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OTXO is a brutal roguelite that NEVER slows the pace down with its frantic gunplay and satisfyingly chaotic action. I had a ton of fun blasting through its levels and spilling pints of enemy blood, whilst the time-bending focus ability and varied approach you can take in each level adds a surprising amount of strategy to each playthrough. Just expect to die… a lot. There were a few little issues I encountered when playing and the formula might get a little repetitive for some players, but I’ve found myself completely hooked into OTXO. If you loved the likes of Hotline Miami and want to play something that takes a slightly different approach, you won’t want to miss out on it.
Arto is a simply mesmerising game to look at, but the combat and narrative lack the excitement to make it an easy game to recommend. It’s not that anything is bad at all, but rather that it’s all a bit… well… boring. Some of the technical issues didn’t help either, with it clear the game could have done with a little bit more work to fix some of its more obvious problems. I don’t want to slate the game too much because, as I said, it’s clear it has a lot of heart, and I really loved seeing its explosions of colour as I uncovered the world. It’s just a shame that I didn’t enjoy playing it all that much. With a few updates and patches, it could definitely be a better experience, but as it stands? There are too many better games out there that deserve your attention more.
Cassette Beasts is a captivating monster-collecting adventure that has a clear inspiration, but thrives thanks to its own unique and charming ideas. Combat is strategic and deep, the world offers a satisfying sense of discovery, the narrative is quirky and mysterious, whilst the monster design is top notch… what more could you want? It does have a few little technical bugs that I ran into playing on the Steam Deck, but they didn’t stop me from having a brilliant time as I embarked on Cassette Beasts’ remarkable adventure.
Disney Speedstorm isn’t only a ton of fun to play, but offers brilliant fan service with the love and care it has put into embracing the Disney magic. Everything is oozing with charm, whether it’s with the robust roster of fan favourites, the whimsical tracks you race across, or the wonderful melodies of familiar tunes that play as you race. Oh, and of course, the racing itself is a real treat too, with the game embracing typical karting-gameplay whilst introducing a few cool ideas of its own.
Hunt the Night has a few flaws, but they didn’t stop me from enjoying this dark and challenging action-packed romp. The combat is exciting and strategic, the world design is gorgeous and offers plenty to discover, whilst the clear Bloodborne-inspired vibe ticked plenty of the right boxes for me. Hunt the Night really has a lot going for it, and whilst the difficulty can be a little brutal at times, it never stopped me from enjoying my journey across the dangerous land of Melhram.
Moviehouse certainly nails the vibe of running your own movie studio, but the gameplay loop can get repetitive quite quickly. It’s not that anything is bad at all, but rather you do a lot of the same things over and over again with not much extra to do in between. Sure, some new ideas are introduced to spice things up as you play, but they don’t really make the process any more exciting. I don’t think the game is bad at all and those early hours playing were a lot of fun as I slowly figured out what worked (and nothing beat getting that massive blockbuster success). Moviehouse just didn’t do enough to keep me invested for long, with the management gameplay lacking the depth and creativity for my movie making career to be an ongoing one.
Infinite Guitars has some really cool ideas and an intriguing world to explore, but the repetitive gameplay loop might not be for everyone. It’s not that anything in the game is bad at all, but rather that doing the same things for hours on end might leave players a little bored after a while – even if the rhythm-based action can be a lot of fun. It’s a shame there are some technical issues and it won’t be for everyone, but those who like to play RPGs with a bit of a twist ought to give Infinite Guitars a look. It won’t be the best game you ever play (and I’d probably recommend giving it some time for all the bugs to be fixed), but it has some really neat ideas on show as well as one hell of a soundtrack.
Horizon Forbidden West: Burning Shores is a fantastic expansion that offers plenty of thrills and genuinely pushes the overall story forward. This isn’t just some minor side endeavour for Aloy, but a meaningful quest that doesn’t only highlight the threat that the world faces but also strengthens her resolve to defeat it. Add to that the exciting missions to complete, the vicious new enemies to face off against, a cool new ally in Seyka, and the wonderful LA setting to explore, and it’ll become clear that this is an unmissable piece of content for Horizon fans (even if it doesn’t try to expand upon the core gameplay formula too much).
Road 96: Mile 0 is a cool experience that returning players will enjoy, though it does lack the impact and intrigue of its predecessor. It’s not that there’s anything bad at all, but rather that the story feels more predictable and linear than the adventure you embark on in the previous game. It does deserve praise for the exciting psychedelic ride sequences whilst the world itself is a treat to explore, but I’d be lying if I said that Road 96: Mile 0 lived up to the high standards of the first game.
The Walking Dead: Saints and Sinners – Chapter 2: Retribution is a thrilling experience that’s a million times better to play in PlayStation VR 2. It looks fantastic, the combat is engrossing, whilst the freedom offered in how you approach each situation ensures players will be kept on their toes in their chaotic fight for survival. It does have some minor technical bugs and the fact that it doesn’t change up too much over the original is a little disappointing, but neither issue stops The Walking Dead: Saints and Sinners – Chapter 2: Retribution from being a ton of fun to play.
Wildfrost is an enthralling roguelike deckbuilder that’ll keep players hooked in with its satisfyingly strategic gameplay – just expect to suffer a lot of deaths when playing. Yep, the difficulty can be unpredictable (and a little harsh) at times, but at least it doesn’t stop the game from being a ton of fun to play. With a real sense of progress when building up your home hub and earning upgrades, plenty of different decks and cards to play with, and a rewarding gameplay loop that’ll have you constantly repeating the phrase ‘one more go’, there’s PLENTY for deckbuilding fans to enjoy in Wildfrost.
MLB The Show 23 doesn’t revolutionise its core gameplay mechanics, but the new Storylines mode and Diamond Dynasty features really hit the ball out of the park. Exploring the details of the Negro Leagues and some of its key players was captivating, whilst the changes in Diamond Dynasty ensure there’s plenty to keep players invested in the mode for hours on end – even Franchise feels a bit more exciting to play through thanks to its revamped draft system. What’s most important though is that the game remains a lot of fun to play, both for newbies and returning players. It’s accessible yet deep, with MLB The Show 23 giving players another great baseball experience that captures the essence of the sport perfectly.
9 Years of Shadows is a really fun Metroidvania-style title with cool ideas and gorgeous visuals, but the technical issues do hold it back right now. It’s playable from start to end and there’s nothing severely game-breaking, but I did have to re-load my save a multitude of times to fix little issues, whilst there were plenty of occasions where the game just crashed on me. Outside of those issues? There’s a heck of a lot to like in the game, with the clever world design, unique abilities, and beautiful presentation ensuring that 9 Years of Shadows stands out in the crowd. It just needed a little bit more work before release to ensure those bugs would be fixed. And when those bugs are sorted out? You can add an extra point to the score.
Resident Evil 4 Remake is an outstanding release that takes one of the best games of all time and somehow makes it even better. The stunning visuals, the combat enhancements, the improved AI across allies and enemies, the refined boss encounters, and the new additions – they all come together to make Resident Evil 4 Remake the most impressive release in the series to date and a jaw-dropping experience as a whole. Whether you’re a newbie to the series, a returning veteran, or simply want to see what all the fuss was about in the first place, it’s hard not to be blown away by everything Resident Evil 4 Remake offers. Here’s hoping Code Veronica gets the same treatment soon…
Mato Anomalies is an intriguing RPG that has some cool ideas and an engrossing narrative, but some of its basic gameplay mechanics fall short of the mark. Nothing is outright bad at all, but with combat being a little basic and the dungeon design a little boring, RPG enthusiasts are unlikely to be blown away by the experience. It’s a shame too because I loved the narrative and the dual-protagonist approach is cleverly implemented, whilst the world itself feels great to explore. It just doesn’t offer enough to make up for the fact that the other elements of the game could get repetitive fast.
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.