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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.
Still, it all looks gorgeous, moves smoothly, and sounds exuberant as ever. We'd say that for Monkey Ball fanatics this is a bit of a must, but then said fanatics are the ones who will notice the cracks more than anyone else. So we're not sure, ultimately, who this is for. Newcomers may find themselves wondering what all the fuss is about.
While it presents itself well and has some neat ideas, Jett: The Far Shore never launches into the stars. Flying around, soaking in the atmosphere, and gathering info on a foreign planet is relaxing fun, but it's scuppered by messy combat scenarios and a story that falls flat. You may get some enjoyment from this, as does have its moments - just don't expect it to hit the stratosphere.
For existing fans, this no-frills remaster is the best way to experience the 2010 game on modern consoles, but in 2021, much of the title simply doesn't hold up. Without the benefit of nostalgia, Alan Wake doesn't work as horror because it's not scary, as a thriller because long stretches of the game are fantastically boring, or as an action game because the combat is uninspired and repetitive. There's an interesting central mystery here, but like Alan Wake himself, you'll have to go through hell to find it.
The story mode will be wrapped up within five hours but there is an exploration mode if you haven’t quite had your fill of bugs. Here you’ll be able to take control of other creatures and, as the title suggests, explore. There are short video logs dotted around the place if you want to try to find out more about what happened to the world. Although, once you realise that the other creatures are even harder to control than the sugar glider, and have encountered your fair share of crashes, you’ll probably decide that you don’t actually care that much about the reasons for humanity’s demise.
If it all proves too much, at least many of the vistas and scenes will soothe your mood with lovely visuals — especially as the sun sets. They don't quite look photo-realistic; there's a dash of flair and care that makes for a very pretty little title. It won't set the world on fire, but A Juggler's Tale has a pleasing aura that may resonate with folk who know what they're getting themselves in for.
Astria Ascending is a beautifully hand-drawn game with an old school JRPG feel. It tries to keep the experience modern with some much needed quality of life improvements, but annoying bugs hold it back. It's a bit of a shame that the story is fairly forgettable but the fun combat system does help alleviate this to an extent. With a very detailed job system and plenty of optional side content to get involved with, there is entertainment to be found here if don't mind the grind - but as an overall role-playing adventure, Astria Ascending has clear flaws.
FIFA 22 feels like real football, and it's all the better for it. Impressive improvements to player positioning, ball physics, and animations make for a supremely satisfying simulation that underpins each of the franchise's flagship modes. Career Mode doesn't reinvent the wheel, but the ability to create a club is entertaining, and the changes to Player Careers are overdue. Microtransactions still rule supreme in Ultimate Team, and you'll already have your own personal opinions on that, but there's so much to do in this year's release that you could easily invest hundreds of hours into it without seeing a single loot box.
Hot Wheels Unleashed is a rock solid arcade racing game that gets a lot of things right, but doesn't quite measure up in some areas.
Ultimately, poor combat fails to sour the strong level and encounter design here that meshes beautifully with well-thought-out controls and plenty of mechanical variety. An impressive sequel, but perhaps lacking the purity of its predecessor.
Design gripes aside, Nexomon is a decent Pokémon clone. It's a bit rough around the edges, but if you're hankering for a cheap and cheerful creature-based RPG, it's not a bad pick.
A weaker overall story and some serious pacing issues prevent Lost Judgment from reaching the excellence of its predecessor, but this is still a fantastic character-driven detective drama. Crunching combat and a frankly ridiculous amount of impressively in-depth side content make this one of the most robust Yakuza-style offerings ever - and that's more than enough to outweigh the game's often obvious flaws.
Despite borrowing from all manner of modern hits, Kena: Bridge of Spirits just about stands on its own. The wonderful visuals and music leave a strong impression, while the gameplay is simple but enjoyable. If its story went beyond the expected, and one or two small issues were scrubbed away, this would be a real winner. As it is, this is a solid action platformer with lots of personality, and a strong debut from Ember Lab.
NBA 2K22 spreads itself a little too thin off the court, but it genuinely takes strides on it. The game's rewritten defensive system makes for a much more enjoyable experience across all modes, where you feel rewarded for using the ball effectively and engineering open looks. MyCareer's first foray into non-NBA activities could do with fleshing out, and there's still an overreliance on advertising and microtransactions. But with one of the most complete Franchise modes on the market, and with exceptional presentation across the board, this is a series at the top of its game again.
Few games have the confidence and swagger of Deathloop. Packed full of charisma and wit, it's a game that can be played your way, with your own style and cunning. A very accomplished package of gameplay features supplies the goods, and the time loop delivers fun and deceitful opportunities over and over again.
Lost in Random is set in a masterfully crafted world which tells a gothic fairy tale-like story that has plenty of warmth despite its dark hue. With beautiful writing and a touching story, it does a great job at making you really care about what happens to Even, as well as everyone she meets. It also has a truly unique battle system that offers loads of fun in your quest to create a perfect deck. This is a delight to play from beginning to end.