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This is the most enjoyment I’ve had kicking it around on the FIFA pitch since 2015 and should be this addition’s memorable stroke.
Maneater perfectly embodies the fantasy of being a super-powerful shark to great effect, even if there are some small technical issues and rough-around-the-edges gameplay decisions. It never overstays its welcome and is fun to devour a few hours here and there.
Borrowing from greats like Binding of Isaac and Dead Cells, Neon Abyss throws every type of weird ability and gun imaginable at players, making for a roguelike not lacking in substance but strangely missing a touch of style.
Spider-Man: Miles Morales on PS4 is fun, frantic, and full of heart. While not as large in scope as 2018's Spider-Man, Miles Morales continues to build upon the world Insomniac has crafted to deliver a heartfelt story about a kid in Harlem just trying to deal with the responsibility of balancing being a hero with protecting his family. Miles Morales doesn't add a ton to the formula, nor does it need to. Swinging through New York is just as fun as it was in 2018, and some of Miles' new Venom powers allow him to feel different than Peter Parker. You're not going to get all the bells and whistles the PS5 version offers, but the story itself is a must-play.
Combining the block-breaking hook of Arkanoid and the simple platforming of the original Mario Bros., Antonball Deluxe is a great hook wrapped in a tiny package that is best experienced with a group of friends.
In sum, Ghostrunner on PS5 takes what was already a pretty compelling game and spruces it up just a very little bit. This is a short, narrowly-focused game that is built for speed — to that end, it does very well, but just know that going in and don’t expect a full-blown FPS-like experience. That in mind, I think you’ll appreciate what the devs were able to accomplish here.
Déraciné subverts Japanese horror tropes as easily as it conceals the limitations of virtual reality. By casting the player in an active and passive role in its narrative, it juxtaposes agency with accountability as it creates a tranquil, sinister story. Déraciné is a return FromSoftware practicing their talent inside of darkness, but mercifully away from Souls.
Metal Wolf Chaos XD is a time capsule from 2004 that allows its recipient to survey the United States' enthusiasm for boisterous violence and blind patriotism. The President stomping around in an eight-gun mech suit and delivering outrageous dialogue while suppressing a coup is nakedly hyperbolic, but it's also a lens to an outsider's interpretation of mid-aughts American culture. Metal Wolf Chaos, in addition to presenting a clumsy but capable action caper, has only improved with age.
Even with the reduction in graphical fidelity and the controller shortcomings, I still found LoFVR compelling to replay after five years from having played the original. The story is pretty good, but moreover I really liked the ever-changing mansion and Twilight Zone weirdness of it all. That kind of atmosphere and design lend themselves well to VR play, and to that end the game is interesting on PSVR, despite its shortcomings. Plus, at only $20, LoFVR is relatively light on the wallet for a few hours of spooky VR.
All that to say that this surprise re-release of Virtua Fighter 5 is a welcome one, especially for PS+ members who get it for free. The series still has a special place amongst all of the other fighting franchises out there, so hopefully enough interest is generated with this re-release to warrant a full blown sequel in the future. In the meantime, AM2 and Ryu ga Gotoku Studios have done a fine job with Ultimate Showdown, such that any fan of the series or fighting games in general should check it out.
Tetris Effect is a euphoric balance of intensity and serenity. Rarely do games manage either with stability, let alone perform both in concert. Tetris Effect's audio and visual assault is as powerful as its score-chasing quest for order and perfection, leaving the player overwhelmed with raw optimism and kaleidoscopic emotion. Tetris never required a sequel, but it now feels inseparable from Tetris Effect's compliment.
Taiko no Tatsujin: Drum Session! is a bright and cheery arcade drumming classic digitally packaged without the physical equipment normally used to play it, conceding a DualShock 4 as the solitary drum to bang across dozens of energetic pop anthems. It's a fun, albeit plain, rhythm game that you can imagine being even more fun with the hilarious drum controller that isn't included or available in North America.
Football Manager 2019 takes the series to a whole new level and finally brings in some long needed refreshment. What we have is easily the most accessible Football Manager in recent memory but one that can still many moons to master.
If you’re a newcomer or someone who has been engulfed into the franchise for a while you’re going to enjoy it.
GRIP: Combat Racing is a contemporary adaptation of Rollcage and its sequel Rollcage Stage II. This is a tremendous achievement for fans of Rollcage and a charming but narrow curiosity for everyone else. By splitting the difference between monument and movement, GRIP remains confident in its limitations.
The Double Dragon & Kunio-kun Retro Brawler Bundle is a quirky, cool, unique release that gives players a big dose of retro gaming including several titles that have never been published stateside.
Call of Cthulhu is an emphatic character sheet fed to a game deficient of opportunities for self-expression. Imagine if, instead of a dramatic exploration behind the power and poison of enlightenment, Lovecraft only wrote a flat outline. Call of Cthulhu is eldritch horror without emotion or agency, and its madness is entirely mundane.
While there is some fun to be had, especially in local multiplayer, the overall experience is more underwhelming than not. That makes this game very difficult to recommend to all but the most rdent kart racing or Nickelodeon fans. Even within those camps, who are more apt to overlook flaws with NKR, the experience leaves a lot to be desired.
Operation Nightfall is a welcomed addition to the Firewall Zero Hour family. It does bring more pros than cons but still needs a bit more love to truly get this on track to a perfect VR experience. It's getting there, especially if more updates like this are released.
Red Dead Redemption 2 is the perfect gaming experience, and what you were hoping for in the next iteration of the series. It has a rich story, deep gameplay, unrivaled visuals, and plenty of plains to explore.