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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.
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.