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Last reviewed: Mina the Hollower · 6 days ago
The Abyss stares back. In response to an aggressive post-release patching schedule from dev Pearl Abyss, we’re giving Crimson Desert a second shake. With the game transformed from its 19th March release date, we felt it was important to revisit the title and provide an updated…
Planet Zoo is, ironically, a relatively toothless park building game. It doesn't have the delicious chaos of the Jurassic World Evolution games or the thrills of building your own rollercoaster and then hoping it'll stay on the tracks in Planet Coaster. But it's a pleasant and charming game. There's an airy joy in creating a peaceful home for animals to live in, and the earnest conservationist slant of Planet Zoo is hard to fault.
If nothing else, Night Trap is a historic document. A nostalgia trip for some and an insight into a rare gaming niche for others. Presented here with insightful extras and a modern lick of paint, it still stands up as a genre curio. There isn't much content here and continued enjoyment will rely on how much you are willing to replay the main story. But, if you succumb to its corny charms, this is a game as entertaining to play as it is to watch.
Matterfall's not the best game Housemarque will release in 2017 – but then, the virtually flawless Nex Machina was always going to be a tough act to follow. There's a lot to like about this side-scroller's pulsating platforming levels, and when it all comes together you'll feel like you're on top of the world. An unorthodox control scheme means that it's not the most accessible game, but once you slip into a rhythm it feels right. Unfortunately, it can be hard to stay in the groove, and while those looking for a challenge will undoubtedly relish the practice required to master this menacing sci-fi affair, it will put others off.
Few would consider the combat in the various Saints Row games particularly memorable, so it's surprising to discover that the frantic, fast paced battles and excellent agent switching gameplay end up being the true heroes of Agents of Mayhem. While it's disappointing that the open world feels surplus to requirements at times, it's the 80s cartoon atmosphere and absorbing upgrade system that also help ensure that this is more than just a Saints Row spin-off.
Final Fantasy XV: Episode Prompto plugs another gap in the main game's still woefully disjointed story, but a seriously shoddy mix of gameplay mechanics makes it a difficult DLC to recommend.
Sonic Mania is the best Sonic game in years, and stands proudly alongside its ancestors as a great 2D platformer. The levels, both remixed classics and brand new stages, are broad and a lot of fun to speed through, while more cautious exploration is also rewarding and just as viable. The feeling of playing an old-school Sonic title is spot on and it's filled to bursting with secrets, Easter eggs, and surprises that will delight fans. If you've never enjoyed Sonic games, this certainly won't change your mind, but anyone with an affinity for the Blue Blur's seminal Mega Drive series can rest assured that this is more than worth your time.
Mega Man Legacy Collection 2 has more variety than its predecessor due to the titles spanning both different systems and different decades. Just like the Disney Afternoon Collection, there's a plethora of bonus content included here, spanning art galleries and music libraries. This is another essential compilation for fans of the Blue Bomber.
LawBreakers' world and characters don't carve deep impressions, but the experience itself exerts a strong pull with its diverse, balanced classes, solid selection of modes, and stellar gunplay. It's more than a nice distraction from its looming competitors, and while the map design and implementation of gravity leave more to be desired, the game has the potential to further defy gravity and our expectations if it keeps shooting for the moon.
At over two hours, Batman: The Enemy Within – Episode 1: The Enigma is meaty instalment which picks up as strongly as the previous season left off. As a self-contained story, the Riddler's unique brand of psychotic behaviour makes for a satisfying arc – but it's the bigger picture involving Bruce and the deranged John Doe that promises plenty for the remainder of this series, and we're excited to see where it goes.
With genuinely fun gameplay, a groovy mix of weaponry, and a decent control scheme, Comet Crash 2: The Kronkoid Wars is a quality addition to the real-time strategy genre and should definitely be checked out by budding armchair generals.
Hellblade: Senua's Sacrifice is not going to appeal to all tastes, and nor does it try to. As a character action game, it has decent if underdeveloped combat and a mixture of some excellent and some overplayed puzzles. But it's the way that the title utilises the unique attributes of the medium to raise awareness of mental health that elevate this release beyond the sum of its parts.
Masquerada: Songs and Shadows sacrifices depth to tell an intriguing story. Its incredibly linear design keeps things moving, but between unremarkable combat and an over-reliance on exposition through a bloated codex, it's never able to fully capture your imagination. Masquerada is a stunted RPG that's entertaining enough while it lasts, but you probably won't be coming back to Ombre once it's over.
Graceful Explosion Machine is a gorgeous and innovative take on a now ancient genre of arcade shooter. The weapon system brings an element of combo juggling to the combat and challenge runs are addictive and, crucially, not too punishing. Simply put, this is another top-notch PS4 shmup.
Patapon Remastered is a decent port of the madcap PSP title. It's a unique, challenging game with real personality that fans of rhythm and/or strategy will have fun with over its ten hour campaign. Difficulty spikes and some well hidden key items can put a dampener on things, while the audio mix isn't quite up to scratch. Fortunately, the fun, simplistic gameplay is compelling enough that you won't be too worried about its flaws. Fans will love the trip down memory lane, but we also hope newcomers will drum up the enthusiasm to give this a go.
ChromaGun is a title that nails its core concept, but fluffs its lines in a few too many other areas. The colour-based puzzles brought to the table are a joy to solve with the surprising amount of depth mixing things up enough to never make you feel like you've seen the same brain-teaser twice. However, the punishment for failing a puzzle feels far too harsh at times and coupled with the constant load times, an air of frustration can set in.
The Long Dark is a strong survival title, possibly even the strongest of the entire genre. A beautiful, but dangerous Canadian wilderness provides the backdrop to a challenging, but largely satisfying fight for survival. While micromanaging every facet of your well-being while trying to survive might sound tedious in description, it actually ends up being fun, satisfying, and even tense. With three more episodes to come for this title's story mode, there's already tons of content to chow down on. Just watch out for the wolves.