Latest Reviews
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Review Fallout 4 (PS5) - Timeless Gameplay Loop Stuck in an Outdated RPG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...
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...
