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I had an absolute blast with Mortal Shell II; it's not only a competitive, difficult Soulslike, but it also brings much-needed, welcome updates to the genre. Come for the combat and the exploration; stay for the fun and brutality.
Metal Gear Solid: Master Collection Volume 2 continues the high quality established by the first collection in the series, though slightly slimmer in the content it offers. That being said, you'll be more than treated with a fantastic new version of Metal Gear Solid 4, and the handheld frays of the series to make for a whole tapestry that everyone can now enjoy, alongside the first volume.
Hell Let Loose: Vietnam has all the ingredients of a fantastic large-scale mil-sim, and when they come together, it's one of the most tense and satisfying shooters on PS5. It's brutal, slow, unforgiving and demanding, but that's exactly what makes getting good at it so rewarding. Unfortunately, technical issues currently get in the way too often, leaving a great game in need of some serious polish. For now, despite all these issues, I still think it's a blast to play.
Sure it's more than a bit janky, the combat is a touch simplistic and the visuals, despite Aspyr's generous sprinkling of 4K resolution and 60 frames per second goodness upon them, still feel rather dated. Yet despite all of that, Lord of the Rings: War in the North feels oddly refreshing with its straightforward sensibilities and design resulting in an action RPG that remains good, solid fun - especially with friends and represents good value at its budget, sub $20 price point. Overall, it's just nice to have a decent Lord of the Rings game doing the rounds again, don't you think?
Wild Blue Skies is mechanically fine. It's as tepid as you could possibly get for an on-rails shooter. Unfortunately, everything else is a pastiche of something that came far before, and is far greater in the grand scheme. Inspiration is a magical thing, but Wild Blue Skies shows that inspiration is only the first step in creating something new.
The Sinking City 2 takes a lot of obvious gameplay inspirations from the greats. While that part of the game isn't original, it doesn't need to be. Don't mess with success. It might not have the same level of visual budget, but it still works and plays well. Besides, the story and setting alone make The Sinking City 2 a must-play survival horror game. Combine that with what makes the modern Resident Evil games popular, and you have a great recipe for success.
Duskfade stands as nothing more than a competent pretender. There's nothing particularly remarkable here despite a few thought-provoking and alluring biomes, a decent premise, clockpunk USP, and some nice offensive enhancements for Zirian. You will enjoy Duskfade, though its ambitions are mostly encased in nostalgia and it can't tick along with the greats of the genre.
The latest in a long string of hits for Arc System Works, Marvel Tokon: Fighting Souls isn't just the next must-have tournament fighter for esports pros, but also an essential offering for Marvel and fighting game newbies alike. Put simply, this is the finest brawler featuring Marvel characters to date, period. Your turn, Capcom.
Halo: Campaign Evolved succeeds because it understands what needed to evolve and what needed to stay untouched. The new additions help modernise the experience, but the heart of Halo remains exactly where it should be. Playing through Master Chief's first mission on PS5 is a significant moment, but the reason it works is much simpler. Halo is still a brilliant shooter, and experiencing it with a friend reminded me why we need more games willing to deliver this kind of focused, memorable campaign.
From its incredible soundtrack to its fantastic combat and world, Beast of Reincarnation delivers an entertaining experience. Though I wish the game's story had as much flair throughout the 30-hour experience, there is just too much to love about Game Freak's venture into a more adult-themed world.
There are things about The Relic: First Guardian that I absolutely loved. The game's exploration also leaves something for you to find, and the game's combat is satisfying and rewarding. It's just a shame I had to suffer through major bugs that kept me from progressing or finishing quests.
If you're at all curious, then you should check out both Moss and Moss: Book II, especially now they've broken out of the confines of PSVR. Yes, both games are better suited to VR and are designed in a way that leans heavily towards the platform, but the adjustments made to bring both of these games to the PS5 controller are serviceable to the point you'll resist forking out for a VR headset and all those accompanying cables. Both Moss games are short, but don't let their length put you off as they're meant to be breezy and accessible for the average PlayStation gamer to enjoy. Don't miss these PSVR hits because now they can be enjoyed by the whole PS5 community.
Cultic at once feels it's much too similar to Blood: Refreshed Supply, and yet, it does enough differently to earn an easy recommendation. With a focus on much more deliberate atmospherics and thoughtful level design, not to mention an array of genuinely satisfying weaponry, Cultic is absolutely deserving of your hard-earned cash.
suspect that despite its strides toward something a little more conventional, The Mound: Omen of Cthulhu will still be something of an acquired taste for some, much like a great deal of ACE Team's back catalogue arguably has been. Sure enough it has a heap of jank and the combat isn't as satisfying as it should be, but The Mound: Omen of Cthulhu still represents the sort of resoundingly refreshing take on the extraction shooter that the genre continues to demand thanks to its brilliant use of madness mechanics that deftly elevate its online multiplayer experience.
Denshattack! is a triumph of a game, and manages to take inspiration and turn it into something far greater. A ridiculous premise is given the weight it deserves, ending with a game I can't help but love. While it might not scratch the itch of a 'true' arcade skater game, what is here is fantastic by its own merits. I only felt the game start to creak towards the very end, and I can't fault that when the concept was so obviously at the core of the vision. Nothing feels like fluff, everything is fantastic.
Bellwright works in a lot of ways. In particular, it allows you to customize your gameplay experience to better cater to your abilities. Plus, being able to just dig into a map and make it your own is a super cool idea. However, the problems embedded in the game's core make it a rather hard pill to swallow. Villager behavior, disproportionate time management, cumbersome building limitations, and unoptimized menu systems bring the game experience down. There's a fun game here, but you need to sift through a lot of frustrating limitations to get to that fun game.
Assassin's Creed Black Flag Resynced is a fantastic remake that adds meaningful changes and quality-of-life improvements that make an already stellar swashbuckling adventure an absolute must-have for PS5 owners.
I wish Echoes of Aincrad were what it was advertised as. It tries to stand out as what fans expect from a game based on the Sword Art Online franchise, but it fails to capture what makes the franchise special. Instead of focusing on its unique setting and world-building, Bandai Namco instead focused on trends and what they think people want in an Action-RPG.
The Adventures of Elliot: The Millennium Tales is a game full of potential, and I wish I could see more of that potential realised in this first entry. The HD-2D house style of Square Enix shines at its absolute peak, but it isn't given the story to deliver the best that it possibly can. Foundationally sound, and positively ripe for a sequel that blows us all away. This game is a humble beginning for a character that I really hope we see more of in the future.
Hollowbody succeeds thanks to its awesome atmosphere, spooky audio design, and rewarding exploration. Although repetitive encounters and clunky combat prevent it from reaching the heights of the genre's best, its strengths comfortably outweigh its flaws. Headware Games has delivered a memorable experience that captures the spirit of classic survival horror without feeling trapped by nostalgia. For fans craving an old-school horror experience on PS5, this unsettling adventure is easy to recommend.