Latest Reviews
Bravo, Yade
It’s strange to think that Beyond Good & Evil was a failure on release. It was critically well-received but sales were poor, and it took years to gain a cult following. Now, it’s revered as a masterpiece, gathering a devoted fan base that still pines for the sequel that’s all but passed into legend. Developed by Ubisoft...
Mini Review Until Then (PS5) - A Genuine, Heartfelt Tale of Love and Loss
School's out forever
There's a bit in Until Then when our teenage protagonist Mark is looking at his mobile phone. He's just sent a text message to a girl he likes, and we just sit there, waiting. Nothing happens. It's been a while. Has the game crashed? Then we realise we're waiting because he's looking at the delivery note on the text message,...
Mini Review Megaton Musashi W: Wired (PS5) - Completely Overlooked Action RPG Is Worth a Shot
Mobile Suit Fundam
We've all been waiting years for the return of once prominent Japanese developer Level-5, but you'd be forgiven for being completely ignorant of its latest Western release, Megaton Musashi W: Wired. Thanks to what feels like a near total lack of marketing, this awkwardly named action RPG has sailed effortlessly under the radar —...
Review Elden Ring: Shadow of the Erdtree (PS5) - Familiar FromSoftware Brilliance
Into the Shadow Realm
In the past couple of years, developers have attempted to reclaim the term "expansion". Arguing there's a difference between traditional DLC and fully-fledged add-ons, the likes of Cyberpunk 2077: Phantom Liberty and Horizon Forbidden West: Burning Shores have been used as poster childs for the movement. Whether there really is...
Review Still Wakes the Deep (PS5) - Scottish Oil Rig Conjures Up the Horror Magic
Gonnae no dae that
There’s something special about a truly isolated horror setting. The Nostromo in Alien, Outpost 31 in The Thing, and the USG Ishimura in Dead Space. Well, you can add the Beira D to the list as Still Wakes the Deep crafts up a contorted setting, dripped in sea water, oil, and blood. Switching out the quaint English countryside...
Mini Review Monster Hunter Stories 2: Wings of Ruin (PS4) - A Monster of a Sequel and a Superb RPG
Bigger and better
The first Monster Hunter Stories is a fantastic RPG, held back slightly by the tech it was originally built for (the 3DS). But, its sequel, Monster Hunter Stories 2: Wings of Ruin, was released several years later and crafted for the Nintendo Switch and PC, and it shows in the PS4 version. After venturing out to gain experience as...
Review V Rising (PS5) - Addictive Vampire RPG Is a Slightly Awkward Fit on Console
The rising grind
Already a hit on PC through early access, V Rising emerges on PS5 as it enters version 1.0. This is an isometric action RPG not unlike Diablo, but instead of focusing on loot, this blood-sucking adventure emphasises crafting and building. It's an enjoyable blend of genres, but it's fair to say that the game struggles to show its...
Mini Review Monster Hunter Stories (PS4) - A Fantastic, Albeit Ageing RPG
What if the monsters were our friends all along?
Monster Hunter is bigger than it ever has been, after the huge successes of Monster Hunter World and Monster Hunter Rise. With Monster Hunter Wilds on the way, it makes sense that Capcom is finally bringing its JRPG spinoff of the series to PlayStation. Despite being almost eight years old and made...
Review Shin Megami Tensei V: Vengeance (PS5) - Combat-Heavy RPG Gets a Major Overhaul
Fiendishly tough
Shin Megami Tensei V: Vengeance is an enhanced re-release of Atlus' 2021 dungeon-crawling RPG, originally exclusive to Nintendo Switch, and makes its long-awaited debut on PS5 and PS4. It takes a great game and makes it even better with a slew of essential quality-of-life improvements, a glossy graphical upgrade, and a new...
Review Alan Wake 2: Night Springs (PS5) - A Short Yet Sweet Example of Remedy's Pedigree
Remedy has a (night) spring in its step
If you think Remedy Games is weird and wonderful, wait till you get a load of its episodic Alan Wake 2 DLC, Night Springs. After blowing us away with its horror sequel – one of the very few 10/10 games of 2023 for us – we’ve been dying for some more Remedy goodness. Now that it’s here though, is Night...
Review Destiny 2: The Final Shape (PS5) - Bungie's Promise Fulfilled
There was an idea
10 years ago, we booted up the beta for Destiny on PS4. It was an exciting time, as the possibilities of multiplayer on console were rapidly expanding into the territory of live service, a term that didn’t hold quite the same implications as it does now. There were bold claims of half a billion dollar budgets and decade spanning...
Mini Review Sushi Ben (PSVR2) - Uneven Slice of Life VR Title Has Style
Ben dreams of sushi
Sushi Ben is a relaxing VR title with immaculate vibes. As a newcomer to the quaint fishing village of Kotobuki Town, you find yourself intertwined with the fate of a beloved, freshly shuttered sushi restaurant. Offering to help the massively overworked owner, you set out to restore supply chains for food, interacting with the...
Review MultiVersus (PS5) - Fun Free-to-Play Fighter Is Finally Fit for Purpose
Warner Smash Bros
We originally reviewed MultiVersus back in July 2022 based on the version available at the time. This review is based on the latest version of the game available from May 2024. After a lengthy open beta, WB Games' free-to-play platform fighter MultiVersus went dark while developer Player First Games prepared it for a full,...
Mini Review Dragon Ball XenoVerse 2 (PS5) - An Insane Amount of Stuff in an Ageing Game
Not quite super
Still being updated and still being played by plenty of people, Dragon Ball XenoVerse 2 is a prime example of Dragon Ball's seemingly eternal appeal. The fighting-RPG is almost eight years old, and has just been handed yet another shot in the arm through this native PS5 port. It's even getting a brand new, four-part DLC saga over the...
Mini Review Horizon Chase 2 (PS5) - Around the World in 80 Revs
Just drive
Horizon Chase 2 is another rock-solid arcade racer from Brazilian dev Aquiris, and honestly that’s all you really need to know. We’re professionals, however, so we’ll elaborate: much like the well-loved Horizon Chase Turbo, this title takes you on a 200kmph tour of the globe, from San Francisco’s Golden Gate Bridge to Tokyo’s...
Mini Review Killer Klowns from Outer Space: The Game (PS5) - A Lacking Attempt on a Cult Classic
Not as silly as it gets
What’s so enduring about the 1988 comedy-horror movie Killer Klowns from Outer Space is its stalwart dedication to the bit. Almost every kill the klowns make refers to some comedy act or circus trick, from shadow puppets scarfing down a group of pensioners to a puppet show turning into a shootout. Unfortunately, Killer...
Review XDefiant (PS5) - Solid Shooter Does Little to Stand Out, But Still Has Potential
Needs to take the leap of faith on its own premise
The multiplayer shooter genre has been in an odd flux these last few years. Call of Duty just isn’t quite what it used to be, Battlefield 2042 missed the mark somewhat, and even Apex Legends has dipped in interest as it cruises into its 21st season of content. This is where a crop of new kids on...
Review System Shock (PS5) - A Faithful Remake That's Showing Its Age
Systemically shockless
They just don’t make ‘em like they used to, huh? 30 years since its launch on PC, the holy grail of immersive sims, System Shock, has made its way to PS4 and PS5 with this slick remake. This is the first opportunity us PlayStation players have had to check out the game that inspired the likes of PREY, Deus Ex, and...
Review Indika (PS5) - A Bleak, Beautiful, Bewildering Rumination on Faith and Free Will
My anaconda don't want none unless you got nuns, hun
Indika is a game of wild contradiction. It's compelling, thoughtful, and ambitious, but also tedious, rote, and derivative. It's the sort of video game that ruminates on the nature of devout faith, free will, guilt, shame, temptation, and morality, and then asks you to solve boring box puzzles...
Mini Review Paper Trail (PS5) – Unique Origami-Style Puzzles Set in a Gorgeous World
Fold the line
Paper Trail is a puzzle game which takes a simple premise, folding and unfolding paper, to create a unique experience. You play from the perspective of Paige, a young woman who leaves home to pursue her academic dreams whilst meeting some weird and wonderful characters along the way. One of the first things you’ll notice about Paper...
Review Braid, Anniversary Edition (PS5) - A Gorgeous Revisit of an Indie Classic
Back and back and back again
It feels oddly surreal to be reviewing a classic like Braid in the year 2024. If one were to rewind back to 2008 when it first released onto Xbox Live Arcade, the video game landscape would look far different than it does today. Braid, alongside other indie classics like Super Meat Boy and Fez, reshaped the entire indie...
Mini Review Animal Well (PS5) - Mysterious Metroidvania a Pure Puzzle Box on PS Plus
Deeper and deeper
Animal Well tells you almost nothing. This retro-styled puzzle platformer is bursting with layers and layers of secrets, and it leaves you to pick it all apart in some of the most purely explorative gameplay we've experienced in a while. After emerging from a flower, you play as a small blob, able only to run and jump. You're...
Mini Review Imagine Earth (PS5) - Forge a Better Future in Cosy Yet Challenging City Builder
Pollution solution
Have you ever dared to dream of a better world? Imagine Earth makes one possible, but the road to paradise is far from straight. This planetary city builder offers a charming aesthetic with deceptively difficult gameplay that's sure to delight players who want a less cosy experience. Marrying its environmentalist themes with the...
Mini Review Crow Country (PS5) - Brilliant Retro Horror Wears Its Influences on Its Sleeve
Prepare to eat crow
Developed by SFB Games, survival horror adventure Crow Country sees you playing as Mara Forest, a young woman hell-bent on finding the now-missing Edward Crow, enigmatic owner of the recently-shuttered Crow Country amusement park. The game has a wonderful retro graphical style that evokes the likes of PS1 classics Resident Evil...
Review Fallout 4 (PS5) - Timeless Gameplay Loop Stuck in an Outdated RPG
Radioinactive
Nearing a decade after its original release, Bethesda has ported Fallout 4 to PS5, promising the kind of improved technical performance that you'd expect from a generation-jumping upgrade. But does the once highly-rated, open world RPG still hold up in 2024? That's a surprisingly difficult question to answer. Some would argue that...
Review Sea of Thieves (PS5) - Xbox's Multiplayer Pirating Is Swashbuckling Fun with Friends
It's a pirate's life for us
Sea of Thieves has finally dropped its anchor in PS5 waters, bringing with it years of content updates, quality of life improvements, and some of the best-looking water in a video game. But is this now former Xbox exclusive still worth playing six years after its initial launch? And how friendly is it to newcomers like...
Review Another Crab's Treasure (PS5) - Undersea Soulslike Is as Good as It Is Buggy
Giant enemy crabs
Another Crab's Treasure might not look like a soulslike action RPG, but it is one. Take out the dark, oppressive nature of FromSoftware's output and replace it with SpongeBob, and you're more or less there. Purposely juxtaposing the established tropes of the genre, this title offers a fresh, more lighthearted experience without...
Review Sand Land (PS5) - Open World Adaptation Is a Demonic Delight
Tanks for the memories
Originally published all the way back in 2000 as a standalone manga, it's strange, but not unwelcome, to see Sand Land be revived as both an anime series and a video game almost a quarter of a century later. Authored by the late and legendary Akira Toriyama, Sand Land is an incredibly charming story about a post-apocalyptic...
Review Stellar Blade (PS5) - A Stellar PS5 Debut Destined to Become a Fan Favourite
Would you Adam and Eve it?
Debuts don’t get much stronger than Stellar Blade. Korean developer Shift Up – already financially flush from the success of its saucy smartphone gacha NIKKE: Goddess of Victory – has chosen the path of most resistance, turning its hand to AAA territory with this rambunctious action-adventure outing. Despite the...
Review Grounded (PS5) - Little Bites Pack a Big Punch
A backyard filled with things to do
As we continue to see walls being torn down between platforms, more people are getting exposed to former exclusives than ever before. On the PlayStation side, we're getting our first look at Grounded, formerly only available to Xbox and PC players for the last four years. If you're not in the Xbox ecosystem, you...
