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The Dark Pictures: Switchback VR is a terrifying VR romp that’ll keep players entertained with its non-stop scares and frantic shooting action. It captures the frightening vibe of The Dark Pictures series perfectly, whether that’s when simply navigating through the eerie locales or facing off against one of their familiar nasties. That Sailor Girl from Man of Medan will NEVER stop giving me the heebie-jeebies, though re-visiting the deadly tunnels from House of Ashes felt ominous too… Add to that the fun and varied gameplay, the immersive haptic feedback, and the brilliant eye tracking implementation, and it’ll be clear that The Dark Pictures: Switchback VR delivers another entertaining experience for PlayStation VR 2 owners to get stuck into. There are a few technical issues that hold it back a little, but other than that it’s another stellar release from the team at Supermassive Games.
Clash: Artifacts of Chaos looks stunning and has some interesting ideas, but the uninteresting combat and obtuse gameplay left me bored when playing. It’s a shame because the world design is wonderful and I found myself invested in the storytelling, but I just couldn’t get on with the core mechanics of the game. Is it a bad game? I wouldn’t say so and there was nothing broken about it, but it is one that feels like it targets a specific audience. Clash: Artifacts of Chaos definitely wasn’t for me, but if you enjoy challenging experiences, slower paced combat, and have a LOT of patience, it might be worth taking a look at.
Paranormasight: The Seven Mysteries of Honjo is a superb visual novel that blends together gripping storytelling with some really clever gameplay mechanics. I was completely hooked in from start to end, so much so that I found it hard to stop thinking about the game each time I stopped playing… it’s THAT good. I’d love to go into depth about all the things that make the game so damn good, but I don’t want to spoil anything here. Just trust me when I say it’s a fantastic experience and one that I’d recommend to both visual novel veterans and those who’ve been itching to dip their toes into the genre.
DC’s Justice League: Cosmic Chaos is a neat brawling escapade that showcases some of DC’s best heroes in a more light-hearted and fun way. I was pleasantly surprised at just how enjoyable and varied the combat could be, whilst the genuinely funny storytelling had me laughing out loud. Best of all, it’ll appeal to players of all ages, with DC’s Justice League: Cosmic Chaos offering an experience that caters to different audiences. Look, it’s nowhere near as good as the Arkham series, whilst some repetitive mechanics and lack of depth might put some players off. For everyone else that’s willing to play a different take on DC’s superheroes though, they’re in for a REALLY cool surprise.
Project Zero: Mask of the Lunar Eclipse is very eerie experience, but some clunky controls and dated mechanics do hold it back a little. I’d be lying if I said I didn’t have fun playing and it does nail that eerie vibe that the series is so beloved for, but it could have done with just a few more refinements to help it stand its own amongst the modern horror releases. Is it a bad game? Definitely not, and I have no doubt that fans of the genre will enjoy it. Just expect some sketchy controls and a bit of backtracking during your creepy adventure through Rougetsu Island.
Hotel Renovator is an addictive experience that gives players a fun (and at times comical) take on the hotel business. Whilst renovating and decorating takes centre stage, tending to your guests’ needs and ensuring your hotel is a success feels equally rewarding. With plenty of different tasks to complete on the way, it’s easy to lose hours making your hotel the five-star talk of the town.
I’ve had a really fun time playing Chef Life: A Restaurant Simulator, with the blend of cooking and managing a restaurant feeling super rewarding. It helps that the game manages to nail all aspects of its design, with every facet of the gameplay offering enough to keep players invested but without overwhelming them with needlessly awkward mechanics. It’s just a really enjoyable experience and certainly scratches that wannabe restauranteur itch that a lot of players might have after watching their favourite chefs on TV. It does have some issues with the most notable being some of the technical bugs in the game, but they didn’t stop me from having a really good time on my quest to earn that Michelin Star.
Kayak VR: Mirage is a wonderful and immersive experience that really showcases just how good the PlayStation VR 2 headset is. The paddling mechanics are satisfyingly realistic, the environments you explore are jaw-dropping, whilst there’s even a competitive element in place for those who want a bit more action from the experience. Best of all? It’s very accessible, making it perfect to show off just how good your PlayStation VR 2 headset is to non-gaming friends and family.
Horizon Call of the Mountain is an epic VR adventure that demonstrates just how impressive the PlayStation VR 2 headset is. It looks stunning to play, the combat is intuitive and fun, the set pieces are incredibly cool, whilst additional features like the eye tracking and haptic feedback are used in meaningful and immersive ways that benefit the overall experience.
Octopath Traveller II is a brilliant RPG that improves and expands upon every aspect of the original game. The narrative feels deeper thanks to the newly introduced Crossed Paths, exploration is fleshed out thanks to the day-and-night cycle, whilst combat feels more strategic than ever thanks to the secondary jobs and Latent Abilities. And don’t get me started on the visuals, which are simply gorgeous throughout. It does have a few minor missteps, most notably with the narrative tying together and some battles dragging out longer than they need to, but they don’t stop Octopath Traveller II from being another unmissable RPG hit from Square Enix.
With its enjoyable combat, compelling storytelling, and slick world design, Scars Above has been a really pleasant surprise. I didn’t go in with hefty expectations given the game’s budget release, but I found myself gripped into the narrative, whilst the exciting action kept me on my toes. Don’t get me wrong, it won’t win any points for originality as far as its gameplay is concerned whilst some aspects of the visuals and dialogue can be a little lacking, but nothing in the game is bad at all. It can just be a bit by the numbers, but, given the short length, that isn’t necessarily a bad thing.
Like a Dragon: Ishin offers an entertaining adventure that maintains the high series standard, even IF the storytelling isn’t quite as engrossing as the mainline titles.
Blood Bowl 3 is a whole lotta fun to play, with the brutal action and strategic focus making for a really addictive experience. Admittedly, I am a newbie to the series so I might not have noticed some of the bigger changes made to the gameplay mechanics, but the core experience felt intuitive and it was surprising just how much depth came into each play. There is a bit of a learning curve (and the UI can be painful), but the game did enough to ease me in learn the ropes.
It’s flawed, but there’s still a LOT I liked about the game. The combat is slick, the world design and visuals are fantastic, and the story definitely kept me intrigued right until the very end. It could have just done with trimming a bit of its filler, whilst a bit more development time could have seen the more obvious technical hindrances ironed out.
I absolutely adore Theatrhythm Final Bar Line, with the brilliant rhythm-based gameplay and rich song selection making it a real treat for Final Fantasy fans. The accessibility of the gameplay makes it easy for just about anyone to play, whilst the complexities introduced in the higher difficulties ensure that it always remains entertaining no matter how many hours you’ve already put into the game. Add to that the rewarding party building elements, the host of unlockables, and the fact that you have over 380 songs to play through, and you’ll quickly find that there’s plenty to love about this celebration of all things Final Fantasy.
Metroid Prime Remastered takes a classic release and improves every aspect of it, with the game looking and feeling even better than ever before. The controls are sublime, the visuals are superb, whilst the excellent gameplay has stood the test of time, with it clear that a lot of love and effort went into ensuring this was the Metroid Prime experience fans had been wishing for.
Wanted: Dead has some cool ideas on show, but some dull combat mechanics and repetitive gameplay leave it feeling a bit rough to play. I wouldn’t say anything is outright bad in the game and it does have its cool moments, but they’re few and far between when compared to the more monotonous aspects of the experience.
Deliver us Mars offers a gripping adventure across the Red Planet that’ll keep players hooked in thanks to its intriguing storytelling and beautiful setting. It’s clear that a lot more effort was made to make the story more engaging this time around thanks to its mixture of high-stakes exploration and Kathy’s personal issues with her father, whilst discovering the sights of both Mars and what remained of the colony always felt exciting. There are a few issues here and there, with some of the puzzling proving a little dull and some technical hiccups rearing their head, but they don’t deter from what is otherwise an enjoyable experience. Whilst I will admit I preferred the Moon setting from the previous game, Deliver us Mars still manages to trumps its predecessor in just about every other way.
SpongeBob SquarePants: Cosmic Shake is a fun experience that captures the spirit of the series perfectly, but it’s a shame it doesn’t offer more variety and nuance in its gameplay. It’s very simple in design and lacks any real challenge, whilst I’d also argue the previous release (which was a remastered edition of a game from 2003) gave the player more freedom and diversity in how they play and explore the world. That doesn’t mean it’s a bad game by any means and I have no doubt that SpongeBob fans will love it, but it does mean that it might not really capture the imagination of platforming fans who are unfamiliar with the series. The game gets all of the basics spot on and deserves praise for that, but you shouldn’t expect it to do anything that’ll surprise you during its simplistic adventure.
Whalien – Unexpected Guests offers a fun and quirky platforming adventure packed with satisfying physics-based puzzling. It’s ALWAYS cool to see how you can cause chaos across each environment with your handy gadgets, whilst the world itself looks wonderful, is full of colour, and feels good to explore. Sure, it is a bit on the easy side and the journey isn’t a particularly long one, but there’s definitely plenty on offer here to keep puzzle-platforming fans entertained.