NextPlay's Reviews
Sorry, We’re Closed is a marvel, not only visually with its ostentatious character design and gaudy depictions of heaven and hell, but in its daring storytelling of the warped depictions of love that we can get caught chasing. Its mix of fixed camera angles and swapping of third and first-person perspectives makes for tense scenarios throughout, and Michelle’s third eye and Heartbreaker are both satisfying additions to the combat. Sorry, We’re Closed is one hell of a survival horror!
Sonic X Shadow Generations is a fantastic game that is made with such love and understanding of what a Sonic game should be. It relies on three major components that drive its main gameplay. That is its own history from its 2D past, 3D present, and the future. It integrates these components expertly, and it keeps things entertaining and fresh while trying to push the Sonic formula even further into a new realm.
While it’s not quite your usual LEGO game, it does feel like it’s still standing on its own as a fresh take on the formula. LEGO Horizon Adventures refines it back, opting for a jovial run at the Horizon Zero Dawn story that feels like a fun reintroduction to the series, especially for younger players. Seeing the world of machines brought to life in LEGO speaks volumes to just how well it translates, and undoubtedly while this isn’t what many might expect, it still feels like a fun time for the series if you can brave the price tag.
"Dragon Age: The Veilguard delivers a good action-heavy RPG, with moments of greatness buried in the second half of an extremely lengthy and linear opening. Veilguard does very little to revolutionise the RPG genre, and at times it feels like an RPG simply following the standardised template of what an RPG should be. But does that make it a bad experience? No, it just provides a less memorable adventure when compared to its genre counterparts. I could see Dragon Age veterans absolutely loving what Veilguard has to offer, but I can also see many players abandoning their adventure due to the extended linearity of its opening."
While Max Caufield’s return to the series has been long awaited, it seems like Life is Strange: Double Exposure might be a bit too ambitious for its frame. With new powers and another dead girl to save, she’s back but with two timelines to balance as she snoops around. It does feel like the episodic structure could be given more time to breathe so as to fully realise what the game seeks to achieve. Players will enjoy returning to the series but may find this entry to be a bit too ambitious at the cost of fully developing the characters and narrative.
"Call of Duty: Black Ops 6 pushes the boundaries of what one would expect from a Call of Duty campaign – delivering a robust, versatile, and captivating experience from start to finish. What makes Black Ops 6 special is the fact that the Campaign, Zombies, and Multiplayer modes are all equally as polished as each other, enhanced even further by the new Omni movement."
"Until Dawn is a riveting experience not unlike the original 2015 release. While the game looks fantastic, the adjustments to the game direction impacts some of that tension that had the hairs sticking up on the back of our necks in the original. These changes feel like a desperate attempt to cater to modern audiences despite the fact the original game continues to remain relevant today."
"The Legend of Zelda: Echoes of Wisdom strikes a fantastic balance between player agency and rigid game design. The Hyrulian heroine’s first proper foray into the spotlight avoids feeling like a cheap spin-off of the main title and instead feels like an evolution of it, although at times it does come across uncommitted to this new transformation."
Unknown 9: Awakening is an ambitious debut title from Reflector Entertainment that is brimming with charm. It has a world worth exploring but fails to capitalise on that with a plot that leaves a lot to be desired.