GameSpew's Reviews
It should be fun playing a game that puts players in control of Raziel and Kain one more time, but this 2D action adventure wastes the opportunity. Legacy of Kain: Ascendance has an intriguing story which is accompanied by good voice acting and a solid soundtrack, but its gameplay is repetitive and often downright messy.
Darwin's Paradox is a brief but enjoyable 2.5D platforming adventure which also incorporates stealth and some light puzzling. It has some minor issues, such as dubious checkpointing in places, but Darwin's undeniable charm will ultimately win you over.
A fitting end to Max and Chloe's story, it's a real joy to have these two iconic characters back together again. While the story, revolving around Caledon University and Abraxas, might not be quite as gripping as it should be, this is still a very strong entry into the series, with brilliant visuals, stellar voice acting, and a great mixture of puzzle-solving, evidence-hunting and exploration.
Marvel MaXimum Collection has the usual features to make it more attractive to retro fans such as save states and rewind, as well as a music player and an archive. It's just a shame that the games included generally aren't all that fun to play.
One of the best action-adventure games of recent years, Kena: Bridge of Spirits has made its way to Switch 2 and it's as enjoyable as ever. The visuals have taken a bit of a hit but they're still gorgeous. The only truly disappointing thing here is the lack of a performance mode, meaning you're stuck playing at 30fps.
Mega Man Star Force Legacy Collection bundles up a whole series of action-RPGs and adds some valuable extras and enhancements. But while existing fans and those who love the Battle Network series will likely lap it up, newcomers might find it all a little too dated.
One of the best survivors-like games currently available, Grind Survivors sets itself apart with a persistent weapon mechanic. Meaningful upgrades, excellent visuals and silky-smooth action all help to make this a game you're not going to want to put down.
It might not offer up anything particularly new or exciting, but Ariana and the Elder Codex is a solid metroidvania adventure game with an enjoyable narrative. Multiple difficulty levels make this readily accessible too, so this combat-heavy romp never needs to feel too challenging.
Screamer looks great and has some neat ideas. But this anime-inspired arcade racer is let down by inconsistent and unbalanced competitor AI and controls that can often feel overcomplicated for the sake of it.
It has some minor issues that might frustrate some, as well as some elements that feel a little underbaked, but Project Songbird is an engaging narrative-driven survival horror experience on the whole. If you like the idea of Firewatch crossed with Silent Hill, you should give it a try.
Being a yearly franchise, WWE 2K26 features the usual assortment of tweaks and upgrades to its many modes, and combined with its enhanced gameplay it makes for the most authentic wrestling experience yet. It's somewhat ruined, however, by a new Ringside Pass system that forces players to grind to unlock content. Unless they're willing to pay real money for tier skips, of course.
Hatsune Miku and picross might seem like an odd combination, but it works. It's a shame that music feels like an afterthought here, but as far as picross games go, this is one of the best you can get on PlayStation.
As beautiful as it is enjoyable, The Artisan of Glimmith is a relaxing puzzle game about arranging shapes to complete stained glass windows. With a wealth of puzzle types and different difficulties, this is a joy to play for anyone who likes to while away the hours solving classic puzzles.
With a lengthy campaign offering plenty of high-octane racing action across a variety of events, Trail Out is easy to recommend to arcade racing games fans who are also fond of a little destruction. It has some technical issues that pull it down a little, and there's no online multiplayer, but if you can live with those things, you'll have an absolute blast.
Don't Mess With Bober has a humorous premise, but its gameplay isn't all that enjoyable with stealth sections that ultimately rely on trial on error. It's also very, very short.
A retro-styled first-person shooter, Starship Troopers: Ultimate Bug War! is excellently presented with live-action sequences that are genuinely funny. Unfortunately, it's let down by repetitive mission design and just isn't as much fun to play as it should be, with its third-person bug missions being particularly bland.
Gameplay-wise, there's not much here to win over those who aren't already fans of this Monster Hunter spin-off series, but thanks to numerous gameplay enhancements, a more mature story and full voice acting, Monster Hunter Stories 3: Twisted Reflection is undoubtedly a cut above its predecessors.
Fatal Frame 2: Crimson Butterfly Remake successfully builds on the original game, adding new mechanics that enhance the gameplay and more. It's just a shame that its inventive camera-based combat can be frustrating at times, and its stealth sections can feel a little trial and error.
Very short but powerfully sweet, Pieced Together is a cosy scrapbooking game that reminisces over the course of a childhood friendship. It's not only fun to play, but a powerful reminder of how precious childhood friends can be.
Lana finds herself in yet more trouble in Planet of Lana 2: Children of the Leaf, a game which proves to be a bigger, bolder sequel with more gameplay variety. Needless to say, it's a must-play for fans of the first game.