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Neptunia Virtual Stars is best served to either VTuber fans, Neptunia fans, or both. There's little appeal here for other types of gamers. There are many, many better third-person shooters out there, and plenty of JRPGs worthy of a huge timesink. At least you'll get a full-length, fully-voiced adventure for your trouble with Neptunia Virtual Stars, but unless you've really got a thing for the VTube lifestyle mixed with hyper-cuteness, your time is probably better spent elsewhere.
Maquette has its issues, but is still a solid experience. The grievances I have can be fixed if the studio has the manpower and time to do so. If you're looking specifically for puzzle games there are others I would recommend before this. But it's free for PS Plus members for March 2021, and it's hard to say no to free.
Frogwares is a master in mystery. While their pedigree is mostly rooted in Sherlock Holmes, this foray into Lovecraftian horror is an admirable effort made even better by the technology of the PS5. Loading times are vastly improved on The Sinking City PS5, and the game looks better than it ever has before thanks to improved textures, lighting, and resolution. This version is also free of Frogwares' publisher drama with Nacon, and paints a pretty exciting picture for what the developer can do with mystery games on the PS5.
By the end of my adventure I almost felt embarrassed that I'd missed out on the Ys franchise for so long. It has some pacing and technical issues, but the loveable characters, intriguing story and fantastic combat and movement far exceeded my expectations and made me want to experience everything I've missed. Ys IX: Monstrum Nox has made me a Ys fan and I couldn't be happier about it.
The story is approximately double the length of that in Little Nightmares but doesn't overstay its welcome. Players will take slightly longer if they look for the hidden areas that contain hats or holographic Kids that Mono can absorb into himself. While the story is concluded completely, things are left open for the possibility of a third game in the franchise. Maybe by the time that rolls around, there won't be as much need for trial and error puzzling, or for accidental platforming deaths. For now, those who enjoyed the first title will likely love the second. Others will perhaps find it a bit too frustrating to see things through to the end.
There really isn't a lot that Persona 5 Strikers does wrong. The combat is rewarding, the story is interesting, and the characters/setting are fleshed out, all with a good soundtrack. It's by no means a perfect game, but what is wrong really isn't anything that impacts the wider experience. This game did such a great job with something new, blending in a few different game types, that now I really wish Persona 3 and 4 had done the same thing. Those who enjoyed Persona 5 will love getting the band back together for another adventure with a new gameplay style, falling in love all over again. For those new to the series, you won't feel like you missed a beat at all.
Ultimately, this is an artistic game first and foremost, and the puzzles are the medium in which players participate in the story. It is bittersweet and real, rooted in cultural significance. I fully expect this game to be snapped up by trophy collectors looking for an easy platinum, but I sincerely hope that everyone who purchases Arrog appreciates the experience as much as I. If you have a few dollars burning a hole in your PSN wallet, consider using them to pick up Arrog. I really want to see more from Hermanos Magia in the future.
Werewolf: The Apocalypse – Earthblood has a good premise, but suffers from poor execution. If you're looking for a game that allows you to live out the fantasy of being an overpowered werewolf and kill everyone around you in bloody fashion, Werewolf provides that, but only just. Unrewarding combat, dumber-than-a-doorknob AI, dated mechanics, and an uninspiring presentation mean that this is a tough recommendation at the launch MSRP of $49.99 US.
Destruction AllStars is loaded with style, flair, and a great core concept, but what you see is what you get. While that's not a bad thing at all, there are very few surprises and no sense of depth lurking beneath the surface. I want more to do. I want more to chase. I want more reasons to want to jump into another match than just leveling up to earn coins for character color swaps. As a PlayStation Plus free game, there's a lot of potential, hopefully something that Lucid Games can expand upon before asking people to pay a premium up front. In a sea of multiplayer games begging for people's attention, Destruction AllStars has a bit more work to do to earn it.
As with most of the best puzzle games out there, The Pedestrian isn't going to eat up a huge chunk of your time. That said, every minute spent playing it will give your brain a solid workout. My first session saw me burn through the first half of the game in an afternoon before my noggin needed some downtime. As the puzzles ramped up in difficulty, it slowed me down a touch but only because I was being much more deliberate and triple checking everything. Putting this one up there as one of the best puzzlers available for PlayStation gamers, right below A Fold Apart.
Developer Clever Beans started with a great idea in Gods Will Fall, it just doesn't seem like they fully worked it out. The game could have been more than what it is, and right now it just felt like a simplistic dungeon crawler that would feel right at home on a mobile device. It played well, it looked fine, it just could have been much more.
If it weren't for these two very major sticking points, Disjunction is a promising experience. As much as I really want to finish out the story and take the third character for a spin, my doctor would have my head for letting a video game raise my blood pressure this high. Here's hoping the developer decides to patch in these oversights for players who want to enjoy games, not torture themselves.
The very minor issues don't detract from the fact that Hitman 3 is Agent 47's best outing in the trilogy. The game is a glorious romp through six beautiful maps, leaving a trail of bodies in your wake. The many varied ways to deal with targets means replayability is a joy and exploration is fun. The game's core may not have changed over the last few years, but that's why it works so well. Agent 47 might be taking a break for now, but IO Interactive is on a roll and only time will tell if their next project is as good.
Atelier Ryza 2: Lost Legends & The Secret Fairy is an accessible RPG that fans of the series will appreciate. There's not a huge challenge for much of the adventure, but then Atelier Ryza doesn't bill itself as being particularly demanding. The tactics mixed in with real-time battling is a good mix, and other quality of life aspects help to move the player along the rather lengthy campaign. Hundreds of side quests flesh out the story for those who wish to be fully engrossed in the world, while those who prefer to stick to the main plot can easily do so. A lack of next-generation features isn't surprising to see this early on in the PS5's lifecycle, but at least load times are non-existent here. Atelier Ryza 2 is an easy game to enjoy without thinking too much, and sometimes that's just what the alchemist ordered.
Re:Zero – Starting Life in Another World: The Prophecy of the Throne should please fans of the novel/anime. It doesn't do enough to explain the world Subaru finds himself in, but the game's album does attempt to rectify this. At any rate, The Prophecy of the Throne is an easy to digest visual novel with fun artwork and good voice acting, with a bit of turn-based gameplay thrown in for good measure. What more could Subaru ask for?
No matter what, Scott Pilgrim vs The World: The Game – Complete Edition is the perfect hit of nostalgia. Whether you pick it up digitally or treat yourself to any of the physical goodies on the way from Limited Run Games, this game isn't a cult favorite without reason.
For the console Destiny 2 crowd, the PS5 update is one of the biggest improvements the game has ever gotten. Destiny 2 feels like a whole new game, a whole different experience with a simple little power boost that kicked performance to the next level. Bungie consistently designs the best feeling shooters in games, and to optimize that with a layer of polish and performance afforded by next-gen console capabilities is a big win for players. While it's missing a few of the more unique PS5 features, Bungie arguably focused on key core improvements. I still hold out hope for DualSense features to be implemented in the future, but Destiny 2 PS5 is one of the most impressive generational game upgrades we've seen so far.
Cyberpunk 2077, when it works, is a shallow popcorn flick of a video game, not a industry shaping experience that redefines the open-world RPG genre. Perhaps the bigger problem, particularly for console owners, is that Cyberpunk 2077 doesn't work. It's a mess of half-baked ideas and rough gameplay that should have never been released in the first place. While the PC version faces criticism for various issues and praise for others, the PS4 version of Cyberpunk 2077 feels and looks like a whole different game that simply needed a lot more time.
Puyo Puyo Tetris 2 is worth the price of admission. Whether you're in the mood for some battles against the CPU, running an endless match in solo play, or willing to go to bed grumbling about your significant other somehow getting all the speed buffs and ruining your perfect Tetris, it's a great game to pick up and play.
Worms Rumble is a fun twist on the tried-and-true Worms format. While it can be purchased standalone for $14.99, considering the online nature of its matches, most players will be better off subscribing to PlayStation Plus and adding it to their library via the free download being offered this month. Regardless, Worms Rumble is worth playing for a few rounds, and then a couple more, and so on until suddenly it's 2 AM and you really should be asleep as you have work in a few hours but just one more game couldn't hurt since you're so close to unlocking that next skin anyway… While destructible terrain may no longer be a feature, the interactivity of the sprawling maps makes up for it. Worms Rumble is easy to play but difficult to master, and worth your time whether you're a fan of the series or enjoy fast-paced competitive games that test your reflexes and quick thinking.