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Last reviewed: Palworld · 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.
To describe Alienation as a spiritual successor to Dead Nation is a misnomer – this is a far bigger, deeper game, pulling in elements from RPGs and dungeon crawlers to great effect. The gorgeous visuals and addictive, tactile combat make this a feast for the eyes, with intense action never more than a few seconds away. Grabbing loot and fighting off aliens in co-op is stupendous fun, and the game opens up in meaningful ways the more that you play. If you're looking for some high-octane, arcadey action with a fiendishly gripping gameplay loop, then this comes highly recommended.
Unlike its real-life counterpart, Eclipse isn't anything to get excited about. While the Verge and Knockout multiplayer maps have a lot of personality and are excellent fun, Rift and Spire are pretty dull. As for the zombie map, Zetsubou no Shima will prove rewarding for any dedicated Easter egg hunters and secret scavengers, but it's lost the heart of what CoD Zombies is all about, and it'll put many a player off. It's not a bad DLC – you just won't love it to (or)bits.
Enter the Gungeon is another in a long line of fantastic roguelikes. Its razor sharp twin-stick gunplay, huge variety of passive and active weapons, and clever world building make it an absolute joy to sink countless hours into. The lack of leaderboards or a daily run mode is a frustrating oversight, but you'll be too busy running, gunning, and dodge-rolling your way through its many caverns to notice or care.
KOI is a game that knows how to push your buttons. It draws you in with its beautiful soundscape and enchanting premise, but then takes you through an often shallow experience with some frustrating moments that discord with its otherwise serene exterior. It's a game which seems far more suited to mobile play than console, where longer play sessions highlight its lack of depth. It has moments of beauty, and comments on larger, prominent ecological issues – but ultimately feels like a missed opportunity.
Pang Adventures is a thoroughly retro arcade game that offers addictive bubble-bursting fun in a modestly sized package. The gameplay is compelling enough to keep you playing for a few hours, but whether its trio of modes provide much replay value is another matter. It's certainly worth a look if you have an old-school itch that needs scratching, and fans of the original game will be pleased with just how faithful Pastagames has been to that decades-old formula.
Coming from the mind of a Sound Shapes developer, you can really see the influences in LOUD on Planet X; the quirky, minimalist style, the simplicity of its gameplay, and the excellent soundtrack all echo its spiritual predecessor. Yet Pop Sandbox's console debut does plenty to distance itself from its competitors, and its blend of beats and battles makes it a must for any rhythm game fan and a good place to start for those who aren't. Simply put, this'll strike a chord with anyone.
We have to assume that Stories: The Path of Destinies just isn't optimised nearly as well as it should be on the PS4 – and that's an absolutely massive shame, because this is otherwise one of the most charming, original, and enjoyable indie titles available on the system. Branching storylines, cool combat, and rewarding RPG elements work in tandem to form a memorable adventure, but one that needlessly stumbles and falls over various technical issues. This certainly isn't the true ending that we were hoping for.
Games based on movies have a pretty poor reputation on the quality front, however Ratchet & Clank emanates class in so many aspects that even referring to it as a movie tie-in sells it short. If you've never had the pleasure of enjoying this series' brand of third-person blasting before, then this is the perfect chance to see just why the property has remained popular for over a decade. Meanwhile, if you're already a fan, then this remake is a truly worthy entry in the franchise, and while it doesn't do anything particularly new of note, it's a greatest hits compilation so compelling that you won't want to skip it.
Fresh and frantic, Stikbold! A Dodgeball Adventure is a pleasant surprise, with moreish multiplayer and a beguiling, unique style that sets it apart in a crowded genre. Slight performance hiccups crop up when matches get too busy, but they're rare, and you'll be having too much fun to really notice. A couple of extra modes or online multiplayer would've made this easier to recommend, but it's fun, snappy, and full of character nonetheless, and if you're looking for a little light-heartedness in your multiplayer gaming sessions, don't dodge this.
While its competitor MLB: The Show swings for the fences, R.B.I. Baseball 16 is happy to bunt this year round – and that's okay. The controls are easy to pick up, the games are short and sweet, and the simplicity of it all is what makes this year's edition appealing to casuals. Still, its lack of innovation and modes mean that the title gets to second base – but not much further.
Minecraft: Story Mode - Episode 5: Order Up! is the strongest individual episode in this series thus far. We say individual, because this is essentially a soft reboot of the season. Telltale's typical chapter-based story format just didn't work this time out, so an extended series of self-contained narratives may be the change that this spin-off needs. If these individual stories can maintain the level of intrigue in this instalment and build upon it, then we're interested to see what lies ahead. Until then, however, we remain sceptical – after all, the track record of this series isn't exactly on Telltale's side.
Dark Souls III is another triumph of the imagination for From Software, a studio which surely now must rank as one of Japan's leading talents. The company's Souls series has a near-flawless track record and after the cult nature of Demon's Souls has thankfully found a large and receptive mainstream audience – not bad for a franchise which delights in being obtuse and hair-pulling tricky in equal measure. Dark Souls III is arguably the most accomplished entry yet, refining the core mechanics and cunningly utilizing next-generation hardware to excellent effect.
DiRT Rally is the purest and most visceral rally game in a long, long time: it's a constant knife edge experience of risk and reward, trial and error, concentration and sweet, sweet progress. This simulation comes highly recommended to both rally and racing fans everywhere.
While Nights of Azure is an enjoyable enough ride, it doesn't really possess anything that makes it worth investing a large amount of time in. A lot of the game's extra components, like the inclusion of merchant trading, seem sloppy and poorly thought out, offered as a mere distraction from the rest of the release. Luckily, it's fairly easy to power through combat and see out the story, and doing so is reasonably satisfying, if not a little repetitive at times.
Assault Android Cactus is a very well-polished, entertaining arcade twin-stick shooter. Its only prickles come in the form of some poor level design, occasional difficulty spikes, and a little too much repetition. If you cast these issues aside, what you're left with is a short but sweet experience that's perfect for some competitive couch co-op with your friends.