Latest Reviews
Review Final Fantasy VII Remake (PS4) - A Successful Reimagining with Stellar Gameplay
Make or limit break
Republished on Wednesday, 13th July, 2022: We're bringing this review back from the archives following the announcement of July's PS Plus Extra, Premium lineup. The original text follows. Well, here we are. The time has finally come for us to review Final Fantasy VII Remake, and it's surreal. We vividly remember the official...
Review Assassin's Creed Unity (PS4) - Buggy French Open World Is Disappointing
Heads will roll
Republished on Wednesday 13th July, 2022: We're bringing this review back from the archives following the announcement of July's PS Plus Extra, Premium lineup. The original text follows. French publisher Ubisoft is on its home turf with Assassin's Creed Unity. With a sprawling recreation of 18th Century Paris to explore, the game...
Review Assassin's Creed: The Ezio Collection (PS4) - Return to Italy in Compelling Compilation
Three is a magic number
Republished on Wednesday 13th July, 2022: We're bringing this review back from the archives following the announcement of July's PS Plus Extra, Premium lineup. The original text follows. It's become somewhat of a regular occurrence for older games that had any degree of success to suffer some kind of re-release treatment,...
Review Assassin's Creed Rogue Remastered (PS4) - Sailing Spin-Off Brings More Stealth
Shiver me timbers
Republished on Wednesday 13th July, 2022: We're bringing this review back from the archives following the announcement of July's PS Plus Extra, Premium lineup. The original text follows. In retrospect, 2014 has to be considered as one of the most important years for the Assassin’s Creed franchise. As Assassin’s Creed Unity...
Review Assassin's Creed IV: Black Flag (PS4) - Ship-Shape Open World Pirate Escapade
Livin' the sweet trade
Republished on Wednesday 13th July, 2022: We're bringing this review back from the archives following the announcement of July's PS Plus Extra, Premium lineup. The original text follows. Ubisoft has outdone itself with Assassin’s Creed IV: Black Flag, as there’s more to see and do than ever in this exciting world of...
Review Syphon Filter (PS1) - Espionage and Intrigue Abounds in This Scruffy Cinematic Shooter
Gabe over
Game developers were still figuring out 3D controls when Syphon Filter released in 1999. Bend Studio, then known as Eidetic, were bruised by the critical reception to 1996’s PS1 platformer Bubsy 3D – and wanted to create something truly groundbreaking. Ultimately, both Metal Gear Solid and GoldenEye 007 deployed during the super-spy...
Review Ape Escape (PS1) - Monkeying Around in 3D Platforming Pioneer Is Still a Blast
You're good
Video games went through a super exciting period in the late 90s. The introduction of a third dimension, championed by the PS1, presented a broad new challenge for designers. How can you comfortably control a character in 3D? It's widely recognised that Super Mario 64 pretty much nailed it first try, but there are other games from that...
Review Matchpoint: Tennis Championships (PS5) - Unforced Errors Spoil Solid Gameplay
We don't love it
Tennis is one of the most popular sports on the planet, but publishers are having a nightmare capitalising on its potential. French outfit Nacon has already had a couple of attempts with the two Tennis World Tour titles – and the two Australian Open endorsed entries, AO Tennis – but now it’s the turn of Kalypso Media to serve...
Review Klonoa Phantasy Reverie Series (PS5) - No-Frills Remasters of Old School Platformers
It's-a me, Klonoa
Back in the late '90s, the platforming genre was going through a bit of an identity crisis. The technological heft of consoles like the original PlayStation meant that, for pretty much the first time, our gaming worlds could be expanded into true three-dimensional spaces. However, this meant there was a whole new dimension of...
Mini Review MADiSON (PS5) - Just Another PS4 Era Horror Game
Camera tricks
Outlast. Layers of Fear. Visage. Maid of Sker. Amnesia. PT. If you've played any one of these games, you've essentially already experienced MADiSON. Replicating the familiar mould of indie horror games released throughout the PS4 generation, very little sets the B
Review Hot Shots Tennis (PS2) - Bare Bones and Bettered By Its PSP Successor
You cannot be serious
Having taken control of the Hot Shot Golf franchise from Camelot in 1999, developer Clap Hanz proceeded to create five different instalments in the series – six, in fact, if you include the Japan exclusive Hot Shots Golf Online, which was used as a means to help flog the PS2’s Network Adapter domestically. Thus, in 2006,...
Review DNF Duel (PS5) - Explosive Fighter Is Impressively Easy to Pick Up and Play
It's time to DNF Duel
Taking popular free-to-play titles and transforming them into fighting games is becoming a bit of a trend, isn't it? Following in the footsteps of Granblue Fantasy Versus, DNF Duel is based on South Korean action RPG Dungeon Fighter Online. Its character roster is made up of playable classes from the source material —...
Review Arcadegeddon (PS5) - Rogue-Lite Multiplayer Shooter Offers Up Flashy Fun
You should be 'geddon onboard
Developer Illfonic has been gradually making a name for itself with licensed multiplayer games, like Friday the 13th: The Game and Predator: Hunting Grounds. However, the studio has yet to make something truly standout. Arcadegeddon is its latest effort, and while it lacks the appeal of a recognisable movie franchise,...
Review Hot Shots Golf (PS1) - Utterly Iconic Arcade Golf
Our cup of tee
Japanese studio Clap Hanz may be the developer best associated with the Hot Shots Golf series, which is also known as Everybody’s Golf in Europe. However, it was Camelot Software Planning that teed off the original entry on PS1 back in 1997. That team – having helmed the Shining Force series for SEGA throughout early 90s under the...
Review Cuphead: The Delicious Last Course (PS4) - Another Delicious Serving of Hard-As-Nails Action
A great slam and then some
It’s been almost five whole years since Cuphead finally burst onto the scene after years of development hell and delays. Cuphead took the gaming world by storm, followed by waves of merchandise, cameos in games like Super Smash Bros, a Netflix series, and even a kids meal at Arby’s. Now here we are at the launch of its...
Mini Review Tour de France 2022 (PS5) - Tactical Sports Sim Is Overly Familiar
It's two tired
While you may expect a title based on the historic three week, 3,000km Tour de France cycling tournament to be a little like a racing game, this adaptation is actually much more of a strategy experience. Those already familiar with Nacon and Cyanide’s biking excursions will know that, of course, as Tour de France 2022 is largely...
Mini Review Yurukill: The Calumniation Games (PS5) - Zero Escape Meets Bullet Hell Mystery Madness
Virtue's Blast Reward
Oh no. You've been convicted of murdering 21 people and sentenced to 999 years in prison. Now you've been kidnapped by a super-rich megacorporation so you can take part in a series of games against other teams and the ultimate prize will be your freedom. You're fitted with a collar that can inject you with lethal poison at the...
Review The Dark Pictures Anthology: Man of Medan (PS4) - An Unexplosive Opening
Until yawn
Republished on Wednesday 29th June 2022: We're bringing this review back from the archives following the announcement of July's PlayStation Plus lineup. The original text follows. Maybe it's just because our Dad let us watch Jaws when we were six, but we've always been skeptical of the sea. It's wet, and there's weird things in there...
Review Crash Bandicoot 4: It's About Time (PS4) - Madcap Marsupial's Return Is N. Sanely Good
Positive spin
Republished on Wednesday 29th June 2022: We're bringing this review back from the archives following the announcement of July's PlayStation Plus lineup. The original text follows. After Naughty Dog parted ways with Crash Bandicoot, it's fair to say the quality of subsequent games has been inconsistent. However, Activision finally did...
Review Wild Arms (PS1) - Distinctly 90s JRPG Still Sparks the Spirit of Adventure
A man and his rat walk into a ruin
Wild Arms is a classic Japanese RPG — a PS1 release from when the console was at the height of its popularity. Unfortunately, at least here in the West, Wild Arms was overshadowed by a little game called Final Fantasy VII, and the property — which would go on to spawn four somewhat divisive sequels and a couple...
Review Disgaea 6 Complete (PS5) - Once More Unto the Netherworld
A statistician's dream, a completionist's nightmare
Disgaea has always stood out among strategy RPGs due to the sheer spectacle of the thing. Ludicrous characters, absurd tactics, and insane damage numbers: it's a franchise that has always taken things to the next level. Disgaea 6: Complete, we're glad to say, continues that trend, and somehow even...
Mini Review Best Month Ever! (PS4) - The World's Heaviest Road Trip
Okayest month ever
Created by the Warsaw Film School’s Video Game Directing department, Best Month Ever! is the story of Louise and her biracial son, Mitch, living in 1960s rural America. Having been diagnosed with a terminal illness and told she doesn’t have long to live, Louise takes Mitch on a road trip for summer, promising him the best...
Mini Review MX vs. ATV Legends (PS5) – Scrap Metal
Legends never die, until they do
Since the end of the seventh console generation, the MX vs. ATV series has been foundering. Both of the titles to hit the PS4 were generally maligned, and things aren’t looking much better on the PS5. The main part of the game – races with dirt bikes, ATVs, and UTVs – functions as both a blessing and a curse...
Review F1 22 (PS5) - Another Solid Sim Racer, But Room for Improvement
Fit for porpoise
In some ways, F1 22 feels like quite a different game compared to its predecessor, though that's not a huge surprise. The current season brought with it some serious regulation changes, not to mention a drastically altered car model, so Codemasters had its work cut out in order to echo all that in this year's racing sim. On the...
Mini Review Fobia - St. Dinfna Hotel (PS5) - Hotel Hell Makes for Effective Survival Horror
Hotel Califobia
If we were reviewing the St. Dinfna Hotel for Tripadvisor, then it would be a bit of a mauling. Old fashioned décor, a serious damp problem, monsters, rubbish WiFi, and a smug receptionist that didn’t even offer to carry our bags to the room. We simply couldn’t recommend staying there. But here at Push Square, we’re in the...
Review Oddworld: Abe's Oddysee (PS1) - Dark, Bizarre, and Packed with Personality
Slimy, yet satisfying
Republished on Sunday, 25th June, 2022: We're bringing this review back from the archives following Oddworld: Abe's Oddysee's inclusion in All PS Plus Games. The original text follows. Originally published on Tuesday, 6th November, 2018: True to its name, Oddworld: Abe’s Oddysee is one of the oddest games ever created, with...
Mini Review Astro Aqua Kitty (PS5) - Retro Style Shooter Leaves Us Feline Good
Kitty kitty bang bang
Can deep water exploration as a cat possibly be more furr-tastic and wacky? Tikipod wants you to know that it can with its sequel to Aqua Kitty: Milk Mine Defender DX, Astro Aqua Kitty. Recently enhanced to take advantage of the PS5, Astro Aqua Kitty improves and expands on the original arcade shooter in every single aspect...
Mini Review Fall Guys (PS5) - Free-to-Play and Still a Blast Despite MTX Meddling
Free fallin'
Fall Guys exploded onto the scene in 2020, immediately rocketing to stardom thanks to its lovable jellybean characters, simple premise, and addictive structure. While enthusiasm for the 60-player party platformer has cooled, it's remained popular the last couple of years and Mediatonic has supported it well with multiple seasons full of...
Gaps in the Wonder years
In Retro Gamer Issue 124's 'A Westone Retrospective' feature, Westone co-founder Ryuichi Nishizawa stressed that he wanted to create a feeling of pressure for the player when developing 1986's arcade game Wonder Boy — the first of four retro games in Bliss Brain Corporation's Wonder Boy Collection, which compiles two...
Review Pocky & Rocky Reshrined (PS4) - Retro Revival Is More Reimagining Than Remake
Shinto fine
What if 1992’s cult Super Nintendo shooter Pocky & Rocky had been re-released for Sony’s more powerful PS1 console? That’s a little how Pocky & Rocky Reshrined feels at first blush: cute, colourful, and unmistakably retro, yes – but tapping new, previously unavailable power reserves to add Metal Slug-esque chunkiness to...
