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Phew! There sure is a lot going on in Brigandine: The Legend of Runersia. It may seem a little overwhelming at first, but as soon as you find your rhythm it goes by faster than you think. Strategy games are not my bread and butter. There were evenings I told myself I had just a few hours to play, only to be completely sucked in. Color me pleasantly surprised with my overall experience. I may never feel brave enough to attempt Hard mode but there is a strong likelihood that I won't be deleting the game from my hard drive as soon as this review goes live.
Unto the End has a wonderfully minimalistic style and while I enjoyed much of my time exploring its world the combat did eventually start to drag. It's unforgiving action can start to get tiresome even with the generous checkpoint system. If you're a button mashing kind of gamer then it's probably best to give this one a miss.
It's a shame that Twin Mirror manages to create such a compelling and interesting opening but just doesn't manage to stick the landing. It definitely didn't take me on the same kind of emotional journey as some of DONTNOD's previous games, and unfortunately I found myself not really caring too much about Sam or the residents of Basswood.
Suffice to say that Bungie is recapturing the magic that Destiny has always had at its core. It's exploring concepts and story ideas that fans have been speculating about for years. And it's focusing on developing a game for the players who love Destiny, not trying desperately to change things to get new players on board. As a living world, iterative in design with an evolving narrative and constantly updated content, Destiny 2 changes persistently, but Beyond Light feels like a whole new foundation rooted in the kind of space magic and vision that has made Destiny special all along. I can't wait to see what comes next.
Despite being the second go-round for Chronos, Before the Ashes does feel like a decent take on the popular From Software Souls formula. It's stripped-down design, while somewhat rewarding, does tend to leave a bit to be desired in the depth department. And though it may have been a welcome sight in the barren VR landscape of four years ago, trying to simply re-release the same experience without progressing the gameplay any further ends up leaving quite a bit to be desired. Unless you are extremely invested in learning more about the back story of the Remnant universe, you'd probably be better off dodging this skirmish entirely.
Overall, Immortals Fenyx Rising is a surprising break from the traditional Ubisoft open-world fare, perhaps hinting at some newfound creative freedoms that we'll hopefully see play out in the future. Cribbing Breath of the Wild is a strength even as Immortals iterates and takes its own twist. And the deep dive into Greek mythology ends up being a fascinating foundation upon whose shoulders the entire premise rests. From the first magnificent glide onto the Golden Isle, Immortals Fenyx Rising is an unforgettable treat that surprised me more than I thought it would.
Exploring Iceland as a furry fox friend has been a real treat. It's delicious eye candy with a satisfyingly chewy center. Yes, there were times when I hoped for a little more direction in solving puzzles. Those brand new help cards on the PlayStation 5 dashboard sure would have been nice (fingers crossed we see those when the game officially releases). That said, Spirit of the North is too beautiful and captivating to be disappointed for long. If you love games like Lost Ember, I can't recommend adding Spirit of the North to your collection enough.
Is Assassin's Creed Valhalla the best entry in the series yet? Some would be tempted to say so. While the map size might overwhelm some players, it remains an easy game to mainline with the right navigation mode turned on. In fact, the quick load times help to make this an even easier task than in previous generations. This is an iteration of Assassin's Creed that has a bit of everything from the previous games, as refined as we have seen to date.
Despite this, Katamari Damacy Reroll is a faithful remake even if it keeps the rough with the smooth. All issues were ones also found in the original game, so they're not exactly the fault of Monkeycraft. Fans of the franchise will have a blast replaying the game that started it all. Those who are new to the franchise might get a little frustrated with some of the dated design issues like the controls, but it's a great place to start for anyone who's curious about the strange ball-rolling world of the King of All Cosmos.
What you end up with is an experience that shows a ton of promise, but ends up being entirely average. It's hard to call Watch Dogs Legion a bad game outright. It's a serviceable, if traditional, open-world game with a boring story and novelty mechanics that play out better on paper than in execution. The PS5 version makes expected improvements to visuals and load times, but isn't a standout example of a "next-gen" title.
Demon's Souls on PS5 is a brand new vision of a classic, one that captured the hearts, minds, and frustrations of many a player more than ten years ago. Bluepoint retains its pedigree of respecting the original while making the new update seem wholly fresh. If you missed Demon's Souls the first time around, or maybe if you just want to relive some old traumas, the PS5 remake is an excellent archstone to pass through for newcomers and Boletarian veterans alike. Who knew that one of the best PS5 launch titles would come from recapturing the lightning in a bottle that struck back in 2009? You may have died again, but Demon's Souls lives on thanks to Bluepoint and the PS5.
In terms of PS5 launch titles, Sackboy: A Big Adventure didn't make headlines as a highly anticipated game, but it manages to be one of the most charming and fun PS5 games so far. Its heart was an unexpected delight, with a level of detail and polish that made it an absolute joy to play. Snipped free of the level creation side of LBP, Sackboy manages to swingamajig his way to platforming heights that the character never has before, in more detail than ever on PS5.
Consequently, Observer: System Redux is not for everyone. Hell, it wasn't for me. But the experience itself, where it takes you at least, is worth the ride. It's worth the sweaty palms and the dread of turning on your new console, knowing full well the tense and often uncomfortable adventure through madness that awaits. Some may even decide that it's worth a second go-round.
Developer Eko Software has done a decent job with the 4K graphics and textures for Warhammer: Chaosbane Slayer Edition and an even better job of utilizing the powerful PS5's SSD to almost entirely eliminate load times. Traveling between the home castle and the many dungeons that are now included in the game is incredibly fast, and you'll be hacking and slashing through the bad guys of Warhammer in no time.
Planet Coaster is a solid theme park sim, and one I can see myself spending an unhealthy amount of time playing. I just need to remember not to be too hasty in loading games the second I get to the PS5 dashboard. Twice now I've immediately tried to boot it up within a minute of the PlayStation 5 getting to the home screen and crashed it so hard the console databases need rebuilding. Goes to show just how much I like theme parks, right?
Melody of Memory is worth playing for both newcomers and veterans alike. While the game might not be an expected entry into the Kingdom Hearts franchise, it's a competent rhythm title with a varied selection of music. The accessibility options mean it's great for players of all abilities. Those who are then intending to play the RPG games for the first time may want to consider playing those beforehand unless you want the entire storyline spoiled. For fans, the extra content gives a fascinating idea of where the franchise is going next as long as you're prepared to put in the time to get there.
Couch co-op is still the very best way to experience this zany, fast-paced restaurant game. The updated graphics are as sharp as a santoku if you're playing on a 4K television. Another huge bonus is trophy pop-ups have shifted to the upper right side of the screen. No more blocking the orders in the middle of the lunch rush! This is the co-op game to get alongside your PS5 if you love playing games with friends and family. So fire up those ovens and get chopping.
Visage isn't going to be for every horror fan. It's slower pace, difficult puzzles and lack of direction are going to make many struggle, but that's also kind of the point. For every moment where I didn't know what to do and felt like I was on a wild goose chase, there was another moment of gratification for finally figuring it out. Throughout all of those moments, I was scared and that's indicative that even if I didn't, Visage knows what it's doing.
Playing a game set during lockdown is definitely unique. Rather than focusing on some of the negative aspects of the pandemic, Wales Interactive has managed to spin this into a light-hearted rom-com. It's a fun experience that manages to turn social distancing limitations into something positive and fun.
It's the absence of stand-out creature encounters that weighs heavy on The Pathless as a whole. And there's a redundancy to said moments that never rears its head when freely exploring and solving puzzles. Undoubtedly, the exploration and puzzle-solving represent The Pathless at its best. Giant Squid's latest manages to perfectly capture the calm before the storm, along with the post-battle respite that few games master in equal measure. In that case, it would seem the disappointing creature confrontations do serve a greater purpose to some degree.