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Ubisoft is one of the leading brands in video games today with a library of successful franchises but doesn’t seem to realise the gem and piece of gaming history they have in Prince of Persia. While we can’t say “The Prince is back” since it’s not The Prince you’re playing as, finally getting a new Prince of Persia game after 14 years is still a good feeling. Even if it’s another reboot with a different genre, the latest entry in the legendary franchise is still a fun and challenging game, packed with loads of content with over 20 hours of playtime and plenty of replay value. Prince of Persia: The Lost Crown is an excellent way to start 2024.
Pepper Grinder proves there’s little more thrilling than drilling for a 2-D platforming adventure. Ahr Ech and Devolver Digital have a real treasure in this one. I recommend it to players who enjoy casual chaos with a charming twist.
Unicorn Overlord is a brand-new IP that’s already made a big impact, impressing both gamers and critics. With about 50 hours of game time to enjoy, the epic story is guaranteed to leave a lasting impression, but it’s the gameplay that will first pull you in and make sure you stay for the ride. The 2D graphics with highly detailed anime art and smooth animations, along with the orchestral soundtrack and talented voice cast, are a marvel to behold. Unicorn Overlord is an RPG game like no other, and one that should not be overlooked.
Bears In Space is a fantastic game. With only three developers working on the game, and with so much attention to detail, there’s no wonder why it took them roughly seven years to release it, and everyone will enjoy this game. Besides the obstructed shooting angles, which I hope they can address, Bears In Space is a very polished game, and I have enjoyed my time playing.
Rise Of The Ronin is a deep insight into the history of Japan from the perspectives of many individuals while also carrying its own parallel narrative of your character. A massive feat in itself. The open world is full of things to do and the combat is strategically paced but also refreshing as you upgrade it with your stances, equipment and skill trees. Any issues I had with this title were very surface-level and didn’t ruin my time at all. Rise Of The Ronin was an intriguing horse in the race of games so far this year, and I lapped up everything it had to give. It might be more subtle from Team Ninja but it’s just as impressive.
Stilt is a fantastic nod to the classic platformers that have come before. It’s bright, bouncy, fluid, fun, and presents a hefty challenge. I’ve loved my time with this incredible offering and it has certainly bounced its way into my heart. I look forward to seeing you in the PVP arena of Stilt when it springs onto PSVR2 on March 8th 2024.
The developers did a fantastic job with this reimagination of ‘Alone in the Dark’. It was the perfect mixture of puzzles, mystery and a great storyline to keep you enthralled in the title for hours. If you love a great eerie story where you need to think outside of the box then this is a perfect skin-crawling experience for you.
Hi-Fi Rush may not have been successful the first time, but now it’s available to even more players on PlayStation 5. First, it was only accessible via the Xbox Game Pass, but now it’s available to purchase on its own and a physical version will also finally be available thanks to Limited Run Games. The bright and colourful characters, environments, enemies, bosses and more, all playing along to the beat, make this a must-buy for any console it’s available on. Hi-Fi Rush is the perfect game for anyone ready to rock!
We played Dying Light 2: Stay Human on an Xbox Series X and it’s a gorgeous-looking game and does offer a few graphical options from the menu. Three to be exact: “Performance”, “Quality” and “Resolution”. Performance mode runs at 1080p while offering a smooth 60fps, the Quality mode offers 1080p but adds ray-traced lighting support, while Resolution is all about hitting 4K, with both Quality and Resolution aiming for 30fps. With a game like Dying Light, I personally found the game and parkour more enjoyable to play running at a smooth 60fps, as long as you don’t mind the visuals taking a bit of a hit.
As cliche and tropey as these types of revengeful samurai stories are and it is quite that in the beginning, once you peel the initial layer off it is actually quite a different story. In saying that, don’t we just love a traditional samurai story, especially with a mythological twist when presented in a classic Japanese arthouse style? You can’t help but eat it up over and over again as you bathe in these Japanese cultural elements all married together.
Arcadegeddon was a really fun and enjoyable experience, solo or with friends, or even matching up with random other players and making new friends. A nice variety of weapons and biomes, with a great and upbeat soundtrack, really makes the game feel alive. With a few occasional crashes, I still had a blast playing the game and will definitely be playing more. I strongly recommend this game for a great co-op experience with friends.
Fire Emblem Warriors: Three Hopes delivers on the promise of an all-out war with the added bonus of making you care about those around you. With options to make the game as streamlined, easy, or as punishing as you like, multiple House storylines to go back and revisit, and even potential romance options to explore, I could find myself coming back week after week to see what else I could discover.
Graphically this game is stunning, the environment you’ll spend your time hunting in has been done with such high detail and makes it feel like you are there in that moment. Though, the details in the animal’s fur could have been fine-tuned a little to make them look a little more real. I was having issues with the rendering distance where the grass was just randomly appearing or the trees got their high detail when I got closer which took away from the experience a little.
Rollerdrome is the love child of chaos and style, fast-paced action with a bright and vibrant comic book art style that never felt so good. Depending on how fast you adapt to the madness, you could be in the endgame building montage-worthy gameplay and competing for ultimate bragging rights within the first day. If you wanted to take it a bit slower, the list of challenges to revisit and the assist menu let you tackle the game at your own pace. Either way, Rollerdrome is an incredibly exciting experience and a fine addition to the PlayStation library.
Listening to the old sound of Pac-Man tied in with the beautiful soundtrack on this game kept you wanting more. It was that happy music that made you want to keep playing, yet the tone would change if you encountered enemies along the way. I love turning big and hearing the old Pac-Man music and sound effects we used to hear on the arcade classic. Anyone that grew up playing Pac-Man, or even younger generations getting into Pac-Man, will find that the Re-Pac is an awesome gateway. It’s full of subtle easter eggs from the original games and features some beautifully recrafted scenery. Pac-Man World Re-Pac is a title for everyone.
It’ll be interesting to see what other beat ’em ups get the modern retro treatment, maybe ‘Golden Axe’ or ‘Final Fight’? For now though, it’s time for the Dragons to rise from the ashes and beat down the streets once again, with hours upon hours of old-school couch co-op fun and soon, online as well. Double Dragon Gaiden: Rise of the Dragons is the long overdue modern classic that fans have been waiting for.
FixFox is a top-down, story-based, point-and-click adventure. This cute little indie game was developed by Rendlike, published by Joystick Ventures, and is out now for PC and Mac. It is an extremely charming indie game with a great story. It’s a great game for all ages and with the ease of access throughout, everyone including your pets could sit down and play through the game for hours.
Nothing gets the heart pumping like a good gun battle, and the combination of different weapons firing, people crying out in pain, and flames licking the walls will lead to some wonderfully exciting gameplay. This is followed up with some amazingly eerie music that changes depending on where you are. Worried townsfolk are accompanied by haunting music. Caves are filled with near-silence, only the pitter-patter of rodent feet and the occasional drip of water is punctuated by the distant roar of an angry creature.
To tell such a cohesive and well-thought-out tale across several perspectives in just four chapters was impressive. With the enhanced edition, two more chapters have been added, but not necessarily to end the narrative. It was more of an additional segment to further iterate the story that was already told. The entire game including the extra chapters can be knocked out in sitting of fewer than 4 hours, which makes repeat sittings to explore alternate choices much more manageable. It was a game that did not overstay its welcome while still delivering an immersive experience that didn’t feel too short either.
When I think of a good old fashion stealth game, I think of a hooded figure with a blade as sharp as his skill set. Throw them into a Victorian-esque world with a classic revenge tale with nothing left to lose and you will have painted the picture for Sky Machine Studios’ latest accomplishment. ‘Winter Ember’, an isometric stealth action title with a flair for vengeance, is a carefully crafted modern take on an age-old game style. Thanks to Blowfish Studios, we got to check out the Xbox series X version of Winter Ember, and for a bit of added lore, I would recommend looking into the Graphic Novel of the same name.