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Clive Barker's Hellraiser Revival is a frustrating experience, as for every one thing it does really well, it does two things that will annoy the life out of you. Part of me was willing to see past the jank, as you have a pretty niche horror title coming to life in a new medium, and I certainly respect it for giving it a go.However, too often its design choices would irritate me, hold me back from progressing, or just straight up make me not want to play. While it's got little sparks of something special in there, Hellraiser: Revival is more pain than pleasure.
I don't think a game has ever divided my brain in two like Order of the Sinking Star. Its unique structure and the way it blends together so many mechanics is great, the individual puzzles are cleverly and thoughtfully designed, and it's all delivered with plenty of polish.However, in making such a vast game, I think it runs out of steam before it gets the chance to really start to flex. That, combined with uninteresting dialogue and no real compelling hook (other than the promise of hundreds more puzzles), makes it harder to recommend.
Dragon's Dogma 2: Dark Arisen is often Capcom's open world RPG at its absolute peak. It's one hell of a meaty expansion, delivering a surprisingly involved story, joyous exploration, and deeply compelling combat. A transformative DLC.
Overall, if you've never played the series, Kingdom Hearts Collection I~III is great value, but for those of you who've already sunk an absurd amount of time into Sora's Disney-filled adventures, it's harder to recommend.
Dune: Awakening doesn't do anything that other survival games haven't already. You've got so much to pick from these days, including Valheim and RuneScape: Dragonwilds, both of which just dropped on PS5 this year.However, if you're into Frank Herbert's sci-fi universe, Dune: Awakening has the edge. Every craftable item feels informed by the lore, delivering a survival experience that, despite its complexity, just makes sense.With multiplayer and the new single-player modes to choose from, you can craft this experience to fit your playstyle. There's never been a better time to play Dune: Awakening.
Star Wars: Galactic Racer is a thoughtfully designed triumph. The excellent handling and eye-popping presentation would be enough to recommend the game alone, but I also love its buildcrafting aspects and roguelite campaign.With a breathtaking sense of speed and planets that demand you think differently about your approach, this is one of the better racing games available on the PS5.I think the release could be a little quicker at getting you behind the wheel, and of course more planets would always be appreciated. But minor nitpicks aside, I really can't recommend this highly enough.
Echoes of Sekigahara isn't the barnstorming, endgame expansion that you may be expecting - but it is another emotionally-charged and enjoyable chapter in Atsu's story. But what really sells this re-release is Most Wanted; the new combat-focused roguelike mode is an absolute treat for anyone who likes to cross swords in Sucker Punch's samurai epic.Ghost of Yotei: Complete Edition earns an easy recommendation if you're yet to dip into the base game, but even if you're coming back for more, there's enough reason here to rejoin Atsu on her blood-soaked journey.
End of Abyss is a moody and cinematic metroidvania with a tantalisingly dark sci-fi world, tactile twin-sticks combat, and a scintillating brain-teaser of a map. It's brutally hands-off at times, but it makes the moments when you figure it all out all the more satisfying. Some bugs do taint the experience a little, but End of Abyss is a gorgeous horror-tinged must for metroidvania fans.
I think revisiting an old Dynasty Warriors title like this is sure to satisfy the nostalgic cravings of most fans — but even with the modern additions, this deliberately old-school action game can feel like a slog at times.
The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt Remastered enhances a title that was already a masterpiece, bringing it more in line with modern releases. It smooths out a lot of rough edges that remained in 2022's Complete Edition.
Train Sim World 7 is a difficult game to review, because taken on its own merits it's clearly the most robust railway simulation Dovetail has released. But if you're coming from last year's Train Sim World 6, the differences are so minor that I could only really recommend it based on whether you want to play any of the new routes or not.The twist is that a free Starter Edition is available for existing players, and you can just import all of your existing content into this, so you may as well upgrade. As such, it's hard to criticise the dev too heavily here.Personally, I like the Airedale & Wharfedale route more than I expected, and I do think the additions like the live weather and tannoy announcements make a big difference to the bundle's overall immersion. I'm excited to see a few new countries join the release roadmap as well.
Ace Combat 8: Wings of Theve is the most sure-footed the series has ever been, confidently refining its punchy aerial gameplay and doubling down on a more cinematic story. While there are some wobbles here and there, the much improved presentation, charming character performances, varied campaign, and deeper multiplayer experience offer up a sequel that makes a textbook landing.
Returning to the tried and trusted formula of the series' roots, Silent Hill: Townfall is a more traditional entry in the horror franchise that succeeds most when replicating what's come before it. The new Scottish setting is a standout, but its other new elements are a disappointment. Silent Hill: Townfall won't go down as a classic. However, there's still more than enough for returning fans to love.
Control Resonant is an impeccably confident and tantalising sequel that has all the hallmarks of a Remedy classic. It's endlessly stylish and playful; it looks gorgeous, especially on the PS5 Pro, and it manages to address many of the woes that I had with the original Control.Repetitive combat is the big hitch, however, holding the game back from true greatness. Ultimately, though, it's not enough to overrule all that Remedy is doing right with this sequel.
Direct sequels simply don't get much better than Trails in the Sky 2nd Chapter. With its already excellent predecessor setting the stage, this brilliantly heartfelt RPG is free to tell an outstanding character-driven story.
The extensive cat breeding system and the impressively deep, strategic turn-based combat make for a unique, addictive gameplay loop. Presented and polished with stylish art and music, it's the complete package.
Marvel's Wolverine ends the open world streak at Insomniac for an intentional and linear superhuman title that revels in its gory, intense combat system. The campaign structured around it can be overly restrictive and the story quite dull, but as a mission guides you from one fight to the next, it lets the bloodshed do the talking. With superb visuals, amazing character performances, and nice location variety, Marvel's Wolverine sheds its flaws for an endlessly enjoyable superhero experience.
No More Room in Hell 2 is an immersive and tactile FPS experience that revels in the slow-paced dread and somehow makes each interaction with a zombie feel dangerous. I’d love to love it more, but clunky controls and overwhelming UI make for a rough-around-the-edges console port.
Sprawl Zero is a great time if you’re looking to just kick back and shoot some bad guys. It won’t win any awards, and it certainly doesn’t break the mould, but it’s simple yet satisfying. It controls brilliantly, and it’s a lovely hit of shooter nostalgia.
Aliens: Fireteam Elite 2 is a massive letdown of a sequel. At times it teeters on the so-bad-it's-good territory, with references for fans of the series and some admittedly decent customisation. But it does little to amplify what's at its core: a half-arsed co-op tie-in that, bafflingly, lacks any of the charm that the first game had.