Pumpkin Jack isn't going to blow your mind here in 2021, but if you're on the market for a few hours of Halloween fun, you can't really go wrong. A game that knows exactly what it wants to be, and delivers with confidence.
The Caligula Effect 2 has loads of cool ideas, but it's undeniably rough around the edges.
Design gripes aside, Nexomon is a decent Pokémon clone. It's a bit rough around the edges, but if you're hankering for a cheap and cheerful creature-based RPG, it's not a bad pick.
A weaker overall story and some serious pacing issues prevent Lost Judgment from reaching the excellence of its predecessor, but this is still a fantastic character-driven detective drama. Crunching combat and a frankly ridiculous amount of impressively in-depth side content make this one of the most robust Yakuza-style offerings ever - and that's more than enough to outweigh the game's often obvious flaws.
Tales of Arise went above and beyond our expectations.
With its heavy Fantasy Life vibes, there's a lot to like about Kitaria Fables. While the grind won't be for everyone, it's an accessible game that can eat up 20 to 30 hours of your time quite easily, thanks to its enticing mix of fighting, crafting, and farming.
Meanwhile, if you're just here to relax and create detailed island dioramas, Sandbox Mode is the way to go. Here, you can build to your heart's content without having to worry about score modifiers, switching islands at will. And it helps that Islanders is very aesthetically pleasing; there's real satisfaction to be found in the simplistic art style as you decorate each landscape.
Ghost of Tsushima: Director's Cut amplifies an already excellent open world game. The Iki Island expansion is worth the price of admission alone, providing another chunk of stunning Japanese landscape for Jin to explore, while also digging into the protagonist's past. A fantastic range of story missions and side quests make for a memorable offshore excursion, and put alongside the main campaign, Ghost of Tsushima now stands as a PS4 and PS5 must-buy.
A small range of unlockable augments do make things a touch more bearable, but Evan can barely activate a single skill before his implants start overheating and you're forced to stop what you're doing. We think Foreclosed is meant to be played like a run-and-gun, ability-popping shooter — but the execution misses the mark almost completely.
Assassin's Creed Valhalla: The Siege of Paris is another great expansion that fans of the base game won't want to miss. However, unlike Wrath of the Druids, the second DLC's strength is rooted in its adaptation of the old Assassin's Creed formula. Black box assassination missions are the stars of the show, where stealth and deception are brought back into fashion. What's more, the story's darker tone makes for some memorable moments.
It takes obvious cues from Pokémon and other genre classics, but Dodgeball Academia is a great little RPG in its own right. Packed with charm and boasting a unique dodgeball-based battle system, it makes for a thoroughly enjoyable journey to the top.
Omno clearly takes a lot of inspiration from the all-time great that is Journey, and often feels very similar in terms of gameplay pacing and overall tone. Omno never quite reaches the same emotional highs as Journey, but in some ways, it does actually build upon its predecessor's groundwork, offering more opportunities for exploration and player freedom. Even if you're just mulling around an area, interacting with strange creatures and soaking up the vibes, there's a lot to like about this lovingly crafted title.
As a complete Warriors package, Samurai Warriors 5 doesn't quite match up to its stellar predecessor, but that doesn't stop it from being fantastic hack and slash fun. Even if the gameplay itself is largely familiar, a rebooted story mode and overhauled art style give the experience a fresh and surprisingly unique feel. What's more, the new ultimate skills system is an excellent addition, and something we'd love to see become a Warriors staple.
Simply put, The Procession to Calvary is a great little game.
You'll have to get used to the combat system as well, which does feel very dated. It's not bad, but it's incredibly basic and, by today's standards, clunky. It boils down to running away from enemy attacks, and then running back into the fray to unleash simple combos. Special moves are available once your super meter is full, but actually landing them can be frustrating, since enemies can waddle out of the way while the animation plays. Again, it's clunky, but there are a range of weapon types to play around with, and companion characters (who can be controlled by the AI or a second player) add spice with their own abilities.
