Includes PushSquare
Last reviewed: K-Pop Idol Stories: Road to Debut · today
there's no denying that Age of Mythology’s gameplay can feel simplistic, which is ironic, considering how influential the series has been. Having played a bunch back in the day, the missed campaigns are appreciated, but we can’t see ourselves regularly returning to the well.
Dragon Age: The Veilguard isn't quite BioWare back to its absolute best, but it is the most cohesive and emotionally engaging RPG that the studio has delivered since Mass Effect 3. Its shift to crunchy action combat is an improvement over Inquisition's middle-of-the-road approach, and although the game feels a little light on meaningful player choice, the storytelling pulls no punches when it actually matters. This is a gorgeous and gripping adventure, backed by a cast of endearing heroes and deliciously devious villains.
Lucky Girl Syndrome. I originally intended to get real creative with my K-pop Idol Stories review. I had this idea of recreating my favourite girl group NewJeans and documenting the process, but after a few hours with this PS5 tycoon title I realised it didn’t really have the…
The little game that could. Denshattack is exactly the sort of bold, unique, over-the-top nonsense that was rife in the PS2, Dreamcast era, and I love it for that alone. This silly arcade action title revels in its bonkers premise and frenetic style, and it's impossible not to…
Just a good laugh (and fright). At first glance, Escape the Backrooms is just a cheap cash-grab to capitalise on the success of Kane Parson’s Backrooms movie. That’s certainly what I thought when I picked it up for a tenner on the PS Store. The graphics aren’t the best, the…
We might have been heroes. If you were there on day one of the PS4 generation, you probably bought Killzone Shadow Fall and Assassin’s Creed 4: Black Flag with the system. I also snagged Need for Speed Rivals and a PS Camera at the midnight pickup from GAME, then jogged back to…
Time's on your side. The worst thing about The Adventures of Elliot: The Millennium Tales is its name, so we're off to a pretty positive start. Square Enix's latest HD-2D jaunt is an action RPG, with its overall structure resembling classic The Legend of Zelda and Mana games.…
Embrace the jank. Gothic 1 Remake is an almost slavish reproduction of the original 2001 release developed by Piranha Bytes, an Eastern European open world RPG that was ahead of its time, notoriously hardcore, and seriously janky. Remade for a new era by Alkimia Interactive and…
Anything but a hollow experience. Over a decade since Yacht Club Games made its mark on the indie scene with Shovel Knight, the studio is finally back with its next big nod to retro games, Mina the Hollower. Instead of going the 2D platformer route again, Mina the Hollower lives…
The game's Bond, James Bond. James Bond is undoubtedly one of the most famous names in all of fiction, which is a pretty funny thing to be able to say for a secret agent. With a multitude of books, movies, games, magazines, and countless items of merchandise, the character, and…
The Abyss stares back. In response to an aggressive post-release patching schedule from dev Pearl Abyss, we’re giving Crimson Desert a second shake. With the game transformed from its 19th March release date, we felt it was important to revisit the title and provide an updated…
Luna Abyss is a AA shooter that holds its own against some of the elite of the genre. Its enticing and ominous sci-fi world is a delight to look at artistically, even if its muddy graphics let it down on closer inspection. Its story is fine, but a slick sense of progression keeps its action and platforming interesting from start to finish.
In some ways, Bubsy 4D is the best the series has ever been; the bobcat's wide range of abilities affords him a huge amount of freedom to move through levels with style. However, a fairly narrow focus on movement means other aspects suffer; enemies may as well not be there, and stages are static and sparsely furnished. The result is a good 3D platforming character stuck in a pretty bland 3D platformer.
A referential and joyful deep dive into the world of Batman, the latest LEGO effort from TT Games is elite brick gaming. Legacy of the Dark Knight just wants to be an enjoyable time, and it refuses to falter from that commitment. This new LEGO Batman will be some of the best fun you have all year.
Ridley Carpenter's The Alien. Taking the Supermassive formula and applying it to a mash-up of Ridley Scott’s Alien and John Carpenter’s The Thing was exactly why I was intrigued to check out Directive 8020. I’m a huge fan of both films, and the idea of having to decide whether…
Through utterly superb set-pieces, gorgeous visual design, and an impactful soundtrack, Mixtape crafts one of the most meaningful story games in a long time. It's beautiful to look at, a joy to listen to, and so enjoyable to play - altogether, Mixtape is a sensational achievement.
Perfect world. The irritatingly named Neverness to Everness – which I’ll refer to as just NTE for the purposes of my own sanity from this point onwards – has launched into a crowded genre on the PS5. Ever since Genshin Impact exploded during the pandemic, there have been several…