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Beyond Good & Evil: 20th Anniversary Edition is an excellent re-release of one of the best games of the noughties, with the entertaining gameplay loop standing the test of time and the fancy new bells and whistles ensuring it hits a modern standard. It does show its age here and there (the insta-fail stealth sections and occasionally fiddly camera stand out as the worst offenders), but it’s impressive just how well everything manages to hold up. Add to that the cool new content that has come with the game and it’ll be easy to see that this is the best way to experience this beloved cult classic. Now… where’s Beyond Good & Evil 2?!
#BLUD is a really cool experience with an awesome Saturday Morning Cartoon vibe, but the lacking combat can hold it back a little. It’s not that anything is bad at all, but rather that it could feel a little bit fiddly thanks to some awkward hitboxes and repetitive actions. It’s a shame too because there are some interesting ideas that are introduced to combat as you progress and face tougher foes, but it doesn’t always pay-off. Despite this, I still enjoyed my time with the game, with the world and dungeon design proving exceptional throughout and the storytelling keeping me fully invested in Becky’s wacky plight. And the cartoon-like visuals? I loved them. It just maybe needed a bit more work to fine-tune some of its flaws, but hey, it’s nothing a patch or two won’t fix.
Shin Megami Tensei V: Vengeance improves upon the original game in every way, with the new storyline, improved visuals, and countless additions helping it stand out as an outstanding RPG experience. The original game was already a treat thanks to its thrilling combat, captivating demon negotiations, and tense storytelling, but this REALLY ups the ante. If you played the game when it originally released, the new Canon of Vengeance storyline alone makes it worth the price of admission. And if this is your first experience with Shin Megami Tensei V? Getting to play it with gorgeous visuals and smooth performance, improvements such as saving in the overworld and auto-battling, and having additional demons, skillsets, and more to embrace will ensure it’ll stand out as an unforgettable experience.
Super Monkey Ball: Banana Rumble is the best entry the series has seen in some time, with the online multiplayer standing out as the highlight of the experience. That’s not to say that players won’t have a blast in single player though, especially with the two-hundred expertly crafted levels and the introduction of the spin dash that puts a cool little trick up your sleeve. Just be warned: completing all of the challenges will be TOUGH… There’s no doubting that there has been a shift in focus to online multiplayer in Super Monkey Ball: Banana Rumble, but with a selection of frantic and exciting game modes to play through, support for sixteen-players, and a solid sense of progression that sees players unlocking plenty of new items, it’s something I can see myself coming back to time and time again.
SKALD: Against the Black Priory offers a deep, strategic, and nostalgic RPG experience that’s a lot of fun to play through. Don’t get me wrong, it has got a bit of a learning curve and its old-school stylings won’t be for everyone, but exploring its intriguing world, battling enemies in tactical showdowns, and rolling dice to determine your success never stops being satisfying as you uncover the secrets of the island of Idra. And hey, if you’re not too familiar with the genre, you can play on the easy difficulty setting to settle yourself in, with the game offering plenty of accessibility options to fine-tune the experience to suit you. It does have some flaws, but SKALD: Against the Black Priory delivers an old-school RPG experience that’s simply oozing in quality and charm.
Mullet MadJack is one of the coolest games that I’ve played, with the manic fast-paced action and slick visuals ensuring it’s a blast from start to end. It can be guilty of being a little repetitive in places, but the non-stop excitement of the gameplay, the ever-evolving enemy threat, the dastardly hazards you face, and the satisfying sense of progress felt as you progress between floors ensures that the excitement never dies as you look to save the girl. It’s f*****g brilliant.
Tiny Terry’s Turbo Trip is one heck of a wacky experience, but it’s one that I had a wonderful time being a being a part of. Sprankelwater is satisfying to explore and brings with it plenty of quirky and entertaining activities to get stuck into, whilst the Cartoon Network-style vibe of the world and its humour kept a smile on my face with each bit of progress I made. And hey, Terry is really likable too… you know… in that anarchic weirdo kind of way. It’s just a really fun game to play, and whilst it might not last too long, your time with Tiny Terry’s Turbo Trip will constantly keep you thrilled as you find a way to blast off into outer space.
Astor: Blade of the Monolith is a lot of fun to play, but the over-familiar gameplay and lacking storytelling can hold it back. And the invisible walls? Get them out of here, it’s 2024. Whilst the combat can lack originality, encounters with enemies are always enjoyable thanks to the diversity of your skillset. The environmental design is solid too, with the wonderful looking locales complemented by some decent platforming and puzzle-solving segments that ensure the world is always a treat to explore. Astor: Blade of the Monolith just doesn’t do enough to make it stand out as an unmissable experience. It’s a good game, sure, but with so many other hack-and-slashing adventures to embark on, it needed to do a bit more to stand out in the crowd.
Fabledom is a wonderful city-building experience that’ll appeal to all players thanks to its accessible gameplay and satisfying sense of progress. It keeps things simple as you develop your kingdom, but also offers enough depth and variety to ensure players will be fully invested in forging alliances, making discoveries across the land, or even going to war. And hey, who knows, you might even find love along the way. It’s just a blast to play, whilst the delightful presentation is perfectly befitting of the game’s fairytale-like world. I’ll admit, I’m hardly a city-building aficionado, but Fabledom offers some of the most fun that I’ve had with the genre.
Duck Detective: The Secret Salami is a charming experience that adds an endearing (and fowl-themed) twist to the world of detective work. I loved the way that the game embraced the tropes that you’d typically associate with noir detective stories in its own silly little ways, whilst the tale brought with it some cool ideas that escalate MUCH further than just a stolen lunch by the end. The investigative elements of the gameplay are well-implemented too, with them embracing a simpler approach but one that’s easy to find yourself fully invested in. And come on… ‘deducktions’… it’s perfect. It’s just a really, really fun experience from start to end, with both the storytelling and detective work engaging throughout. Here’s hoping that this won’t be Eugene McQuackling’s last case, because honestly, it was a delight to be a part of.
System Shock is an impressive remake of an all-time classic, but there’s no doubting that its old-school design won’t be for everyone. There were plenty of occasions where I found myself completely stumped when exploring the Citadel, and whilst it did make each success all the more satisfying, it could also be frustrating not knowing what to do. Combat could be a bit ordinary too, with it feeling a little dated when compared to similar titles. Despite this, I still had a good time with the game. I loved seeing the story progress, uncovering more of the gorgeous world, and tackling the cyberspace sections, with it clear that Nightdive Studios put a lot of effort and care into making a remake that feels authentic and that captures the vibe of the original game. It could just feel a bit TOO old-school at times, especially since other recent remakes have done a lot more to lean into modern innovations to refine the experience for newer players.
Hauntii offers a wonderful collectathon escapade that’ll keep players hooked in as they seek out the many stars hidden across the world to reunite with their newfound friend. The emotional storytelling is touching, the world design is creative and beautiful, it’s a ton of fun hunting down all of the stars scattered across the land, whilst the twin-stick shooting adds a fun little twist to exploration. It does have some imperfections with its tedious boss fights and uneven difficulty balancing, but Hauntii still stands out as an enjoyable adventure that I certainly won’t be forgetting anytime soon.
Galacticare is a wonderful hospital management sim that manages to feel unique thanks to its comically wacky intergalactic setting. Don’t get me wrong, it wears its inspirations like a big badge of honour and those who’ve played Theme Hospital will feel right at home thanks to the addictive yet familiar gameplay loop, but it also showcases enough of its own ideas to ensure it feels like more than just a clone of Bullfrog’s classic release. It’s just a ton of fun to play, with the campaign bringing with it plenty of bizarre yet engrossing scenarios to complete, the gameplay offering a streamlined approach that’ll appeal to both veterans and newbies of the genre, and the visuals bringing everything to life with the vibrant colours and unusual yet tantalising creature and ailment design.
V Rising is a tantalising survival action-RPG that’ll keep players wholly invested thanks to its compelling combat, satisfying sense of progression, and brilliant multiplayer mechanics. I’ve adored playing the game with a group of friends and building impressive castle bases to lord over the land of Vardoran from, whilst each enemy I vanquish and piece of progress I make invests me further into the world. I’ve put in a ton of hours over the last week, but believe me, I’m nowhere near done with it yet. It’s newbie friendly too, so don’t be intimidated by the many mechanics at play. Be warned though: the other players in the world are bloodthirsty vampires too, and they won’t be afraid to cause you harm.
Crow County is a wonderful love letter to the survival horror releases of the 90s that captures the essence of the era perfectly. The best part of all? It’s not afraid to embrace some modern ideas to make the experience more intuitive and accessible for all players. Between the wonderful old-school visuals, the intriguing storytelling, the exciting combat scenarios, and the clever puzzling, Crow Country will really hook fans of the survival horror genre in from start to end. And if you enjoyed its inspirations back in the day? It’ll feel even more special to play.
TopSpin 2K25 offers an exhilarating tennis experience that’ll keep players on their toes with its authentic and strategic action. The core mechanics demand a blend of good timing, strategic planning, and clever positional play to add to the authenticity of the experience, with the game easily standing out as one of the more realistic tennis experiences I’ve seen in a video game. It’s wonderfully executed to make for a really fun experience, whilst the package is complemented by a decent selection of game modes that’ll keep both solo and multiplayer fans invested for a long, long time.
Sand Land delivers a thrilling RPG experience that perfectly captures the exciting antics seen in the manga and anime series. Driving and customising the range of creative vehicles is always a treat, whilst the compelling vehicular combat mechanics ensure there’s plenty of depth and strategy found in-battle. It gets all of the core RPG mechanics right too, whilst the gorgeous visuals really help bring the world to life. It can feel a little bit dull on-foot and the stealth sections weren’t great, but they’re minor issues in what is otherwise an action-packed experience. I’ll admit, I didn’t know a whole lot about Sand Land before playing, but now? It has made a BIG fan out of me.
Indika is uniquely brilliant in its own peculiar way, with the bizarre yet enthralling narrative unlike any that I’ve seen in a game before. It’s suspenseful, thought-provoking, and bizarre in equal measure, yet it had me utterly enthralled from start to end. It looks absolutely gorgeous too, and whilst the slower pace of the gameplay won’t be for everyone, it has enough ideas on show with its interactivity and puzzling to keep players engaged. It’s just a compelling experience that I adored being a part of. I don’t want to give too much about Indika away because its constant surprises are one of its greatest strengths, but believe me, you wouldn’t have played anything quite like this before.
Stellar Blade is another sublime PlayStation 5 exclusive that showcases the power of the console with its thrilling action and mesmerising visuals. I’ll admit, I wasn’t fully sold on the game before playing, but after spending twenty-plus hours partaking in Eve’s action-packed antics, I’ve been blown away. Sure, I wasn’t too keen on the storytelling, but when the gameplay packs such a punch, it’s hard to complain too much. With its, uh-hum, ‘stellar’ combat mechanics that feel like a blend of Dark Souls and Bayonetta, captivating set pieces and level design that really pull you into the world, and some of the best visuals seen on the console, Stellar Blade is one PlayStation 5 release that you’d be a fool to miss.
Eiyuden Chronicles: Hundred Heroes is a delight, with the Suikoden-inspirations perfectly implemented to make for a wonderfully memorable adventure. I loved recruiting characters, building up a homebase, and partaking in strategic showdowns with enemies, whilst the variety of mini-games that show up across the experience keep the action varied and exciting. Add to that the wonderful visual presentation and a stellar soundtrack, and you’ll quickly find that Eiyuden Chronicles: Hundred Heroes delivers more than enough to keep RPG fans very, VERY happy.