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Last reviewed: Mina the Hollower · 6 days ago
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.
Marathon doesn't have that instant fun factor and casual appeal that an extraction shooter like ARC Raiders does. And for a lot of people, that likely means it isn't the game for them. But Marathon is a game that gives more to you the more you give to it. With impeccable Bungie gunplay, a gorgeous world and artstyle, and a gameplay loop much denser than its competition, we think Marathon is something special. The more we play, the more we love it.
John Doe's unpredictability continues to be the highlight in a season that's seen Bruce Wayne's role become ever more important than the titular Dark Knight. While short, this is a solid episode that puts plenty of interesting plot threads into play, but with the finale around the corner, there's very little resolution – merely setup for that all-important fifth episode.
Floor Plan is a short but adequate puzzle game for PSVR, with an interesting elevator-based premise. That said, it's rather forgettable, has some irritating bugs, and a few of the puzzles don't make any logical sense. If you're looking for a game with lots of ups and downs, then Floor Plan certainly has you covered – however we'd recommend you wait for a sale before hopping in.
Assassin's Creed Rogue Remastered sits in a bit of an odd place. It's a good game on its own, but after the release of Assassin's Creed Origins and the major improvements it brought to the series, Shay Patrick Cormac's trek across the ocean feels outdated only four years after its original release. If you can stomach a return to the franchise's original formula, then the experience will be worth your while thanks to a compelling plot and excellent naval mechanics. But if you've grown tired of that recipe, Assassin's Creed Rogue Remastered won't do anything to draw you back in.
Between being a relatively traditional Japanese RPG, a kingdom management sim, and an advocate of real-time strategy, Ni no Kuni II: Revenant Kingdom could have easily stretched itself too thin, but developer Level-5 somehow manages to pull everything together and make it all seem worthwhile. This is a robust but accessible adventure that's stuffed with charm and character. A really fun combat system and gorgeous visuals top things off, making the sequel a joy to play. In a word, Ni no Kuni II is delightful.
Assassin's Creed Origins: Curse of the Pharaohs is a great expansion that does a fantastic job of bringing ancient Egypt's spiritual side to life. Channelling the creativity of a clearly talented team, the DLC breaks the series' historical shackles and provides a memorable adventure packed with cool boss encounters. Curse of the Pharaohs is right up there with the best that Ubisoft's franchise has to offer.
For newcomers to the mystery genre, The Raven Remastered is a fantastic game to whet your appetite. It'll take around 12 hours to complete - more if you want to be thorough and sit through its lengthy dialogue options. It comes bundled with a well-crafted story, delightfully bizarre characters to interact with, and just the right amount of puzzle solving to keep you satiated, though it's not the prettiest of games to endure. Its faithful marriage to 1960s crime dramas is apparent, and we had fun unravelling its mysteries from start to finish, twists 'n' turns alike.
On the title's tenth anniversary, Burnout Paradise Remastered is a timely reminder that – like Avril Lavigne – this arcade racer can still do it better than all of its contemporaries. Seriously, there's no other like it, so when's it going to sink in? The only real downside is that the pricing's stupid – what the hell is EA thinkin'?
Octahedron is an unconventional 2D platformer with clever level design centred around an innovative core idea. The controls are very simple but can take some adjusting, especially when your allowance of platforms changes from level to level. However, the stages introduce some great mechanics that make you use your platforms for more than just makeshift floors. If you're looking for a platformer with a difference, Octahedron offers up an accessible, intelligent, and challenging game with more ups than downs.
Beast Quest feels unfinished. Its graphical presentation is put to shame by many PS3 titles, and we're absolutely baffled how the experience doesn't even manage to run at a consistent framerate on the PS4 Pro. But even if these two aspects were up to snuff, the gameplay and plot are still below average. Beast Quest has very little to offer to even the most die-hard fans of the book series, and everyone else is advised to steer well clear.
A relentlessly entertaining experience with energy to spare, Tesla vs Lovecraft takes a comedic premise and crafts an addictive ride, filled with variety. Despite some sporadic difficulty spikes, this stands shoulder to shoulder with PS4s best arcade shooters.
Attack on Titan 2 is a much improved sequel and such a vast game - you can spend hours playing and it feels like there's still so much to do. Alongside some really solid gameplay, fans of the series will enjoy interacting with beloved characters, and while the storyline isn't going to offer anything new, you'll feel like a valued part of the fight against the giant menace.
Yakuza 6: The Song of Life tells a truly gripping tale – a story that blows most games out of the water. Combine that with a refined combat system and a new engine capable of making the game's world feel more alive than ever, and you've got a stellar Yakuza title. Although the experience does feel a little stunted in places outside of the main plot, this is still a fitting final chapter. Yakuza 6 is a gloriously dramatic send off for one of the greatest characters in modern gaming.
A dearth of tutorials and a lack of consistent narrative can hamper the early stages of Surviving Mars. But have patience and this city builder emerges as an entertaining and addictive experience with tons of replay value and a dark streak of humour.
QUBE 2 is an outstanding and enjoyable puzzle game that builds upon its predecessor in all the right ways, with a lengthier run-time, more complex puzzles, new elements and gorgeous visuals. Although not as innovative as Portal, QUBE 2 is a step above the rest in both quality and quantity and should not be overlooked.
The Council has impressive ambitions – even if its execution is not up to scratch. You'll already know whether its alternate history backdrop appeals to you, but it's the RPG elements that threaten to disrupt the narrative genre. We already like what this series is doing, but the writing and voice acting leaves a little to be desired. That said, this is a solid start, even if it is a bit too early to come to any conclusions about the overall story just yet.