Latest Reviews
Review Tales of Kenzera: ZAU (PS5) - Heartfelt Metroidvania on the Simple Side
Love never changes
There's something about playing Tales of Kenzera: ZAU that never feels quite right. Whether it's the slow, sluggish controls or frustratingly frequent one-hit kills, reaching any sort of flow state where you're vibing and jiving with the latest EA Originals title is nigh-on impossible. It's a very stop-start experience at odds...
Review TopSpin 2K25 (PS5) - A Killer Serve 13 Years in the Making
Ace
It’s been 13 years since PlayStation fans last got their hands on a digital racquet in the TopSpin series. In that time, we’ve jumped two console generations, and the industry has seen a massive shift towards the live service model. Put together, what does that mean for the series’ return in TopSpin 2K25? Good things, apparently, as Hangar...
Review Eiyuden Chronicle: Hundred Heroes (PS5) - Stars Align for Classic JRPG Adventure
Holding out for a hero
Every time you boot up Eiyuden Chronicle: Hundred Heroes, you're met with a dedication that reads: "With our appreciation to all JRPG fans", which we take as a declaration of intent. Hundred Heroes is a triumphant return to the golden age of esoteric PS1 JRPGs; equipped with a few modern conveniences but designed for an...
Review Final Fantasy XVI: The Rising Tide (PS5) - A Fantastic Sendoff for Square's Action RPG
Gonna need a bigger boat
The Rising Tide is the second and final expansion for Final Fantasy 16, adding another worthwhile chapter to the tale of Clive Rosfield. Only accessible near the very end of the base game, this DLC is designed to be something of a sendoff for the action RPG, providing a new storyline that brings additional weight to the...
He sells sushi by the sea shore
If Dave the Diver proves anything, it's that one shouldn't make judgements based on appearances. Not only does the loveable lead character exceed the expectations of his cohorts at every turn, but the game itself goes well beyond what it looks like. At a glance, this is a charming adventure about exploring the sea,...
Mini Review Planet of Lana (PS5) - A Gorgeous, Serene Platform Puzzler
Lana-ly planet
If you're looking for a quick and gorgeous game, one you can polish off in a couple of relaxed afternoons, Planet of Lana fits the bill. Previously an Xbox console exclusive, it's come to PlayStation now, and will speak to anyone who enjoyed the likes of Limbo or Inside. It's in the same vein, with a small and powerless protagonist...
Review Harold Halibut (PS5) - Great Style, Little Substance in Fishy Sci-Fi Adventure
Not always better down where it's wetter
Harold Halibut is a bit like visiting an aquarium for the umpteenth time — yes, it's visually interesting, offering a glimpse into a submerged alien world, but once the initial intrigue is gone, you're essentially on a long, and quite dull, walk. This narrative-focused sci-fi adventure starts off with a...
Mini Review Turbo Golf Racing (PS5) - Fun, if Slight, Golfing Game Is Worth a Little Drive
Driving range
Hugecalf Studios' golfing/racing hybrid title, Turbo Golf Racing, is a fun time. It's a wacky arcade game that sees you using cars to launch oversized golf balls through maze-like environments, taking many cues from Rocket League. Mechanically, Turbo Golf Racing is comfortable doing its own thing, with the golfing angle pairing...
Mini Review Moonglow Bay (PS5) - Fishing RPG Not Quite Catch of the Day
Hook, line, and stinker
Previously released on Steam and now ported to consoles, Moonglow Bay is a slice-of-life fishing game set in 1980s Canada. After a devastating loss, the protagonist must move on with their life and help revive the town they live in: a struggling fishing port. Obviously, as a fishing-based game, there's a large amount of...
Mini Review Freedom Planet 2 (PS5) - A Brilliant 2D Platformer Sequel
Move aside, Sonic, again
Sonic's influence on the gaming world has been well documented over the years, resulting in many attempts to recreate the 1991 classic's momentum-focused gameplay. In 2014, developer GalaxyTrail released Freedom Planet, an excellent 2D platformer that managed to invoke a similar exhilarating feeling with its emphasis on...
Review Planet Zoo: Console Edition (PS5) - A Tame But Charming Zoo 'Em Up
There is no Dana, only Zoo
Planet Zoo is at its best when things are going well. Some park building games thrive when they turn into disaster management sims and you're forced to frantically resolve crises before the whole thing comes crashing down like a house of cards. Planet Zoo ain't that. Sure, things can and will go wrong in the zoo you've...
Review Open Roads (PS5) - Mother-Daughter Road Trip Is a Leisurely Narrative Cruise
Driving down memory lane
Things haven't been easy for Fullbright, the company that most famously produced Gone Home back in 2013, a slice of indie narrative heaven that won plaudits. After the excellent (but less virally successful) Tacoma in 2017, it's now back with another long-awaited game, Open Roads — except, in fact, the name Fullbright has...
Review Grandia HD Collection (PS4) - Barebones Collection Bundles Worthy RPGs
Tough sell
Grandia HD Collection bundles together two classic JRPG adventures from the tail-end of the genre's golden age, a series that has long since fallen by the wayside. Grandia, initially released on the SEGA Saturn, would make its way to PS1 in 1999, and its narratively unconnected but mechanically superior sequel, Grandia II, first came to...
Review South Park: Snow Day! (PS5) - 3D Co-Op Card Brawler Is a Step Back for the Franchise
Let's Fighting Love
The South Park franchise has an eclectic history of genre choices, trying (and mostly failing) everything from FPS to kart racer. 2014's South Park: The Stick of Truth and its comic-book-themed follow-up redressed the balance with an excellent comedic spin on the old-school RPG. Now it takes another genre pivot, becoming the...
Review Dragon's Dogma 2 (PS5) - The Apex of RPG Adventuring
Dragon's godma
When you think of truly memorable open world games, it's hard not to picture the likes of Elden Ring and The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild. Both are ultimately shooting for different goals, but they share a deep appreciation for discovery. Their worlds aren't defined by map markers; they're designed in ways that push players...
Mini Review Slave Zero X (PS5) - A Brutally Hard Brawler That Oozes Style
Putting on a Shou
Slave Zero X serves as prequel to the cult hit Dreamcast game Slave Zero, but while their stories and universe are connected, they couldn't be more different. Set five years before the third-person shooter original, this new title is a 2.5D beat-'em-up, in which you don a biomechanical super suit as the vengeful warrior Shou is out...
Review Rise of the Ronin (PS5) - A Safe, Outdated Open World Game
A whole Nioh world
By trying to do so much, Rise of the Ronin feels like an inferior version of everything it's inspired by. With an open world populated by map markers and side activities, it’s a worse Assassin's Creed. With a historical Japanese setting, it's a worse Ghost of Tsushima. With a combat system that prioritises parrying, it's a worse...
Ballin'
MLB The Show 24 may not be the best-looking sports game on the market anymore, but San Diego Studio continues to lead the field by pushing the boundaries of the genre overall. This year’s release may feel largely familiar when you’re at the plate, but the expansion of narrative-based experiences in the Storylines section demonstrates how...
Review Alone in the Dark (PS5) - An Admirable Effort with One Too Many Flaws
The new nightmare
In spite of all its shortcomings, Alone in the Dark is a game we can't help but have a soft spot for. It's packed full of glitches at launch. The combat feels awful. It's not scary whatsoever, and the stealth sequences are dreadful. Yet, there's such a clear passion for the survival horror genre coursing through it that it comes...
Review Star Wars Battlefront Classic Collection (PS5) - Calamitous Launch Ruins Anticipated Return
Not like the simulations
When highly regarded games see a remaster, the quality tends to fluctuate between two extremes. You have the disastrous launches akin to Grand Theft Auto: The Trilogy - Definitive Edition, or you get the lovingly crafted, impressive remasters like we saw with Quake and Quake 2. Aspyr has been working its way through the back...
Mini Review Taxi Life: A City Driving Simulator (PS5) - Taxi Sim Stalls on Arrival
No es bueno
On paper, Taxi Life: A City Driving Simulator seems like a great time. Leisurely picking up fares in one of Europe’s most beautiful cities, Barcelona. Exploring and finding points of cultural interest, forming and customising your own taxi company — it all sounds like a relaxing experience, right? Wrong. While there’s no denying...
Review Hi-Fi Rush (PS5) - Xbox Gem Makes Its Rhythmic Debut on PS5
It takes two to tango
Hi-Fi Rush was easily one of the surprise hits of 2023, which just so happened to be one of the best years for game releases collectively. Despite not having the immediate chance to experience the latest creation by Tango Gameworks due to Xbox exclusivity, Microsoft’s recent announcement of PS5 support has finally enabled us...
Mini Review Outcast: A New Beginning (PS5) - A Rough Around the Edges Action Relic
We're sorry Ms. Jackson
Remakes, reboots, revivals. Whether it's a lack of fresh ideas, exploiting nostalgia, or an earnest desire to introduce a new generation to past glories, the entertainment industry loves bringing old things back. And we love old things coming back, too, as long as it isn't Nanna after she's escaped from the home again...
Mini Review Llamasoft: The Jeff Minter Story (PS5) - A Trippy Odyssey Through a Yak's Brain
Drama Llama
Part of its lovingly curated Gold Master Series, Digital Eclipse’s exploration of Llamasoft is a comprehensive and fascinating package. Essentially an interactive museum, Llamasoft: The Jeff Minter Story presents documentary snippets, archival materials, and, most importantly, the games. A truly singular voice, Minter has been...
Mini Review Contra: Operation Galuga (PS5) - Run-'n'-Gun Series Back to Its Best
Bill Rizes to the occasion
It's weird that Konami has taken this long to ship Contra: Operation Galuga, which is the classic Contra game fans have been asking for. After the damp turd that was 2019's Contra: Rogue Corps, the publisher handed the reins back to WayForward, the team behind 2008's Contra 4. Turns out that's all that was needed to get a...
Mini Review Akka Arrh (PS5) - Next-Gen Port Brings a PSVR2 Mode to the Table and Little Else
If it ain't broke
If the visual insanity of Jeff Minter’s wild Akka Arrh slipped you by last year when it released, you’ve got a fresh opportunity. We rather enjoyed our time with the PS4 version when it launched, so we were more than happy to dive back into a next-gen port of the vibrant, exhilarating retro title. The core gameplay experience...
Review Unicorn Overlord (PS5) - An Utterly Brilliant Strategy RPG
Follow the white horse
Vanillaware doesn't miss. We've been spouting that line for ages, but with the arrival of Unicorn Overlord, it rings truer than ever before. Following up on the superb 13 Sentinels was never going to be easy, but the Japanese studio has somehow manged to produce an equally excellent game three years later — and it's not even...
Mini Review As Dusk Falls (PS5) - Creative Character-Driven Drama
From dusk until dawn
Interior Night has taken pages from the books of Don't Nod, Supermassive, Telltale, and Quantic Dream to craft a choice-driven character drama with As Dusk Falls. The game's stylistic flourishes take time to acclimatise to, but it provides a unique tone and perspective that still stand out in a genre that’s becoming...
Mini Review New Star GP (PS4) - Refreshingly Modern Retro F1 Racing
Championship contender
New Star GP goes beyond a fitting tribute to SEGA's arcade classic, Virtua Racing. When tracks bear striking similarities to Interlagos, Silverstone, and more — never mind that you're fighting off-brand rivals like Michael Schildhauer and Niki Laube — New Star GP takes clear inspiration from Formula 1 to deliver a...
Mini Review Dragon Ball FighterZ (PS5) - Anime Fighter Is Still Godlike, Despite Dodgy Online
Your wish is granted
When Dragon Ball FighterZ first released in 2018 for PS4, it was hailed as one of the greatest anime fighting games ever made — and rightfully so. Crafted by the genre experts at Arc System Works, FighterZ was and still is a masterclass in how to adapt an existing franchise. The team-based brawler is both highly accessible on...
