Latest Reviews
Mini Review Darkest Dungeon 2 (PS5) - Road Trippin' Roguelike Not for the Faint of Heart
Highway straight to hell
Like its predecessor, Darkest Dungeon 2 is about making the best of a bad situation and enduring unspeakable horrors. Unlike the original Darkest Dungeon, it's a faster-paced roguelite meant to be played repeatedly instead of a traumatic, lengthy dungeon crawler. As massive fans of the original, getting over that fact was...
Mini Review Spy x Anya: Operation Memories (PS5) - A Cute But Repetitive Slice of Life
Elegant?
Mercifully, Spy x Family was never going to work as a cut-and-paste anime arena brawler. Tatsuya Endo’s laugh-out-loud slice-of-life manga sensation is effectively a comedy, and while it does have its fair share of spy action, you were never going to see expressive infant Anya flying across a 3D environment performing Kamehamehas –...
Mini Review Schim (PS5) - Adorable Platformer Doesn't Quite Stick the Landing
Beast of the shadow
Schim is a stylish platformer with relaxed vibes and a charming soundtrack. Its world is filled with the eponymous little critters. These adorable shadow frogs are the spirits of living things or objects, and everything that can make a shadow has one. The game follows one schim in particular, in this case one attached to a young...
Review Zenless Zone Zero (PS5) - Characterful Character Action Makes for Another Gacha Great
Gotta have Phaethon
Live service may as well be a curse word among some enthusiast circles, but Chinese titan HoYoverse has the model on lock. The company’s cringey corporate motto exclaims “tech otakus save the world”; in truth, it just wants to take over the world. Indeed, with the introduction of Zenless Zone Zero, its current cadence will...
Review The First Descendant (PS5) - A Mindless and Repetitive Grind
What’s the point?
In The First Descendant, Nexon's new looter shooter, each character has their own set of abilities and gimmicks. Bunny, the first one you can unlock, has to keep moving to charge up her electricity which she can then use to fire off attacks. She does more damage the quicker she runs, so you barely shoot your gun, relying instead...
Review Final Fantasy 14: Dawntrail (PS5) - Another Superb Expansion for an Excellent MMO
Dawn but not forgotten
Final Fantasy 14 is in a transitional period. The 2021 expansion Endwalker was effectively the finale to a story that began with 2013's A Realm Reborn way back on PlayStation 3. It was a sort of Final Fantasy meets Avengers Endgame; a story that capped off eight years, four expansions, and over 200 hours of story content in a...
Mini Review Spin Rhythm XD (PS5) - Superbly Slick Arcade Rhythm Action
Positive spin
Spin Rhythm XD feels like the cool younger sibling of rhythm classics like Amplitude. With its bright presentation and smooth, satisfying gameplay, this indie arcade rhythm title has both style and substance, always leaving us wanting to play one more song. Notes head towards you on a track, and you control a wheel featuring two...
Mini Review NeoSprint (PS5) - Simple, Fun Racer Isn't Always a Smooth Ride
Bumper cars
Sprint is Atari's latest retro series to receive a modern coat of paint, and it's arrived in the form of NeoSprint. This fresh spin on the publisher's old school racing game comes out of the workshop with a pleasant look and feel and some neat new features, but there are still a few spots that needed a little more attention. This is an...
Review Trails through Daybreak (PS5) - A Strong Step Forward for Falcom's Fantastic RPG Series
The Van with a plan
Kicking off a whole new saga in Falcom's storied Trails series, Trails through Daybreak represents a step forward for the franchise in so many ways. Boasting an updated game engine, fairly significant gameplay additions, and a completely new setting, this is probably the freshest that Trails has felt since the original Trails of...
Mini Review #BLUD (PS5) - Amazing Cartoon Aesthetics Elevate a Decent Action Adventure
Fangs for the memories
We'd normally refuse to review a game with a hashtag in its title, but #BLUD is ultimately worth writing about. This is a top-down action adventure with a superbly realised aesthetic, evoking strong Cartoon Network vibes. If you're a fan of the highly stylised shows that helped define the 90s and 2000s for many a millennial,...
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...
