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If you like a very slow, difficult romp through a Hell-a-la-tattoo-parlour, Nadir's roguelike deckbuilding may be the game for you. But if you want something genuinely fun and interesting to play, you won't find it here.
Fatal Frame: Mask of the Lunar Eclipse doesn't set out to reinvent the franchise or radicalize what it means to be a Fatal Frame game, but with updated visuals and modernised controls, it does a great job of making an entry in the series from 2008 effortlessly feel like a modern, current-gen debut. The slow and sometimes repetitive pacing of the game will not be for everyone, and some long-winded animations and awkward loading-waits only serve to make that pacing even more of a slog, but if you have the patience for that, you're in for a solid Japanese horror experience that will keep you guessing until the credits roll.
Tales of Symphonia Remastered isn't going to win any awards. It's a soulless cash grab that has come with as little effort by Bandai Namco as possible. If you're a die-hard fan, there may be something here for you, but really you're just paying for the nostalgia hit. Those who didn't play the original and are looking to pick up and enjoy a slice of video game history should let this one go past - there will hopefully be another iteration of this in a few years' time and maybe they'll put more effort into that one.
Little Witch Nobeta makes for a fun old-school action shooter. It's just a shame that this particular witches' brew is filled with so much unnecessary and bland garnish that serves only to dilute the taste.
Wo Long: Fallen Dynasty is nearly always a rush to play, and even when you're getting pummelled, it still feels as though you could overcome the fight if you just learned the attack patterns a little better, or maybe just summoned some more help.
Scars Above is a great addition to the library of single player adventures and it tells an engaging sci-fi story that interrogates ideas of genetic manipulation, free will, and sacrifice. While it loses momentum a little towards the end, it serves as a fantastic advertisement for smaller budget games and is well worth picking up.
Demeo is a fun and accessible digital board game, evoking games like HeroQuest with its turn-based dungeon-crawling. In VR it's a pleasingly tactile experience that's great to share with co-op friends, but if you need or prefer to play on a TV screen? Well that's still good too.
The Last Clockwinder is a delightfully charming puzzle game suitable for all ages. With almost unlimited solutions to the puzzles and no time limits it's rather relaxing. It may not have the wow factor of some the other games in the PSVR 2 launch line up, but it's well worth a look.
If Blood Bowl 3 does one thing right, it's that it really makes me appreciate that Blood Bowl 2 exists, which right now is a far superior game in all aspects. For now, save your money and wait to see if this one gets any better.
Cosmonious High makes being the new kid in class feel truly special. It's not quite as universal as the "robots do human things" humour of Job Simulator, but never gives up on being positive, from the alien character designs, to the vibrant colour palette, and the sandbox of simple puzzles and powers to use. It's just missing that half step of complexity as a VR experience.
Atomic Heart is a bit of a surprise. It's not perfect and the open world is an unneeded dilution, but when you're in the story missions it's always entertaining, despite occasionally dragging things out a little. It can be a bit strange, but it's the self aware kind of strange that can be a bit charming. And the robots are pretty great.
Leaning on the power of PS5, Kayak VR: Mirage is filled with wonderful locations to visit around the world and explore with paddle in hand. It looks stunning and makes for a great way to demo PSVR 2 or VR in general, but personally, I was left wanting something a little more.
Nobody said being a giant tentacle monster was easy, but Tentacular's mix of physics puzzles and quirky story and setting does make it rather fun.
Octopath Traveler II manages to improve on almost every aspect of its predecessor, whether they needed it or not. The exploration is deeper with more nooks and crannies to nose your way through. The combat is far more intricate, giving greater options to build your party and skillset, and a large degree of player choice. The visuals are absolutely beautiful, and the sound design is phenomenal once again. Honestly, Octopath Traveler II has basically negated the need to play the first title, and I cannot think of higher praise.
Theatrhythm Final Bar Line is a labor of love that is worthy of loving back - it's game packed to the brim with iconic songs, unforgettable characters, and fun excuses to revisit and collect them all. Accessibility options, versatile difficulty levels, and simple yet addicting multiplayer help make a great package even greater. Any Final Fantasy fan owes it to themselves to dive into this game and take a musical trip down memory lane.
Like A Dragon: Ishin is a really fun spin off for this long-running series. Many of the big characters from the mainline Yakuza games, bar some of the newer games, are recast as new ones but none of the impact is lost. Edo Period Kyo is a great city to explore with plenty to offer players, and the combat styles are really fun to experiment with, even if Brawler is a bit wasted. The long wait for a Western release has been worth it.
With a positively batty sense of humour, What The Bat? is a thoroughly daft VR successor to What The Golf? and the best baseball game I've played in years – also the only baseball game I've played.
Horizon Call of the Mountain is an ideal showcase for what PlayStation VR 2 can do. Stunning PS5-powered vistas and a great blend of intuitive climbing and combat make this a must-play game for anyone picking up the next generation headset.
Wild Hearts has proved to be an immense surprise. It navigates the line between well-worn ground and exciting new innovation immensely well. It's the best non-Capcom hunting game we've ever had, and a hugely enjoyable action RPG in its own right.
Despite its clear and comprehensive flaws, Wanted: Dead is still weirdly likeable, and will undoubtedly find a similarly strange and unique fanbase to worship at its feet.