Includes PushSquare
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.
Roger Ebert once famously opined that video games are not art, and Ghostbusters is Exhibit A for his case. This is not art. It barely qualifies as a game. Sure, it's not broken like some games are. It's functional. It works. But there's no risk, no ambition, and not a trace of anything resembling the personality of the Ghostbusters movies or cartoons. This is a game that seems like it was made with the specific purpose of tricking parents who don't know any better into buying it for their kids.Who ya gonna call? The Samaritans, probably.
Song of the Deep has a big heart, and is a fun, uncomplicated game that players of all ages will enjoy. The abilities are fun to use, the gameplay is mostly solid, and the presentation really won us over. Exploring this lush seascape, solving simple puzzles, and experiencing the sweet story – this is where the game excels. It contains most of the established rules and trappings of a Metroidvania, and is one of the easier games that we've played recently, but this isn't necessarily a bad thing. Sometimes, it's nice to play a game that doesn't ask too much of you, one that allows you to relax and simply enjoy being in its world. If you can forgive its technical hiccups and learn to adapt to its loose controls, you'll have a whale of a time.
While two of the multiplayer maps ultimately let it down, Descent is Black Ops III's best DLC so far, thanks to the sheer madness and fun-factor of Gorod Krovi, one of the series' best Zombies maps. Empire and Berserk are also great additions to the multiplayer, adding their own individual styles to a once-monotonous selection of maps. Contrary to the expansion's title, Descent has ascended to the top of the Season Pass' pile.
Sporting a varied campaign that's bolstered by satisfyingly weighty gameplay, Assault Suit Leynos is a good way to enjoy a hardcore classic. It isn't especially friendly to newcomers and at times its overwhelming mission design can be a burden, but it still stands strong as a solid mech shooter that'll put your piloting skills to the test – even 26 years after its original release.
Grand Kingdom is a strong tactical title that will ignite your inner sellsword. Some minor difficulty spikes can't upset the entertaining strategy action being served up here, and with tons of content on offer, this is a game that you could potentially still be playing this time next year.
Lost Sea comes painfully close to being a great experience. In theory, it features tense combat, satisfying exploration, and infinite worlds to explore. In practice, however, its combat is fun but shallow, its exploration is extensive but tedious, and its world is beautiful but repetitive. Most intolerable of all, though, is its stymieing lack of a save feature. A pleasant visual style and an interesting premise don't make up for this dull and disappointing gameplay.
Where The Banner Saga stands head and shoulders above most other role-playing games is that the world created by Stoic Studio here feels truly on the precipice of collapse. So often when we play role-playing games we're given a rag-tag band of heroes who must join together to overcome a seemingly insurmountable threat. But for all the apocalyptic histrionics of games like Skyrim, Persona 4, or one of many Final Fantasy titles, there's always amusing side-quests to take part in or brief moments of levity to break up the tension. The Banner Saga 2 is a story about the end of the world, and few games do a better job of constantly reminding you of that fact.
It looks great and it's bursting with appreciation for the source material, but JoJo's Bizarre Adventure: Eyes of Heaven just can't detach itself from its disappointingly shoddy gameplay. Fun for a few bouts now and then, this is a brawler that doesn't quite do the original work justice - even if its nicely crafted story mode will keep fans entertained for at least a few hours.
A blend of Spider-Man and Tony Hawk, Energy Hook is the kind of old-school Activision-inspired outing that any millennial should be able to enjoy. Unfortunately, the execution's just not there, and cumbersome controls coupled with some real lousy presentation mean that this is a swing and a miss we're sad to say.
LEGO Star Wars: The Force Awakens is quite possibly the best LEGO game yet – but it still has a smattering of old issues. Its compelling story cinematics, laugh out loud humour and perfectly balanced mix of conundrums and combat make it an absolute blast to play. However, it still suffers from the occasional AI hiccup and could do with the character abilities being refreshed.
Asemblance delivers an intriguing narrative based around a time looping mechanic, and makes a lot out of very little. The game may not have many environments to explore, but each one is carefully layered and crafted to allow the story to emerge at whatever pace you're able to keep up with. It helps that the title has genuinely interesting – and, oftentimes, unnerving – ideas, which, when paired with the menacing music, makes for an engaging experience.
Just because it employs the same font as a competing title doesn't mean that Professional Farmer 2017 comes anywhere close. This is a lousy, cynical game which has just one positive to its name: it's made us appreciate Farming Simulator 15 that little bit more.
It would be unfair to dismiss Romance of the Three Kingdoms XIII as yet another niche instalment in Koei's ageing series of war sims. There is real depth to city management and a refined complexity to the relationship system, bolstered by a welcome sense of fun. Some minor technical issues mar the battle scenes, but this is such a solid package overall that it's hard to grumble. There isn't much competition, but this is still the best strategy game on the PS4.
Furi excels when you're in the heat of the moment, fighting for survival against great looking boss characters. Super responsive controls elevate the action, and a fantastic soundtrack only adds to the brilliant rush that the game's capable of providing - it's just a shame that everything outside of the crisp combat doesn't quite measure up. When Furi's on point, it looks, sounds, and feels incredible, but a little too often, it struggles to maintain its intensity.
So far, its been a great year for turn based strategy games on PlayStation 4, and SteamWorld Heist has added further to the bounty. With its addictive and accessible gameplay, not only is it the perfect title for players of any skill level to test their metal, but you'll also have such a good time playing it that you'll quickly forget it isn't the direct sequel to SteamWorld Dig that you may have been hoping for.