Includes PushSquare
Last reviewed: Mina the Hollower · 5 days ago
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.
Wo Long: Fallen Dynasty is an excellent action RPG that offers an even more hardcore take on the increasingly popular Soulslike formula. It's fast, frenetic, and hits like a truck, with one of the most mesmeric combat systems we've ever had the pleasure to master. It might scare off more casual players, but those looking for a challenge, well - you can stop looking.
Zombie Vikings is a charmingly designed beat-'em-up, but it's ultimately a fairly shallow one. It's fine for a multiplayer laugh, and even single player has its moments thanks to the humorous plot, but it's only likely to amuse you once, before you leave it on your hard drive waiting to rot.
LEGO Dimensions has made a confident first step into the toys-to-life category, with its real-world models incorporated imaginatively during gameplay. It doesn't stray massively from the series' established formula, but it's a lot of fun as long as you know what you're getting into. And this is the biggest downside: the game's going to cost you a lot of money to get the most out of it. As such, you may want to check the price tag before passing through this particular portal.
An incredibly enjoyable action RPG, Dragon Quest Heroes: The World Tree's Woe and the Blight Below is easily one of Omega Force's most polished productions, as it oozes charm that's amplified by fantastic presentation. Combat is accessible, satisfyingly punchy, and hides depth at higher levels of play, while there's plenty of content to keep you busy after you've seen the well paced story through. Even if you're not a fan of Warriors-style gameplay, we'd still heartily recommend Dragon Quest Heroes to anyone on the lookout for a joyous jaunt in a lovingly made fantasy world.
Packed full of the charm and character that you'd expect from the series, Persona 4 Dancing All Night is a thoroughly entertaining rhythm game that could warm even the coldest heart. With an understandably focused choice of music, a large part of the enjoyment you'll get from this title will rest on how much you like its particular brand of upbeat audio, which admittedly won't be to everyone's taste. If, however, you're a Persona 4 fan – who also owns a Vita – then this is undoubtedly for you, and while it may not be the best example of the rhythm genre out there, it certainly has the most personality.
While its setlist does underwhelm in some areas, and the online multiplayer mode is not ready yet, Rock Band 4 still feels like the music platform that Harmonix set out to make. Career mode is deep, fun, and customisable, Freestyle Solos is an excellent addition, and the general gameplay maintains the awesome feel of the originals. The revival of this much-missed franchise may not be revolutionary, but it definitely hits a high note.
All in all, it's refreshing to see a title that focuses on trade and economics instead of battles and warfare. Grand Ages: Medieval shows assigning assets and constructing businesses can make for a compelling gameplay mechanic. With so few games in this genre available on the PS4, it fills the void adequately, providing an engaging experience that'll likely take up much of your time if you can get past the problems.
Transformers Devastation is a great example of how to take a licensed property and turn it into a quality title. While the game is a little on the short side, it's strong from start to finish. Generation 1 fans have every reason to be excited for this, as it's not only lovingly crafted but it's also a genuinely enjoyable game on its own merits. From its stunning visual presentation to its immensely gratifying combat system, this is worthy of wielding the Matrix of Leadership. We recommend transforming and rolling out to your nearest store to pick up a copy.
While there are small elements of all three bundled titles that have failed to stand the test of time, this is still a stellar trilogy, with stories and set-pieces that generally tend to better most modern games. Of course, existing fans will already know what wonders await them – but newcomers should brace themselves for 30 or so hours of solid gold.
Pumped BMX + doesn't really do anything particularly wrong, but it lacks that je ne sais quoi needed to keep its wheels going around. You'll happily bunny hop into this one for a few short sessions, but once you're done, you'll likely find yourself leaving this bicycle out to rust.
Saint Seiya: Soldiers' Soul isn't a huge improvement over the somewhat standard Saint Seiya: Brave Soldiers, but it remains a solid and accessible fighter that's fun in short bursts. While the simplistic combat won't hold everyone's interest, a lengthy story mode and countless unlockables ensure that there's plenty to see and do before your cosmo burns out.
Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 5 had the potential to be awesome. Instead, we're left with a game that's solid but is buried beneath so many issues that it feels like it's still in beta.
Although it's hard to pinpoint Samurai Warriors 4-II's true purpose, it's still a great musou title that carries on the spirit of the fantastic Samurai Warriors 4. Fans of the series who are up for more of the same can't go wrong, while newcomers will be safe in the knowledge that, in terms of gameplay, this is the best that the franchise has to offer. Rather than a reforged sword, 4-II is more of a secondary blade – and its edge is just as sharp.
With so much content on offer, both old and new, alongside its many accessibility options, it's still hard not to recommend FIFA to footy fans of all ages and skill levels.
PES 2016, while not being perfect, feels true to its title - it's an evolution. Master League has been revamped and fine-tuned into an excellent mode that only suffers thanks to the lack of licenses, MyClub is growing well and differs enough from Ultimate Team, and the gameplay feels refined and balanced enough to make every game a challenge but not a chore. Thanks to all of these factors, PES 2016 currently feels like it's in a league of its own.
When you come right down to it, NHL 16 is an improvement over last year's release in virtually every department. Unfortunately, that isn't exactly saying a lot.