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Sammy Barker

Writes for
Push Square logo
Push Square
Reviews289
Outlets1
Avg score68
Agreement100%

Reviews

289 reviews
EA Sports FC 252024
Push Square logo
Critic80/100
Agreement

EA Sports FC 25 is the best playing version of the annual soccer sim in quite some time, with more intelligent artificial intelligence and weather physics adding a layer of density and dynamism to the experience – albeit largely offline. To us, Ultimate Team feels like it's getting a bit stale, but we like the addition of Rush across the entire release, which offers something a little different for when you fancy a change of pace. And while the commentary and menus are below par, the overall quality of the presentation continues to be underappreciated.

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No vote recorded.
NBA 2K252024
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Critic70/100
Agreement

By daring to downscale some of the fluff, NBA 2K25 brings its focus back to basketball in a positive way. Improvements to the series' dribbling system and ProPLAY make this the best feeling hoops sim Visual Concepts has made, while the sheer density of different modes and features means you could play nothing else all year – and still never get bored. But the borderline insulting emphasis on microtransactions remain a thorn in this series' side, and something you simply have to accept if you want to enjoy everything else on offer here.

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No vote recorded.
Sunsoft is Back! Retro Game Selection2024
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Critic60/100
Agreement

Across the board, the emulation is excellent, and the package has been enhanced by beautiful 3D renders of the original Famicom cartridges, as well as artwork and high-resolution scans of each game’s manual. This is a well-done and loving bundle, then, but the games themselves are ancient and demand a very specific mindset if you plan to extract any actual entertainment value from them.

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No vote recorded.
Mister Mosquito2024
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Critic70/100
Agreement

But it’s this type of boundless creativity that many feel PlayStation is missing these days. Sony may have lifted the overall quality of its output, but it’s come at the expense of unbridled oddities like this; a game that, when considered critically, is barely above average – but ends up more memorable than the latest AAA fancy purely because of the sheer insanity of it all.

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No vote recorded.
Concord2024
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Critic70/100
Agreement100%

Concord is a clean and well-meaning first-person shooter, with no shady business practices to boot. Its lack of real identity is an issue, and it's difficult to determine just how much Sony is going to get behind it long-term. However, there's a polished and beautifully presented experience on offer here, with some interesting tactical team-building systems and sublime animations. Firewalk's debut may not be out of this world, but it's genuinely pretty good overall.

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No vote recorded.
Cygni: All Guns Blazing2024
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Critic70/100
Agreement

If you’ve been looking for a more modern take on Touhou, Radiant Silvergun, or any of the many other bullet hell shooters on the market, CYGNI: All Guns Blazing ticks the box. It’s fast, it’s frantic, and it looks frankly unbelievable at times. And considering it’s being flogged at half the price of most other modern PS5 titles, it represents relatively reasonable value for money, too.

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No vote recorded.
EA Sports College Football 252024
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Critic80/100
Agreement

The ten-year wait for EA Sports College Football 25 has been worth it, with its all-encompassing Dynasty mode likely to prove an obsession for some football fans. Great gameplay paired with a deep spreadsheet simulator makes this one of the most fun and fresh sports games in eons, and it's backed up by some stellar presentation, too. Ultimate Team feels superfluous, and Road to Glory could do with more time in the oven, but as far as comebacks go, this is one for the ages – even if it's mere existence is likely to bemuse practically everyone outside of America.

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No vote recorded.
Spy x Anya: Operation Memories2023
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Critic50/100
Agreement

But if you love Spy x Family, there’s still plenty to enjoy here. Exploring the Forger household, small as it may be, is unquestionably fun – and Anya is as expressive and amusing as ever, resulting in regular laugh-out-loud moments. It’s not a bad game, then – in fact, it’s something a little different in the licensed anime category. But it could have benefitted from a bit more variety.

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No vote recorded.
Horizon Chase 22022
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Critic70/100
Agreement

Outside of the core campaign, there’s online multiplayer with full crossplay, which should help to ensure matchmaking remains snappy across a prospectively small install base. Rotating challenges also offer new gameplay wrinkles and modifiers to keep things fresh in a very basic live service fashion, with cosmetic unlocks like paint and leaderboards available to keep you engaged. Ultimately, the game won’t hold your attention for too long, but you’ll be smiling plenty while it lasts.

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No vote recorded.
Stellar Blade2024
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Critic80/100
Agreement100%

Stellar Blade is a slick console debut from a developer clearly on the rise. With an ever-evolving counter-attacking combat system, some superb art direction, and a sensational soundtrack, this is the kind of back-to-basics PS5 outing that fans have been pleading for. A dire English dub and some trite story beats mean the studio still has plenty of room to refine its craft, but Eve's inaugural outing is largely excellent across the board, and destined to become a firm favourite among PS5 enthusiasts.

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No vote recorded.
MLB The Show 242024
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Critic70/100
Agreement

MLB The Show 24 tweaks an already sturdy foundation, with new defensive animations bringing the biggest change to gameplay. Its success as a compelling package largely stems from its single player additions, with the documentary-like Storylines mode starring Derek Jeter accompanying the second season of the outstanding Negro Leagues. The addition of female athletes to Road to the Show is sure to inspire an entire generation, while foundational favourites like Franchise and Diamond Dynasty remain at the top of their game, despite their underlying familiarity.

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No vote recorded.
Pinball M2023
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Critic70/100
Agreement

Pinball M exists to provide Zen Studios with a venue to explore more mature material, but launching several months later than the underwhelming Pinball FX, it also fixes a lot of core structural problems with its peer. This is a more cohesive, rewarding package overall – and the first batch of five tables are bloody fantastic to boot.

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No vote recorded.
EA Sports FC 242023
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Critic70/100
Agreement

FIFA 24 in all but name, EA Sports FC 24 is not the bold reboot many may have hoped for when the publisher announced it was breaking away from football’s governing body. But beneath the air of familiarity is another slick soccer sim, with some smart new additions like PlayStyles and Precision Passing which help stamp a bit more personality on a previously robotic experience. Additions to Ultimate Team bring flexibility to the game’s flagship mode, while the developer has been listening to its fanbase, and is slowly iterating on oft neglected areas like Career Mode and Clubs.

Read full review at Push Square
No vote recorded.