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Last reviewed: K-Pop Idol Stories: Road to Debut · yesterday
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.
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.
Co-op is where Can’t Drive This truly shines. Bringing some frantic entertainment, cross-generation multiplayer, and adaptive feedback for acceleration – the only major PS5 upgrade — we just wish there was more to it. It’s also incredibly bare, and there isn’t huge variation between these modes. Unlocking new customisation options isn’t enough to keep you coming back, and though you’ll have a fun time with friends, you won’t be here for a long time.
Overall, this is a fast-paced, colourful, and nostalgic experience. It’s challenging while staying on the right side of frustrating, with a lot of fun to be had. Though you might not get much out of the story, you’ll still have fun clearing levels and beating time trials.
With its hand-drawn, off-kilter visuals, Mundaun turns even the most benign objects into something sinister. The act of actually playing it may not be a pleasure, but looking at it most certainly is. When the soundtrack crescendos and the hair-raising atmosphere takes hold, there's nothing quite like the menaces of Mundaun.
There are some parts that don't quite work. A fatigue system discourages you from prolonged excursions and can make things tricky, and the limited number of cards means you're rarely fully prepared to speak with everyone. Overall, though, we'd say it's a successful experiment, and a breath of fresh air among all the usual noise.
The maps are huge, and have points of interest to discover littered throughout. Really the only obstacle for enjoyment is your own patience and just how much time you’re willing to spend doing all the less-than-thrilling activities.
There's quite a bit to take in here, but the bottom line is Star Renegades is a solid rogue-lite adventure. It might struggle to concisely convey all its systems, but give it some time and there's a deep, challenging game to sink your teeth into.
For PS5, Monster Truck Championship’s improvements are technical, offering a 4K resolution upgrade and 60 frames-per-second gameplay. Unfortunately, there’s no DualSense support and previous PS4 owners don’t have a free upgrade. When backwards compatibility exists, we can’t recommend double dipping, but new players will find much to enjoy. This is the definitive edition, and if you enjoy monster truck racing, then this naturally comes recommended.
Mortal Shell: Enhanced Edition is undeniably inspired by the likes of Dark Souls, but that isn’t necessarily a bad thing. While the upgrade doesn’t fix every technical problem the original had, the PS5 enhancements are enough to make this version the definitive version of the game. If Demon's Souls didn’t scratch your Souls-like itch, Mortal Shell: Enhanced Edition is worth a try.
The biggest problem with the game is its length. If you storm through the eight main levels, you can breeze through in about five hours. With that said, there’s a selection of unlockables, mini-quests, and even a secret final level. It also offers the ability to replay past levels with new equipment. It’s a fleeting experience that stands out from the web with its humour, excellent sound design, and genuine laughs, frights, and thrills.
If all you want is a facsimile of Crazy Taxi that you can play without dusting off your old Dreamcast then Taxi Chaos just about fits the bill. But that's all it does. For anybody coming into this without the benefits of nostalgia or more money than sense, Taxi Chaos is just a dull arcade driver with precious little to offer other than the dubious pleasure of chasing a high score. Send this one to scrap yard.
Maquette is a fascinating puzzle game with a unique central mechanic. This leads to some super clever puzzles that will really test your grey matter. However, we can't help but feel that the concept's potential isn't quite fulfilled. Similarly, the story is pretty unique among games, but the execution just isn't quite there. Overall, it's an enjoyable experience that puzzle lovers should sample - just don't expect it to change the world.
While Neptune and her friends are just as enthusiastic and charming as ever, both the gameplay and story feels a little stale. It’s great that the developer has managed to seamlessly blend together real V-tubers with the ladies from Gamesindustri, but it’s a real shame that there’s nothing else that lifts this game above average.
While it's great to see The Sinking City return to PlayStation consoles, the PS5 version does little to make this worth an additional purchase for existing owners. DualSense support and shorter load times are nice additions, but performance and gameplay are still on the rough side. For newcomers, the lack of direction in particular can turn the engaging story into a backtracking slog very quickly. There's a great and engaging detective game buried here, but there are much better offerings out there to scratch your itch.
This is a challenging game. Despite enemies telegraphing attacks, their numbers can get the better of you. Combined with arena traps, hazards, and a lack of light sources, it can be rather difficult. However, with a parry, dodge roll, and your set of weapons, you're given plenty of opportunity to defend yourself. Combat really keeps you on your toes, and gives the game a quick pace that makes runs that much more addictive. If you want a dungeon crawler with satisfying gameplay and some unique ideas, this is far from a curse.
Persona 5 Strikers is a fantastic follow up to a beloved JRPG, carving out its own identity with an excellent action-based combat system. It presents the perfect excuse to hang out with the Phantom Thieves one last time, and does a great job of building upon the established characters and themes of its predecessor. While we doubt that Strikers will be remembered anywhere near as fondly as Persona 5, the game goes beyond expectations to provide a classy companion piece. A must-buy for existing fans.