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By being given four years of development time the developers at Raven Software have spread their wings and laid one gem of a shooter. Arguably, the best campaign in the franchise’s history is presented as the main dish with the multiplayer and Zombies modes adding zest to this well-cooked package.
All things considered, I’m proud to say that Astro Bot is a 3D platformer every gamer should play, not just for PlayStation fans. This lovable, adorable white and blue bot offers a mixture of fun and engaging platforming gameplay with the PS5 spin and PlayStation nostalgia to please both new and longtime fans in multiple ways. Astro Bot may not have the extensive history nor brand recognition comparable to platformers like Mario… yet.
If this were an early access game, I’d probably give it some leeway, but Aquarist isn’t in early access — it’s a full release on PlayStation that overcharges for the buggy mess that it is. It has the potential of being a fun guilty pleasure game, but it’s bogged down by the crazy bad bugs and game halting glitches. Even if it manages to fix the big stuff, it still leaves the unoptimized control scheme, sluggish cursor, and clashing graphics. This is the definition of sleeping with the fishes, something no one wants to do.
Overall, Astral Ascent is a damn fine example of roguelites at their near best. It’s an unfolding mystery set in a beautiful world, and the addictive gameplay loop just keeps you coming back for more. The amount of times I was ready to head to bed before hearing my mind calling for “just one more” happened times than I’d care to admit. It may not topple the giants, but it certainly gives enough to stand amongst them.
Marvel’s Spider-Man 2 is a great sequel, combining the old and new with a fresh story, iconic characters, and instances of taking a side step and playing as MJ. It might feel repetitive after a while and a bit on the short side. But, it’s a quality webslinging experience that everyone should have, whether you’re a superhero fanatic or just a PlayStation gamer looking your next first-party fix.
Final Fantasy 16 combines the flashiness of games like Devil May Cry 5 with a compelling story about family, hardship and eudaimonia. It is not without flaws, with its formulaic side missions, pacing issues, and inconsistent open-world design. However, Final Fantasy XVI is still one of the best games in the Final Fantasy series. With some of the best cutscenes and animation in the industry, along with compelling characters and mesmerizing moments, Final Fantasy 16 is undoubtedly one of the best games to play on the PlayStation 5.
Nitpicks aside, Capcom’s 2023 Resident Evil 4 is a behemoth of a game with loads of replayability. The game is beautiful, the characters are likable, and the gunplay is challenging and fun.
By taking the best element of games such as Enslaved Odyssey To The West, Journey, or any of the plethora of cyberpunk games you can think of and mixing them all, BlueTwelve has crafted a truly unique masterpiece worth your time and then some. With a lovable story populated by a colorful environment and characters all tailored to bringing this world to life. A fantastic means of traversal that encourages exploration and a somber tone that kept me engaged throughout my 12-hour journey, never waning my curiosity, Stray is one experience I cannot recommend enough. BlueTwelve Studio — welcome to the big time.
Call it my unyielding love for the franchise, but Sega needs to amp up their game if they want to earn my respect back. Sorry Sega, but a few new animated cutscenes I can watch on YouTube for free and a bunch of hackneyed ports of games I’ve purchased dozens of times aren’t enough to justify the price tag. Going back to the song “It Doesn’t Matter,” maybe someone should let Sega know that pride comes before the fall.
The Quarry is a wild ride. It manages to be a gleeful concoction of horror clichés and a substantial interactive experience. Your choices feel like they matter, as evidenced by the 186 different character endings. And with a gripping story and superb performances, this is one summer stay you won’t forget.
In the end, Ghostwire: Tokyo will satisfy that weeb-y curiosity when it comes to Japanese folklore while also giving you a fair bit of busy-work to keep your playtime high. Its overall gameplay is pretty solid, the story is above average when it comes to games from Bethesda-owned studios, and the feeling you get when you reach that points of unease can hit you like a ton of bricks, even if it does get repetitive from the second you capture your first set of lost spirits and send them off to Ed.
While it is not incredibly interactive, République VR is a great PSVR title because it immerses you in the story. It will make you feel attached and connected to the protagonist as she looks up to you in desperate help, and the environments look grander than ever. It may not have the most challenging or groundbreaking stealth action, but République VR is a deftly crafted and timely dystopian thriller.
All things considered, Elden Ring is a crowning achievement for FromSoftware but also for gaming. It takes the overused open world formula and flips it with a focus on exploration and freedom. It eliminates those limiting markers and quest objectives which every game since The Witcher 3 has used and that have really dampened the open world formula. For a game all about tradition, with its fantasy aesthetic and kings or rulers, it is amazing that Elden Ring breaks the mold and tradition by making such a compelling and intriguing experience. Once the bugs have been ironed out, there is no doubt in my mind that Elden Ring will be looked upon as one of the best games ever created despite the difficulty. It will be looked upon as a genre defining classic.
Developer Techland accumulates all they’ve learned from their action-horror catalog, delivering solidly fun zombie-slaying in this sequel. Its long-winded story may miss the mark in keeping you captivated, but the fun to be had more than makes up for that. And the PS4 version is a great option to play, running at very stable performances and maintaining very acceptable visual fidelity.
With nine endings, a co-op campaign, a plethora of things to unlock, and a light touch of Dark Souls RPG elements, Okinawa Rush is one game that I can see both fans and non-fans of the genre sinking a good chunk of time into, if not for conventional reasons, then for the sheer variety and ambition on display here.
Clockwork Aquario is a fascinating piece of arcade history and an enjoyable action platformer. While it may be extremely light on content for today’s standards, this title offers gameplay that takes you back to the 90s in the ways you expect. And, for that reason, it should satisfy your enthusiasm for retro gaming.
Twelve Minutes is an essential game for lovers of film. Developer Luis António translates his understanding of cinema to create something genuinely deserving of being called an “interactive thriller.” Although it can be frustrating being stuck on what to do next, this is an adventure game drenched in atmosphere and mystery, and you’ll have a hell of a time with it.
Someone once said that Shenmue crawled so that Yakuza could run. If that’s true, then Like A Dragon is the Usain Bolt of the series. There is so much to love and discover in the game’s 50 to 70-hour main story. Top this off with a new game plus mode, and you have an RPG that I can easily see being played for hundreds of hours.
Solar Ash has some of the best controls in the adventure platformer genre. Putting you in complete control of a badass, freerunning woman, you’ll skate the beautifully neon and fractured world the game drops you in. Sure, the story is underwhelming and the combat simplistic, but the excellent atmosphere and mechanics are worth taking the running jump.
Overall, Evil Genius 2: World Domination is a real-time strategy that invites you to be a cartoonish villain, boasting a solid base-building foundation. While the gameplay loop itself can become a bit underwhelming at points, with an unnecessary emphasis on passive currency, the game is appealing for its light-hearted tone and the joy of expanding an evil empire.