police. Clawville is such a unique city and I wish I could spend more time there getting to know its history and its residents. Sonny is a dark but quirky protagonist and he’s a pleasure to step into the shoes of. It’s a mature title with violence and cursing, however, so don’t let the cute animals fool you. If you’re looking for a engaging detective story with a very distinctive flavour, Chicken Police should be the top of your list.
Ultimately, despite all the changes that have been made, Yakuza: Like a Dragon feels very much like a Yakuza game. The combat may now be turn-based, and the scenery might be different, but this is still a game full of drama, thrilling battles, and a huge amount of side content, all smothered with an ample amount of humour. And I never thought I’d say this, but I didn’t miss Kazuma Kiryu one jot while playing it; Ichiban Kasuga is simply a more likeable fellow with more depth. So, if you like the Yakuza series, consider Yakuza: Like a Dragon a must-have.
I’ve loved all three Watch Dogs games, but Watch Dogs Legion may be my favourite. Perhaps it’s the familiarity of London, or perhaps it’s the unique joy of being able to take control of pretty much any character you want. There’s so much to see and do; the amount of character and life breathed into the city is unrivalled by pretty much any other open world game.
Kosmokrats is only ever a few steps away from infuriating, and if you’re to get the best out of this puzzler, you’ll need a lot of patience.
Pikmin 3 Deluxe is a wonderful adventure, and even if you’ve fond memories of the game on Wii U, the new content makes it well worth returning to. While some issues that have shown up in previous titles are still present here, there’s nothing that ruins the fun of commanding your little army of Pikmin. Whether you’re a fan of the series or picking it up for the first time, there’s a lot to love here. With its extra content, co-op play and some truly excellent boss encounters, Pikmin 3 Deluxe might just be the best in the series.
If you’re a fan of Bakugan, there’s no doubt you’ll get a kick out of Bakugan: Champions of Vestroia. It’s a great-looking game, and seeing those huge beasties in battle for the first time is quite a thrill. But the game’s dull and repetitive combat quickly loses its excitement, and the fact you’ll be looking forward to completing a mindless side quest simply to get a reprieve surely tells you all you need to know.
DIRT 5 is one of the most joy-inducing racing games of this generation. Nothing quite compares to hurtling around a muddy track in an exotic locale, using the handbrake to get the back end out around sharp corners and trading paint with opponents as you fight for positions, all while navigating bumps and breath-taking jumps. The dirt being thrown up by tyres realistically accumulating on your vehicle until it’s a mess only adds to spectacle of it all. This is a showy game, but one that also has perfectly-honed physics, making it challenging but accessible to all. And while some of that magic is lost when you make your way into Playgrounds, the sheer creativity it offers is more than enough compensation.
Still, if you’re a massive Cobra Kai fan, you’ll find enough good here for it to provide you with some hours of entertainment. It’s just not quite the game that it could have been. Thanks to Streets of Rage 4, the side-scrolling beat ’em up bar has been raised this year, and while Cobra Kai: The Karate Kid Saga Continues is a fuller, more feature-packed entry in the genre, its core gameplay isn’t quite up to scratch. Maybe it’ll get patched and fulfil its potential? Until then, it’s an experience that most will find annoyingly mediocre.